Every few months, we report that Stark Future has been allowed to enter a new off-road event or championship. Then, about a season later, we usually report that the manufacturer has won or placed highly in said championship; is that what's about to happen with the Australian Supercross Championship?
Stark Future will race the full 2026 Boost Mobile AUSX Supercross Championship. It is the company's first season in Australia, and the first time any electric motorcycle manufacturer has taken to the start gate in the series. The Stark factory team will compete across all five rounds, starting in October, with riders in both the SX1 and SX2 classes.
There's more to the announcement than the championship simply accepting Stark's application to join. The announcement coincides with a landmark development, as Motorcycling Australia (MA) has approved eligible electric motorcycles to compete. Subject to technical regulations and approval from Motorcycling Australia (MA), AUSX has permitted eligible machines to enter directly into the relevant established classes, meaning ICE and electric motorcycles will take off from the starting grid side by side.
Mick Sinclair, Head of Partnerships & Motorsport at AUSX Events, said, “We're stoked to welcome Stark Future to AUSX and have a brand that is pushing motorcycle technology forward become part of the championship. Stark has made its intentions in global racing very clear, and we're excited to see them bring that same approach to AUSX Supercross... Electric motorcycles can now line up and compete against combustion motorcycles in AUSX, provided they meet MA's eligibility and technical requirements. Ultimately, racing will determine how the different technologies perform against each other.”
This is a huge step, generally speaking, for electric motorcycle manufacturers with hopes of racing Supercross in the future. The AUSX Supercross will set the stage as a proving ground and should help determine what the eligibility requirements are going forward in terms of global competition.
Sébastien Tortelli, Racing Director, Stark Future, said, “Racing is where we prove ourselves. We've raced the best in the world in SuperEnduro, Hard Enduro and World Supercross, and we've been consistently up there with the best. Australia has some of the toughest supercross racing and the most passionate fans anywhere in the world. We're not coming to take part. We're coming to compete at the front - and show the Australian fans we're here to be on the box.”
The question remains: how long before the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) allows electric motorcycles to compete alongside ICE bikes? And, when it does, will the fossil-powered machines put up a good fight?
