Weston-super-Mare is preparing to become the centre of the UK off-road racing world once again as the Weston Beach Race returns for its 43rd running from 16–18 October 2026.
For three days, the famous Somerset seafront will be transformed into one of the most spectacular motorsport venues in the country, with more than 1,500 riders taking on the sand, thousands of spectators lining the course and seven races spanning youth, adult, quad, sidecar and SXS competition.
And at Weston, the beach is never simply the beach.
The temporary circuit stretches for around seven kilometres, beginning with the iconic start straight alongside the water before winding its way through a man-made landscape of jumps, rhythm sections, sand dunes and technical terrain. As the weekend progresses, the track evolves with every lap, shaped by the racing, weather and tide.
That constant change is what makes Weston so unique. It is not simply a test of outright speed; riders need to adapt to whatever the beach throws at them.
Following the success of the SXS demonstration in 2025, the class returns in 2026 with SuperATV backing its development into a fully competitive three-hour endurance race on Friday 16 October.
The four-wheeled machines will tackle the same unforgiving beach environment, bringing a completely different dynamic to the Weston course. With free spectating for the race, Friday provides the perfect opportunity for local spectators to experience the event before the main weekend gets underway.
Away from the racing, the event village, trade stands and entertainment will also be open, giving visitors the chance to soak up the atmosphere and explore everything Weston Beach Race has to offer.
Saturday marks the first full day of racing, beginning with the 125cc and 250cc classes.
These races offer a glimpse of the sport's next generation, with several riders returning to Weston looking to build on impressive performances in 2025.
Max Corke heads into the 250cc class after finishing second in the 125cc race last year, while the 125cc field features a strong group of riders including Jenson Severn, Archie Butterfield and Mylie Evans, who all step up following their 85cc campaigns in 2025.
Charlie Richmond also moves into the 250cc class after taking second place last year, setting up another competitive battle across the front of the field.
The Vintage class follows, with riders tackling half of the Weston circuit and bringing some of the event's history back to the beach.
Matt Coles returns after finishing second in 2025, while Dean Gray will be looking to improve on his fourth-place finish and fight his way onto the podium this time around.
Then comes one of the weekend's most unpredictable spectacles: the CFMOTO Quad & Sidecar Race.
Returning as title sponsor for 2026, CFMOTO will once again support a race that delivers something completely different from traditional solo motocross. Quads, sidecars and two-man teams will take on the full six-kilometre circuit in a gruelling three-hour battle of speed, strategy and machinery.
The Quad Solo class features a strong field, with Jamie Morgan returning after finishing second last year and facing competition from riders including Carl Bunce and Zak Orchard.
The 4x4 Quad class is equally stacked. Reigning Champion Harry Stevens returns to defend his title, while Steve Atkins and Lathan Pritchard are also back after featuring on last year's podium.
In the Two-Man Quad class, reigning Champions Oliver Marting and Oliver Shafer return, but they will face a challenge from the likes of Matt Thorpe and James Kerruish, who finished second in 2025.
The Sidecar class is guaranteed to produce a new name at the top of the podium in 2026, with reigning Champions Alun Davies and James Ferguson absent from this year's entry. That opens the door for combinations including Sam Wilkinson and Daniel Lawry and Brett Wilkinson and Joe Millard to fight for the win.
Sunday morning belongs to the youth riders, with the 85cc and 65cc classes providing some of the most competitive and entertaining racing of the weekend.
For these young riders, Weston represents a challenge unlike almost anything else on the calendar. The sheer scale of the beach, changing terrain and demanding conditions make simply completing the race an achievement, and for some, Weston will be their first experience of racing on this scale.
In the Big Wheel 85cc class, 2025 winner Casey Lister returns alongside runners-up Jensen Branny and Riley-Ray Barrow, all looking to claim another Weston podium.
The Small Wheel 85cc field also has plenty to watch, with 2025 65cc winner Preston Chorley stepping up to the class and looking to make an immediate impact.
The 65cc class could provide an early look at some of the riders who may go on to become future Weston and world Champions. Sienna Southern returns after winning the Ladies class in 2025, while Blake Marks-Bracey will be looking to improve on last year's second-place finish.
For many of these riders, the Weston Beach Race is about more than just the result. It is about experience, resilience and learning to race on one of the most challenging circuits they will encounter at this stage of their careers.
Then, at 12:30pm, everything changes.
The atmosphere. The noise. The tension.
The Adult Solos prepare to take to the beach for three hours of racing and in 2026, they do so with a record number of participants.
More than just a test of speed, the race demands physical endurance, mechanical reliability and the ability to deal with a circuit that becomes progressively tougher with every lap.
Deep sand, bumps, ruts and constantly changing terrain will test every rider, while the battle at the front promises to be one of the most closely watched of the weekend.
One of the biggest names confirmed for 2026 is eight-time World Champion Billy Bolt.
Bolt returns after an impressive second-place finish in 2025, demonstrating that his exceptional technical ability and race craft can translate to the unique demands of Weston. With a podium already under his belt and a year's experience of the beach behind him, Bolt will be one of the riders to watch when the gate opens.
British motocross star Conrad Mewse will also line up in the Adult Solo class.
Mewse is no stranger to Weston. He first won at the event as a youth rider on a 65cc machine in 2009 before returning to take victory in 2024. Now back on a Honda 450, the multiple-time British Champion will be looking to finish his season with another Weston podium.
But the route to the front of the field will be anything but straightforward.
Experienced sand and endurance specialists including Ashley Greedy, Shane Carless and Reece Jones will all be looking to challenge the established names and turn the Adult Solo race into a genuine fight for the podium.
The Over 40s class brings its own battle for supremacy, with 2025 runner-up Luke Kennett returning to the beach.
He will face competition from Derry Milling, who followed Kennett home last year, while brothers Ryan and Derek Bawn will be looking to improve on their fourth- and fifth-place finishes respectively.
With such a competitive field, there is little room for mistakes over three hours of racing.
The Ladies class continues to grow, with a significant increase in entries for 2026.
Anya Colley returns after securing a podium finish last year, while MXGP rider Amber McGregor adds another high-profile name to an increasingly competitive field.
With more riders taking on the challenge of Weston, the Ladies class is set to be another one for the books.
Of course, Weston Beach Race has never been just about the racing.
Away from the circuit, spectators can explore the trade village, food and drink outlets, exhibitors and children's activities, while demonstrations and rider appearances add to the atmosphere throughout the weekend.
The event has deliberately grown beyond its motocross roots, offering something for families, groups and first-time visitors as well as the dedicated off-road racing fan.
One of the standout attractions for 2026 will see two very different worlds collide in the Fanzone.
Danny Butler's Extreme Mountain Bike Show and Trial Tube will go head-to-head, with motorcycle trials riders and mountain bike riders taking on the same obstacles in a battle of horsepower versus pedal power.
Butler, a five-time British and European Champion, will put his own teams against each other in what promises to be a spectacular demonstration of balance, skill and precision.
It is exactly the kind of unexpected spectacle that has become synonymous with Weston Beach Race.
For 43 years, Weston has built its reputation on being unpredictable, challenging and completely different from any other race on the calendar.
In 2026, that looks set to continue.