Next up with our end of season reviews is with newly announced 2026 rider, Max Beard. Max’s 2025 season was his second and last year on the Small Wheel 85cc as he moves up to Big Wheel 85cc from the start of the 2026 season.
Read how the 2025 season went for Max as he prepares for the 2026 season with the NORA CRS Development Team.
At the beginning of 2025 I started my second and last year on Small Wheel’s 85. 2025 was the seventh year of me competing in the Severn Valley MXC Championship. Severn Valley had always been my local club that I raced with since I was 6 years old and this was the first year I entered and competed in the NORA92 British Cup as well as the Nationals.
Starting the year off I felt confident and very excited to compete in two Championships I had never competed in before. My goal was to get in the top 3 for Severn Valley, top 10 for NORA92 British Cup, and top 20 for the Nationals. For Severn Valley and the NORA92 British Cup, I felt the beginning of the year went really well. I enjoyed my racing and even wining a few of the Severn Valley races. I also came in top 10 for the NORA92 British Cup races I had competed in. I only competed in 2 of the National Championship rounds. This was a level I wasn’t used to and felt it difficult to race. I felt the pressure which got into my head and it stopped me ridding to the level I could. Therefore, as a family we made the decision not to go forward with the National Championship.
In the middle of the year, I came down with a knee injury, causing me to have some time of the bike and to rest up. This was because I had something called bone marrow oedema in the medial part of the MCL. Due to this I had to wear my knee brace for 4 to 6 weeks and no exercise. This is still an ongoing issue for me as a see a physio every 3 weeks. This injury set me back and I wasn’t able to perform as well as I thought I would this year. I also broke my collarbone in September therefore having to pull out of Weston Beach Race which I was really gutted about as I have competed in Weston Beach Race since I was 8 and this would have been my last year to compete on my Small Wheel 85cc.
One of my biggest achievements I made in 2025 was winning the All British at the Maisemore track with Severn Valley MXC. I have raced there since I was 6 years old and never actually won the overall. This year I did and I was so proud, not just for winning but how I raced on the track. I was picked to ride for Severn Valley MXC in the NORA Motorsport Team event where I finished this year off with 6th overall NORA92 British Cup Championship and 2nd overall for Severn Valley MXC Championship, which I am very happy with considering the injuries got.
I am really looking forward to the 2026 season as my first year on the Big Wheel 85cc. I am looking forward to putting what Coach Robb has said during the zoom meetings into practice, and I feel with the support of the NORA CRS Development Team I will be able to hit my goals.
I am competing in NORA92 British Cup Championship which I would like to be in the top 15 and wildcard hopefully in some of the Nationals in 2026.
