Heading into this weekend’s Monster Energy MXGP of France, set for the undulating circuit of St Jean d'Angely, it isn’t hard to look back at the history of the French motocross riders and feel they have done their share in making the FIM Motocross World Championship a better championship.

Eleven Frenchman have tasted major World championship champagne at the end of a GP season and been crowned FIM Motocross World Champion. The French have picked up 17 major championships in total as many of their world champs scored more than one championship in their careers.

French riders have also won the MX3 World championship on four occasions, to take the overall tally to 20 official World Motocross Championships. They also have a beautiful run at the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations, with victories in 2001, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2023.

Back in 1986 Jacky Vimond became the first ever French rider to win a FIM Motocross World Championship. He did so in the 250cc class, and while Vimond was the pioneer of success for French riders it was Jean Michele Bayle who won 125cc and 250cc titles in 1988 and 1989 and started a frenzy of interest and success for the tri-colours riders.

Bayle who moved to America soon after his GP success in 1988 did still compete in Europe in the winter at the annual Bercy Supercross. Beating the big American riders and making a long list of young French kids in attendance wish they could be like the good looking and very marketable Bayle.

It didn’t come straight away though, and while names like David Vuillemin, Stephane Roncada and Mickael Pichon looked to become the next J.M. Bayle it wasn’t until the summer of 1996 that another amazingly talented Frenchman stole the hearts of the motocross world.

When a 16-year-old Sebastien Tortelli picked up the 125cc world championship ahead of British rider Paul Malin a new era in French motocross was born. Tortelli added the 250 championship in 1998 after a season long battle with Stefan Everts and this opened the floodgates for French success.

Soon to follow came world titles for Frederic Bolley in the 250cc class in 1999 and 2000, Mickael Pichon also in the 250cc class in 2001 and 2002, Mickael Maschio in MX2 in 2002, and Marvin Musquin and Jordi Tixier in the MX2 class in 2009 and 2010 and 2014.

In the MX3 championship three Frenchman have won, with Yves Demaria taking titles in 2004, 2006 and 2007, while Pierre Renet also won in 2009, although those French victories came in a class that was on the edge of being more like European title than an actual World title.

Of course, more recently, it was Romain Febvre winning the MXGP championship in 2015 and Tom Vialle and Maxime Renaux winning the MX2 championship in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

The French have also won the Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations on seven occasions, in 2001 at the famous Namur, Belgium circuit, Kegums, Latvia in 2014, Ernèe, France in 2015, Maggiora, Italy in 2016, England in 2017, USA in 2018 and of course in Ernee, France in 2023.

You can be sure when the Grand Prix of France fires up on Saturday morning the always large crowd will be standing as close as possible to the circuit to cheer on their local heroes, and you also know that Romain Febvre and Thibault Benistant will be right in the eye-line of those thousands of people and wanting to celebrate come Sunday night.

French World Champions

1986 Jacky Vimond

1988 and 1989 J.M. Bayle

1996 and 1998 Sebastien Tortelli

1999 and 2000 Frederik Bolley

2001 and 2002 Mickael Pichon

2002 Mickael Maschio

2004, 2006 and 2007 Yves Demaria

2009 Pierre Renet

2009 and 2010 Marvin Musquin

2014 Jordi Tixier

2015 Romain Febvre

2020, 2022 Tom Vialle

2021 Maxime Renaux

Pascal Haudiquert (Another French legend) image