Gelabert and Honda’s RTL Electric make their mark in TrialGP
History was made at the opening round of the 2026 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship in Japan earlier this month when an electric motorcycle competed in the premier TrialGP class for the very first time.
Spanish rider Miquel Gelabert piloted Honda’s RTL Electric to sixth overall on day one at Mobility Resort Motegi, navigating the same brutal course of massive rocks, steep climbs and giant logs as his petrol-powered rivals. He followed that up with a fifth-place finish on day two, sending a clear message that electric machines can hold their own at the very top of the sport.
Gelabert, 28, is no stranger to the TrialGP class, having competed at that level from 2016 to 2024 before stepping down to Trial2 last season specifically to help Honda develop the RTL Electric. That decision paid off. He came close to winning the Trial2 title in 2025, and his performances were strong enough to earn a return to the top flight for 2026, this time as a full-time TrialGP competitor on the electric machine.
Honda Montesa Team Manager Carles Barneda said the move up was a logical next step. After showing the bike could fight for top positions in Trial2, the team felt TrialGP was where the real development work needed to happen. An intensive winter programme followed, with the stated goal of fighting for podiums in 2026. Barneda described HRC and Honda as fully committed to the project, backing the team with the support needed to push for results throughout the season.
Gelabert had already given a taste of what was coming when he debuted the RTL Electric in the premier class at X-Trial Barcelona back in February. He didn’t make the Final, but the performance was enough to show the machine belonged at the highest level.
Japan then delivered something more concrete. With the event format overhauled for 2026, Gelabert finished fifth in the first-ever Super Pole session the day before the main competition, and he made the cut for the new Super Final on both days of racing.
Gelabert was measured but upbeat after the weekend, acknowledging that improvement would come race by race and pointing to the next round in Andorra as an opportunity to take another step forward. Barneda echoed that, noting the team had made some mistakes in Japan but learned from them. He flagged the more demanding Super Final sections as an area where the RTL Electric needs further development, while expressing confidence that the potential to fight for a podium is real.
Round two of the 2026 Hertz FIM Trial World Championship, the TrialGP of Andorra, takes place from 12 to 14 June at Sant Julià de Lòria.