Mads Fredsøe leaves CAT Moto – will his path lead back to Becker Racing?

Fifth place in the EMX250 doesn't sound like a season you can completely write off at first glance. However, anyone who reads Mads Fredsøe's own words after the final race gets a different picture. The Dane is far from satisfied with his year and makes no secret of it.

"Fifth place in the 2026 EMX250 championship. A rather disappointing season, to put it mildly. There were some really good moments, but overall I never really managed to put it all together on paper."

This assessment aligns well with what Fredsøe has shown throughout the season. He consistently possessed the speed to challenge for the top positions. There were weekends where he was able to compete at the front, but over the entire championship, he lacked the consistency to capitalize on these individual strong performances.

For a driver with his demands, P5 was therefore clearly not enough.

“I also need to look within myself.”

What's particularly interesting is how Fredsøe assesses his season. He writes that he could list several things that went against him, specifically mentioning technical problems and changes within the team's structure.

Then, however, he holds himself back.

“I could write a lot about why things didn’t go my way this season. It was a combination of many things: technical problems, structural changes, and other factors. But I also need to look at myself.”

That's a remarkable statement. Fredsøe certainly hints that things weren't quite right in his environment, but he doesn't use it as a settling of scores with the team. Instead, he then goes on to talk about a problem that can't be fixed with a different suspension setup or a new mapping.

“I need to rediscover the joy in this sport and the fire within me. Don't get me wrong, I love this sport. But under the circumstances, I just haven't been myself lately.” Fredsøe doesn't elaborate on what exactly he means by “those circumstances.” To say more would be speculation.

However, the fact that a 19-year-old rider publicly says after an EMX250 season that he has recently lost some of his joy and inner fire should not simply be dismissed as typical social media chatter.

There seems to be more to his disappointment about finishing fifth than just a few lost points.

After two years, CAT Moto is coming to an end.

At the same time, Fredsøe confirms that his time at CAT Moto Bauerschmidt KTM has come to an end. The two sides worked together for two years, and despite the difficult last season, his departure is by no means bitter.

"Happy days, sad days, laughter, tears – we had it all. An ADAC title, an EMX250 podium finish and an EMX250 Moto victory were some of the highlights. Thanks, guys."

These successes also demonstrate why Fredsøe cannot be satisfied with fifth place. He has already proven that he can win races at this level. The next step would have been to maintain this speed more consistently and establish himself at the front throughout an entire EMX250 season.

That didn't work in 2026. Now comes the cut.

Back to Becker Racing?

And that brings us to a name that has been mentioned frequently in connection with Fredsøe's future recently. If we understand correctly, Mads Fredsøe is set to return to his former team, Becker Racing, in 2027.

We currently have no confirmation of this. Therefore, we are not yet officially confirming Fredsøe's participation in the Becker tent. It's information circulating in the paddock and still needs to be verified.

This connection wouldn't be entirely far-fetched, however. Fredsøe is already familiar with Becker Racing from his earlier career. Especially given his recent statements, a familiar environment could certainly be appealing.

Because perhaps his decision for 2027 isn't primarily about which motorcycle has the best performance on paper or which team sets up the biggest tent in the paddock. When a rider himself says that he needs to rediscover the fun and his passion, the question of the environment takes on a completely different meaning.

Whether Becker Racing is indeed the answer will become clear in the coming weeks. It's just as possible that the story will turn out to be one of the many rumors that circulate through the paddock at this time of year and eventually disappear again.

First, one size larger

Before Fredsøe decides his future for 2027, he still has one more task ahead of him. His season isn't over yet with the end of the EMX250. At the Motocross of Nations will he compete for Denmark and for that, from the 250cc to the 450st switch.

His own choice of words fits this perfectly: "Now I'm going home, getting some fresh air, new people around me and a new, bigger motorcycle. Then it's time to train hard for the MXoN. I'm looking forward to it."

The "new people" are particularly noticeable after his previous statements. One can read a lot into that, but shouldn't overthink it. Fredsøe himself doesn't say that this change of scenery has anything to do with his team for 2027. For the coming weeks, the task is clear anyway: clear his head, prepare for the 450cc bike, and represent Denmark at the MXoN.

After that, it should become clear where Fredsøe wants to find the fun and passion he has apparently been lacking lately in 2027.

And perhaps Becker Racing will actually be on his team shirt again.