Pinoy takes 4th overall in Mongolia, seals Team Championship with Yamaha Racing Team Mongolia
Filipino motocross rider, Ompong Legaspi Gabriel, proved once again that Pinoy talent can hold its own on the international stage. After three grueling months, five rounds, and 10 races, Gabriel secured 4th Place Overall in the individual standings of the 2026 Mongol Grand Prix - MX League.
Competing against a stacked field of international riders and tackling some of the most unforgiving terrain Mongolia has to offer, Gabriel showed consistent pace and determination throughout the series.
While a podium spot in the individual championship barely slipped through his fingers, his efforts yielded a much bigger victory. Riding under Yamaha Racing Team Mongolia, Gabriel helped his squad capture the Overall Team Championship for the entire series.
The final round presented a mix of high momentum and unexpected mechanical heartbreak for the Filipino racer. Heading into the finale, Yamaha Racing Team Mongolia faced intense pressure, trailing the leader by 14 points. Gabriel found his rhythm early on his two-stroke Yamaha YZ250 during Moto 1. Starting outside the top five, he methodically picked off riders to finish in 4th place.
I started outside the top 5 and slowly made my way to 4th place. One thing I noticed was I wasn’t so tired, I had consistent speed. My mindset was to enjoy it like how it should always be.
Moto 2 took a rough turn when a mechanical failure forced him to suffer a DNF while running in 4th place, resulting in an 8th-place overall finish for the final round. Despite the setback, the collective points accumulated by the team throughout the season were enough to overcome two total DNFs across five rounds and seal the team title.
What makes Gabriel’s achievement even more impressive is that he pulled off this international campaign without much backing from big local brands. His success relied mostly on the support of Yamaha Racing Team Mongolia, Yamaha Motor Mongolia, his crew, FJ Moto, Motul Philippines, family, and local supporters who believed in his campaign from day one, proving that pure grit and discipline continue to put the Philippines on the global sports map.
