Image: Octopi Media.

Multiple pre-season injury setbacks have disrupted RJ Hampshire’s plans to defend his 250SX West title and ride 450SX on the east coast, instead most likely to enter 250SX East.

Now 28 years of age, Hampshire clinched a first-career Monster Energy Supercross title in Salt Lake City last May, but has largely been affected by injury since.

The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna rider injured his wrist on press day at Fox Raceway ahead of the Pro Motocross series, undergoing immediate surgery. Despite returning in the latter stages of the outdoors, he experienced further pain and was looking to seek further medical advice in the off-season when an additional injury struck.

“Five weeks ago today, I had another surgery on my wrist,” Hampshire revealed at SMX Media Days. “It was the same surgery as I had before – I had a screw put in right before outdoors started, came back racing and I was still in a lot of pain at those last four races I did.

“I figured it would get better in the off-season, got back on the bike in the last weekend of October, and I was in more pain when I got on the bike that first day than what I was before I stopped. Right away we knew there was an issue, I had a doctor’s appointment that Wednesday at 1:30, but I had a crash at noon and fractured my fifth metacarpal on the outside of my hand.

“It was a sign of you need to get your wrist fixed and figured out. I flew back to Florida and on November 1st I had another surgery on my wrist, had that screw taken out and another plate put back in. I haven’t had much off-season work at all, just cardio here and there.

“I only have a couple more weeks of healing, it’s going good so far, but that plan of racing a 450 on the east coast is out the window because I haven’t had any time on it. West coast might be an option – I doubt it – although I’m not going to rush into it.”

Regardless, Hampshire’s contract with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna is to transition to 450MX outdoors for the Pro Motocross Championship when it begins in May, and he will become a full-time 450SX rider from the 2026 season.