DIRT NEWS
HERLINGS TO STAY WITH KTM THROUGH 2025
The partnership between the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team and multi FIM Motocross World Champion Jeffrey Herlings will continue beyond the 2023 MXGP campaign and stretch on another two years it has been confirmed . The 28-year-old inked another contract extension after visiting the Motorsport headquarters in Munderfing , Austria last month . Herlings initially signed for Red Bull KTM early in 2009 to make his FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship debut as a fifteen-yearold for the 2010 season . During a thirteen-year competitive period to-date the KTM stalwart has won 99 Grands Prix with both 250 and 450 SX-F machinery and gathered three MX2 titles ( 2012 , 2013 and 2016 ) and two MXGP crowns in 2018 and again in 2021 . Herlings , the most successful Dutch rider in the history of the sport , missed the entire 2022 MXGP schedule due to a pre-season injury , but is now back in the mix with training and testing in preparation for the 2023 season beginning on March 12 in Argentina . “ 2022 was a hard season for Jeffrey and our team , but we set our sights on this year and the future and it is fantastic to keep that # 84 in Red Bull KTM colours for two more years ”, explained KTM ’ s Head of Motorsports Offroad , Robert Jonas . “ Jeffrey is one of the fastest riders and racers on the planet . He hasn ’ t always had the best luck , but his desire to win and to set new landmarks seems the same as when he made such a strong impact in the team as a teenager . He will lead a young crew of guys for the next couple of seasons and his work ethic will be the ultimate example for them to learn . Jeffrey also has his own goals of course and with 99 GP wins , a strong KTM 450 SX-F and the thirst to be back at the top of MXGP , we hope 2023 and the next couple of years are going to be pretty special .” This year will see the # 84 face his seventh term in the MXGP class and with the 450 SX-F . “ We ’ ve been together for a long time and I believe I am now the longest-serving Red Bull KTM athlete as this will be my fifteenth year and from when I first signed in 2009 ”, Herlings said . “ We now have another two years together and maybe more to come . It ’ s great . Me , Pit and Robert have been very close during this time and have a great connection and together with Valentina [ Ragni , Team Coordinator ] these have been the people around me since the beginning and for all those fifteen years . We ’ ve been working really good together and we all want the same goals . I ’ m happy and thankful to extend the contract again and it ’ s great after a dark period in 2022 that the team and the company still have trust in me . I didn ’ t want to move , I ’ m happy where I am , and I love the group .” The fresh renewal for 2024 and 2025 will take Herlings from the age of 14 to 30 in Red Bull KTM Factory Racing colours and elongate their partnership to a total of seventeen years .
KIWI RIDER 103