MXGP

Red Bull KTM Factory rider Jeffrey Herlings might have made history at the last round of the FIM MXGP World Championship, but you just know that with the goal of becoming the greatest Grand Prix winner of all time reached, he will set his sights on the next goal and that is to grab that red plate from the grasp of current series leader Jorge Prado.

Having not won a race from the first 11 (including Saturday qualification), he has now won four from the last seven and finished with 1-2-3-1-2-1-1 from the last seven races. That is dramatic news for his competition.

“I won today,” Herlings said after Spain, “Tomorrow, I am back on my bicycle and working hard for the next win. In seven days, nobody will think about this weekend. For sure, it’s been on my bucket list for a while and Stefan (Everts) was one of the best ever. A Grand Prix win is difficult in any class and sure it’s a different era, but a GP win is a GP win. Recently I have won three races out of six, I could never have imaged to do it so quickly. My starts are still not great, but getting better, top five average starts, so that is an improvement. Off to France and I heard they changed the track and I always did pretty well there.”

Something that always stands out with the Dutchman is his late race strength. Herlings always seems to have a little more in the tank and around the 10 minutes to go mark, he starts clicking quicker laps times and when behind, he closes the gap to the leader at a rapid pace.

“Most of the time I am physically strong at the end, so I could make some passes. Same with the second races, I seethe leader in front, and I could stay with him. I came from fifth (in Spain) and made some passes and then moved to the front and won easily. I enjoyed the crowd in Spain, whenever I could hear them, I knew either Jorge (Prado) or Rubén (Fernández) were close and when it was quiet, I knew I was safe. The Spanish fans are good for their hero’s, but also for us.”

While the fitness seems to be reaching it’s peak, the confidence of Herlings is also growing and with three GP wins from round two in Riola Sardo, round five in Portugal and round six in Spain, he might just start putting together a bunch of Grand Prix victories, one after the other.

“The confidence is coming quick, but it also goes quick. If I get beat straight up, then it dents the confidence, but once I get on a roll, then the confidence is very good. Let’s wait and see, race from race. At the end of the day, the championship is the goal and Jorge has made big steps from last year and he will be there.”

Now, roll on France and the undulating circuit which presents a tough challenge for all the Grand Prix riders. The big question is, can Jorge Prado dent the confidence of Herlings, or will the Dutchman continue his streak of wins and take the red plate?

Photos Credit: Ray Archer

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 17 May 2023 - The FIM Motocross World Championship is coming to France for the seventh Grand Prix of the of the 2023 season. The circuit of Villars Sous Ecot will be hosting the MXGP of France six years after the last event held there in 2017.

The French track was first introduced to the World Championship in 1982 and went on to host the 1988 MXoN. The 2023 edition will mark the comeback of Villars sous Ecot to the MXGP calendar and its 7th MXGP event, and this time the circuit returns with an 80% renovated track which will be an added challenge for the riders. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings won the last edition in 2017 (MXGP of Montbeliard) in MXGP and in 2015 in MX2 while French rider Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre won in 2015 in MXGP.

The MXGP of France will also host the 4th round of WMX and EMX125 presented by FMF Racing. Big Van World MTX Kawasaki’s Courtney Duncan leads the Women’s Motocross Championship while MJC Yamaha Team’s Janis Martin Reisulis is the leader in EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing in front of the young French rider 737 Performers GASGAS’s Mathis Valin.

The MXGP of France is always something special with large number of fans always ‘au rendez-vous’ to cheer on their heroes. While last season, the MXGP of France in Ernée was won by Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Jeremy Seewer, the last edition in Villars sous Ecot in 2017 was clinched by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings in front Team HRC's Tim Gajser and Max Anstie.

In 2023, Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado arrives at the Grand Prix of France as the leader of the Championship although he doesn’t have the momentum with him. He missed the podium for the first time this season at his home GP in Spain but still finishing at very good 4th overall. His consistency his clear as he once again clinched the RAM Qualifying Race in Spain but the Red Plate will want to get back on the top step of the podium and make sure Jeffrey Herlings does not overtake him in the Championship Standings this weekend.

On the other side, Herlings second in the Championship, comes to France with a huge momentum as he won back-to-back Portugal and Spain to break the all-time record of GP wins with 102. He also won the MXGP of Spain with the first perfect 1-1 of the season in MXGP showing that he is simply back to his best. The ‘bullet’ will have the advantage of the track as he won in Villars sous Ecot in MX2 in 2015 and in MXGP in 2017 which will give him this extra confidence that motocross riders crave. Now with only 6 points separating him from Prado, the fight for the lead will be on in France.

Team HRC’s Ruben Fernandez is another rider that his on his way up having clinched the podium on his Home GP in Spain and showed an incredible level of competitivity over last GPs. With 3 Top 5s in the last 3 GPs it is not hard to see that the Spanish rider is getting quickly acclimated to his first MXGP season with a factory team. He showed in Spain his mental toughness to rise up to the occasion with all that added stress to perform on home soil.

Kawasaki Racing Team’s Romain Febvre is coming home. The Frenchman has been very unfortunate in Spain as he was involved in a multi-rider collision during the MXGP RAM Qualifying Race that ruled him out of the MXGP of Spain. However, he clinched 2 podiums before the MXGP of Spain which puts him at a comfortable 4th place. He also has already won at Villars sous Ecot which will be the perfect way to come back with a bang and make his home crowd overjoyed. That would also be the perfect moment to win his first GP of the season.

Unfortunately, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Maxime Renaux, who sits 5th in the Championship will not be present as he sustained an injury during the MXGP of Spain that will rule him out for the foreseeable future. 

Team Gebben Van Venroy Yamaha Racing’s Calvin Vlaanderen, 6th in the Championship is being very consistent as he got an incredible 6 Top 10s out of 6 so far this season. While he was not too far from the podium several times this season, the Dutchman still misses a podium which is definitely within reach for him after showing loads of confidence and regularity in 2023. On the back of another solid 8th overall in Spain, Vlaanderen will as always be a rider to watch in France.

Another Dutchman is Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Glenn Coldenhoff who sits only one point behind Vlaanderen with 190 points and still very much in contact with a podium place. Coldenhoff has shown a lot of maturity after his dip in form in Switzerland as over the last 3 Grand Prix, Coldenhoff has finished 6th twice and 5th in Spain which makes him a constant threat for podium finishes as the season goes.

His teammate and 5-time Vice Motocross World Champion Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team’s Jeremy Seewer did not have the smoothest ride so far but still shows up in 7th position in the Championship which shows his undeniable talent. The Swiss rider is getting back to his rhythm as he got 5th in Portugal and 6th in Spain clinching 3 FOX Holeshots along the way to get to 4 in total this season. We can expect Seewer to come back challenging the top spots as we already saw him in Spain leading his first laps of the season.

Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Mattia Guadagnini is also nearly levelled with Seewer and very close to Vlaanderen in 6th with 186 points. Guadagnini seems at peace in his riding at the moment and it shows on the track with him deservedly clinching his first MXGP podium in Spain in 2nd position. He is one who also took lead of a race for the first time this season in Spain. His impressive riding style looks like is becoming very efficient too which bodes well with the importance of the next GPs to chase higher position in the standings and get more podium along the way.

SM Action Racing Team Yuasa Battery MXGP’s Alberto Forato is a solid performer and a rider that is very reliable in 2023. 10th in the Championship, the Italian has shown many great ridings throughout the first 6 rounds and will also be determined to ride at the front more often than not to get more points and prove he can fight amongst the top riders.

De Baets Yamaha MX-Team’s Benoit Paturel will be one of the home riders this weekend and the privateer, 12th in the Championship, has shown plenty of quality riding so far this season as he clinched several top 10s in races. Riding at home may give him an added boost to get his first overall top 10 this season which is more than possible given what he displayed so far in 2023.

For Ship to Cycle Honda SR Motoblouz’s Valentin Guillod who is 11th, the MXGP of France is not far from his home too. The Swiss will want to continue on his journey as he has been in the top 10 over the last 4 GPs and will want to keep these performances going in the neighbouring country.

Main Photo: Rainbow over starting gates MXGP Montbeliard 2017

Bottom Photos: 1.Romain Febvre; 2. Jeffrey Herlings MXGP Montbeliard 2017

Championship Standings Top 10

1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 294 points;
2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 288 p.;
3. Ruben Fernandez (ESP, HON), 224 p.;
4. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 214 p.;
5. Maxime Renaux (FRA, YAM), 202 p.;
6. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 191 p.;
7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, YAM), 190 p.;
8. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, YAM), 187 p.;
9. Mattia Guadagnini (ITA, GAS), 186 p.;

2017 MXGP of Pays de Montbeliard (Villars sous Ecot) - MXGP Top 3:

1. Jeffrey Herlings
2. Tim Gajser
3. Max Anstie
    

The last time MX2 competed in Villars sous Ecot was in 2017 and it was Thomas Covington who came out victorious in front of Hunter Lawrence and Jed Beaton. However the last MXGP of France in 2022 saw home hero Tom Vialle win in front of the other French rider Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team’s Thibault Benistant and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team’s Jago Geerts. 

Jago Geerts is still the MX2 leader as he finished 2nd on the podium in Spain behind the imperial Simon Längenfelder who sustained an injury in training last week and will not compete in France. Geerts showed plenty of maturity as he settled for the 2nd place and accepted this place knowing that the season is long. The Red Plate holder has been 5 out of 6 time on the podium which is a testament to his consistency and which is crucial to be able to stay on top of the Championship. 

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Andrea Adamo is also a model of regularity which is why he is 2nd in the championship and continues to show strong ridings. He got 4 out of 6 podiums so far and will be coming in Villars sous Ecot on the back of a 3rd place overall in Spain. The Grand Prix winner in Trentino paradoxically has not won a race so far and he will want to rectify that at the MXGP of France.

Another rider who performs and always fight at the top is Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf who is 3rd in the championship and missed the podium in Spain but with the same points as Adamo. De Wolf has won one race in Sardinia and even if has not won a GP yet he is not far from it as he already showed he can beat all his rivals over the course of a race. The MXGP of France will be the perfect occasion to align everything a get a deserve GP win.

Now 4th in the championship thanks to his impressive performance in Spain with a perfect 1-1, Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Simon Laengenfelder has sustained an injury on the back of his win and will unfortunately not be able to compete for the foreseeable future. Thibault Benistant, 5th so far and very much in the course for the MX2 Title has experienced a dip in form over the GPs of Trentino and Portugal, 6th and 10th respectively. He got back into his usual showings in Spain with a 3-5 for 5th overall. This is a perfect timing to get back to his best with the MXGP of France coming this weekend. The Frenchman will be supported by the passionate home crowd that will him perform on home soil.

Following in the Championship are Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Roan Van de Moosdijk and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Liam Everts, 6th and 7th respectively. They both recently tasted their first podium and are riding more often at the front of the pack. Everts got a good 7-6 for 6th overall in Spain collecting important points and not falling behind too much behind the top five. Van De Moosdijk is on the rise in term performance as he is getting his fitness and rhythm back after his injury in pre-season.

F&H Kawasaki Racing Team’s Kevin Horgmo finds himself 8th while Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Lucas Coenen is 9th. After his 4th place in Patagonia-Argentina Horgmo has not managed to get back to this kind of showings but the qualities of the Norwegian are well known as he is consistently into the top 10s, with his recent 7th place in Spain. Lucas Coenen managed a 14th overall in Spain with some misfortunes but the Belgian has already all he needs to perform with the best riders and simply need to put it all together over one full GP. The MXGP of France will be another chance for these riders to clinch their first podium.

TEM JP253 KTM Racing Team’s Jan Pancar who is 10th in the standings is the first privateer in the MX2 Motocross World Championship. That speaks volumes for his riding qualities and determination and it will be interesting to see if he can get even higher as the season goes. In Spain, he went 16-9 for 12th overall to keep his solid 10th position.

Another home rider will be Fantic Factory Team Maddii’s Tom Guyon who finds himself 22nd in the championship as he missed a couple of Grand Prix due to a sore shoulder. He came back in Spain for a 19th overall but getting along the way precious competition time and fitness before coming to Villars sous Ecot. The MXGP of France is ideal for Guyon to draw extra confidence from the fans support and get back to compete at the front of the pack.

The 11th in Championship, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 Team’s Rick Elzinga will unfortunately not take part in the MXGP of France after sustaining an injury. On the other hand after the return of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Sacha Coenen to the competition in Trentino, S.Coenen has definitely kickstarted his season after a promising top 10 in Spain, 9th overall which will give the young Belgian plenty confidence to continue his ascension to the Championship Standings (18th) starting with the MXGP of France. 

Main photo: MX2 Start MXGP Montbeliard 2017 

Bottom Photos: 1. Thibault Benistant; 2. Andrea adamo

Championship Standings Top 10

1. Jago Geerts (BEL, YAM), 319 points;
2. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 271 p.;
3. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 263 p.;
4. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 259 p.;
5. Thibault Benistant (FRA, YAM), 247 p.;
6. Roan Van De Moosdijk (NED, HUS), 219 p.;
7. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 187 p.;
8. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, KAW), 173 p.;
9. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 154 p.;
10. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), 134 p.;

2017 MXGP of Pays de Montbeliard (Villars sous Ecot) – MX2 Top 3:

1. Thomas Covington
2. Hunter Lawrence
3. Jed Beaton

TIMETABLE
 

SATURDAY: 08:10 WMX Free Practice, 08:35 EMX125 Group 1 Free Practice, 09:00 EMX125 Group 2 Free Practice, 09:30 MXE Time Practice, 09:50 WMX Qualifying practice, 10:30 MX2 Free Practice, 11:00 MXGP Free Practice, 12:05 EMX125 Group 1 Qualifying practice, 12:40 EMX125 Group 2 Qualifying practice, 13:25 MXE Race 1, 13:45 MX2 Time Practice, 14:20 MXGP Time Practice, 15:05 WMX Race 1, 15:45 EMX125 Race 1, 16:35 MX2 RAM Qualifying Race, 17:20 MXGP RAM Qualifying Race.

SUNDAY: 09:45 WMX Race 2, 10:25 MX2 Warm-up, 10:45 MXGP Warm-up, 11:15 MXE Race 2, 11:55 EMX125 Race 2, 13:15 MX2 Race 1, 14:15 MXGP Race 1, 16:10 MX2 Race 2, 17:10 MXGP Race 2.

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

FIM Europe

Villars sous Ecot

The organisers for the two MXGP rounds in Indonesia in Sumbawa and Lombok have organised an opening press conference in Jakarta to officially present both Grand Prix that will be held on the 24^th and 25^th of June in Sumbawa and 1^st and 2^nd of July in Lombok.

The event started with a typical Indonesian dance that people present were pleased to witness and was followed by the press conference were officials were invited to speak about the upcoming MXGP events. 

The event was attended by Infront Moto Racing COO Daniele Rizzi who joined online the Chairman of IMI (Ikatan Motor Indonesia) Dr. H. Bambang Soesatyo, the Minister of Youth and Sport Affairs Ario Bimo Nandito Ariotedjo, Nusa Tenggara Barat Governor Dr. H. Zulkieflimansyah, Deputy for Tourism Products and Activities for the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy Vinsensius Jemadu along with Indonesian celebrities Baim Wong, Paula Verhoeven and Asri Welas. 

The MXGP paddock is looking forward to the MXGP of Sumbawa and Lombok in Indonesia as they promise to be exciting events with a growing enthusiasm in the region.

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 15 May 2023 – The seventh round of the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship is coming to France and will be held at Villars sous Ecot on 20-21 May!

Checkout the Timetable and Entry Lists for the MXGP of France below

TIMETABLE

MXGP ENTRY LIST

MX2 ENTRY LIST

WMX ENTRY LIST

EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing ENTRY LIST

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 15 May 2023 - Infront Moto Racing and Dunlop have further extended their partnership. The race-winning tyre brand has signed a new multi-year agreement to remain an Official Tyre Partner to the series.

Teams competing in MXGP, the highest level of motocross, have a free choice of tyres. In recent years, Dunlop’s race-winning tyres have been the choice of several top teams including Kawasaki Racing Team, Standing Construct Honda, Husqvarna Nestaan MX2, and a selection of top WMX teams.

MXGP at the forefront of Dunlop Geomax development

The renewal of this partnership signifies the continuation of a highly fruitful collaboration that has served as an ideal testing ground for the latest technologies and patterns introduced in Dunlop tyres over the last decade. The Geomax line of tyres has undergone continuous improvement over the years, with notable advancements from the MX51 and MX3S to the latest MX33 and sand-specific MX14. These tyres feature unique designs and performance features that are accessible to motocross riders across the globe of all levels, ensuring the best performance on any terrain.

Dunlop Geomax MX14, which is designed for softer and sand surfaces, was introduced last summer. The MXGP Championship was instrumental in testing this new product, highlighted by the Lommel GP win in 2021 for Febvre while still in the development phase. In 2022 Brian Bogers was the undisputed king of Lommel together with the new MX14. 

Dunlop, a brand at the heart of motocross

Dunlop's pioneering spirit is evident throughout motorcycle racing, including its success in motocross. These tyre innovations have been instrumental in shaping the sport and raising the bar for performance, further cementing Dunlop’s position as a leading brand in motocross.

The full Geomax line is also the product of more than 173 national AMA championship titles Dunlop has facilitated, including every title in both the AMA Pro Motocross and Supercross championships since 2010.

Infront Moto Racing CEO David Luongo: “Dunlop is a historical partner of MXGP and we are very happy to announce that it will continue for three more years. The MXGP World Championship is a fantastic laboratory to continue to develop new technology for the tyres thanks to the diversity of its track, from sand to hard ground soil. I would like to thank Dunlop for their trust and collaboration and I am sure we will continue growing this fruitful partnership.”

Wim Van Achter, Motorsport Manager, Dunlop: “We are thrilled to continue promoting our tyres through the MXGP championship and utilising it as an essential part of our tyre development process. Our range of tyres, including the versatile Geomax MX14 and MX33 models, reflect the hard work and dedication exhibited during competition, which is made possible by collaborating with esteemed riders such as Romain Febvre and Kay De Wolf.”

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM

Dunlop
 

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2's Rick Elzinga sustained an injury to his right collarbone during practice on Wednesday, May 10th, and underwent surgery yesterday, Thursday May 11th.

Due to this setback, Elzinga, who currently ranks 11th in the MX2 World Championship Standings, will miss the upcoming MXGP of France, which is scheduled to take place in Villars Sous Ecot on the weekend of May 20-21.

However, the young Dutchman remains optimistic about making a comeback at the MXGP of Latvia, which will be held in Kegums on the weekend of June 4th.

Heading into the MXGP of France, set for the undulating circuit of Villars-sous-Écot on 20-21 May, it isn’t hard to look back at the history of the French motocross riders and feel they have done their share in making the FIM Motocross World Championship a better championship.

Eight Frenchman have tasted championship champagne at the end of a MXGP season and been crowned FIM Motocross World Champion. The French have picked up 13 titles in total as many of their world champions scored more than one championship in their careers.

Back in 1986 Jacky Vimond became the first ever French rider to win a FIM Motocross World Championship. He did so in the 250cc class, and while Vimond was the pioneer of success for French riders it was Jean Michele Bayle who won 125cc and 250cc titles in 1988 and 1989 and started a frenzy of interest and success for the tri-coloured riders.

It didn’t come straight away though, and while names like David Vuillemin, Stephane Roncada and Mickael Pichon looked to become the next J.M. Bayle it wasn’t until the summer of 1996 that another amazingly talented Frenchman stole the hearts of the motocross world.

When a 16-year-old Sebastien Tortelli picked up the 125cc Motocross World Championship ahead of British rider Paul Malin a new era in French motocross was born. Tortelli added the 250cc Championship in 1998 after a season long battle with Stefan Everts and this opened the floodgates for French success.

Soon to follow came World Titles for Frederic Bolley in the 250cc class in 1999 and 2000, Mickael Pichon also in the 250cc class in 2001 and 2002, Mickael Maschio in MX2 in 2002, and Marvin Musquin and Jordi Tixier in the MX2 class in 2009 and 2010 and 2014. More recently it was Romain Febvre who won the MXGP title in 2015, a success followed by Tom Vialle and Maxime Renaux in the MX2 class in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

France have also won the FIM Monster Energy Motocross of Nations on six occasions, in 2001 at the famous Namur, Belgium circuit, Kegums, Latvia in 2014, Ernèe, France in 2015, Maggiora, Italy in 2016, Matterley Basin in England in 2017 and again in 2018 at the RedBud circuit in America.

You can be guaranteed that when the Grand Prix of France fires up on Saturday morning in a little over a week, the always large crowd will be standing as close as possible to the circuit to cheer on their local heroes, and you can be sure Romain Febvre and his fellow French riders will be be wanting more than anything to pay their countrymen back with a victory come Sunday night.

Photo Credit: Pascal Haudiquert
 

Behind The Gate Episode 6 – Almost There is out! 

LAND IN PORTUGAL AMONGST MXGP RIDERS TO LIVE THIS INCREDIBLY COMPETITVE GP!

Focus on Rubén Fernández and Romain Febvre during the MXGP of Portugal and their drive to fight with the best ridersespecially Jeffrey Herlings on a mission to get his 101th GP win in Agueda! 

Get into Roan Van De Moosdijk’s mind as he is getting back to the top of MX2 after several injuries!

Behind The Gate – Episode 6 | Experience the intensity and competitiveness of MXGP with a great magnifying look into the MXGP of Portugal! You Simply cannot Miss it! 

Sixth Episode out! Now Get Ready to Watch the Best of MXGP! JUST CLICK HERE!

The MXGP of Sumbawa-Indonesia and Lombok-Indonesia on the 25^th June and 2^nd July will mark a thrilling back-to-back Grand Prix in a country that loves motocross. While Sumbawa already hosted the MXGP of Indonesia for the very first time last season, for Lombok it’ll be the first MXGP event, however the island is not new to motorsports as they used to welcome a round of the MotoGP and WSBK. The Indonesian passion for the sport is incredible with large crowds who come to support and cheer for the best motocross riders in a special and beautiful setting for the whole MXGP paddock. 

West Nusa Tenggara, the area welcoming both rounds, are used to host sports events to increase the local tourism and make the area popular worldwide. According to the UNWTO, a global tourism organization, sport tourism is an important catalyst to increase and recover quickly the tourism industry. Two Grand Prix in Indonesia in 2023 will be special and make the journey worthwhile. 

While an official Press Conference to present the two events will take place on May the 13^th in Jakarta, an opening event took place yesterday at the MXGP circuit in Lombok where West Nusa Tenggara Governor, a member of the KEK Monitoring Team, the Head of the West Nusa Tenggara Tourism Agency, and several officials from the West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government were present to kickstart the promotion of the two MXGP rounds in Indonesia. 

Taufan Rahmadi, member of the KEK Monitoring Team mentioned how tourism due to sports events has become a global trend: "when we speak about sports tourism, we are speaking about the economy, community, and cultural attraction as well". 

West Nusa Tenggara government, led by Zulkieflimansyah, collaborate with the central government and local governments to promote sports tourism in the area. "I see how the governor put all his efforts in promoting these two international events and how the collaboration between the central government and the local governments became strong. I’m optimistic that the back-to-back MXGP events will not only reverberate in West Nusa Tenggara but also throughout Indonesia in general.

MONACO (Principality of Monaco) 9 May 2023 - He has done it! The ‘bullet’ has finally broken the record of GP wins. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings has definitely written his name in motocross history! While he is already considered as one of the legends of this sport, having won 5 FIM Motocross World Championships in 2012, 2013, 2016 in MX2 and 2018 and 2021 in MXGP, this 102th GP win makes it even more official with 61 GP wins in MX2 and 41 in MXGP in 43 different race tracks.

There’s a lot to be said about this incredible record but one of the most striking things is that Herlings had to fight injuries throughout his career with the last one being in 2022 making him miss the whole season. It was a difficult year on the back of his 2021 FIM Motocross World Title as Herlings had to work incredibly hard to get back on a bike. Following months of recovery, the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider arrived in Argentina for the first Grand Prix of the 2023 season for his first official MXGP competition more than a year after his last GP. His magic never left as he managed the incredible feat to clinch the podium without being 100% back to full fitness which shows his level of determination and pure talent. This was a total surprise for everyone including himself but he’s shown again that every time he is on the track something special may happen. 

The MXGP of Sardegna two weeks later, is where Herlings definitely sealed his comeback. His heroic charge in race 2 to go to 2nd and win his 100th GP Victory displayed one of the most epic comebacks in motocross history. Herlings kept showing his unique talent and his speed in Trentino where successively passed all his rivals in incredible fashion, notably his double overtakes on Jorge Prado and Maxime Renaux to take the lead and win race 2 and get his third podium of the season. His 101st GP win was in Portugal as he clinched his second Grand prix of the season (first rider to do it so in 2023). The speed he reached was unequalled once more, as he set the fastest lap of a GP for a second time in a row after Trentino to win the MXGP of Portugal and inching closer the mighty record. 

The 102th GP victory at the MXGP of Spain was at the image of the legend, dominant! Herlings took that occasion to get a perfect 1-1 and go down in history in the best of ways as he showed all his talent to get a back-to-back win and clinched the 102th GP in style. During race 1, had to battle with home hero and Red Plate holder Jorge Prado in an incredible give and take in front of ecstatic Spanish fans. The ‘bullet’ got the last word and kept charging for the lead to overtake Seewer and Guadagnini to win the race. We could sense the tension and excitement rise with the possibility of that historic feat in every people’s mind before race 2. The Dutchman did what he does best and rose to the occasion. He displayed a blistering pace while charging behind Guadagnini and the other home hero Ruben Fernandez. Herlings’ drive to win was immense as he overtook both riders over one lap to take the lead and never give it up. The last lap was marked by fans cheering loudly for Herlings as everyone was conscient of the historical moment for motocross. And like that, Jeffrey Herlings is the most successful Grand Prix winner in history. Hats off to the artist!  

Herlings first competed in the FIM Motocross World Championship in 2010 during the MXGP of Bulgaria in Sevlievo. Since his first MX2 race in Bulgaria at age 15 the Dutchman has gone on to win 102 GP wins. His first ever win was the MXGP of the Netherlands in Valkenswaard only 2 weeks after his debut in Bulgaria.

In 2018, only his second season in the premier MXGP class Herlings has won 31 out of the 38 races. Winning 17 out of 19 rounds he participated in, the other two rounds he settled for second which is incredible in itself. Herlings also shown his drive to win at all cost during his 2021 MXGP World Title. Herlings got injured during the season while Romain Febvre and Tim Gajser were both strong contenders for the title. However, we now know that the ‘bullet’ never gives up as he came back to the competition although not in total shape but with a strong desire to win the crown. Arriving on the last GP of the season in Mantova with Herlings, Febvre and Gajser all levelled on points. This last Grand Prix decider would go down in the annals of history as Herlings went on to ride unbelievable races to win with a perfect 1-1 and get on top of the world with 9 GP wins.

With 102 Grand Prix victories out of 172 Gran Prix raced and 136 Podiums, Jeffrey Herlings put himself forevermore into the legend of motocross, and the legend continues…

Quick Facts:

DOB: 12/09/1994

BEST RESULT: 5-time World Champion (2 MXGP, 3 MX2)

FIRST GP RACED: MXGP of Bulgaria 2010

FIRST GP WIN: MXGP of the Netherlands 2010

Watch our video of Jeffrey Herlings’ 102 GP Win

LINKS

Infront Moto Racing

FIM