The new standard: Herlings reaches record #102 victory with Spanish MXGP success
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings has set a new all-time Grand Prix win record with a comprehensive 1-1 moto haul in Madrid, Spain and the sixth round of the 2023 FIM World Championship. Across a rough and rutty hard-packed course south of the capital, Herlings was dominant with his KTM 450 SX-F for his second triumph in a row, his third of the season, a first 1-1 of the year and the 102nd of a career that began in Red Bull KTM colors in 2010.
Jeffrey Herlings is victorious for the second time in a week and the fourth time on Spanish soil to move to within 6 points of the MXGP world championship lead.
Seven days after equaling Stefan Everts’ old 101 record the 28-year-old Dutchman sets the new standard with 102, and 192 career moto wins, all achieved with KTM 250 SX-F and KTM 450 SX-F machinery and in 23 different countries and 43 different circuits.
The purpose-built circuit of Intu Xanadu Arroyomolinos gathered thousands of Spanish motocross fans for what was the fourth MXGP event to take place at the site south of Madrid. A collection of tight corners, a narrow trajectory and some spectacular jumps were formed by hard-packed and rough terrain.
The climate for qualification was hot and sunny and the weather remained stable and therefore demanding on Sunday. Jeffrey Herlings came to Spain on the positive momentum of his victory from the Portuguese GP the previous weekend. The win had brought Herlings level with the all-time record of 101 career triumphs, and the Dutchman already boasts the most checkered flags by any rider and well over 7000 career points accumulated. He took 2nd position in the RAM Qualification Heat, missing P1 by just one second. In the first moto he patiently set his pace and moved up from 3rd to 1st by the midway stage. The second outing was similar and he made three positions in typically attacking style to head the pack by the final ten minutes of the moto.
Herlings’ place in motocross history is guaranteed but for the narrative of 2023 he now has three wins from six and five podium appearances. The gap to Jorge Prado and the red plate is just six points.
Jeffrey Herlings, 1st and 1st for 1st overall in MXGP: “I’m super-happy to improve my moto wins total and take the GP win record outright. The rest of the guys have really stepped it up this season – Jorge is riding awesome – and they are really pushing, so I did not expect this would come so soon. It is still anyone’s game on any particular Sunday. To have won three from six until now is something I wouldn’t have imagined. My starts got a bit better, not great though, and top five positions were enough today. In the second moto I could always see a leader in front of me, so I could rely on that, even though it was tough to pass here because there was only really one fast line. In the end I could control the moto. I enjoyed the fans here; they were amazing for their home heroes. I hope I can win a couple more world titles in my career and then I’ll lay on the beach knowing I’ve done enough!”
Results MXGP Spain 2023
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 1-1
2. Mattia Gaudagnini (ITA), GASGAS, 3-3
3. Ruben Fernandez (ESP), Honda, 5-2
4. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 2-5
5. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED), Yamaha, 4-6
Standings MXGP 2023 after 6 of 19 rounds
1. Jorge Prado (ESP), GASGAS, 294 points
2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 288
3. Ruben Fernandez (ESP), Honda, 224
4. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 214
5. Maxime Renaux (FRA), Yamaha, 202
