Jeffrey Herlings is the 2018 MXGP FIM Motocross World Champion, and for the seventh time in the last nine seasons Red Bull KTM will scoop both MXGP and MX2 titles in the same year. The Grand Prix of the Netherlands at Assen saw the Dutchman win again in front of ecstatic home fans as Tony Cairoli confirmed his runner-up status.

For the fourth year in a row the temporary and spectacularly set motocross course laid over the stadium section of the TT Circuit Assen provided a rough, tight and curvy test. The sand benefitted from a slightly revised layout for 2018 but made largely the same inventive use of space next to the vast grandstand that was filled with most of the 40,000 attendance.

Herlings secured his first world championship with the KTM 450 SX-F in the premier class of the FIM series – becoming the first Dutchman to do so for 30 years – and the fourth of a career that begun with his current Red Bull KTM team in 2010 at the tender age of fifteen.

Setting off from the first pick in the gate after posting his twelfth Qualification Heat victory on Saturday, Herlings passed Tony Cairoli before the end of the first lap and was cheered all the way to the chequered flag. The 24 year old cruised to the line almost forty seconds ahead of the pack and began the celebrations. He provoked a gasp from most of the circuit in the second moto with an early race crash but then hiked the entertainment factor by cutting his way through to win once more. It was Herlings’ seventh Grand Prix triumph in a row and 14th moto success; he was last beaten in Indonesia in July.

After 19 Grands Prix (of which he contested 18) and 36 motos, Herlings has won 16 and 31 and never finished lower than third in those 36 starts. He has dropped only 17 points all season and boasts a 100% podium record in just his second season in the category.

Herlings: “It has been an amazing day and it was a blessing to be in my shoes. Everyone had been saying ‘enjoy the day’ but it just ‘went’! To do this in front of my home crowd here at the TT Circuit Assen is amazing: a special day and it was nice to do it in style. I pretty much led the whole of the first moto and then in between races it was hard to stay focussed because there are many friends, family, sponsors who want to congratulate you and I couldn’t really do my normal routine! I tried to pass Glenn in the second moto but went down and had to pick up from tenth position and then work to get back to the lead. I managed to get little gap over Tony. It was a great day and it has been a special year. I have to give it up to Red Bull KTM; we’ve been together through this all the way so a big thanks to all the team and all the guys at the factory. Going 1-1, winning the championship, home crowd: enough said.”

Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports Director: “This is a special one. Jeffrey has been with us since 2009 and we have been through many ups-and-downs. When he was a kid everything was just getting better and better but then he got some nasty injuries and there were many tough days with this boy, but when you get to know him and see how much effort he puts in to get the results then he deserves this title more than anyone. Tony also had a fantastic season and it is impressive to see what he did but then Jeffrey just topped it off with his work. All our guys make a big effort but Jeffrey is outstanding. It is very emotional to see him at this level. For many years people have talked about him being the best rider in the world but he got injured before he could prove it on paper. Finally he did it, so it’s a special moment for all of us.”

The eight-month MXGP campaign comes to an end in two weeks time with the inauguration of Imola as a Grand Prix venue for round twenty of the season.

Next race: Grand Prix of Italy, Imola, September 30th

Results MXGP Assen 2018
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), KTM (1-1)
2. Tony Cairoli (ITA), KTM (2-2)
3. Max Anstie (GBR) Husqvarna (3-4)
4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED), KTM (5-3)
5. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda (4-5)

Standings MXGP 2018 after 19 of 20 rounds
1. Jeffrey Herlings, 883 points
2. Tony Cairoli, 782
3. Clement Desalle, 645
4. Tim Gajser, 625
5. Romain Febvre, 544

Red Bull KTM arrived in Bulgaria one week after the Grand Prix of Switzerland. The circuit and country changed for the series but the formbook did not budge as Jeffrey Herlings won the MXGP class and extended his advantage in the respective categories.

The fast, wide layout of the Sevlievo hard-pack welcomed MXGP back for the first time since 2014 and gave the older element of the Grand Prix paddock the chance to reacquaint themselves with the steep uphills and hard braking tests of the descents. Good weather persisted through the weekend leading to a dry and rippled track with lap-times close between the athletes.

Jeffrey Herlings did not complete the clean sweep on Saturday. The championship leader was outpaced by Tim Gajser in Free Practice but set the quickest lap-time by almost two seconds in Timed Practice and cleared-off for his tenth Qualification Heat victory when it counted. Herlings then took charge of the opening moto from Gajser and ran free to his ninth chequered flag in a row. The second affair produced a similar outcome once Herlings moved past his teammate. Red Bull KTM classified 1-2 on the track but Herlings toasted his fourteenth overall GP win from seventeen rounds on the KTM 450 SX-F (the sixteen he has contested) and his twelfth ‘1-1’. He also stretched his margin in the MXGP standings to 73 points.

Herlings: “I think this is one of the most beautiful tracks…but not really one of my favourites with the hard and slick ground. I think Youthstream and the guys did a great job with preparation but it was tough with the high temperatures. We had an awesome weekend: winning Qualifying and both motos. It is all I can ask for. It is too early to talk about the title but it is definitely getting closer. Anything can happen still. We’ll wait and see but today we did a good thing for the championship and we’re leading by 73 points now.”

Back in MXGP and the first Grand Prix of Turkey for ten years will take place at the new circuit of Afyonkarahisar next weekend.

Next race: Grand Prix of Turkey, Afyonkarahisar, September 2nd

Results MXGP Sevlievo 2018
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), KTM (1-1)
2. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda (2-3)
3. Clement Desalle (BEL) Kawasaki (3-4)
4. Tony Cairoli (ITA), KTM (8-2)
5. Romain Febvre (FRA) Yamaha (4-5)

Standings MXGP 2018 after 17 of 20 rounds
1. Jeffrey Herlings, 783 points
2. Tony Cairoli, 710
3. Clement Desalle, 581
4. Tim Gajser, 549
5. Romain Febvre, 544

Jeffrey Herlings of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team won both heats of the MXGP round at Lommel in Belgium. In the extreme heat he won both heats and collected maximum points.

Herlings was fastest in both training sessions on Saturday, and easily won the qualifying race. In temperatures that soared above 30, he saved his energy for Sunday’s gruelling races.

Herlings charged to the lead in race one and maintained a punishing pace. Despite a minor crash near the end of the race he had plenty of time to recover and claim the win.

Herlings did not get the lead straight away in race two, but soon enough he was in his accustomed position. His pace was such that he lapped up to the tenth rider, a remarkable achievement for a GP race.

With his overall victory Herlings has extended his world championship lead to 36 points. The series will take a week’s break and then continue in Frauenfeld in Switzerland.

Overall MXGP Lommel

Pos	Rider	Race 1	Race 2	Total
1	Herlings, Jeffrey	25	25	50
2	Cairoli, Antonio	22	22	44
3	Anstie, Max	18	18	36
4	Febvre, Romain	20	16	36
5	Coldenhoff, Glenn	15	20	35

World Championship Standings MXGP

Pos	Rider	Total
1	Herlings, J.	683
2	Cairoli, A.	647
3	Desalle, C.	503
4	Gajser, Tim	478
5	Febvre, Romain	468

The MXGP of Asia in Semarang, Indonesia is complete and one to remember! The weekend was full of action all leading up to today’s racing where Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings took the overall while gaining ground in the championship standings.

The competitors in the 2018 MXGP World Championship are as tough as nails or in Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings case tough as the plate and screws of his recently fractured collar bone. Herlings came into the Indonesian trip unsure of his situation but by the end has come away with 97 championship points of the 100 available.

At the drop of the gate for MXGP Race 1 Herlings was the fastest to the first turn but lost the Fox Holeshot and lead when he bobbled on the exit of the corner. Taking over the lead position and the Fox Holeshot was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Antonio Cairoli with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Gautier Paulin in 3rd and Monster Energy Kawasaki Factory Racing’s Clement Desalle in 4th. Herlings struggled to keep momentum at the start of the race and was passed by both Gajser and Paulin on lap 2 with Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP’s Romain Febvre closing in as well. Cairoli’s lead was then taken by Gajser and Febvre was past Herlings who was immediately under pressure from Desalle. Herlings made a move around the outside of Febvre and was then past Cairoli in the same lap. From that point Herlings gained time on Gajser and made a pass lap 13 just before Febvre crashed out of 4th. At the finish Herlings took the win with Gajser 2nd and Cairoli 3rd.

Race 2 was started with a second Fox Holeshot from Cairoli with Herlings, Desalle, and Seewer alongside. Febvre was back for Race 2 but fell on the start and had to fight back from dead last. Cairoli’s good start was short lived when he dropped 5 position in the first 3 turns back to 6th. Desalle was in the lead next but Herlings took it away in before the first lap was complete. At the finish Herlings took his 2nd race win of the day with Desalle 2nd, Gajser 3rd, Cairoli 4th, and Seewer 5th. In the overall result Herlings took the clear win with 1-1, Gajser took 2nd with 2-3, and Desalle returned to the podium for the first time since winning the MXGP of Russia with 4-2 for 3rd.

Jeffrey Herlings: “To go home with 97 points from the 2 weekends is absolutely amazing, I didn’t expect that and it has been like a dream come true. Not only didn’t I lose any points but I actually gained some, not many but a few is good so I don’t want to take this for granted. The rest of the guys rode awesome I really had to fight in the first race with Tim and the second with Clement.”

MXGP Overall
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 50 points;
2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 42 p.;
3. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 40 p.;
4. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 38 p.;
5. Tommy Searle (GBR, KAW), 28 p.;

MXGP Championship
1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 583 points;
2. Antonio Cairoli (ITA, KTM), 559 p.;
3. Clement Desalle (BEL, KAW), 447 p.;
4. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 410 p.;
5. Romain Febvre (FRA, YAM), 400 p.;

Jeffrey Herlings of the Red Bull KTM Factory team has made a crash today while training for the Grand Prix of Ottobiano and has broken his collarbone. The Dutchman will have surgery this evening to repair the damage.

Due to this injury Herlings will miss the Grand Prix of  Lombardia. At the moment he has a 62 point lead over Antonio Cairoli in the championship so he will stay in the lead in the championship.

The next Grand Prix will be held on the 1st of July in Indonesia. Jeffrey and the team will look in the week prior to the event if he is able to ride!