Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's RJ Hampshire set the pace in 250SMX qualifying at Playoff 1 in the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX), on a day where results didn't match the potential of all three active team riders when the final checkered flag flew.
Hampshire was exceptional on Saturday morning at Charlotte's zMAX Dragway in qualifying his Husqvarna FC 250 Rockstar Edition fastest on combined times. This year's AMA Supercross 250SX West Champion was then racing toward the front of the pack in Moto 1, until a crash cost him any chance of a podium finish, and he remounted for P10. Moto 2 saw RJ claim eighth, which placed him ninth overall and he now sits P10 in the series.
"Today started off really good, qualifying fastest," Hampshire recalled. "In the first moto I made my way into second, but caught a rut in the rhythm, which shot me left, into the tuff blocks and the barrier. That kind of messed my day up, but we fought through it for 10-8 finishes and ninth overall. We'll keep getting better this week and try to land on the box in Dallas."
Charlotte marked Malcolm Stewart's first-ever SuperMotocross start on the unique hybrid track layouts, going on to earn seventh overall. The Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition rider qualified in seventh and then registered 8-7 scores for seventh overall, which also positions him P7 in the 450SMX standings to commence the post-season.
"Charlotte was fun and this was my first time racing SuperMotocross," Stewart commented . "First moto we were P8 and then second moto seventh, so that placed us seventh overall and it was a great start for us. I'm learning the bike in this format and we'll take what we learned into Texas and keep building. Huge shoutout to the whole Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing crew – we've been pushing hard all season and I look forward to the next couple of weekends."
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SMX teammate Christian Craig also lined up in the SMX playoffs for the first time at the North Carolina venue. A crash and further trouble in the opening encounter meant he finished in 20th, before managing to rebound in Moto 2 with a ninth-place score, and that put him 14th overall.
"The day started off pretty good," Craig said. "Qualifying was decent and I was riding not bad. First moto, quarter of a lap in, I went down and got hit in the back of the head pretty hard, so had to make my way back up, but got a tuff block cover stuff in my back brake pedal and I had to stop to get that out. I regrouped for the second main, got a decent start, and was in the mix for a little bit to end up ninth. It wasn't my best ride, but all in all, we'll regroup and get ready for Texas next week."
On return from injury in Charlotte for the 250SMX post-season, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Casey Cochran unfortunately crashed in the opening qualifying session this morning and was unable to continue for the remainder of Playoff 1.
Next Race: September 14 – Fort Worth, Texas (SMX Playoff 2)
Results 450SMX Class – SMX Playoff 1
1. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda
2. Eli Tomac (USA), Yamaha
3. Chase Sexton (USA), KTM
7. Malcolm Stewart (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
8. Aaron Plessinger (USA), KTM
14. Christian Craig (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
Standings 450SMX Class 2024 after 1 of 3 rounds
1. Chase Sexton, 45 points
2. Jett Lawrence, 41
3. Hunter Lawrence, 40
6. Aaron Plessinger, 32
7. Malcolm Stewart, 30
12. Christian Craig, 18
17. Justin Barcia, 13
Results 250SMX Class – SMX Playoff 1
1. Haiden Deegan (USA), Yamaha
2. Julien Beaumer (USA), KTM
3. Levi Kitchen (USA), Kawasaki
5. Tom Vialle (FRA), KTM
9. RJ Hampshire (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
12. Pierce Brown (USA), GASGAS
14. Ryder DiFrancesco (USA), GASGAS
Standings 250SMX Class 2024 after 1 of 3 rounds
1. Haiden Deegan, 50 points
2. Levi Kitchen, 42
3. Tom Vialle, 37
5. Julien Beaumer, 35
7. Pierce Brown, 26
10. RJ Hampshire, 22
12. Ryder DiFrancesco, 21
20. Casey Cochran, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 4
Lucas Coenen storms to a flawless 1-1 victory at the MXGP of Türkiye, while team-mate Kay de Wolf adds to Husqvarna’s podium dominance, with just two rounds remaining in the 2024 season.
MotoGP™ moved to the first of back-to-back Grands Prix at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli and Collin Veijer raced to 5th position as Tatsuki Suzuki was also strong for P8.
Round twelve of 2024 MotoGP landed on the epic plains of central eastern Spain for the Aragon Grand Prix. Collin Veijer raced to P2 with his Husqvarna FR 250 GP in Moto3.
The twists and speed of MotorLand Aragon delivered a new surface and a sun drenched twelfth outing for the world championship in 2024, as well as being the third of four dates on mainland Spain this year. MotoGP had not visited Aragon since 2022 so this was a fresh Grand Prix experience for Husqvarna IntactGP star Collin Veijer who was hunting his sixth podium result of the campaign. The weekend permitted Tatsuki Suzuki with another chance to tweak his race set-up.
After events in the UK and Austria, MotoGP weathered the heat in MotorLand, three hours south and west of Barcelona, and relished the mix of 16 corners, cambers and high-speed sections of the circuit that was welcoming the series for the fifteenth time. As well as more trophies, IntactGP were also hoping to boost Veijer’s world championship points haul, with the Dutchman P4 in the standings.
On Friday Collin vied for the top of the time sheets and ended up in 4th while Suzuki made sure of 16th. Saturday’s schedule involved the pursuit of Pole Position through Q2 (after a damp track in the morning had dried by the afternoon) and Veijer finalised the session with the 9th slot on the grid. Tatsuki lined up ten spots further back for the 17 laps on Sunday.
Race day morning presented a conundrum: rain. With precious little time in the wet the Husqvarna duo knew there would be a lottery element to the race even if the sunshine did start to dry the tarmac by the time grid formed. Veijer was cautious in the opening phases but soon latched onto the fight for 2nd. The 19-year-old set the fastest lap in the first half of the distance to rise to P2 and then set-off in pursuit of David Alonso. He swept into P1 but then his medium tyre choice started to bite, and he could not prevent Jose Antonio Rueda coming past. Collin guided the FR 250 GP to a solid and comfortable runner-up slot in the last two laps for his sixth trophy of 2024; allowing him to assume 2nd place also in the championship, 75 points behind Alonso. Suzuki made ground to circulate on the edge of the top ten. The experienced Japanese then guided his motorcycle home to confirm two points for 14th.
Twelve Grands Prix in the books and MotoGP packed up swiftly for the journey across the continent and to the east coast of Italy. The Gran Premio Red Bull di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini will push round thirteen into action at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.
Collin Veijer, 2nd: “Very happy because I had a difficult weekend and struggled a lot with the condition of the track. I started calm and tried to see what was possible, I saw David was pulling a gap and I knew if I hit the clean line I would be on the same pace. I caught and passed him but I was on the medium trye and tried to managed it. Anyway, after a difficult weekend we’re on the podium again so I’m happy.”
Tatsuki Suzuki, 14th: “A tough race and in the beginning I was quite competitive. I managed the first lap quite well. From the middle until the end I tried to manage my tyre and my pace but I could not catch the second group. A shame, and not the result I wanted but we have another race to try next week.”
Moto2 involved 19 laps of damp action on Sunday and with Darryn Binder and Senna Agius in the search of more premium points. Binder, in particular, had found a good flow on Friday and was roaming the outskirts of the top ten. Both Darryn and Senna were just over a second away from P1 after Practice and then could not fight their way through Q1, ending-up 20th and 24th on the grid respectively.
After the exhilaration of Moto3, Moto2 then tried to lay rubber on the slick Spanish surface and Darryn was a competitive force in the top ten as he chased title contender Ai Ogura and headed Austrian GP winner Celestino Vietti. A well-earned 9th was his reward. Senna passed the flag in 16th and just missed the points.
Darryn Binder, 9th : “Definitely not an easy race, the track conditions were really difficult and my start position didn’t help. I had a good getaway though and really good pace. I was making my way up the field but for two laps in a row I made the same mistake and got a bit off line, which cost me a bit of time but I’m happy with my speed and how the race went. I could have been a bit further up the road but this is my third top ten in a row and I feel things are coming together. I just need to work on my qualifying.”
Senna Agius, 16th: “Difficult for us this weekend. It started really well but then we were unable to adapt to the track conditions to perform. I’m disappointed in myself. I couldn’t find my rhythm and I made too many mistakes. We want more and deserve more. I feel a bit flat, so time to reset and look to Misano.
Results Moto3 Aragon Grand Prix
1. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP) KTM 34:51.635, 2. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna +1.985 , 3. Luca Lunetta (ITA) Honda +3.556, 4. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO +4.942, 8. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) KTM +17.029, 9. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS +17.165, 14. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna +23.532 , 15. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO +23.594, 21. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS +51.593
World Championship standings Moto3
1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO, 237 points, 2. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna, 162 , 3. Ivan Ortola (ESP) KTM, 157, 4. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS, 156, 6. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), KTM, 99, 14. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna, 50 , 15. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS, 46, 16. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO, 42, 21. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) KTM, 11
Results Moto2 Aragon Grand Prix
1. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO 35:54.402, 2. Tony Arbolino (ITA) +1.779, 3. Deniz Öncü (TUR) +5.479, 9. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna +19.757 , 10. Celestino Vietti (ITA) +21.301, 16. Senna Agius (AUS) Husqvarna +30.080 , DNF. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO
World Championship standings Moto2
1. Sergio Garcia (ESP), 162 points, 2. Ai Ogura (JPN), 150, 3. Alonso Lopez (ESP), 133, 5. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO, 119, 7. Celestino Vietti (ITA) KTM, 102, 15. Senna Agius (AUS) Husqvarna, 33 , 16. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna, 32, 17. Deniz Öncü (TUR) KTM, 27, 19. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO, 25
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's RJ Hampshire finished a rewarding third overall in today's final round of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, standing on the 250MX podium in only his second outdoor appearance of the 2024 season. The series also ended in a picture of consistency for 450MX duo Christian Craig and Malcolm Stewart.
After clinching the 250SX West title in May, Hampshire was injured on the eve of the Pro Motocross season, but managed to return last time out at Budds Creek. The Husqvarna FC 250 Rockstar Edition pilot started strongly at the finale by finishing fourth in Moto 1, and then charged to third in the final race of the series to place him P3 overall.
"It was awesome to be back at the races again," Hampshire said. "We were here for the gate drops and to get some intensity back, and somehow pulled off a podium. I felt pretty good on the bike, definitely still not even close to 100 percent, but it was nice to grind it out and suffer a bit today. I'm happy to be rewarded with a podium and look forward to Charlotte here in a couple of weeks."
It's been an impressive year of rebuilding for both Craig and Stewart in 450MX onboard their Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition machinery, with Craig getting the upper hand at Ironman via 10-7 scores for eighth overall – his eighth top 10 result of the series – and also finishing P8 in points.
"Last round of the outdoors, I was pumped to make it through the whole season and with just one DNF," Craig recalled. "We scored points in every moto we finished though and built throughout the season. I struggled a little bit today with the track, just couldn't get comfortable, and had a couple of big crashes in practice, but in the races I did what I could. The second moto was better and we ended up eighth overall, so riding is good, and I'm excited for my first time in SMX now. We'll keep trying to put in the good results."
While the final round saw Stewart go 7-11 for 10th overall, impressively only finishing outside of the top 10 overall once all season, he can celebrate earning sixth in the 450MX championship on return to the outdoors. Like Craig alongside him, Stewart has been gaining momentum after missing a lot of racing through injury, and will carry increased confidence into the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) playoffs.
"Ironman, we had a good first moto and the fans were awesome, which I'm always really thankful for," Stewart commented. "I'm more so happy with finishing the whole season of Supercross and Pro Motocross without any injuries or missing any races. We have to think of all the positives and, no matter how you look at it, gate drops are the best thing you can get. In the second moto today I had a bad start, had to ride hard, and then kind of faded a little bit, and was cramping up, but it was a really good season for us overall. I'll enjoy this next weekend off and then head into SMX excited for what's to come!"
Ironman Raceway also hosted the Scouting Moto Combine event on Friday prior to this weekend's final National of the 2024 season, where Rockstar Energy Husqvarna amateur Landon Gibson rode his Husqvarna FC 250 to 5-7 moto results for fourth overall.
Next Race: September 7 – Concord, North Carolina (SMX Playoff 1)
Results 450MX Class – Ironman National
1. Chase Sexton (USA), KTM
2. Aaron Plessinger (USA), KTM
3. Eli Tomac (USA), Yamaha
8. Christian Craig (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
10. Malcolm Stewart (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
Standings 450MX Class 2024 after 11 of 11 rounds
1. Chase Sexton, 504 points
2. Hunter Lawrence, 462
3. Aaron Plessinger, 403
6. Malcolm Stewart, 297
8. Christian Craig, 244
14. Justin Barcia, 148
Results 250MX Class – Ironman National
1. Tom Vialle (FRA), KTM
2. Chance Hymas (USA), Honda
3. RJ Hampshire (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
7. Ryder DiFrancesco (USA), GASGAS
14. Julien Beaumer (USA), KTM
17. Pierce Brown (USA), GASGAS
Standings 250MX Class 2024 after 11 of 11 rounds
1. Haiden Deegan, 481 points
2. Tom Vialle, 412
3. Levi Kitchen, 405
8. Pierce Brown, 269
10. Ryder DiFrancesco, 250
11. Julien Beaumer, 221
13. Casey Cochran, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 164
22. RJ Hampshire, 65
Kay de Wolf pushed through the pain from a high-speed crash in qualifying to secure a crucial MX2 victory. Lucas Coenen, and Mattia Guadagnini (in MXGP), faced a tough weekend at Frauenfeld to finish 7th and 12th respectively.
Lucas Coenen narrows the championship gap with victory at Arnhem, as Kay de Wolf finishes P2. Guadagnini shines in MXGP with a strong sand performance.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing riders Malcolm Stewart and Christian Craig continue to gain strength in the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, finishing fourth and sixth overall in the 450MX Class at today's Budds Creek National. This weekend also saw the welcome return to competition of RJ Hampshire in 250MX.
Collin Veijer keeps his eyes fixed on a 2024 Moto3 world championship medal with his eighth top five classification of the season after a riveting Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring.
RJ Hampshire will make his anticipated return to competition in Round 10 of the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider set to make his first outdoor appearance of the season at the Budds Creek National.
Husqvarna's historic legacy shone brightly at the 2024 MXGP of Sweden, where Lucas Coenen dominated both MX2 motos, securing his fourth 1-1 victory of the season.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing pair Christian Craig and Malcolm Stewart claimed P8 and P9 overall as the AMA Pro Motocross Championship got back underway at Unadilla this weekend, competing with a distinctive Heritage livery at Round 9 of the 2024 season.
Kay de Wolf secured the overall win and extended his championship lead, while Lucas Coenen faced a tough weekend to finish seventh. Mattia Guadagnini overcame injuries to finish 13th in MXGP.
Husqvarna Factory Racing is delighted to announce the extension of its successful partnership with Nestaan-MX. The new multi-year contract will see Nestaan-MX continue as "Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing" in the FIM Motocross World Championship, ensuring an exciting future for both organisations.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Malcolm Stewart finished seventh and Christian Craig ninth overall in Washougal's eighth round of the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, continuing their consistent top-10 form in the 450MX division during the Military Appreciation weekend of the series.
After a short refresh break, the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Team touched down for racing on European soil again, following their total domination of the fly-away races in Indonesia two weeks ago. The picturesque and formidable Loket circuit beckoned, boasting its fearsome layout of steep climbs, and winding rock-laden turns.
Teenage rookie Casey Cochran has claimed a spectacular first-career podium finish at the Spring Creek National, leading the majority of 250MX Moto 2 this afternoon on his way to a P2 finish, which resulted in third position overall in a breakout ride at Round 7 of the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
The Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing was on blistering form for the MXGP of Lombok, with Lucas Coenen securing a perfect 1-1 victory, and Kay de Wolf maintaining his championship lead despite finishing P5. Mattia Guadagnini secured a top-ten overall finish, moving up in the championship standings.
Tatsuki Suzuki and the FR 250 GP showed race-leading speed at the curving Sachsenring for round nine of 2024 MotoGP™ by scoring 9th position in Saxony.
All three Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing riders took season-best finishes at the RedBud National, marking Round 6 of the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Malcolm Stewart charged to sixth and Christian Craig 10th in 450MX, while newcomer Casey Cochran raced to the highest finish of his 250MX career in P7.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing newcomer Casey Cochran delivered his best 250MX moto finishes of the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship season on his way to 10th overall at Southwick, as teammates Malcolm Stewart and Christian Craig also featured inside the top 10 across Saturday's pair of 450MX motos.
Round eight of 2024 MotoGP™ took place at the revered TT Assen circuit and Husqvarna Motorcycles and Collin Veijer almost added to the folklore, missing out on P1 by 0.012 of a second.
Kay de Wolf dominated a hot and challenging opening weekend in Indonesia, claiming a perfect 1-1 score in MX2, with Lucas Coenen finishing P3. Mattia Guadagnini battled the conditions and delivered a solid P7.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Malcolm Stewart went 9-9 for ninth overall at today's High Point National, marking Round 4 of the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Rutted, technical conditions were on the agenda, but it was consistency that was once again the story of Stewart's day.
The iconic Maggiora track, which has hosted GP action since 1966 in northwest Italy, provided the perfect venue for the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Team to reach the halfway point of the season. The team has so far claimed six overall wins and 11 individual race wins in MX2 alone.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammates Malcolm Stewart and Christian Craig have further established themselves among the top 10 of 450MX in the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, with Stewart a picture of consistency for P8 and Craig gaining strength on his way to 10th at Thunder Valley, Colorado.
Husqvarna Motorcycles maintain its status as a central Moto3 protagonist as Collin Veijer guides his FR 250 GP to 2nd place at a warm and busy Autodromo del Mugello for round seven of ’24 MotoGP™.
Lucas Coenen secured his third consecutive MX2 win, with Kay de Wolf finishing a close second. In MXGP, Mattia Guadagnini raced to a Fox Holeshot award on Saturday and a top ten overall finish on Sunday.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing has been able to draw from the positives following an encouraging Hangtown National that saw all three riders – Casey Cochran, Malcolm Stewart, and Christian Craig – finish inside the top 10. For 250MX rookie Cochran, he started the day in convincing fashion by qualifying quickest overall in class.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Malcolm Stewart's return to the AMA Pro Motocross Championship resulted in an encouraging top 10 result overall at the Fox Raceway National, as teammates Christian Craig and Casey Cochran formed foundations to build upon in the 2024 season.
Round six of 2024 MotoGP™ took place at the sun-kissed Circuit de Barcelona-Cataluyna and Dutch star Collin Veijer and his FR 250 GP were protagonists in the Moto3 class once more. The IntactGP team also reached a personal best with 5th in Moto2™.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider RJ Hampshire has unfortunately been sidelined ahead of Round 1 of the 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship in Pala, California, after injuring his wrist during media day on Thursday afternoon.
The 28-year-old, fresh from capturing the 250SX West Championship in AMA Supercross two weeks ago, underwent immediate surgery yesterday evening, but it remains unclear when he will be fit to return to the 11-round outdoor series.
Nathan Ramsey, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager: "The highs and the lows of this sport are sometimes tough to swallow, but unfortunately with RJ taking a spill on press day here at Pala, he has injured his wrist. It's a setback, but we can all get through this – I know that RJ and the crew will stay positive. RJ's tough and he's mentally strong, so he'll be back as soon as possible."
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing looks forward to welcoming RJ back once he is back to 100 percent health. The team will field Malcolm Stewart and Christian Craig in 450MX, as well as rookie Casey Cochran in 250MX, at this Saturday's season-opening Fox Raceway National.
The 2024 AMA Pro Motocross Championship beckons for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team, fresh from RJ Hampshire's title-winning achievements in the 250SX West division of AMA Supercross and with the motivation to maintain that momentum into the great outdoors. Round 1 will take place in Pala, California, this Saturday.
Husqvarna Motorcycles and Rockstar Energy are excited to introduce Season 3 of the immensely popular Grit and Grind: A Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Series, documenting the team's remarkable journey throughout all 17 rounds of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship.
The Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing Team shone at the 2024 MXGP of France, with Lucas Coenen taking the overall MX2 win, and Kay de Wolf securing second place to maintain his championship lead. Mattia Guadagnini earned valuable points in MXGP, finishing 14th to move up in the world standings.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's RJ Hampshire is the new AMA Supercross 250SX West Champion after clinching the 2024 title at tonight's final round of the season in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Collin Veijer continues his bright 2024 Grand Prix campaign by tussling for the win and taking 3rd position at the French Grand Prix and round five of the world championship.
The 2024 MXGP of Galicia in northwest Spain provided perfect sunny conditions for the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing Team to shine. Lucas Coenen clinched a thrilling victory in the MX2 category, while Mattia Guadagnini secured valuable points with a P10 finish in the MXGP class.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's RJ Hampshire finished third at the penultimate round of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship in Denver, positioning him tied on points with a single round remaining in the 250SX West title race.
Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing raced through a challenging weekend at the MXGP of Portugal; highlighted by Mattia Guadagnini's return and solid performances from Kay de Wolf and Lucas Coenen.
An eighth-place finish marked another step forward for Malcolm Stewart and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing in Philadelphia for Round 15 of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship, continuing to gain momentum in the final stages of the season.
Stewart has been improving from week to week onboard his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 450 Rockstar Edition, qualifying in ninth position – within a second of the fastest lap-time following Qualifying 2 – and then racing to fifth in Heat 2. The Main Event saw him fight hard to P8 for a fourth-straight top-10 score and he's still ranked 11th in the standings.
"Philly was definitely new for everybody, very challenging dirt, but I enjoyed it," said Stewart. "The fans were awesome this weekend and we actually did alright. The Main Event was okay, because I made some mistakes, but pulled it back around and we ended up P8. It's not the result we want exactly, but I rode good and that's all that we can ask for at the end of the day. There are some things we could clean up, so I look forward to the next races and the whole Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing crew have done a phenomenal job – we'll keep giving it everything we've got."
Teenage teammate Casey Cochran made his third professional AMA Supercross start in 250SX East, once again displaying his speed for ninth overall in Qualifying and then claiming seventh in his Heat race. Equipped with the Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 250 Rockstar Edition, he had an early mishap in the Main Event, before going on to claim five points in 17th position.
"It was another day of learning for me overall," Cochran reflected. "It wasn't the best day for me, but we'll push on and move forward. I'm taking it all in with each race, so we'll use this to keep being able to learn and apply it for next year."
Next Race: May 4 – Denver, Colorado
Results 450SX Class – Philadelphia
1. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda
2. Chase Sexton (USA), KTM
3. Jason Anderson (USA), Kawasaki
6. Justin Barcia (USA), GASGAS
8. Malcolm Stewart (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
Standings 450SX Class 2024 after 15 of 17 rounds
1. Jett Lawrence, 311 points
2. Cooper Webb, 299
3. Eli Tomac, 270
4. Chase Sexton, 268
7. Aaron Plessinger, 198
9. Justin Barcia, 182
11. Malcolm Stewart, 169
Results 250SX East Class – Philadelphia
1. Max Anstie (GBR), Honda
2. Tom Vialle (FRA), KTM
3. Haiden Deegan (USA), Yamaha
14. Pierce Brown (USA), GASGAS
17. Casey Cochran (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
Standings 250SX East Class 2024 after 8 of 9 rounds
1. Tom Vialle, 158 points
2. Haiden Deegan, 143
3. Pierce Brown, 124
22. Casey Cochran, 19
A third victory of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship saw Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider RJ Hampshire take over the 250SX West points lead in Nashville's 250SX East/West Showdown tonight, setting him up to contend for the western regional title into its closing stages.
Hampshire was at his very best onboard the Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 250 Rockstar Edition inside Nissan Stadium, qualifying quickest in class and then going on to win his Heat race. From there he managed to deliver a commanding Main Event win after leading the entire race, which sees him reclaim the red plate with a two-point advantage and just two rounds remaining in the 250SX West series.
"First off, I'm so proud of this team," said Hampshire. "I had that feeling from the beginning – Practice went awesome with P1, then in the Heat race I came from the back to win that, followed by a holeshot in the Main Event to lead every lap for the win! That's the first time that's ever happened in my career and it came at a really good time to do it. Tonight I executed the start in that Main Event, and felt like that was what I really needed. I had the speed, so it was just giving myself a chance, and it was an awesome race from there. I had a couple of moments in the beginning, then settled in and it's a big weight off my shoulders. I knew I could close the points lead tonight, but didn't expect to get the red plate back – I'm so happy for my whole team and all of our supporters! This Nashville crowd is awesome, I love this state, and it's pretty cool to come away with the win here tonight."
Alongside Hampshire in the Showdown was 250SX East newcomer Casey Cochran, the teenager impressing early on today by clocking the sixth-quickest time in Qualifying and finishing fourth in his Heat race. The Main Event was tougher on his way to an eventual P15 result, but it was another positive step in these initial stages of his professional career.
"First Showdown of my career, so a new experience and I'm just learning, building each weekend, so I'm stoked to come back again next weekend," Cochran commented. "Overall, a pretty good day in Qualifying and the Heat race again... gotta clean up a few mistakes, but I'm happy with my riding and want to continue in this direction."
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX entry Malcolm Stewart also displayed promise in his first visit to Nashville, powering his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 450 Rockstar Edition to ninth on the time-sheets in Qualifying and then surging to P4 in Heat 2. The Main Event saw him earn his ninth top 10 finish of the year in P9, despite an early fall, and is motivated to keep climbing the order in the upcoming final races of the season.
"Nashville, I honestly felt like overall I was riding alright," Stewart reflected. "It was definitely a pretty crazy, notchy track, and we made a few mistakes. I didn't get off to a good start, wasn't sure when I was, and then went down after the finish line, but was able to salvage a ninth. We're trying, doing everything we can to get back up there where we should be, but it's a matter of time, so we're just going to take the momentum that we have and fight all the way to the end because we're not giving up."
Next Race: April 27 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Results 450SX Class – Nashville
1. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda
2. Eli Tomac (USA), Yamaha
3. Cooper Webb (USA), Yamaha
5. Justin Barcia (USA), GASGAS
9. Malcolm Stewart (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
DNF. Chase Sexton (USA), KTM
Standings 450SX Class 2024 after 14 of 17 rounds
1. Jett Lawrence, 286 points
2. Cooper Webb, 281
3. Eli Tomac, 253
4. Chase Sexton, 246
7. Aaron Plessinger, 198
9. Justin Barcia, 166
11. Malcolm Stewart, 155
Results 250SX East/West Showdown Class – Nashville
1. RJ Hampshire (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
2. Jo Shimoda (JPN), Honda
3. Tom Vialle (FRA), KTM
9. Julien Beaumer (USA), KTM
11. Pierce Brown (USA), GASGAS
15. Casey Cochran (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
19. Ryder DiFrancesco (USA), GASGAS
Standings 250SX East Class 2024 after 7 of 9 rounds
1. Tom Vialle, 136 points
2. Haiden Deegan, 123
3. Cameron McAdoo, 120
4. Pierce Brown, 116
24. Casey Cochran, 14
Standings 250SX West Class 2024 after 8 of 10 rounds
1. RJ Hampshire, 166 points
2. Levi Kitchen, 164
3. Jordon Smith, 148
6. Julien Beaumer, 106
12. Ryder DiFrancesco, 68
A 10th-place finish was the outcome for Malcolm Stewart in the 450SX Main Event at Foxborough, marking Round 13 of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship. Tonight also marked the anticipated debut in 250SX East for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Casey Cochran.
Stewart has been gaining strength throughout the series since his return to competition on the Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 450 Rockstar Edition this year, recording his eighth top-10 result and continuing to take the positives out of each weekend completed. He was P9 in qualifying today and surged to fifth in his Heat, before racing hard in the Main Event for 10th, which sees him ranked 11th in the championship with four rounds left on the schedule.
"Foxborough was decent, even though of course the result isn't where we wanted it to be," Stewart commented. "The track was definitely pretty gnarly. I went down in the Main Event in the final couple of laps, but at the end of the day, we've just gotta keep digging and keep moving forward. I rode hard, made some passes, and there are some positives to take – we'll get them next weekend! I've never raced in Nashville, so I'm excited for that one."
Foxborough saw the professional AMA Supercross debut of Cochran onboard his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 250 Rockstar Edition in the eastern region of 250SX, the 17-year-old impressing from the outset by qualifying in third position on combined times. He then raced to P5 in Heat 2 of the night program, before clawing his way back from an early crash to 15th in a hard-fought first Main Event appearance.
"First pro Supercross race at Foxborough, it was tough," recalled Cochran. "I mean, I had a pretty good day until the Main Event, went down on the first lap, and was basically dead last... I started to click a few laps together, but it's a whole new experience out there with these guys. Unfortunately, I had a second crash as well, then just did what I could from there. We get another go at it next weekend, so I learned a lot, and we'll take what we have and continue from here."
Following his breakout podium result in St. Louis, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna amateur newcomer Landon Gibson was back in action as part of the Supercross Futures category, but was unable to start the Main Event after sustaining a broken collarbone during the afternoon's practice session.
Next Race: April 20 – Nashville, Tennessee
Results 450SX Class – Foxborough
1. Cooper Webb (USA), Yamaha
2. Chase Sexton (USA), KTM
3. Ken Roczen (GER), Suzuki
10. Malcolm Stewart (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
11. Justin Barcia (USA), GASGAS
Standings 450SX Class 2024 after 13 of 17 rounds
1. Jett Lawrence, 261 points
2. Cooper Webb, 261
3. Chase Sexton, 246
7. Aaron Plessinger, 198
9. Justin Barcia, 149
11. Malcolm Stewart, 142
Results 250SX East Class – Foxborough
1. Haiden Deegan (USA), Yamaha
2. Cameron McAdoo (USA), Kawasaki
3. Tom Vialle (FRA), KTM
4. Pierce Brown (USA), GASGAS
15. Casey Cochran (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
Standings 250SX East Class 2024 after 6 of 9 rounds
1. Cameron McAdoo, 120 points
2. Tom Vialle, 116
3. Haiden Deegan, 107
4. Pierce Brown, 105
29. Casey Cochran, 7
As the temperatures soared in Sardegna, so too did the results for the The Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing Team, with Kay de Wolf delivering an incredible overall third Grand Prix victory in a row, and Lucas Coenen winning Sunday’s opening moto.
A fourth-place result saw Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider RJ Hampshire only marginally finish outside of the 250SX West podium in St. Louis' final Triple Crown round of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship, as Malcolm Stewart equaled his best finish of the year with seventh overall in 450SX.
The afternoon saw Hampshire qualify on top of the timesheets, setting the tone for what would be another competitive night on his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 250 Rockstar Edition. He recovered from an average start in the opening encounter for fourth and then repeated that result in Race 2, before P2 in Race 3 saw him credited fourth overall to retain second in the championship, just 15 points outside of the red plates.
"My riding was pretty good all day, but not my starts," Hampshire commented. "4-4-2 is not going to get it done, so we will have a couple of weeks off and focus on the three rounds left [in the western region]. Get out of the gate better and I feel like I could have won tonight, but I didn't execute when it was time to go, and we will be better at Nashville."
Stewart, meanwhile, continued his fight in the 450SX division equipped with the Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 450 Rockstar Edition, qualifying ninth and then registering 7-9 finishes across the first two races of the evening. An eighth-place score in the final encounter resulted in him claiming seventh overall, in line with his best finish of the 2024 season to date.
"St. Louis was okay for me," said Stewart. "We struggled a little bit on the starts, just trying to get up there to run with those guys. I'm going to enjoy this upcoming weekend off, clear my head in the outdoors, and come back swinging for the last five rounds. I know we keep saying it, but we're here in the fight and ain't ever gonna give up."
Round 12 of the season also saw the Supercross Futures back on track, where Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing newcomer Landon Gibson impressed on his way to second position on the podium, as Casey Cochran took the checkered flag in seventh place.
"It was such a great experience," Gibson reflected. "I was tense the first two laps, but after that I got into a groove and I feel like I deserve this, so I'm really happy with the result and to finish on the podium."
Next Event (Round 13): April 13, 2024 – Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts
450SX – St. Louis Results
1. Eli Tomac (Yamaha)
2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha)
3. Hunter Lawrence (Honda)
4. Aaron Plessinger (KTM)
5. Chase Sexton (KTM)
6. Justin Barcia (GASGAS)
7. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
450SX Rider Point Standings after Round 12
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) – 244 points
2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) – 236 points
3. Chase Sexton (KTM) – 224 points
6. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) – 198 points
9. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) – 138 points
11. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 130 points
250SX West – St. Louis Results
1. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki)
2. Jo Shimoda (Honda)
3. Jordon Smith (Yamaha)
4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
7. Julien Beaumer (KTM)
8. Ryder DiFrancesco (GASGAS)
250SX West Rider Point Standings after Round 7
1. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) – 156 points
2. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 141 points
3. Jordon Smith (Yamaha) – 130 points
6. Julien Beaumer (KTM) – 93 points
13. Ryder DiFrancesco (GASGAS) – 65 points
Decent points and pace for LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna IntactGP at the second round of 2024 MotoGP™ as Collin Veijer logs his second top six result of the season with the FR 250 GP.
A solid second-place finish signaled a convincing return to action for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's RJ Hampshire as the 250SX West division resumed in Seattle, marking Round 11 of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship.
In what was the sixth race of the western regional series, Hampshire rode his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 250 Rockstar Edition to P6 in qualifying and built momentum from there. He improved to second in his Heat and then repeated that result in the Main Event despite a difficult start, continuing to challenge for the title in its middle stages and only sitting eight points outside of the red plate.
"I was second in the Heat race and then I settled down for the Main Event, but I'm not sure what happened off the start – I must have spun or something and those first couple of laps were hectic," recalled Hampshire. "I made some good passes, but this track was brutal tonight, and we're happy to be on the podium in the end. We said we wanted to be solid tonight and that's all we had, so we will take second and look forward to St. Louis."
Tonight was also a promising one for Malcolm Stewart at Lumen Field in the 450SX category, taking an encouraging fourth-place result in Heat 2 equipped with his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 450 Rockstar Edition. After featuring inside the top 10 early on, Stewart eventually claimed 11th position and is determined to keep gaining form in the final stages of the season.
"Seattle was definitely muddy in practice, but the track actually turned out okay for the night show," Stewart commented. "I was P4 in the Heat, which was okay, and then in the Main Event we were running okay again to begin with, but I got a little tight and the track started going away. When you start riding the track like that you start making a lot of mistakes, so we ended up 11th and that's not the result we were looking for, but we'll live to fight another day."
Next Event (Round 12): March 30, 2024 – The Dome at America's Center in St. Louis, Missouri
450SX – Seattle Results
1. Cooper Webb (Yamaha)
2. Chase Sexton (KTM)
3. Jett Lawrence (Honda)
4. Aaron Plessinger (KTM)
9. Justin Barcia (GASGAS)
11. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
450SX Rider Point Standings after Round 11
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) – 230 points
2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) – 214 points
3. Chase Sexton (KTM) - 207 points
6. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) – 162 points
9. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) – 122 points
11. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 115 points
250SX West – Seattle Results
1. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki)
2. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
3. Jo Shimoda (Honda)
7. Julien Beaumer (KTM)
13. Ryder DiFrancesco (GASGAS)
250SX West Rider Point Standings
1. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) – 131 points
2. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 123 points
3. Jordon Smith (Yamaha) – 110 points
7. Julien Beaumer (KTM) – 78 points
14. Ryder DiFrancesco (GASGAS) – 51 points
An encouraging run of consistent finishes saw Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Malcolm Stewart claim eighth place overall in Indianapolis at the second Triple Crown round of the year.
Stewart continues to build momentum in the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship after missing the majority of last season through injury, racing to 9-8-8 results across the three 450SX races onboard his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 450 Rockstar Edition in Indy.
In navigating some of the most technical track conditions of the year, Stewart managed to keep charging throughout the night and improved with each gate drop, which now has him positioned 11th in the championship standings following Round 10 of 17. He's also excited to head to Seattle next weekend, where he's had strong results in the past during his professional career.
"Indy was tough for everybody with the track conditions, but we went 9-8-8 to end up ninth overall," said Stewart. "It was not too bad, I felt like we got better as the mains went on – the intensity is always so high at these Triple Crown races. Obviously, it could have been a better night or a worse night, and we're leaving here healthy again, ready to keep pushing ahead. It will be good to get to Seattle, I always ride well there, and I'm really looking forward to that one."
Next Saturday night in Seattle will also see the return of the 250SX West category, where Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's RJ Hampshire is currently positioned third in the standings on his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 250 Rockstar Edition, only five points outside of the lead.
Next Event (Round 11): March 23, 2024 – Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington
450SX – Indianapolis Results
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda)
2. Ken Roczen (Suzuki)
3. Chase Sexton (KTM)
…
9. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
450SX Rider Point Standings after Round 10
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) – 210 points
2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) – 189 points
3. Chase Sexton (KTM) - 185 points
...
11. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 104 points
Promising speed and performances by the LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna IntactGP team at the Lusail International Circuit and the first episodes of Moto3™ and Moto2™ competition this season.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Malcolm Stewart pushed on for a well-earned 10th-place finish at Birmingham's ninth round of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship, continuing to gain strength as 450SX reached its halfway point tonight.
Supercross made a welcome debut at Protective Stadium in Alabama and Stewart was in the mix from the outset on his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 450 Rockstar Edition, qualifying in sixth as the track conditions began to dry and improve.
Stewart then impressed on his way to third in his Heat race once the night program commenced, before an early crash in the Main Event while running inside the top 10 saw him bumped toward the rear of the pack. From there he put on a charge, climbing all the way back to 10th position and taking confidence from his effort in technical conditions.
"Birmingham actually treated me well, we had a good round in its own weird way," Stewart reflected. "The track was a little muddy in practice and qualifying, but I ended up P6 this afternoon and then the Heat was really good, so ended up third in that one. The Main Event wasn't terrible and it wasn't a bad start inside the top 10. I tried to make a pass on one of the outsides of the turns though and went down, it was just one of those things – I just lost the front.
"I got back up, rode strong and we ended up P10, so overall everything has been going well. It's heading the way that we want it to go on the motorcycle, but we're just having a few issues with the racing side of it and making these little mistakes. Onto Indy now and we're looking forward to that, I think the Triple Crown will be good for us! I'm stoked as a team, we live and learn, and everybody's trying their best including myself, so it is just a matter of time until we are where we want to be."
Next Event (Round 10): March 16, 2024 – Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana
450SX – Birmingham Results
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda)
2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha)
3. Ken Roczen (Suzuki)
…
10. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
450SX Rider Point Standings after Round 9
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) – 185 points
2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) – 172 points
3. Chase Sexton (KTM) - 165 points
...
11. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 91 points
18. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 39 points
Testing is complete and the LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna IntactGP team are now set-up and ready inside the paddock of the Lusail International Circuit anticipating the beginning of 2024 MotoGP™.
Husqvarna Motorcycles enters the 21-round campaign with sights narrowed on the Moto3 crown and significant evolution for only its second term in the Moto2 category.
Collin Veijer, 19 years old from the Netherlands, and Tatsuzki Suzuki, 26 from Japan, will steer the new generation FR 250 GP motorcycles in Moto3. The IntactGP crew will be hoping to follow on from a tremendous 2023 where they captured 2nd and 7th positions in the championship, two victories and thirteen podiums: three of those trophies snared by Veijer as one of the standout rookies of the class. They were also lauded as the best squad with P1 in the Teams standings, courtesy of their unbeatable consistency. Veijer has looked sharp in pre-season tests and with another year of personal and professional growth is raising his bar for 2024. Next to him is the incoming Suzuki for what will be his tenth season in Moto3. The Japanese has made eight podium appearances, three of those from the top step, including success in 2023.
Husqvarna Motorcycles chases points and progress in Moto2 for the second year in a row. The IntactGP team will rely on the natural talent of Darryn Binder, 26, from South Africa, once more, and double-up with ability and potential thanks to incoming rookie (and 2023 European Moto2 Champion) Senna Agius, 18 from Australia, who completed four replacement outings last season for the team and will be slightly wise to the speed and demands of the incredibly tight intermediate contest.
MotoGP returns to Lusail and Qatar for the traditional ‘round one’ of the championship. The circuit underwent extensive renovations in 2023 and was subsequently shuffled later in the schedule to November for the penultimate fixture. Now, Lusail is back as the focal point for all action-starved international motorcycle racing fans as another Grand Prix campaign gets ready to go: the 76th in fact, as MotoGP celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2024. The competition will be fascinating for Moto3 and Moto2 thanks to the use of a new single tyre supplier and connotations for limits, adjustment and circuit knowledge.
Moto3 Free Practice opens the whole calendar at 14.00 local time on Friday (two hours ahead of CET). The Grand Prix of Qatar races start at 15.00 (Moto3), 16.15 (Moto2) and 18.00 (MotoGP) CET on Sunday.
Collin Veijer, Moto3 : “We managed to be in the top ten consistently at the tests and also the top five so I think this year we can be very competitive and look to the first five at all the races. It will be difficult because there will be a lot of fast names going for that group. I think we can have a very nice season and to go for as many podiums as we can. I think we have improved from last year and we’ll be strong for 2024.”
Tatsuki Suzuki, Moto3 : “I don’t want to rush into this season. Of course, it is important to start well and make progress…but it will be a really long championship and I’m sure if we work hard then we can get to the front of the races as soon as possible. The objective is to fight for the title. The new bike gives me a lot of confidence and I can work calmly, easier and with more focus.”
Darryn Binder, Moto2: “It’s difficult to have expectations heading to Qatar because the entry of Pirelli and the change of the tyres this year mixes things up quite a bit. We’ll need to see how it unfolds in the first races. Staying with the same team, same bike and same people brings me a lot of confidence. I’m feeling fit and fast and I’m only looking forwards now. I think my best result was a 6th place last year, so I want to start-off somewhere around there and keep improving. I want to be in the top ten every race and around the fight for the top five; if you can keep doing that then you’ll be in the shout, for sure.”
Senna Agius, Moto2 : “If we keep calm, work in the correct way and aim for the best then I don’t see why we cannot go for Grand Prix points in the first race. I’m keeping my feet on the ground while remaining quite optimistic. I’m eager to get underway and to see what we can do.”
Peter Öttl, Team Manager Moto3 : “Collin showed his potential in his rookie season with Pole Positions, podiums and even his first victory so it was interesting to see how he managed the testing days and easy to see that he carries even more potential for the top three in 2024. He was fast over one lap but also with used tyres he was competitive over the race distance. On the other side with Tatsuki he brings experience from another brand and needs some time to adapt his style to the FR 250 GP. We made the first steps but we have to consider that he’ll take a while to find the limits and we have to support him in the maximum way possible so he can think about his targets. Our team is really experienced, and I trust my staff a lot. We have proven that we can be at the top and our team rankings have shown that. We will try to continue in that way. Our Husqvarna Motorcycles model is completely new and has demonstrated some decent steps. I think we are in a good position in terms of the equipment. Thanks to all the guys for the work so far: we are now ready for Qatar!”
Jürgen Lingg, Team Manager Moto2 : “We are all well prepared for the new season and can hardly wait to be on the grid under the floodlights in Qatar! The competitiveness in the Moto2 category is extremely high this year and it will be exciting to see which riders get along best over the race distance with the new Pirelli tyres. For us, there are also the new WP suspension elements that we have been using since this year and have already tested in preparation. Darryn had a difficult rookie season in 2023 and he desperately needed the winter break to recover from the injuries he suffered. We are pleased that he is now fit again and the motivation is there. For Senna Agius a new chapter in his career begins with the Moto2 World Championship. At just 18 years of age, he is one of the youngest competitors in the field and a rookie. He only knows only a few racetracks; the rest from TV and the games console! Nevertheless, he is a great talent, and diligence and discipline will enable him to adapt quickly. We would like to thank all our partners and sponsors in advance for making this exciting project possible.”
Jens Hainbach, Vice President Sports Management Road Racing: “We’re excited about the 2024 season with the IntactGP Husqvarna Motorcycles team in both Moto3 and Moto2. For Moto3 the reasons are obvious, the guys took two riders to the front of an entertaining championship last year and were in contention for that #1 plate right up until the penultimate round. One of those racers – Collin - will start his second campaign with us and we welcome another rider – Tatsuki - with a lot of promise. The FR 250 GP has had a comprehensive overhaul, and we know the motorcycle will bring the speed and the right tools for the guys to obtain the results they are chasing. We hope to see Darryn’s real pace in Moto2 this year after some hard knocks and bad luck in his debut attempt in 2023, meanwhile Senna continues his development after pocketing the European title and having some eye-catching GP wildcards. We hope there will be trophies, we know there will be excitement and we cannot wait to get going.”
Billy Bolt is recovering well following surgery yesterday to repair the injury he sustained to his left knee at round three of the 2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship in Germany. The Husqvarna Factory Racing star will be sidelined for several months in order to recover fully but hopes to be back in action in time for the second half of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship.
Landing awkwardly off a jump in practice at round three of the SuperEnduro series, it was immediately clear that Bolt had injured his left knee. However, in typical Billy style, the FE 350 rider went on to not only win that round, but dominate the remainder of the championship, ultimately securing seven wins from seven starts.
After claiming the SuperEnduro crown on Saturday, March 2 at his home round in Newcastle, UK, Bolt went under the knife on Tuesday, March 5 to reconstruct his ACL, repair his meniscus and post lateral corner, and ensure that two identified fractures in his tibia had healed. Thankfully, the surgery went well and Billy has already started his recovery process.
Despite requiring several months of rehabilitation, the newly crowned SuperEnduro World Champion has his sights set on returning to competition in time for the second half of the upcoming FIM Hard Enduro World Championship.
Everyone at Husqvarna Motorcycles wishes Billy a full and speedy recovery.
Billy Bolt: "It feels good to be out of surgery and the doctors are really pleased with how it all went. They were able to successfully repair all the damage to my knee and were happy to report the two fractures in my lower leg have already healed up nicely. Unfortunately, as we were already aware, there's quite a long healing process, and I don't want to take any risks. This will mean I miss the first few rounds of Hard Enduro. But all being well, I hope to be back racing for the second half of the season. Huge thanks to the team who patched me up, and of course the fans for their support and messages."
Fabio Farioli – Husqvarna Factory Racing Enduro Team Manager: “It was impressive how Billy managed to still come out on top this SuperEnduro season, even with an injury. Billy has been really motivated and focused on getting this title, and I don’t know how he managed to push through and ride in the condition his knee was in. His health has to come first though so that he can be feeling 100% for the next races, so we decided to stop now and have the surgery. I have no doubt that Billy will come back even stronger and faster than before.”
A season-best seventh position continued Malcolm Stewart's mid-season uplift at Daytona's eighth round of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider taking his third top-10 result in a row.
Stewart has been gaining race fitness and comfort as the 450SX season approaches its middle stages, powering his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 450 Rockstar Edition to fourth place in the Heat Race. The Main Event was just as promising, overcoming grueling track conditions to claim P7 and make further inroads on the front-runners after missing much of last season through injury.
"Being the closest race to a hometown weekend for me, Daytona treated me okay," Stewart said . "The Heat wasn't too bad, vision was kind of tough being where I was, but we made some passes and ended up fourth in that one. Main Event, the track went away really fast and it was a typical, really hard Daytona. At the end of the day, we ended up P7 – it could have been better, could have been worse. My headspace is okay, we're going to look forward to Alabama, get back to regular Supercross, and get back up front."
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna's Casey Cochran impressed in his first 250SX Futures appearance of the season, qualifying on top of the charts this afternoon to take first gate pick for the Main Event. He recovered from a bad start to make his way to third position, opening his campaign with a podium result on the Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 250.
"I felt pretty solid all day, really comfortable, and was super-excited for the Main Event," Cochran said. "It was a tough start for me, I was buried pretty far back and was struggling to get into a flow out there. It was one of those nights where you couldn't really get into the rhythm you wanted to – the track was like a minefield getting around – so I'm happy to still get a podium finish."
The weekend also marked the first showing for new recruit Landon Gibson in the 250SX Futures, the talented young rider on debut gaining immense experience on his way to 11th place. He ran as high as sixth at around halfway, only for a mistake to drop him down the order and to eventually take the checkered flag just outside the top 10.
"It was definitely a learning curve," reflected Gibson. "I was far inside on the gate and got swarmed off the start in the Main Event, then later on, after the whoops I went down pretty hard. That was that and I know what I need to work on from here – I'm looking forward to lining up again now."
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX regular Christian Craig is scheduled to undergo surgery next week on his ongoing elbow injury, which will extend his time on the sidelines. We look forward to welcoming him back to racing once he is healed and healthy to line up again.
Next Event (Round 9): March 9, 2024 – Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama
Round 8 Results: Daytona
450SX – Daytona Results
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda)
2. Eli Tomac (Yamaha)
3. Chase Sexton (KTM)
…
7. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
250SX Futures – Daytona Results
1. Drew Adams (Kawasaki)
2. Cole Davies (GASGAS)
3. Casey Cochran – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna
…
11. Landon Gibson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna
450SX Rider Point Standings
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) – 160 points
2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) – 150 points
3. Chase Sexton (KTM) - 147 points
...
12. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 79 points
17. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 39 points
250SX Futures Rider Point Standings
1. Cole Davies (GASGAS) – 47 points
2. Drew Adams (Kawasaki) – 41 points
3. Parker Ross (Honda) – 36 points
…
8. Casey Cochran – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna - 20 points
18. Landon Gibson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna - 11 points
Stamping his authority on the 2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has won his fourth consecutive world title with a dominant ride on home soil in Newcastle, United Kingdom. Enjoying a fairytale ending to an incredible season, the Brit won the seventh and final round of the championship, along with topping the SuperPole hot lap standings, to complete a clean sweep of overall victories on his FE 350.
Growing up just a stone’s throw from the Newcastle Utilita Arena, Billy arrived at his home race as the champion-elect thanks to a 59-point lead. Knowing a win in SuperPole would see him clinch his fourth consecutive world title, Billy attacked the course with all his might on his FE 350.
Linking together what proved to be the perfect lap, the hometown hero topped the timesheets in front of his passionate Newcastle crowd. Immediately celebrating with his Husqvarna Factory Racing team, family, and friends, he then set about capping off an incredible indoor campaign by racing for his seventh Grand Prix victory.
Opting for the favoured outside gate for race one, Billy blasted off the start line on his FE 350 and emerged from the opening rock garden with the holeshot. A small mistake dropped him back to second, but on lap two he put himself back in control of the race lead. Keeping the pace high, the Husqvarna rider went on to win race one by 12 seconds.
From the second row of the grid for race two, Billy tactically set about moving himself up the leaderboard. Up to seventh on lap one, he claimed another four positions within the space of one lap to slot into third. With three minutes to go, Billy had found his way into second on his FE 350 and began pressuring race leader Jonny Walker. Despite an increasingly slippery track, the Husqvarna rider muscled his way past Walker and hung on to claim his second victory of the night.
Determined to end his home round on a high, Billy took the holeshot for race three and set about building a lead. Increasing his advantage in the opening stages, he built up a seven-second gap over Manuel Lettenbichler in second place. However, just when his third victory looked within reach, a crash in the rocks saw Lettenbichler close that gap. Quickly remounting and regrouping, Bolt got back into his high-paced rhythm and pushed ahead to claim his third race win of the night.
Making it three wins from three starts, along with securing the SuperPole hot lap, the Husqvarna Factory Racing star took the overall victory on the night in Newcastle. Making it seven overall wins from seven starts, Billy ended his FIM SuperEnduro World Championship campaign undefeated, while also clinching his fourth consecutive world title indoors.
Billy Bolt: “I’ve always dreamed of racing in front of my hometown. So to come here tonight and not only win but clinch the world championship for a fourth time is mind blowing. I grew up in Newcastle, it’s my home, so I can’t thank everyone enough for coming out like this to support me. I’m glad we’ve been able to put on a show for them too. The track got tougher as the night went on. It was hard not to make a mistake. Overall, it’s been a challenging season, especially with my injury midway, but thanks to my team we’ve won the championship. We’ll celebrate tonight!”
Results – 2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship – Round 7, United Kingdom
Prestige Overall
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 63pts
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 49pts
3. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 47pts
4. Mitch Brightmore (GASGAS) 39pts
5. Will Hoare (Rieju) 32pts
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing pair Malcolm Stewart and Guillem Farres both managed ninth-place results at Arlington's seventh round of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship, with both displaying front-running pace throughout the program.
While Christian Craig was unfortunately ruled out of the Millitary Appreciation Round with a re-aggravated elbow injury following press day at AT&T Stadium, it was Stewart who flew the flag solo in the 450SX division on his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 450 Rockstar Edition.
Stewart was seventh on the charts at the conclusion of qualifying and then battled for the victory in Heat 2 on his way to second position. A troubled Main Event saw him go down early and recover to ninth, marking his third top 10 of the season in an inspired performance. Importantly, his confidence is on the rise in the mid-stages of the season.
"Arlington always treats me okay and all day I felt really good on the bike," explained Stewart. "I was gelling with everything and it was good to lead in the Heat. I enjoy being on the East Coast, we've all been putting in the work, and it's beginning to click. In the Main Event, we made some passes really quickly but came together with another rider and went down. I got back up and felt like it was one of the best rides I've had all year long. I know the results aren't what everyone wants to see on paper, but we've been moving in the right direction and it's just a matter of time before we're heading for the box or a win."
The resumption of 250SX East was a welcome one for Farres as he continued to gain Supercross experience during his rookie campaign, qualifying in an encouraging sixth position and then claiming fourth in his Heat. The Main Event saw him ride to ninth place, banking his second top 10 result in a row onboard the Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 250 Rockstar Edition.
"My day started pretty good, felt good in practice, and then in qualifying I was sixth," Farres said. "The Heat was positive with fourth and then I felt good coming into the Main Event. The start was decent, around top-five, and then I made a mistake and got passed by a couple of riders. I ended up ninth and felt better towards the end, so overall I am happy because we made a big step from Detroit in the past few weeks."
Next Event (Round 8): March 2, 2024 – Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida
Round 7 Results: Arlington
450SX – Arlington Results
1. Cooper Webb (Yamaha)
2. Eli Tomac (Yamaha)
3. Aaron Plessinger (KTM)
…
9. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
250SX East – Arlington Results
1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha)
2. Cameron McAdoo (Kawasaki)
3. Tom Vialle (KTM)
…
9. Guillem Farres – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
450SX Rider Point Standings
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) – 135 points
2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) – 132 points
3. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) - 128 points
...
12. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 64 points
16. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 39 points
250SX East Rider Point Standings
1. Max Anstie (Honda) – 38 points
2. Pierce Brown (GASGAS) – 34 points
3. Daxton Bennick (Yamaha) – 32 points
…
9. Guillem Farres – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing - 27 points
Putting on a clinic, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has dominated the sixth and penultimate round of the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship in Bulgaria. Racing ahead to secure three wins from three starts, along with taking the SuperPole hot lap, Billy recorded his sixth consecutive overall victory of the season on his FE 350. The performance sees him extend his championship lead to a comfortable 59 points with just his home round in Newcastle, United Kingdom remaining next weekend.
Fastest throughout the afternoon’s practice sessions in Sofia, Billy was determined to carry that momentum into the evening’s proceedings when the stadium lights dimmed for the SuperPole hot lap. As the final rider to take to the track, Bolt put down a blisteringly fast time to top the time sheets by almost three seconds.
With all eyes on the start gate for race one, Billy timed his reactions to perfection and grabbed the holeshot on his FE 350. With a clear track in front of him, he immediately got to work on breaking away from the chasing pack. Ticking off each lap without trouble, the Husqvarna rider surged ahead to claim a comfortable race one victory in Sofia.
In race two, Billy opted for a cautious start from the second row of the reversed-grid order. Knowing the course offered plenty of overtaking opportunities, hequickly picked off a number of riders on lap one to slot inside the top 10. Moving into third on lap two, Bolt took control of the race lead before the end of lap four. Piecing together a string of fast laps, before easing off on the final lap, Billy completed race two with a healthy nine-second margin of victory.
Aiming to close out what had so far been a perfect round six, Billy set about stamping his authority on the third and final race in Sofia. Claiming another holeshot on his FE 350, the Husqvarna rider got to work. With racing lines few could match, he opened up a gap of two seconds at the end of lap two and continued to build his advantage. Really enjoying the layout of the course inside the Arena Sofia, Bolt remained unchallenged for the entirety of the race to win by an incredible 29 seconds.
Extending his championship lead to 59 points, the Husqvarna Factory Racing rider enters next weekend’s seventh and final round of the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship in Newcastle, United Kingdom with a virtual grasp on his fourth consecutive title. Billy Bolt: “Tonight was a great night. Taking maximum points I couldn’t have really asked for better here. I really enjoyed my riding, and I enjoyed the track a lot. It was wide with plenty of sections for overtaking. I feel like I saved my best for last in race three. Once I got out front, I was able to push hard and really build up a lead. Naturally I’m excited for the final round next weekend in Newcastle. It’s my home race, I grew up beside the stadium, so I can’t wait to put on a show for my home crowd. My championship lead is very healthy, which eases the pressure slightly to take my fourth title in a row.” Results – 2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship – Round 6, Bulgaria Prestige Overall
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 63pts
2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 47pts
3. Will Hoare (Rieju) 37pts
4. Jonny Walker (Beta) 37pts
5. Mitchell Brightmore (GASGAS) 35pts
Prestige Race 1 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 7:05.416
2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 10 laps, 7:13.233
3. Eddie Karlsson (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 7:18.016
Prestige Race 2 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 7:07.670
2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 10 laps, 7:17.263
3. Dominik Olszowy (Rieju) 10 laps, 7:24.859
Prestige Race 3 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 6:43.105
2. Will Hoare (Rieju) 10 laps, 7:12.118
3. Mitchell Brightmore (GASGAS) 10 laps, 7:13.003
Championship Standings (After Round 6) 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 364pts
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 305pts
3. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 240pts
4. Will Hoare (Rieju) 208pts
5. Mitchell Brightmore (GASGAS) 191pts
Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing team rider and MXGP talent Mattia Guadagnini will not participate in the opening round of the 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship in Patagonia-Argentina, due to injuries sustained in a crash during pre-season training in the South of France.
Guadagnini was promptly transferred to the nearest local hospital for check ups, where he was diagnosed with a fractured shoulder blade, and soft tissue injuries to his lower arm. The latter required minor surgery, which was successfully carried out this morning. The medical team has conducted comprehensive functionality tests, revealing no damage to nerves or tendons, with positive forecasts for a full recovery of the arm. However, the timeline for this recovery remains undetermined at this stage.
Guadagnini is expected to be discharged from the hospital within 48 hours, with plans to return to Belgium for further assessments and a second opinion on his injuries to establish a clearer recovery timeframe. As a result, participation in the MXGP of Patagonia-Argentina has been ruled out, with further examinations required to provide an indication of when he might return to racing.
Rasmus Jorgensen, Team Manager of Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing, stated: "This is a setback for Mattia and the team, but we are relieved that his injuries are not as severe as initially feared. Our focus now is on his recovery and ensuring he receives the best possible care. We appreciate the concern and support from the MXGP community and will provide updates as we learn more about Mattia's condition and expected return to racing."
Further information regarding Guadagnini's recovery progress and expected return to competition will be shared in due course. The team wishes Mattia a swift and full recovery and looks forward to his return to the MXGP circuit.
Husqvarna Motorcycles is proud to announce its continued support for the Junior e-Motocross Series with registration for the 2024 edition now officially open. With only 40 places on the start gate available, parents and guardians of young riders who race the innovative EE 5 are urged to sign up today by visiting the official series website.
Registration Form – Junior e-Motocross Series
Soon to begin its fourth season in 2024, the Junior e-Motocross Series continues to offer youngsters an unforgettable experience. By competing in the series, riders will race on the same circuits as their MXGP heroes, benefit from track walks with Husqvarna Factory Racing stars, and demonstrate the true capabilities of e-powered motocross machines to a global audience.
The 2024 edition retains the same tried and tested racing format for all five rounds. Riders will first complete a timed qualifying session to determine gate pick before contesting two points-paying races. All of the action can be viewed online via mxgp-tv.com with regular updates from each event posted on the MXGP social media channels.
For riders to successfully sign up for the 2024 Junior e-Motocross Series, they’ll need to commit to at least three rounds when registering. Every young racer who competes on an EE 5 will receive Husqvarna Motorcycles merchandise to create a professional presence for themselves between races and should the overall series winner be mounted on an EE 5, they’ll receive an exclusive prize.
As in previous years, the series is open to riders aged 6-8 years old (age taken from January 1, 2024) and the parents/guardians of interested youngsters are encouraged to sign up today via the official website – www.junioremotocross.com – to secure a place.
Andrea Dadanova – Head of Husqvarna Motorcycles Global Marketing: “The Junior e-Motocross Series is very important to Husqvarna Motorcycles as we have a very competitive machine – the EE 5 – for youngsters to race in it. It’s also important as the world continues to move towards an electric-powered future, we are at the forefront of this movement by being involved in such a pioneering project. Every year, the series gets bigger and more popular, and I have no doubt that we will once again see a full gate of riders in 2024. I look forward for the new season to begin and wish all the riders best of luck."
Calendar – 2024 Junior e-Motocross Series
Round 1: 19 May – MXGP of France – St. Jean d-Angely
Round 2: 2 June – MXGP of Germany – Teutschenthal
Round 3: 20 July – MXGP of Czech Republic – Loket
Round 4: 21 July – MXGP of Czech Republic – Loket
Round 5: 25 August – MXGP of Switzerland – Frauenfeld
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire has returned to the top step of the 250SX West Class podium at Round 6 of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship in Glendale, Arizona, on a night where 450SX teammates Malcolm Stewart and Christian Craig both raced to season-best results.
Hampshire resumed his quest for the western regional championship by posting the third-fastest qualifying time onboard his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 250 Rockstar Edition, which he would follow up with P3 in his Heat Race.
A top-three start in the Main Event saw the number 24 exercise patience as the battle unfolded at the front, with a decisive move for the lead allowing Hampshire to move into clean air, as he extended his winning margin to over two seconds as the checkered flag flew. He's now within five points of the red plates entering a six-week break in the 250SX West schedule.
“Glendale was awesome,” recalled Hampshire. “The ending was especially awesome, but I felt really good at the beginning of the day, and then had a big case in the first timed qualifying. I was in a lot of pain from that, although I knew I needed to pull it together for the Main, and that was when I rode my best. I made a couple of quick passes, then saw I had a bit of a gap after the others made mistakes, and just managed it from there. Really stoked and am looking forward to some time off before Seattle.”
450SX contender Stewart was ranked P6 in qualifying inside the sizable State Farm Stadium, before racing to a convincing second-place finish in his Heat Race, and taking his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 450 Rockstar Edition into the Main Event.
Starting outside the top 10, Stewart charged all race long as he progressively made his way up the leaderboard, putting in a spirited ride that would last the entire Main Event to land him eighth place for the night and his best finish of the season so far.
“Glendale went fairly well for me,” said Stewart. “Qualifying was decent with P6, then we finished with P2 in the Heat Race, which felt really good to be up there. Main Event, not a great start, so I just had to pick my way through the field and got all the way back up to P8. My riding was great, although you need to get the start in this class, so we’ll work on those heading into Arlington.”
Craig, meanwhile, found comfort early in Arizona as he qualified in ninth position, which he converted into a P7 score in his Heat Race. In posting a calculated ride on a highly-technical circuit, Craig would seal P12 in the Main Event, which was also his best result of the year.
“Glendale started off well, I felt comfortable right away with the layout and big rhythm sections,” Craig commented. “I struggled a little with arm strength today for some reason, which was frustrating, so this week off comes at a good time. Feeling more comfortable, had more fun, so I feel the improvements are coming over the break.”
Next Event (Round 7): February 24, 2024 – AT&T Stadium, Arlington Texas.
Round 6 Results: Glendale
250SX West – Glendale Results
1. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
2. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki)
3. Jo Shimoda (Honda)
450SX – Glendale Results
1. Ken Roczen (Suzuki)
2. Jason Anderson (Kawasaki)
3. Jett Lawrence (Honda)
…
8. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
12. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
250SX West Rider Point Standings
1. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) – 106 points
2. Jordon Smith (Yamaha) – 102 points
3. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 101 points
450SX Rider Point Standings
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) – 117 points
2. Chase Sexton (KTM) – 111 points
3. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) – 108 points
...
12. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 51 points
15. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 39 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing experienced a mixed day at Round 5 of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship in Detroit, with 450SX contenders Malcolm Stewart and Christian Craig racing to P11 and P13 results, while 250SX East Class rookie Guillem Farres claimed a solid eighth place finish on debut.
Stewart opened race day by registering the ninth-fastest qualifying time aboard his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 450 Rockstar Edition, adjusting to the softer, rutty conditions that the East Coast dirt served, before powering his way to fifth place in his Heat Race.
A top 10 start saw Stewart battling forward in the premier class Main Event, before an untimely fall while making further passes ultimately cost him a stronger result. Tumbling down the running order, the fan favorite would eventually climb into 11th position by race's end.
“Detroit, I was P1 in Free Practice, which meant I felt pretty good all day,” recalled Stewart. “Ninth overall in qualifying, then fifth in the Heat, and felt really good at that point. I tried to get by [Jason] Anderson in the whoops after a good start, and then just dropped it at the end of the set there. It really sucks to crash like that, but I fought hard for 11th – the riding has been improving, so we’ll keep fighting.”
450SX teammate Craig started the day with consistency, posting a time good enough for P13 in qualifying, before improving to seventh place in his Heat Race. In struggling for track position on the technical track surface, he would salvage a 13th place finish to complete his day inside Ford Field.
As the Eastern Region made its anticipated first showing of the year, Guillem Farres made his Supercross debut, with the talented Spaniard piecing together a confidence-inspiring day across the variety of sessions. Ninth place in 250SX East qualifying, followed by P7 in his Heat Race set the rookie up well entering the Main Event, where he went on to finish in eighth position on the Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 250 Rockstar Edition.
“Detroit was pretty good, especially for my first Supercross ever!” Farres commented. “Luckily, I got the track pretty dialed on press day, which was helpful. I felt good in my qualifiers today and then was super nervous heading into the Heat Race, but got a decent start and finished seventh. Then, in the Main there was a massive pile-up that I was lucky to avoid... I was running sixth until the last lap before a small tip-over, so I am a little mad about the fall, but happy with my first Supercross.”
Next Event (Round 6): February 10, 2024 – State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona
Round 5 Results: Detroit
250SX East – Detroit Results
1. Austin Forkner (Kawasaki)
2. Max Anstie (Honda)
3. Daxton Bennick (Yamaha)
…
8. Guillem Farres – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
450SX – Detroit Results
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda)
2. Chase Sexton (KTM)
3. Ken Roczen (Suzuki)
…
11. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
13. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
250SX East Rider Point Standings
1. Austin Forkner (Kawasaki) – 25 points
2. Max Anstie (Honda) – 22 points
3. Daxton Bennick (Yamaha) – 20 points
…
8. Guillem Farres – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing - 13 points
450SX Rider Point Standings
1. Chase Sexton (KTM) – 98 points
2. Jett Lawrence (Honda) – 97 points
3. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) - 96 points
...
14. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 37 points
17. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 29 points
Making it five overall victories in a row, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt topped the podium at the fifth round of the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship in Budapest, Hungary. Securing three races wins from three starts on the night on his FE 350, the defending world champion extended his championship lead to 33 points.
Immediately gelling with the course in Budapest, Billy topped the timesheets during the afternoon practice sessions. Although still nursing a knee injury from round three in Germany, he found the track suited his riding style and was keen to claim race wins after placing a close second in the SuperPole hot lap.
Lining up to the second gate from the inside for race one, Billy timed his start to perfection. Exiting the first corner in the lead, he attacked the opening two laps to build a four-second advantage. Comfortably out front with three laps to go, Billy fell foul of some lapped traffic and suffered an unavoidable crash. Quickly remounting, he carefully managed the remaining laps to secure a sizeable 12-second margin of victory.
Aiming to keep that momentum rolling, the Husqvarna rider made good his second row starting position for race two. Cleanly navigating his way through the first obstacles, he worked his way into third after half a lap. Taking the race lead with four minutes to go, Bolt cleared away from the rest of the chasing pack. Despite a small slip-off with two laps to go, he remained unfazed to win race two by an incredible 20 seconds.
Another strong start from Billy on his FE 350 in race three saw him exit the first corner in second position. A close battle with early pacesetter Jonny Walker saw Billy try multiple times to overtake his rival before finally getting a wheel in front on lap three. Locking his sights on making it a clean sweep of wins in Budapest, Billy kept charging ahead. Perfectly executing the remaining laps, he took the win and with it, claimed his fifth overall victory from five in the 2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship.
Now with two rounds remaining, the Husqvarna Factory Racing rider heads to the penultimate round in Sofia, Bulgaria on February 24 with a healthy 33-point championship lead.
Billy Bolt: “I’m massively pleased with my riding tonight. From the get-go I felt good on the track and I really wanted to deliver a good result. With three wins from three starts, I can’t really ask for more from myself. Of course I’m still managing my knee injury from round three in Germany, but I’ve learned how to deal with it. Naturally there were some moments out on track during the evening, but that’s part of the sport. Overall my starts were solid and I grew stronger with each race. With two rounds remaining, I’ll keep chipping away at things and be ready for Bulgaria.”
Results – 2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship – Round 5, Hungary
Prestige Overall
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 62pts
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 48pts
3. Diogo Vieira (GASGAS) 42pts
4. Mitchell Brightmore (GASGAS) 41pts
5. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 40pts
Prestige Race 1
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 12 laps, 7:17.091
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 12 laps, 7:29.898
3. Diogo Vieira (GASGAS) 12 laps, 7:43.224
Prestige Race 2
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 11 laps, 6:35.545
2. Diogo Vieira (GASGAS) 11 laps, 6:55.507
3. Mitchell Brightmore (GASGAS) 11 laps, 6:58.254
Prestige Race 3
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 12 laps, 6:55.701
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 12 laps, 7:08.635
3. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 12 laps, 7:12.845
Championship Standings (After Round 5)
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 301pts
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 268pts
3. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 193pts
4. Will Hoare (Rieju) 171pts
5. Dominik Olszowy (Rieju) 157pts
The Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing team is excited to unveil its formidable rider lineup for the 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship season, featuring Mattia Guadagnini campaigning the premier class of MXGP, alongside Lucas Coenen and Kay de Wolf in MX2.
Boasting a unique combination of seasoned experience and raw youthful talent, the team is poised for MXGP and MX2 golds and podiums, right from the very first gate drop of the season.
The most recent signing to the ‘Husky’ factory team is Mattia Guadagnini. Despite only being 21 years old, the Italian boasts a wealth of career experience, having previously claimed a double EMX125 crown in 2019.
Better still, Guadagnini has previously held the red plate, and won multiple Grand Prix in MX2. Graduating to MXGP has proved a little more challenging experience however. With his first full season hampered by injury following a heavy crash at the 2023 MXGP of France. Now back to full fitness, and with a brand new 2024-spec FC 450 underneath him, Mattia is refreshed and ready to give it his all, in the upcoming 20 rounds.
In the hotly contested MX2 category, the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing team are proud to present a formidable pairing: Belgian sensation, 17 year old Lucas Coenen, and 19 year old Dutch prodigy Kay de Wolf.
Both riders are on a meteoric rise, with de Wolf entering his fourth MX2 season after securing the red plate, as well as five podiums and a victory last year in Latvia. Lucas Coenen, is embarking on his second full season, having finished an impressive fifth overall last season; highlighted by three podium finishes and a spectacular win in Indonesia.
With just over a month to go, Mattia, Lucas, and Kay are currently working through an intense schedule of pre-season testing, before the first MXGP of the year goes live in Argentina on the 10th March.
#101 - Mattia Guadagnini: “ I’m very excited to get back to racing this season. I felt like I made a good start in 2023, but then with the injury in France everything had to stop until I could heal. Now I’m feeling strong again, and all the preparations are going well. For sure it will be a long season, but I have the best team around me, where everyone shares the right attitude, I’m very excited to get started!”
#96 - Lucas Coenen: “ It is a big deal to be part of a factory team, and especially with Husqvarna! The 2024 colours and everything are super nice, and the bike is also really fast. After the last GPs and the MX of Nations, I just wanted to be straight back out [on the bike]. But now, after such a long winter, it’s great to be out testing again. We have pre-season races now, but my focus is on the first race in Argentina, and see what others have!”
#74 - Kay de Wolf: “ Being part of such a significant group with multiple factories and brands, especially on the Husky side, is truly special for me, and I'm really hungry to start the new season. I had a challenging 2023. I took time out to focus on being ready for this season, and now I’m feeling positive and really looking forward to starting racing again. My aim is to work on consistent performances and improve at each race!”
Rasmus Jorgensen (Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager): “ I’m super proud to be managing and representing the Husqvarna Factory Racing team. I’m a fan of the brand, and I’m so proud of the overall look of the team and its rider line up. I can honestly say that every one of our team members are extremely passionate about their profession in the sport. This already gets us a long way. It’s a very nice challenge to enter the premier class with Mattia. He is a laid back guy who enjoys the smallest things in life, but at the same time a hardcore racer who goes for it. With our FC 450, it’s a great package for sure. We also have two highly competitive MX2 riders under the same tent and so far this is going well. Again, I’m so proud of the overall look of the team and its rider line up. We will continue to work hard and never give up on the ultimate championship goals.”
With just over a month to go until the start of the 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship season, the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing Team has unveiled their rider lineup; boasting an exciting mix of raw talent and experience.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider RJ Hampshire rebounded to a well-deserved second-place finish in the 250SX West Class at Round 4 of AMA Supercross action in Anaheim, California, on a night where 450SX contenders Malcolm Stewart and Christian Craig finished the Triple Crown event with P10 and P14 results, respectively.
Hampshire charged to pole position onboard his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 250 Rockstar Edition in the Anaheim 2 round, before carrying that momentum into the opening Race of the Triple Crown format, in which he would go on to register a P2 result.
Race 2 saw Hampshire jump out of the gates to a strong start as he sat inside the top three, biding his time in P2 before making a decisive pass for the race lead. Managing the race comfortably at the front, he would collect a popular Race 2 win.
A small mishap in Race 3 saw Hampshire briefly on the ground, however, the number 24 would recover for seventh position, which was enough for second overall on the night and he is currently third in the 250SX West standings.
“It was a solid night at A2 and I was fast all day,” recalled Hampshire. “We topped all three practices, and the first two Races were awesome – I had so much fun battling with Levi [Kitchen], we put on a good show, which was sick. Third Race, not a great start, and then just a bit of a mishap. Still made up a lot of points, cut the deficit in half, so I’m stoked on that.”
Stewart would start his Anaheim 2 race day by sealing the fourth-fastest qualifying time in 450SX overall, which the Floridian would follow up with a strong start in Race 1. An unfortunate fall while battling inside the top 10 would result in 11th place for the Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 450 Rockstar Edition pilot.
Races 2 and 3 saw the number 27 improve his position on each occasion despite being hampered by mid-field starts, collecting P10 and P9 results across the remaining races, which meant a 10th-place finish on the night and his best of the season upon return from injury.
“A2 for me, there are positives to take,” said Stewart . "I was P1 in the first qualifier and then was affected by some tough starts in the Races for the Triple Crown. Went down in Race 1 with Hunter [Lawrence], came back to 11th. Then the others, just struggled with starts again, but I’m getting back into the swing of things – I haven't raced for a long time, so this one really felt like A1 to me. We’re heading in the right direction and it’s going to come, so we’ll keep on trucking into Detroit.”
450SX challenger Craig collected the 15th-fastest qualifying time, before going down on the opening lap in Race 1 and recovering to P17. A 12th place in Race 2, coupled with 13th in the third Race earned him 14th overall for the weekend.
“My day started decently and qualifying went okay,” Craig commented . “It was nice to be on a dry track after the last couple of weeks, but yeah, I went down in the second corner in Race 1 and was way, way back. Inched up, did what I could, then in the second one I think I got 12th. Race 3, not enough intensity at the start, got passed a bunch, and then had to try to make those passes back. It has been a frustrating start to the season, but we’ll keep trying.”
Next Event (Round 5): February 3, 2024 – Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.
Round 4 Results: Anaheim 2
250SX West – Triple Crown Results
1. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki)
2. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
3. Nate Thrasher (Yamaha)
450SX – Triple Crown Results
1. Cooper Webb (Yamaha)
2. Eli Tomac (Yamaha)
3. Aaron Plessinger (KTM)
…
10. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
14. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
250SX West Rider Point Standings
1. Jordon Smith (Yamaha) – 84 points
2. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) – 84 points
3. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 76 points
450SX Rider Point Standings
1. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) – 80 points
2. Chase Sexton (KTM) – 76 points
3. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) - 74 points
...
15. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 26 points
17. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 20 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing endured a challenging night of racing at Round 3 of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship in San Diego, California, with RJ Hampshire taking a sixth-place result in the 250SX West division, while Malcolm Stewart and Christian Craig encountered their share of adversity in 450SX.
Hampshire opened the day by posting the third-fastest qualifying time, before rocketing out of the gates onboard his Husqvarna Motorcycles FC 250 Rockstar Edition in the Heat Race. Despite a troubled affair, he eventually claimed P6 to transfer into the Main Event.
In mixed conditions with rain beginning to fall once again, Hampshire launched to the holeshot in the 250SX West Main Event, extending his lead to a two-second margin throughout the opening stages of the race. An all-out battle ensued for first place throughout the entirety of the race, with a late race mishap demoting him to sixth place.
“Just another mudder here in SD and another tough night,” recalled Hampshire . “I got off to an awesome start and then led a lot of laps in the Main, but threw away a podium with two corners to go. Super-frustrating, but nothing I can do about it now. Time to go home, regroup, and we need a win next week in Anaheim.”
Tenth place for Stewart in 450SX qualifying translated into a strong Heat Race ride, as the number 27 charged the entire duration of the race and fell short of the victory by a small margin, claiming second place. An opening lap fall for Stewart made for a tough premier class Main Event, with a race impacted by errors resulting in a 19th-place score.
“San Diego was another mud race,” said Stewart . “We qualified 10th in the dry, then got off to a great start in the Heat Race and finished with second, which pulled me out of a bit of a slump I felt I was in. Then in the Main Event, I spun off the gate – no big deal – and then I came together with another rider and went down in the first lane, which pretty much summed my race up. The bars were tweaked, so I visited the mechanic's area, but again my speed was super-good. We're off to a Triple Crown next weekend and my starts have been good, so I’m confident of a good night of racing in Anaheim to turn things around.”
450SX challenger Craig posted the 11th-fastest qualifying time, before improving to a fifth-place finish in his Heat Race and a direct transfer into the Main Event for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider.
Jumping out of the gates to a good start, Craig ran inside the top 10 before cross-rutting in the muddy terrain, which resulted in him coming together with another ride. A visit to the mechanics area meant that the Californian was buried deep in the field and was credited with P20.
“The day started pretty good with qualifying in P11,” Craig commented. “I was riding good and felt really strong, but then the rain came down, unfortunately. Got off to a sweet start to the Heat and was running up front for a while, then made a couple of mistakes in the mud, which shifted me back to fifth. I got another good start in the Main, but just cross-rutted in the mud and another rider completely landed on me from behind. It's racing, unfortunately, it took me a while to get going, took a trip to the pits, put my head down and did what I could. Another bad result, but we’ll put our heads down for A2.”
Next Event (Round 4): January 27, 2024 – Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif.
Round 3 Results: San Diego
250SX West – Main Event
1. Nate Thrasher (Yamaha)
2. Garrett Marchbanks (Yamaha)
3. Jordon Smith (Yamaha)
…
6. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
450SX – Main Event
1. Aaron Plessinger (KTM)
2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha)
3. Justin Barcia (GASGAS)
…
19. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
20. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
250SX West Rider Point Standings
1. Jordon Smith (Yamaha) – 67 points
2. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) – 59 points
3. Garrett Marchbanks (Yamaha) – 57 points
…
4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 54 points
450SX Rider Point Standings
1. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) – 60 points
2. Chase Sexton (KTM) – 59 points
3. Jett Lawrence (Honda) - 56 points
...
17. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 14 points
18. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 12 points
Making it four overall victories in a row, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has won the fourth round of the 2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship in Cluj, Romania. Battling through a knee injury sustained at the previous round in Germany, the FE 350 rider fought hard to claim two wins from three starts and with it, extend his championship lead to 19 points.
Although unable to ride his bike since round three due to injury, Bolt wasted no time in settling back into his fast rhythm by topping the afternoon timed practice in Cluj. Proving a much-needed confidence boost, Billy now felt optimistic about the night ahead on what would ultimately be a technical course to master.
Disappointed with placing fourth in the SuperPole hot lap, Billy lined up for race one on his FE 350 aiming to put himself back at the sharp end of the results sheet. Knowing the tight and complicated course would prove difficult to navigate under racing conditions, he tried to pace himself during the opening laps. Avoiding trouble where best he could, he ended race one in second position.
Taking to the start line for race two, Billy was determined to get his first victory of the night on the scoreboard. From row two he made short work of the early traffic and quickly slotted into fourth position on lap one. Battling through, he fought his way into second and set his sights on race leader Jonny Walker. With the duo going wheel-to-wheel, Billy put an incredible overtake on Walker as they began the final lap. Holding firm, he rode clear to a well-deserved race win.
With the overall victory in Romania up for grabs heading into the third and final race, Billy was focused on delivering the goods on his FE 350. A strong opening lap saw him slot into fourth position. Capitalising on mistakes from the riders in front of him as they ended lap two, Bolt dived into second position. On the following lap he disposed of early pace setter Eddie Karlsson to take over the race lead. Despite slippery track conditions, Billy kept his advantage intact during the final four minutes of racing to claim the win and with it, the overall victory at round four.
Thanks to his fourth consecutive overall victory in the 2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, the Husqvarna Factory Racing rider now heads to round five in Budapest, Hungary on February 3rd with a 19-point lead.
Billy Bolt: “It was a night where momentum sort of came to me as the racing progressed. After a tricky start with SuperPole and race one, winning race two built the confidence back up. I felt better about my riding and really went for it in the final race to take the overall. I was disappointed with how SuperPole went. I made a mistake, but I have to accept these things happen sometimes. Overall I’m massively pleased with the outcome here tonight. Despite my injury, we’ve won again and strengthened the championship lead further.”
Results – 2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship – Round 4, Romania
Prestige Overall
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 57pts
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 54pts
3. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 43pts
4. Dominik Olszowy (Rieju) 37pts
5. Eddie Karlsson (Husqvarna) 31pts
Prestige Race 1
1. Jonny Walker (Beta) 11 laps, 7:07.645
2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 11 laps, 7:21.009
3. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 11 laps, 7:23.827
Prestige Race 2
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 11 laps, 7:07.496
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 11 laps, 7:10.431
3. Dominik Olszowy (Rieju) 11 laps, 7:31.001
Prestige Race 3
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 11 laps, 6:45.093
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 11 laps, 7:06.612
3. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 11 laps, 7:13.515
Championship Standings (After Round 4)
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 239pts
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 220pts
3. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 153pts
4. Will Hoare (Rieju) 146pts
5. Dominik Olszowy (Rieju) 132pts
It was a challenging evening for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing at the second round of the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship in San Francisco, California, with RJ Hampshire salvaging a ninth-place finish in the 250SX West division, as Christian Craig and Malcolm Stewart battled hard against the elements in 450SX.
Entering with the points lead, Hampshire continued his impressive form in the San Francisco mud by topping the qualifying timesheets amidst the chaotic conditions. A consistent ride on his Husqvarna FC 250 Rockstar Edition resulted in a second-place finish for his Heat Race.
As the conditions worsened for the Main Event, Hampshire got off to a mid-field start, which created an eventful race of being caught up with other downed riders. Despite those challenges, Hampshire salvaged a P9 result and a solid bag of points toward the championship.
“Man, that was just a really, really, long and tough day for us,” recalled Hampshire . “Start was decent, got up to fourth, I think… but stuff happens with this type of racing with a guy cross-rutting and falling into me. I was in a really bad spot to go down in, hard to get back going, but managed what I could and knew I needed to get some points, so now headed to San Diego and hoping it’ll be a lot better than this weekend.”
450SX racer Craig posted the 15th-fastest qualifying time, before improving to a seventh-place finish in his Heat Race and a direct transfer into the Main Event for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing pilot.
A high-speed fall on the start straight meant that Craig would be playing catch-up for the remainder of the race, which the Californian would do, and claw his way back to a 14th-place finish as the checkered flag flew.
“The day started off as a mud race and that’s obviously chaos,” Craig commented. “Qualified decent, then went to the Heat Race just wanting to make it through to the Main, which we did. In the Main I went down 100 feet off the start, was lying in the mud with some others for a while, but just charged from the back and did what we could do. I'm excited for some dry conditions next weekend.”
For teammate Stewart, he navigated the challenging conditions onboard his Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition to the ninth-quickest 450SX qualifying time, before crossing the finish line in sixth place for his Heat Race. A difficult night of racing, combined with a trip to the mechanic's area, saw the number 27 credited 22nd.
“SF was a muddy one for us,” said Stewart . “Went down off the start, then the vision was blind for a bit, pulled a tear-off and I was in the tuff blocks. It got stuck in around the shifter, and someone had to go get a razor blade to cut it, so that’s how I got back on the track! Didn’t do very well, it was survival mode, and in these conditions, it’s hard to predict where you’ll end up. I'm disappointed as the team and I made great progress through the week, but we're looking forward to San Diego where I got my first Heat Race win last year.”
Next Event (Round 3): January 20, 2024 – Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, Calif.
Round 2 Results: San Francisco
250SX West – Main Event
1. Jordon Smith (Yamaha)
2. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki)
3. Garrett Marchbanks (Yamaha)
…
9. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
450SX – Main Event
1. Chase Sexton (KTM)
2. Eli Tomac (Yamaha)
3. Ken Roczen (Suzuki)
…
14. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
22. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
250SX West Rider Point Standings
1. Jordon Smith (Yamaha) – 47 points
3. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) – 42 points
3. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 38 points
450SX Rider Point Standings
1. Chase Sexton (KTM) – 45 points
2. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 38 points
3. Eli Tomac (Yamaha) 35 points
…
17. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 11 points
18. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 10 points
Husqvarna Factory Racing star Luciano Benavides has completed the first half of the new 48-hour chrono stage as fifth-fastest. Covering 513 out of a possible 626 kilometres of the timed special, the FR 450 Rally rider now has a short day of racing ahead of him tomorrow to complete the demanding two-day stage.
Beginning the new 48-hour chrono stage, riders were initially faced with a short liaison that led them to the start of a 626-kilometre timed special that they are given two days to complete. Venturing deeper into the featureless Empty Quarter, riders commented on the extreme physicality of the special, which takes them through the endless dunes and chotts of the Saudi Arabian desert.
Taking advantage of his mid-pack start position, Benavides focused on his roadbook while maintaining a strong pace over the rolling dunes. Successfully tackling the complex navigation, that featured many hidden waypoints and headings, Luciano finished stage 6a provisionally in fifth place on his Husqvarna Factory Racing machine.
Benavides was one of only 12 riders to reach rest point F, 513 kilometres into the special. This leaves the Argentinian with only 113 kilometres to race against the clock on Friday’s second half of stage 6, followed by a 110km liaison before being reunited with the team at the end of the ultra-challenging marathon stage.
Andreas Hölzl – Rally Team Manager: “Today was a good day for Luciano, he put in a really strong performance on what has easily been one of the toughest stages of the event so far. After his disappointing day yesterday, it’s great to see him pushing on again. He made it to bivouac F after a long, hot day and that means there is not long to go on the special tomorrow. I think everyone on the team is looking forward to a well-deserved rest day in Riyadh.”
2024 Dakar Rally – Stage 6a Provisional Classification
1. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 6:30:39
2. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 6:32:00
3. Toby Price (KTM) 6:32:38
4. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 6:34:11
5. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 6:36:46
Putting in another stellar performance, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt saw his win streak in the 2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship continue, with the Brit claiming the overall victory at round three in Riesa, Germany. Bolt took two race wins from three starts on his FE 350 to extend his championship lead to 16 points.
However, despite ending his night with victory, it was not all plain sailing for the defending world champion in Germany. Landing awkwardly short on the finish line jump during practice, Billy injured his left knee. Initially unsure if he could continue with the night’s racing, Bolt opted to try the evening’s SuperPole hot lap to see how he felt on track. Going on to claim second place, the tough-minded Brit opted to line up for the opening race with a determination to score more valuable championship points.
Remaining tentative in his riding, Billy worked hard to stay out of trouble during the opening couple of laps. Settling into the technical course and focusing on his line choices, he pushed on to incredibly win race one. Now with a clearer understanding of his situation, Bolt focused on the remaining two races.
Mindful of his knee injury, Billy took a measured approach to race two, which saw the start order reversed. From the outside of row two, he steadily worked his way up to seventh position on lap one. With a group of riders battling for a top-three position, he spent the next couple of laps working his way into third place before reaching second with less than two minutes to go. Pushing hard on his FE 350 to bridge the eight-second gap to leader Jonny Walker, Billy gladly took control of the race lead with two laps to go. Remaining mistake-free, he raced on to secure his second victory of the night in Riesa.
With the gate dropping on the start of race three, Billy put his FE 350 into second place on the opening lap. As had been the case for the majority of the night, he went head-to-head with race leader Jonny Walker for the victory and pulled away from the chasing pack. However, with three minutes to go a mistake from Billy on the tyres saw him drop back from Walker’s rear wheel. Battling hard to reduce the seven second gap, the Husqvarna rider came within striking distance of victory on the final lap only to come unstuck on the bridge section. Settling for second position, Billy still claimed the overall victory in Riesa, and with it further extended his championship lead.
The FIM SuperEnduro World Championship now heads to Cluj in Romania for round four on January 20.
Billy Bolt: “What can I say, it’s been a tough night. After injuring my knee in practice I wasn’t 100 per cent sure if I could race, so to finish on the top step of the podium is beyond my expectations tonight. It was a tough track out there, but I tried to be as patient in my riding as I could. Winning the opening race was great and it gave me motivation to keep pushing through each moto. Claiming two out of three race wins for the overall victory has been great for the championship. The plan now is to get checked out and get ready to go again in Romania for round four.”
Results – 2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship – Round 3, Germany
Prestige Overall
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 59pts
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 57pts
3. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 39pts
4. Mitch Brightmore (GASGAS) 37pts
5. Will Hoare (Beta) 35pts
Prestige Race 1
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 7:13.164
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 10 laps, 7:20.391
3. Mitch Brightmore (GASGAS) 10 laps, 7:33.261
Prestige Race 2
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 7:15.777
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 10 laps, 7:27.188
3. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 10 laps, 7:30.345
Prestige Race 3
1. Jonny Walker (Beta) 10 laps, 7:09.279
2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 7:20.705
3. Will Hoare (Beta) 10 laps, 7:35.862
Championship Standings (After Round 3)
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 182pts
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 166pts
3. Will Hoare (Beta) 117pts
4. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 110pts
5. Dominik Olszowy (GASGAS) 85pts…
Husqvarna Factory Racing got the 2024 Dakar Rally underway with reigning World Rally-Raid Champion Luciano Benavides safely completing stage one. The first true special stage of the event presented hundreds of kilometres of rocky, volcanic terrain, forcing Benavides to adopt a calculated and technical riding style to successfully navigate the special.
Kicking off the 2024 edition of the Dakar Rally, Friday’s prologue in AlUla was short but demanded accurate navigation, with the final finishing positions determining the start order for Saturday's opening stage. After completing the prologue in an excellent fifth place, Luciano opted for a later, 14th place start into the 414km timed special on stage one.
The first full day of racing was tough for all competitors, taking them from the start in AlUla through to the bivouac in Al Henakiyah across demanding terrain, never seen before at the Dakar. Faced with the intensely rocky tracks and tricky navigation, Benavides chose to ease his pace, conserve his energy, and focus on making the absolute minimum of mistakes on the unforgiving ground. Maintaining a solid pace from start to finish, the 28-year-old completed the special in 15th place.
Luciano now lies 14th overall provisionally and will be looking to push hard in Sunday’s stage two to make up time on his rivals. Starting in an advantageous position, the FR 450 Rally rider will take on a longer, 463km timed special on day two, as well as longer liaison sections.
Luciano Benavides: “It was really, really difficult. The stage was more like an enduro for 400 kilometres. I had quite a few small crashes too which isn’t great, but hopefully the next stage will be different. It’s incredible how many kilometres of stones there were which needed such steady, technical riding – it was really tough.”
2024 Dakar Rally – Stage 1 Provisional Classification
1. Ross Branch (Hero) 4:56:01
2. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 5:06:55
3. Mason Klein (KOVE) 5:07:20
4. Bradley Cox (KTM) 5:08:55
5. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 5:09:44
...
15. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 5:19:10
2024 Dakar Rally – Provisional Overall Classification [After Stage 1]
1. Ross Branch (Hero) 5:13:55
2. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 5:25:49
3. Mason Klein (KOVE) 5:25:53
4. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 5:28:43
5. Bradley Cox (KTM) 5:28:48
…
14. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 5:37:11
Victory for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire in the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship season-opener at Anaheim 1 marked an exceptional start to his season in 250SX West, as 450SX teammates Malcolm Stewart and Christian Craig each experienced their share of adversity at the opening round.
Hampshire was fast as soon as bikes were on-track at Angel Stadium, with the title contender rocketing his Husqvarna FC 250 Rockstar Edition to second position during the afternoon’s qualifying sessions.
That momentum continued for Hampshire into his Heat Race, where he pieced together a ride that very nearly earned him the win, before crossing the line in second place and setting the stage for a strong Main Event.
Launching out of the gates for a top three-start, Hampshire exercised patience in the opening laps and allowing the race to unfold, before making his way into the lead and taking control from there, eventually capturing the victory and taking hold of the series leader's red plate heading into Round 2.
“A1 was awesome for me and it was a dream of mine to win Anaheim 1 and leave with the red plate,” commented Hampshire. “Super-happy with the day, felt awesome on my Husqvarna and am thankful for the whole team, they’ve been crushing it for me and it shows tonight. I took what the night gave me and it gave me a win, so I'm happy with where we are at, there's a lot of good things going right now, and we’ll stay level-headed heading into San Fran next week.”
Stewart made his welcome return to competition at Anaheim 1 after spending the majority of last year on the sidelines due to injury, with the number 27 looking fit and ready to attack 2024. He opened proceedings by posting the 10th-fastest qualifying time, before charging to an impressive third position in his Heat Race.
An unfortunate fall on the opening lap of the Main Event for Stewart after being collected in a pile-up made for a difficult outing, as the Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition pilot was tasked with a come-from-behind ride as he remounted toward the rear of the field. He showed immense heart and fought until the final lap, where he recovered to an inspired 11th-place finish.
“I got the first one out the way and it’s been a whole year since I’ve raced,” noted Stewart. “We ended up 11th after going down on the first lap, got back up and then went down again. But honestly, I’m just glad to be back racing, I rode good in the Main Event, but the results weren’t there. We have something to build off now, the team’s been working really hard and we had a great off-season. The results don’t show that, but I have 16 rounds left to show what we can do. I started like this in 2022 and came back for third in the championship, so tonight was just unfortunate, but these races happen, and now we’ll start stacking up top fives and podiums to get right back up in the mix.”
Premier class teammate Craig entered this season after a grueling off-season in Florida by recording a time that landed him P14 in qualifying, converting that into a seventh-place finish in the first Heat Race of the night, which would transfer him directly into the Main Event. Unfortunately, it would not go as planned for Craig, who withdrew during the early stages and was credited with 20th position.
Next Event (Round 2): January 13, 2024 – Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif.
Round 1 Results: Anaheim
250SX West – Main Event
1. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
2. Jordon Smith (Yamaha)
3. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki)
450SX – Main Event
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda)
2. Jason Anderson (Kawasaki)
3. Chase Sexton (KTM)
…
11. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
20. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
250SX West Rider Point Standings
1. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 25 points
2. Jordon Smith (Yamaha) – 22 points
3. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) – 20 points
450SX Rider Point Standings
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) – 25 points
2. Jason Anderson (Kawasaki) 22 points
3. Chase Sexton (KTM) 20 points
…
11. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 11 points
20. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 2 points
Following his dominant win at round one in France, Husqvarna Factory Racing star Billy Bolt has put in another stellar SuperEnduro performance, this time topping the qualifying Superpole before winning two out of three races inside the Tauron Arena in Poland. Earning 60 championship points aboard his FE 350, Bolt extended his lead in the 2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship.
The reigning FIM SuperEnduro World Champion began his evening in Krakow on a high, topping the Superpole by half a second. Billy was pleased to secure his fourteenth Superpole victory in a row, firing him up for the following races.
The first rider to roll onto the startline thanks to his Superpole win, Bolt opted to start on the far left in the night’s opening race. After claiming the holeshot, he began to pull away from the pack and set a solid pace. Despite pressure from second-placed Jonny Walker mid-way through the race, Billy kept his elbows out to retain his lead and finished with a deserved nine-second advantage.
In race two, the grid was reversed for the start, placing Billy at the back. As the competition navigated the first corner, he remained patient, making him the last rider to exit turn one. However, it didn’t take him long to get back in the mix, working his way up to second place by lap five. On the attack, the Brit closed the gap to first place to ultimately finish as runner-up, just eight hundredths of a second behind.
Determined to take another race win, Billy stormed out of the gate in the night’s final race to take the holeshot and immediately set about gaining ground. Putting in a mistake-free ride, Billy tested some faster lines and continued to extend his lead over second place. Finishing 14 seconds in front, the Husqvarna Factory Racing ace took the final race win of the night, securing the overall victory in the process.
The Sachsen Arena in Riesa, Germany will host round three of the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship on January 6th.
Billy Bolt: “I’m pretty happy really with a 1-2-1. I rode well in the second race – I just made a few bad decisions and took too long to get to the front. I think everyone was expecting an eruption when I got back to the pits but I was pretty chilled to be honest. I knew I rode well, but I just didn’t put myself in the right place on the track. Overall though I was happy with my riding the whole night and I got better each race, I think. I switched up my line in the rocks on the final race so I think that made a difference and gave me some breathing room on what was a difficult track that Jonny pushed me hard on all night. I’ll keep working over Christmas and come back swinging in Germany.”
Results – 2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship – Round 2, Poland
Prestige Overall
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 60pts
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 56pts
3. Will Hoare (Beta) 43pts
4. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 39pts
5. Dominik Olszowy (Rieju) 32pts
An expanded five-rider Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team will take centerstage when the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) season commences with the AMA Supercross Championship season-opener at Anaheim on Saturday, January 6, led by 450SX duo Malcolm Stewart and Christian Craig, alongside 250SX contenders RJ Hampshire, Guillem Farres and Casey Cochran.
The Nathan Ramsey-managed official Husqvarna Motorcycles U.S. team will be equipped with the Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition and the Husqvarna FC 250 Rockstar Edition, forming a strong foundation for all five riders to build upon as the gates drop on what is a highly anticipated new season.
In addition to the on-track action, Rockstar Energy Drink has renewed its commitment as title sponsor of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team in a multi-year commitment, which will span the entire 31-race SMX series. The team will contest 17 rounds of AMA Supercross, 11 rounds in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, and a three-round, post-season SMX Finals series.
“We’re incredibly excited to extend our partnership with Husqvarna Motorcycles. Over the past 10 years, the relationship with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team has been more than just a sponsorship and we’re looking forward to continuing to grow together , said Jennifer Kalban , Senior Motorsports Marketing Manager, PepsiCo North America. “The team is as strong as it’s ever been and the 2024 season should be an exciting one.”
Each step of that journey will be documented in Season 3 of the Grit and Grind docuseries, which will continue to be broadcast on the Husqvarna Motorcycles YouTube channel in 2024. A collaboration between Rockstar Energy and Husqvarna Motorcycles, it will once again provide an all-access insight into the season of Stewart, Craig, Hampshire, Farres, and Cochran.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager, Nathan Ramsey, is confident that all five riders will be competitive across next year's SMX series, determined to iron out any kinks that have proven costly in the past and to ensure that all riders can consistently deliver strong results in 2024.
"2024 is looking good for us, the guys are having a really good off-season, and we are working hard to be ready for the season," explained Ramsey. "I think that ultimately, we ’ re going to come out swinging and avoid the major ups and downs and ride it out as steady as possible and put our Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team riders up front. We have looked a lot at things that have cost us or possibly pushed us out of championship hopes in the past, and I think we have highlighted a few of those areas and we are all – the team, the crew, the riders, everyone – committed to correcting those areas and hopefully it works and pays off, because if they are corrected, I think we ’ re in the hunt, for sure."
Making a welcome return to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing will be Stewart, the 31-year-old who was unfortunately sidelined in the early stages of last season and is in line to pick up where he left off almost 12 months ago. The fan favorite finished a career-high third in the 450SX standings in 2022, now excited to get back behind the gates in a bid to rebuild his form in a competitive environment.
"The focus for 2024 is honestly just to get back out there and get my feet wet again," said Stewart. "2023 was a pretty short-lived year for me, it was kind of more for me to get back going and to finish what I started last year. I was looking really good, A1 was going very well, we had one little incident and we won a heat race, so we had some big flashes, but it just ended too quickly. This is part of racing and things happen, but I have had a really good recovery so far, and training has been going well this off-season with a good group of guys that I ’ m surrounded with. Everyone has been positive through the whole recovery and I ’ m glad I locked myself in for another two more years! I really want to win next year and I ’ m looking forward to getting back into the bunch with the team for the upcoming season.”
Entering his second year with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, Craig was also affected by injury in 2023 but was able to return and represent Team USA at the FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN) in September. At 32, Craig has the desire to establish himself toward the front of the premier class and has been enjoying the pre-season to date.
"I ’ m feeling pretty good entering another year with the team, so I ’ m more comfortable, learning everyone around me, and obviously learning the bike more with more seat time," commented Craig. "I'm coming off a pretty serious injury, so just trying to build back up from that and we ’ re kind of in the middle of boot camp right now. I am excited for the new year, I need to put in some results, so am very focused and driven for this one. This past season was a big learning year for me, so this time I know what to expect with the training program, riding program, and what the team brings – I need to step up and try to be upfront as much as possible."
As one of the most experienced riders in the 250 Class, RJ Hampshire has his sights firmly set on achieving title success in the new year. He was runner-up in 250SX West last year and raced to third position in the inaugural 250SMX standings, now motivated to capture a first-career championship with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing.
"My goal is to definitely try and get a championship," Hampshire stated. "We ’ ve been close the last two years in a row, so I'll just come into the season, take it race-by-race, and build from where were last year. The team has worked really hard to make the bike as good as possible, and there are a lot of improvements already. We were in a good spot last season, so if we can be a bit better this year, I definitely think we can get it done. Supercross was massive for me because I had seven podiums in seven years and then last year I had eight in total, so that was a really big step in my career. The next step is to get the red plate, so that is the goal going into the season. The team has been awesome, there is nowhere else I would rather be, and I just renewed my deal for two more years – it just goes to show how much I believe in this team and how much I believe in myself, because we ’ ve grown a lot together. They believe in me a lot to go out there and perform also, and I definitely think that this year will be another big step in our relationship."
For Farres, the chance to join Rockstar Energy Husqvarna sees him preparing for his maiden 250SX campaign, in which the 20-year-old Spanish revelation is looking to develop important Supercross experience during the upcoming season, before turning his attention outdoors.
"The transition to the Husqvarna FC 250 and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team has been really good," Farres said. "This is my first time ever here in Clermont, Florida, training and first time in California. So far, so good. Everyone has been really welcoming on the team, I ’ ve been having a good time, and I ’ m excited for the 2024 season. It ’ s going to be my rookie season in Supercross, so I am going to focus on staying healthy, being at every round, and improving every day with every lap. I ’ ve never raced in a stadium before, so I ’ m sure it's going to be something new and I ’ m going to be a little nervous, but hopefully it gets better after the first round."
Exciting teenage prospect Cochran has graduated to the professional ranks with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna full-time for 2024, the 17-year-old looking to build upon the Supercross Futures AMA National Championship that he won in 2023, while learning his craft as a professional in the sport.
"It's my first official pro season, so I'm looking forward to getting out there with the big guys and mixing it up, getting good results," Cochran commented. "Nothing too extravagant so far, but my goal is to get used to the whole program. It ’ s a super-cool opportunity because we have worked our whole lives for this deal, this contract, to be on a factory team, so I am super-excited to be here and have a great team around me and ready to get to work. I have always personally liked Supercross better than outdoors, so I am excited to race indoors. I raced Futures last year and that was a good experience, so the more indoors, the better!"
Ayumu Sasaki has confirmed 2nd position in the 2023 Moto3 World Championship after ranking 1st at the Gran Premio de la Comunitat Valenciana and the MotoGP season closer.
Unbeatable in France, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has delivered a dominant performance at round one of the 2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship. Making it three wins from three starts inside the Arena Stade couvert de Lievin, Billy also topped the SuperPole hot lap on his FE 350 to complete round one with a maximum points score.
Despite a short turnaround between the final round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship and round one of the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, Bolt was fired up to go racing in Lievin, France following several weeks of intense training. Confident of a positive start to the series, the fast-paced course favoured the Brit. Fastest in timed practice, Bolt then began the evening’s racing by topping the superpole hot lap by over eight tenths of a second.
Opting for a middle starting gate for race one, Bolt timed his reactions to perfection and grabbed the holeshot. With his wheels out front, he set a blisteringly fast pace on the opening few laps to build a comfortable lead. Extending that advantage as the race progressed, he took the opening win of the night by a very sizeable 20 seconds.
With the start order reversed for race two, Billy made good of his outside start position on row two. Attacking from the drop of the gate, he exited the first rock garden in sixth, then quickly moved up to third by the end of lap one. During the following lap he took the lead and never looked back. Unchallenged, he eased away to another commanding win.
Aiming to end round one on a high, Bolt took his second holeshot of the night in race three. Knowing the course was deteriorating, he pushed hard for the first few laps to establish a strong advantage over the chasing pack. Remaining mistake free, he raced on to make it three wins from three starts and with it secured a deserved overall victory.
The FIM SuperEnduro World Championship now moves on to round two in Krakow, Poland on December 9th.
Billy Bolt: “It’s been a perfect night and perfect start to the championship here in France. To get three wins from three starts, along with winning superpole, is great. But more importantly, I felt my riding was where I wanted it to be and without mistakes. With only a few weeks between the hard enduro and SuperEnduro series, I wasn’t sure where my intensity level would be in the races. But my fitness was good and I could go the distance each race. I’m looking forward to building on this at round two in Poland.”
Results – 2024 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship – Round 1, France
Prestige Overall
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 63pts;
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 53pts;
3. Will Hoare (Beta) 39pts;
4. Dominik Olszowy (Rieju) 35pts;
5. Alfredo Gomez (Rieju) 34pts
Prestige Race 1
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 7:04.244;
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 10 laps, 7:24.255;
3. Dominik Olszowy (Rieju) 10 laps, 7:36.876
Prestige Race 2
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 7:07.573;
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 10 laps, 7:21.327;
3. Alfredo Gomez (Rieju) 10 laps, 7:44.980
Prestige Race 3
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 6:56.880;
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 10 laps, 7:11.539;
3. Will Hoare (Beta) 10 laps, 7:25.291
Championship Standings (After Round 1)
1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 63pts;
2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 53pts;
3. Will Hoare (Beta) 39pts;
4. Dominik Olszowy (Rieju) 35pts;
5. Alfredo Gomez (Rieju) 34pts
Top six for Husqvarna Motorcycles at the Lusail International Circuit and round 19 of 20 in MotoGP means the world championship is decided but Ayumu Sasaki has a great chance of P2 in 2023.
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt is all-set to begin the defence of his FIM SuperEnduro World Championship title. Dominating the series in 2023, Bolt established himself as the rider to beat with his hard-charging riding taking him to countless heat and event victories. Featuring seven rounds, the 2024 series starts in France on November 25.
For Billy, the 2024 series offers a huge opportunity to clinch a fourth consecutive world title. The FE 350 racer not only claimed the overall victory at every single round in 2023, but he also won all but one of the 15 races held – an incredible achievement and one he hopes to repeat.
Action starts in Lievin, France on November 25, 2023 for round one before then heading to Poland on December 9. In early January 2024, the season resumes in Germany and then visits Romania, Hungary, and Belgium. For the seventh and final round of the championship, SuperEnduro heads to the UK and Billy’s home city of Newcastle, on March 2.
The opening round of the indoor series comes just weeks after Bolt secured second overall in the 2023 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. Despite the change of discipline and relatively little time to prepare for the intense, sprint-like SuperEnduro format, Billy is confident of getting his title defence off to a strong start in France in just over one week’s time.
Billy Bolt: “I’m really looking forward to the SuperEnduro season. Hard Enduro went well for me but I’m ready to head back indoors now. As a three-time defending champion, it does add a little extra pressure to the situation, but it also means I’m quite good at it, I guess! Coming from a trials background helps a lot, I think I have a good technical base and my experience helps me to look for lines and read the track pretty well. At the same time, I’m pretty aggressive when it comes to attacking the different features and that really seems to be working well, although the others are beginning to take note, so I need to keep improving. Running up to round one I’ve been training hard and working with the team and on the bike to make sure I can give this new season my best possible shot. Obviously, having the final round in Newcastle is pretty special for me. I grew up just a few miles from the stadium, so it couldn’t be more of a home round for me. Hopefully, I’ll be celebrating my fourth indoor world title with the British fans.”
2023 MotoGP™ entered a final run with round eighteen of twenty at the Sepang International Circuit and Collin Veijer lifted his very first winners’ trophy with Ayumu Sasaki finishing 2nd.
Fighting all the way to the finish, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has capped off a strong FIM Hard Enduro World Championship by finishing as runner-up in the championship. Putting in a solid ride at the sixth and final round of the season at GetzenRodeo in Germany, Bolt ended the race in second on his TE 300.
Arriving at the final round of the season, Billy was fired up to fight for his runner-up position in this year’s standings. The Brit had enjoyed a successful championship campaign to date, claiming three podium results along the way, while also winning three prologue races.
Always a challenging end to the season, this year’s GetzenRodeo lived up to its reputation. A Friday night prologue was followed by a physically demanding day of racing on Saturday, which featured a two-hour race and an 80-minute final.
Although disappointed with his showing in the prologue, Bolt still did enough to claim an important championship point. In Saturday morning’s GetzenRace, Billy put in a safe and carefully executed performance to finish third. With it, he secured a strong starting position for the final GetzenChamp battle.
Feeling confident and motivated, Billy worked his TE 300 effortlessly around the tight, technical, and supremely demanding course in the German forest. With 13 minutes to go, Billy made an attack for the race lead and put himself in front. Pushing hard, he opened up a small-but-important gap over rival Manuel Lettenbichler.
However, with nine minutes to go, things took a turn for the worse on a rocky climb. Needing to make a second attempt, Bolt was passed by Lettenbichler, who worked his way back into the lead. And with time running out, Billy was forced to settle for second.
With the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship complete, Husqvarna Factory Racing now look forward to the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship with Billy Bolt, beginning in France on November 25.
Billy Bolt: “I gave it my all today. I felt like I had what was needed to win. In the final I was riding good and feeling comfortable with the track. When I got into the lead I pushed as hard as I could to build a gap. But this course is so technical and if you make a mistake, you get punished hard. Missing that rock climb let Mani back into the lead and I just couldn’t reel him in again. I’m happy though. I rode well here and gave it everything. Congrats to Mani on an incredible season too. I’m excited to shift the focus indoors and race SuperEnduro now!”
Results: Round 6 - GetzenRodeo
1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 1:35:52.50; 2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 1:38:25.50 +2:33.00 ; 3. Mario Roman (Sherco) 1:36:34.89 +1 lap; 4. Teodor Kabakchiev (KTM) 1:41:38.94 +1 lap; 5. Michael Walkner (GASGAS) 1:51:23.60 +1 lap
Final Championship Standings
1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 130pts; 2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 99pts; 3. Trystan Hart (KTM) 73pts; 4. Mario Roman (Sherco) 71pts; 5. Teodor Kabakchiev (KTM) 70pts
Download images from the 2023 GetzenRodeo here.
Collin Veijer rode his FR 250 GP to 3rd position at a hot Buriram and Ayumu Sasaki suffers a blameless DNF as MotoGP™ ends a hectic triple-header and round 17 of 20.
Husqvarna Motorcycles were protagonists for victory in a wet and windy Australia for round sixteen of 2023 MotoGP™ as Ayumu Sasaki guided his FR 250 GP to 2nd position and Collin Veijer finished 4th.
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has stormed to victory on stage four of the Rallye du Maroc. Setting off as the sixth rider into today’s timed special, Benavides pushed from the start and was fastest to each and every checkpoint on his way to the finish. The Argentinian now lies in third overall with one day of racing left to contest.
Day four of the Rallye du Maroc covered 422 kilometres, including a lengthy timed special of 343 kilometres. Billed by the organisers as one of the most beautiful yet difficult of the event, the stage didn’t disappoint, delivering a mixture of camel grass and fast, rocky sections, before finishing in the dunes of Merzouga.
With the world title in the balance, Benavides knew he had to take maximum advantage of his sixth-place start position on today’s special to try and make up as much time on the leaders as possible. Fastest to the first checkpoint by over one minute, Luciano continued to attack the demanding stage, increasing his advantage to the finish. Even when bonus time was awarded to those opening the stage, the FR 450 Rally racer came out on top with a one minute and 18-second margin of victory.
Wednesday’s final stage five will cover a relatively short 152 kilometres, all raced against the clock. Luciano will have the task of leading out the field to the finish line of this year’s event.
Luciano Benavides: “Today has been intense from start to finish. I knew I had a good start position, but it wasn’t going to be easy to make up time on the guys ahead who were earning bonus time. I just kept my head down and did my best all the way through the special, especially in the final kilometres through the dunes. Tomorrow is the final day of the rally – the final day of the season in fact – and things are so close at the top of the standings. All I can do is give everything on the last stage. Whether I win or not, I know I will have tried my best.”
2023 Rallye du Maroc – Stage 4 Provisional Classification
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing has welcomed Guillem Farres for the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) season, joining RJ Hampshire and rookie Casey Cochran within the three-rider 250 Class program.
The 20-year-old Spaniard will be onboard the FC 250 leading into next year, committed to the AMA Supercross Championship, in addition to the AMA Pro Motocross Championship and SMX Finals Series.
Farres first arrived in U.S. competition during the late stages of the 2022 outdoor season, immediately displaying front-running potential with a series of top-10 results. He continued that trend in the opening part of the 2023 series and scored a top-five moto finish at the beginning of Pro Motocross, however, was unfortunately injured in round three and didn’t return to action.
An opportunity to join Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing is an exciting one for Farres, set to make his 250SX debut in 2024, before continuing to build upon his promise in 250MX, while training as part of the Baker’s Factory program in Florida.
“I am really happy to be joining the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team for this upcoming season,” Farres said. “I am also super-excited to start this new chapter of my career after a tough year due to injuries. Now, I am fully healed and ready to get on the new bike. I can’t wait to get started at the Baker’s Factory – it is an honor to be part of such a legendary program with Aldon [Baker] and all the guys.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager, Nathan Ramsey, said that Farres has been on the team’s radar since his first appearance in AMA Pro Motocross and is confident that his capabilities will translate into strong results as experience continues to grow.
“Guillem caught our eye in 2022 when he came to the US for a couple of races,” explained Ramsey. “Then when he started the 2023 MX series, he once again showed signs of great speed and potential. He has a great attitude and work ethic, which I believe will lead to great things in the future. The sky is the limit for Guillem and we are happy to welcome him to the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team.”
Collin Veijer throttled the potential of his FR 250 GP to 4th place in a hot pursuit of the Moto3 podium at round fifteen of 2023 MotoGP™ in Lombok as Ayumu Sasaki classified 18th.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing will take Casey Cochran into the professional ranks full-time in 2024, scheduled to contest the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) onboard the FC 250.
Cochran, 17, has enjoyed an outstanding final year in amateur competition, in which he clinched the Schoolboy 2 (12-17) B/C class title in the 2023 AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn's, as well as the Supercross Futures AMA National Championship in Salt Lake City and the Moto Combine overall at RedBud.
The teenage Virginia native gained immense experience in his first pro-level appearances across the final two rounds of this year's AMA Pro Motocross Championship at Budds Creek and the Ironman National, which will also help in setting him up for a full-time transition next year with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing.
"I've really enjoyed this past year working with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing and getting to know everyone, so I’m super-excited to extend what we have going on and progress into the pro ranks with such a good team behind me," Cochran commented. "Couldn’t be more stoked for the future!"
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager, Nathan Ramsey, welcomed Cochran to the factory program and is excited to see him progress throughout the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship and Pro Motocross Championship, leading into the SMX Finals series.
"Casey put together an amazing final year as our elite Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing amateur athlete and he absolutely hit all the marks that we put together for him to earn his first pro contract," explained Ramsey.
"I am both happy and proud to have Casey join our pro team. He's a very hard worker and is full of potential for a great future with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team. Now, I am looking forward to spending some time with him during the off-season as he builds into 2024."
Motegi was a happy hunting ground for Husqvarna Motorcycles as Ayumu Sasaki kept his 2023 world title plight on course with 2nd position in Japan.
There was little respite as the MotoGP paddock, and the Intact Liqui Moly Husqvarna Team, swapped the heat and novelty of the Buddh International Circuit for slightly cooler climes and familiarity of the Mobility Resort Motegi; the 4.8km and 14-turn layout north of Tokyo that has been the staple home to the Japanese Grand Prix since the early ‘00s.
Motegi has been home to some inconsistent weather conditions in past editions of the popular and animated stop on the MotoGP calendar but the 2023 incarnation was warm and sunny and already saw lap record speeds across the classes from Friday’s Free Practice sessions.
The fixture was particularly significant for the squad’s Japanese star Ayumu Sasaki. The 22-year-old celebrated his seventh podium finish of the season the previous Sunday in India and came to his home event having closed to within 1 point of the world championship leader. Motegi was curious also for Collin Veijer who was lapping the course – distinctive for its crossover and ‘tunnel’ section – for the very first time.
On Friday Sasaki was a slender one tenth of a second from provisional Pole Position with the FR 250 GP as the top twenty were grouped incredibly close together. Veijer was also in the heat of the dash for lap-times and just 0.6 separated the Dutchman from P1. The teammates continued this speed on Saturday. Sasaki tried to refine his race set-up but was left still searching for minor gains; he recorded the 8th best run just behind Veijer but when the latter was hit with a three-place grid penalty for removing his hand from the bars in practice, Ayumu moved up to 7th and Collin was a row behind in 10th.
A positive ‘debut’ on Indian asphalt as Ayumu Sasaki races to 3rd place at the first ever MotoGP visit to the Buddh International Circuit.
2023 is the 75th season for MotoGP and despite the age and long history of Grand Prix motorcycle racing there is still time and space for ‘firsts’. The IndianOil Grand Prix of India was not only the thirteenth round of twenty this year and the opening date of seven overseas (non-European) events in the next eight weeks but was the inaugural running of MotoGP by the hosts.
The Buddh International Circuit had entertained F1 between 2011 (the year of the facility’s opening) and 2013 but had not staged a world championship Grand Prix since. The weaving layout of 5km and 13 corners represented a technical collection of turns, joined in part by one of the longest straights of the series where MotoGP machinery touched 350kmph speeds. The section also asked a lot of the Moto3 motorcycles (230kmph) as the riders and teams not only had to learn the best lines around ‘BIC’ but also configure their race set-ups to cope with the switch between flow and fully committed braking points.
Ayumu Sasaki was both proficient and a little unlucky on Friday and Saturday. The Japanese had a slow speed but fiery crash on Turn 3 but was also consistently hovering around the top of the leader board. He was chasing teammate Collin Veijer in fact as the rookie was the fastest in adaptation to Buddh and steered his FR 250 GP to P1 on Combined Standings.
Saturday afternoon was complicated by a heavy but brief rainstorm that meant the Moto3 riders were also the first to explore the limits of the track in the wet. The Q2 session was briefly delayed to allow for the worst of the conditions to pass but Sasaki rode well to capture 3rd and the final slot on the front row as Veijer was close and ranked 9th; for the third row.
Moto3 ran through 16 laps at midday on Sunday. Sasaki powered away with leader Jaume Masia but could not hold pace with the Spaniard and was soon counting Kaito Toba for company in 2nd. Veijer was also impressively competitive once more and demonstrated the excellent progress the Dutchman has made in his first Grand Prix campaign. Lap-times were tight and track space also. The trio battled hard until some unexpected contact between the teammates into the penultimate corner left Veijer on the floor and Sasaki surviving to claim 3rd. Collin could not finish the race but Ayumu collected his seventh podium of the year and the first since the Austrian Grand Prix, meaning he is now 3rd and just one point from the lead in the championship. Veijer is 13th. LIQUI Moly IntactGP Husqvarna team are ranked 2nd in the Teams standings and Husqvarna Motorcycles is 3rd in the Constructors table.
Sasaki heads to his home Grand Prix with much expectation in front of native fans and followers at the Twin Ring Motegi next weekend.
Ayumu Sasaki: “Around the middle of the race I was quite comfortable following the leader but then my front tyre was gone and I was struggling a lot in the braking zones. On the last lap I didn’t want any contact with Collin but I just went a little bit wide and he was trying to turn in from the outside. I guess it was a racing incident. I feel sorry for him but we will take this result today and keep on fighting for the championship.”
Collin Veijer: “The conditions were similar to yesterday so I felt good. I struggled a bit at the start of the race because a lot of people were overtaking me on the straight but finally I found the pace. I tried to close the gap to the riders in front of me and could eventually reach Ayumu and that battle for 2nd. The race ended in an unfortunate way but I think we can be happy with how the weekend was up until that point. I’m looking forward to Japan where I will do my best again.”
It was a pressure-packed final round of the SuperMotocross Playoffs at the historic Los Angeles Coliseum, and thanks to a third-place finish, RJ Hampshire jumped up two spots in the final SMX 250 class standings to take the bronze and lead the way for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team.
250 SuperMotocross
RJ Hampshire was eighth early in the first moto on his FC250, but quickly went to work and started to pick off riders ahead of him. He moved into third with seven laps to go, into second with five to go, and was challenging for the lead on the last lap…but had to settle for second. In moto two, he was eighth off the gate, and could only work his way to sixth before the finish. His 2-8 score netted him a third overall for the night and for the series overall. His next stop? The Motocross of Nations as the 250 rider for Team USA.
“The last round was pretty solid. I felt good all day and had good qualifying (2nd). The first moto start was good, and I gave myself a chance to win it there at the end. I charged hard and felt really good on the bike. In the second moto, I didn't get a great start and was just flat. I couldn't really get going. But I'm stoked to end it on the podium for the race and the SMX Playoff overall,” said Hampshire . “I'm really looking forward to the Motocross of Nations in France in a couple of weeks. I'll go back home, recover a bit, do a couple of days of riding, and head over there and represent the USA. I can't wait.”
Jalek Swoll showed what a mix of FC250 power and great start skills can do as he grabbed the holeshot in the first moto. While the championship battles raged around him, he slipped to sixth at the finish. In the second moto, a bit too much aggression with the throttle resulted in a mid-pack start, though he did recover quite a few spots to finish eighth for the moto, and also eighth overall for the season.
“Honestly, this being the last round is a bit frustrating because I feel like I'm starting to find the groove and know what I can do. My starts were on point today, reaction-wise, and just getting off the gate with the bike. I ran third for a while in the first moto and finished sixth. In the second one, I felt I rode a lot better, but didn't have the start to match. I just lit the rear tire up a bit on the super-dry stuff and it kind of messed me up. I just got a really bad start and came from the back,” said Swoll . “I have some things to work on for sure, but I'm a lot closer than I've been. I feel good but need a little bit of intensity. But all in all, it was decent. I was in the mix a little bit and left healthy...anytime you leave the track healthy you can put a smile on your face.”
Talon Hawkins showed improvement through the three SMX rounds, and an 11-9 score for the day only shows part of the story. He advanced forward four positions in the first moto and ran in the top five for the first few laps of the second moto. He just missed out on a top ten overall, and was 14th overall for the series.
“I was stoked to end it on a good note. I got my first top ten out of the three races. I'm looking forward to a little time off and then getting back on the bike,” said Hawkins . “I'm so thankful for the whole Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Team for giving me the shot this year. I turned pro early, but I made the most of it and did the best I could all year long. I've learned a lot this year, and have a lot of good memories. Thank you guys.”
SuperMotocross Playoffs: Los Angeles Coliseum
250 SuperMotocross Results
1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha), 5-2
2. Jo Shimoda (Kawasaki), 4-4
3. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 2-6
…
8. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 6-8
11. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 11-9
450 SuperMotocross Results
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda), 1-1
2. Ken Roczen (Suzuki), 2-2
3. Cooper Webb (Yamaha), 5-3
250 SuperMotocross Rider Final Point Standings
1. Haiden Deegan – 157 points
2. Jo Shimoda – 152 points
3. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 122 points
…
10. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 88 points
14. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 58 points
450 SuperMotocross Rider Final Point Standings
1. Jett Lawrence – 163 points
2. Ken Roczen – 146 points
3. Chase Sexton – 120 points
After a rough start to the SuperMotocross playoffs in Charlotte, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team came to Chicagoland with renewed focus and hunger for results. The long, flowing track provided ample opportunity to show the true speed of their FC250s, with high speeds, and nearly two-minute lap times.
250 SuperMotocross
RJ Hampshire’s day got off to a great start as he grabbed the top spot in qualifying among the 250 competitors. When the gate dropped for the first 250 moto, he was in the sixth spot as they crossed the stripe. He moved to fourth spot for three laps before settling into fifth for the rest of the moto. He currently sits in fifth overall in the playoff standings, with one round to go.
“This was much improved from last weekend. Last weekend was such a struggle I was just looking for any type of positive from this weekend, and I came out and was P1 in practice...I believe that's one of my first poles of the season, and then just two solid motos. I didn't get great starts, but I didn't get terrible starts, so fourth overall on the day.,” said Hampshire . “I'm not stoked on it, but it's a huge improvement so we'll take that into L.A. next weekend where it's a more Supercross track. Hopefully, my back heals from this track today, and then I'll be ready to go next weekend.”
Jalek Swoll was eighth out of the gate in moto one, and was ninth for a good portion of the race before moving to seventh at the checkers. In moto two, a poor start had him near the back of the 22-rider field, but he rebounded to 11th before a late-race crash dropped him to 13th at the finish.
“Moto one was okay, but I would've liked to get more comfortable earlier on. That was P7. In the second moto, it was not a good start and I wasn't riding too well and had a big crash at the end, so it wasn't the best day but I still feel good and feel like I can run up there. I just need that start,” said Swoll . “All in all, I'm not broken up, so we'll be good and continue to fight in L.A.”
Getting to the end of his rookie season, Talon Hawkins is still learning the ins and outs of the pro scene. But in a new playoff format where even veterans struggle to make the right setup choices, the playoffs have been a challenge. His 15-15 moto scores resulted in a 16th overall.
“It was a rough one, but there are positives to take away from it. It's been hard to get the bike set up for these types of races. This is a brand-new thing this year, so I think everyone is struggling with bike setup. I think we're getting there, we just need a few things,” said Hawkins . “I'm looking forward to next weekend, and I want to thank the team for believing in me for these last couple rounds.”
Next Event (SuperMotocross Round 3): September 23, 2023 – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, Calif.
SuperMotocross Playoffs: Chicagoland Speedway
250 SuperMotocross Results
1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda), 1-1
2. Jo Shimoda (Kawasaki), 2-2
3. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha), 3-3
…
4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 5-4
10. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 7-13
16. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 15-15
450 SuperMotocross Results
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda), 1-2
2. Ken Roczen (Suzuki), 3-1
3. Chase Sexton (Honda), 2-3
250 SuperMotocross Rider Point Standings
1. Hunter Lawrence – 89 points
2. Jo Shimoda – 86 points
3. Haiden Deegan – 82 points
…
5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 62 points
12. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 46 points
16. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 25 points
450 SuperMotocross Rider Point Standings
1. Chase Sexton – 90 points
2. Jett Lawrence – 88 points
3. Ken Roczen – 80 points
Round twelve of 2023 MotoGP™ sees another positive outing for the FR 250 GP as Collin Veijer finishes 5th and Ayumu Sasaki, 7th, closes to within 4 points to the top of the standings.
Ayumu Sasaki delivered his eighth top-four result of 2023 after another riveting Moto3™ contest at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and narrowed the margin to P1 in the standings.
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has taken the win on day four of the 2023 Desafio Ruta 40 in Argentina. Following his three successive second-place finishes, the FR 450 Rally rider excelled through the dunes in the second half of the special to claim his first stage victory and reduce the deficit to the provisional rally leader.
Thursday marked another long day in the saddle for all riders at the Desafio Ruta 40. Stage four, the penultimate of the event, included a long 345-kilometre timed special that was effectively split into two halves by a long transfer section. The second half of the special saw riders navigate their way through the infamous Fiambala dunes before reaching the finish.
Enjoying the terrain, Benavides put in another strong ride throughout the special, making the minimum of mistakes early on and then excelling when the action hit the dunes. Times were tight among the front runners with less than five minutes separating the top six after close to three hours of racing. However his overall pace and the time bonuses he accumulated by leading out the stage secured Luciano his first stage win of the event.
With one day left to race at the Desafio Ruta 40, Benavides trails the provisional leader by just less than six minutes. And with tomorrow’s 258-kilometre special still to go, the Argentine will undoubtedly be going all out for the win.
Luciano Benavides: “Finally, I have got a stage win at my home race – the most important one at Fiambala. Honestly, at the beginning this morning I was taking things a little steady because I didn’t feel so confident. But then after the neutralisation, I saw the dunes and decided to push. It was really good – I was able to catch Tosha (Schareina) ahead of me and then opened for a few kilometres. I really gave my all today, and so towards the end of the special I started to get tired, and I think because of that, I made a small mistake that maybe cost me two minutes. But I was still able to take the win and it feels great. Tomorrow is the final stage and I get to open on the way to Salta, which was always my plan and will feel great in front of my home fans. Hopefully, I can deliver another good result and a strong finish to the rally .”
Desafio Ruta 40 - Stage 4 Provisional Classification
1. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 2:53:57
2. Tosha Schareina (Honda) 2:54:33
3. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 2:55:43
4. Michael Docherty (KTM) 2:57:17
5. Toby Price (KTM) 2:58:37
6. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 2:58:562023
2023 Desafio Ruta 40 – Provisional Overall Classification [After Stage 4]
1. Tosha Schareina (Honda) 13:15:26
2. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 13:21:13
3. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 13:38:39
4. Ross Branch (Hero) 13:44:49
5. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 13:47:54
6. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 13:53:19
The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team finished up their 2023 Pro Motocross campaign at Ironman Raceway, with Jalek Swoll leading the charge, as RJ Hampshire opted to sit out another round ahead of the upcoming SuperMotocross playoffs.
250 MX
After starting inside the top 15 of moto one on his FC250, Jalek Swoll fought his way to an 11th-place finish. Jalek got off to a much better start in moto two, and battled to a fifth-place score, giving him seventh overall for the day, and cementing a ninth-overall tally for the season. He also goes into the SuperMotocross season in the 11th overall spot in the 250 class standings.
“It could have been a lot better with a start in the first moto, but it was an okay day. I feel like I kind of struggled with the flow of the track all day. It came around a bit in moto two, and I'm happy with it. P5, so not bad. It’s something to end the season on and carry into SMX.,” said Swoll . “I feel like I need to get my starts dialed in and I can't keep messing up the first motos. We'll come out swinging for SMX and try to end the year on a good note.”
Talon Hawkins matched his best-ever moto finish in moto one, finishing in tenth. But a crash early in moto two made for a long slog to a 19th-place score. But he did finish in 12th overall for the series in his rookie campaign.
“Wow. I definitely like to make it hard on myself in the second moto. But I got a top ten in the first one, and I was riding well all day. I had my best overall qualifying of the year, so that's a positive to take away. I also matched my best moto finish, I just needed to put it together for the second one. Unfortunately, I had a crash on the second lap and pretty much came from dead last up to 19th,” said Hawkins . “This is a tough game, but I'm ready to get back on the track in the next couple of weeks for SuperMotocross.”
The second Pro Motocross National was a tough one for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team newcomer Casey Cochran, but he’ll use to experience to learn and build toward future events.
“It was a rough weekend as far as the racing. I had too many crashes, but we'll bounce back and learn from the situations that we put ourselves in,” said Cochran .
Next Event (SuperMotocross Round 1): September 9, 2023 – zMax Dragway in Concord, N.C.
Round 11 Results: Ironman
250 MX Results
1. Jo Shimoda (Kawasaki), 1-1
2. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha), 2-3
3. Tom Vialle (KTM), 3-4
…
7. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing , 11-5
16. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing , 10-19
19. Jorgen Talviku (Husqvarna) , 19-16
37. Casey Cochran – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 28-39
39. Peyton Jackson (Husqvarna) , 38-34
450 MX Results
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda), 1-1
2. Chase Sexton (Honda), 2-2
3. Aaron Plessinger (KTM), 5-3
…
27. Justin Rodbell (Husqvarna) , 20-28
29. John Adamson (Husqvarna) , 26-23
37. Scott Meshey (Husqvarna) , 32-40
250 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Hunter Lawrence – 419 points
2. Justin Cooper – 399 points
3. Jo Shimoda – 393 points
…
8. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing , 288 points
9. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing , 221 points
12. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing , 129 points
29. Jorgen Talviku (Husqvarna) - 26 points
47. Casey Cochran - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing , 2 points
49. Kai Aiello (Husqvarna) - 2 points
450 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Jett Lawrence – 550 points
2. Dylan Ferrandis – 399 points
3. Aaron Plessinger – 386 points
…
29. Anton Gole - 29 points
54. Luke Renzland - 4 points
55. John Adamson - 4 points
59. Tanel Leok - 3 points
63. Scott Meshey - 3 points
64. Justin Rodbell - 3 points
Husqvarna Motorcycles is firmly in play for the 2023 Moto3 world title after Ayumu Sasaki took his FR 250 GP to a sixth podium in a row at a sunny Red Bull Ring.
MotoGP™ exchanged the flat, flowing and exposed scope of Silverstone in the UK for the wonderfully scenic mountain wind of the Red Bull Ring for the CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich to bring the 2023 Grand Prix campaign to t
The Budds Creek round of the Pro Motocross series had some highs and lows in store for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team. After a tough crash as Unadilla, RJ Hampshire was forced to miss round ten. But it also provided Casey Cochrane his first opportunity in Pro Motocross, and for Jalek Swoll, he scored his best moto finish of the season.
250 MX
Jalek Swoll was in seventh and in the midst of a great three-way battle midway through the first 250 moto aboard his FC250, but a rare red flag for a downed rider caused a full restart. When the gate dropped again, Jalek took full advantage of it by grabbing the lead and showing everyone the way for five laps. While two of the championship contenders managed to slip by, he was still left with his best moto score of the season so far, a third-place finish. Jalek also moved back into ninth overall in the season standings.
“I'd say this was a positive for me. I got back on the box, but I couldn't secure it for the overall. I had a tough second moto and not the best start. I was buried, but I fought as hard as I could and got to 12th. I felt like I could have been on the box for the overall today,” said Swoll . “We're taking this confidence and the momentum to the last round and getting excited for the playoffs.”
For Talon Hawkins, 17-21 moto scores led to a 20th overall for the day on his first-ever crack at Budds Creek.
“This was a rough one. It was the first time ever here, and it's a gnarly track. I didn't really gel with it all day. We got better and better, and I put a lot of solid laps together and had the speed, I just dug a hole for myself on the starts and then had too many lulls,” said Hawkins . “I know what to work on. We'll be back next weekend.”
Casey Cochrane has had excellent results in the 250SX Futures races throughout 2023 but had some tough going in his first crack at the Pro Motocross series. He shadowed Hawkins in the results with a 19-23 day, and 22nd overall.
“Budds Creek was all right. It was a learning experience for sure. There are definitely things to go back and work on so that I can come out next weekend and show up where I believe I should be,” said Cochrane . “I ran pretty good in the second moto, but I just hit a wall. That's what we need to work on and we'll be better next weekend.”
Next Event (Round 11): August 26, 2023 - Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Ind.
Round Ten Results: Budds Creek
250 MX Results
1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda), 2-1
2. Justin Cooper (Yamaha), 1-2
3. Jo Shimoda (Kawasaki), 7-3
…
6. Jalek Swoll - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing , 3-12
19. Jorgen Talviku (Husqvarna) , 24-17
20. Talon Hawkins - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing , 17-21
22. Casey Cochrane - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing , 19-23
450 MX Results
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda), 1-1
2. Aaron Plessinger (KTM), 4-3
3. Jason Anderson (Kawasaki), 2-5
…
15. Anton Gole (Husqvarna) , 15-15
27. Charlie Putnam (Husqvarna) , 29-29
30. Luke Renzland (Husqvarna) , 23-38
32. Scott Meshey (Husqvarna) , 33-32
250 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Hunter Lawrence - 391 points
2. Justin Cooper - 369 points
3. Jo Shimoda - 343 points
…
6. RJ Hampshire - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing - 288 points
9. Jalek Swoll - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing - 195 points
12. Talon Hawkins - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing - 116 points
31. Jorgen Talviku (Husqvarna) - 19 points
47. Casey Cochrane - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing - 2 points
48. Kai Aiello (Husqvarna) - 2 points
450 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Jett Lawrence - 500 points
2. Dylan Ferrandis - 379 points
3. Aaron Plessinger - 350 points
…
27. Anton Gole - 29 points
51. Luke Renzland - 4 points
52. John Adamson - 4 points
56. Tanel Leok - 3 points
59. Scott Meshey - 3 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing is pleased to welcome amateur standout Casey Cochran to its 250MX lineup for the final two rounds of the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
Making his debut pro appearance this Saturday at the Budds Creek National, Cochran will race the Ironman MX finale before switching gears back to the SMX World All-Stars (amateur race) at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
"Casey has had an unbelievable season so far this year," commented Nathan Ramsey, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager. "He has checked all the boxes and I feel like it’s time for him to get his feet wet in the professional ranks – what better way to do it than at a Pro Motocross event."
The highly-rated 17-year-old is fresh from a title-winning performance in the 2023 AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn's earlier this month, where he claimed victory in the Schoolboy 2 (12-17) B/C class and also won the opening 250 B moto equipped with the FC 250.
"I've had a pretty good year on the 250, so I'm stoked to get the opportunity to line up against the best in the business at the last two rounds of Pro Motocross," Cochran said, who will also contest the final round at Ironman Raceway on August 26.
Cochran joined Rockstar Energy Husqvarna's amateur program ahead of this season and clinched the Supercross Futures AMA National Championship with a Main Event win at Salt Lake City's final round in May. He also won the Moto Combine overall at RedBud in July and his first step into the professional ranks comes as a welcome opportunity following what has been an outstanding year to-date.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider RJ Hampshire will sit out this weekend's penultimate round of the 2023 AMA Pro Motocross Championship at Budds Creek while he continues to recover from his second moto crash at Unadilla.
The 27-year-old went down heavily at the beginning of Moto 2 last Saturday afternoon and was unable to remount and complete the race.
As a result, the decision has been made for Hampshire to remain on the sidelines for Budds Creek this weekend, with the 10th round of the season scheduled for August 19. A decision will be made next week on whether he will be fit to return for Ironman Raceway's final round of the outdoor season.
Hampshire currently sits sixth in the 250MX standings onboard his FC 250 Rockstar Edition, only two points outside of the top five, and is also positioned third in the combined SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) 250 Class points.
Unadilla always provides its share of thrills, with big elevation changes and huge jumps, as well as extremely long ruts. Fortunately, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team is always up for a challenge.
250 MX
RJ Hampshire made one of the charges through the pack that he’s well-known for on his FC250 in moto one, jumping from 14th at the end of the first lap to sixth at the finish. Unfortunately, a crash by RJ shortly after the start of moto two brought out the red flag, and he was unable to continue. He’ll be evaluated this week regarding participation in upcoming races.
Jalek Swoll was the top scorer for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team at Unadilla, with a 6-14 score in the two motos, and a seventh overall for the day.
“Starts were okay. Moto one was okay. I came in with a sixth and felt like I had some more in the tank to ride a little better and get a little further up,” said Swoll . “In moto two I came together with another rider. I don't feel like it was my fault and I felt like there was nowhere to go and was stuck in his bike for what felt like forever. From dead last I don't know what I came back to...maybe 12th or 13th. It sucks. It feels like a lot of work is being put in but it doesn't show. It's all good. We'll use the fire and try to come out firing at the next two rounds.”
For the third member of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna squad, Talon Hawkins, felt a bit unfulfilled with his 19th overall and a 17-15 day.
“The final placement may not show it, but I feel like I rode great today and rode a lot better than I have been. I had a mishap in the first moto,” said Hawkins . “I came with a clear head into the second moto and ripped a good start. I was in the top five, but unfortunately, my teammate went down and it got red-flagged. My second start after that was not up to par so I had to play catch-up the whole second race. But I ended with a 17th in the first and a 15th in the second for somehow 19th overall. But it's okay. There's a lot to improve on, but I've been improving every week. I'm ready to get to the Baker's Factory to keep grinding.”
Next Event (Round 10): August 19, 2023 – Budds Creek Motocross Park in Mechanicsville, Md.
Round Nine Results: Unadilla MX
250 MX Results
1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda), 2-2
2. Levi Kitchen (Yamaha), 1-4
3. Justin Cooper (Yamaha), 5-1
…
7. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 6-14
13. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 7-38
19. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 17-15
26. Jorgen Talviku (Husqvarna), 23-21
34. Cody Williams (Husqvarna), 34-30
450 MX Results
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda), 1-1
2. Chase Sexton (Honda), 3-2
3. Dylan Ferrandis (Yamaha), 2-3
…
22. Anton Gole (Husqvarna), 16-21
23. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna), 22-18
25. Luke Renzland (Husqvarna), 21-22
31. John Adamson (Husqvarna), 27-31
32. Justin Rodbell (Husqvarna), 31-30
41. Scott Meshey (Husqvarna), 36-DNS
250 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Hunter Lawrence – 344 points
2. Justin Cooper – 322 points
3. Jo Shimoda – 309 points
…
6. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 288 points
10. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 166 points
11. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 112 points
30. Jorgen Talviku - 15 points
46. Kai Aiello - 2 points
450 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Jett Lawrence – 450 points
2. Dylan Ferrandis – 347 points
3. Aaron Plessinger – 312 points
…
35. Anton Gole - 17 points
51. Luke Renzland - 4 points
52. John Adamson - 4 points
56. Tanel Leok - 3 points
59. Scott Meshey - 3 points
Ayumu Sasaki classified as runner-up around the long, fast and technical layout of the historic Silverstone circuit as 2023 MotoGP™ resumed with the British Grand Prix and round nine of twenty.
Overcoming the odds, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has put in a heroic ride at round three of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship to take fourth overall at Red Bull Romaniacs. Despite nursing a shoulder injury the result keeps Billy inside the top three in the championship standings.
Always an eventful and tough week of racing, this year’s Red Bull Romaniacs was even harder for Billy Bolt. After a terrific runner-up result at round two of the championship – Red Bull Erzbergrodeo in early June – a shoulder injury meant the TE 300 mounted rider spent little time on his bike preparing for the world’s toughest Hard Enduro Rallye.
Nevertheless, Billy was optimistic about what lay ahead in the 20th edition of the race. Favouring the infamous city prologue that kickstarted the week, Billy was determined to take the win on the streets of Sibiu, Romania and collect the three important championship points that were up for grabs to the winner.
Entertaining the thousands of spectators that lined the streets, Billy won the race in style. However, with four physical offroad days lying ahead of him, he knew the ultimate goal of reaching the finishing line was a lot further down the road.
Feeling good, Billy rode superbly on the first offroad day in the Carpathian Mountains. Mastering the treacherous hill climbs and a powerful afternoon thunderstorm, Billy ended his day third overall. On the second offroad day, Billy continued his strong pace, hitting his markers along the way to finish in third.
However, with the third offroad day the most demanding of the week, Billy’s hopes of ending the race on the podium began to fade. Losing a lot of time against his closest rivals, he finished the day in sixth position, arriving at the fourth and final offroad day defending a five-minute advantage over Teodor Kabakchiev.
Giving it his all during the final five hours of racing, Billy pushed for all his worth, but was unable to keep Kabakchiev at bay. Ending the day in seventh, he slipped to fourth overall in the final results. But thanks to his efforts in the opening prologue, he was able to leave Romania with a strong points haul to maintain his top-three position in the championship standings, as he now enters the second half of the season.
The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship continues with round four at the Red Bull Outliers in Canada on August 26-27.
Billy Bolt: “It’s been a tough week. Red Bull Romaniacs is never easy but coming here with limited bike time and still nursing an injury added to the difficulty of it. It started out great by winning the prologue and then followed with two good days in the mountains, but as the race continued it wore me down and that was frustrating. I would have loved to take the podium, but ultimately the goal was always to reach the finish line. With my fourth-place result, plus the three additional points for winning the prologue, it has been good for my championship.”
Results: FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, Round 3: Red Bull Romaniacs
1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 19:45:15
2. Trystan Hart (KTM) 20:55:14
3. Teodor Kabakchiev (KTM) 21:19:16
4. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 21:25:16
5. Wade Young (Sherco) 21:32:02
Championship Standings (After round 3)
1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 64pts
2. Trystan Hart (KTM) 46pts
3. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 44pts
4. Teodor Kabakchiev (KTM) 38pt
5. Michael Walkner (GASGAS) 31pts
The trio of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team riders lined up to do battle in the beautiful forested hills above the Columbia River for round eight of the Pro Motocross season, with RJ Hampshire leading the way.
250 MX
RJ Hampshire got to show off his relentless pursuit skills in both motos at Washougal as he moved forward in each race. In the first moto, he was in eighth place aboard his FC250 after the drop of the gate, and one by one, he picked off the riders in front of him on the way to an eventual fourth-place finish.
Early in moto two RJ was challenging for the fourth position, but he went down before the whoops and lost several spots. Though he had a huge time deficit to the riders in front of him, he put his head down and charged back to a strong fifth at the finish.
“In the first moto, I felt I rode well; I just didn't get a great start. In the second moto, I had a better start and was going for a pass, but the line wasn't there and I lost my front end,” said Hampshire . “I got a fourth and that's getting old right now. I'm definitely going to use this break to kind of recover a bit and give it the best we've got here for the last three rounds.”
Talon Hawkins has shown improved speed all season on his FC 250 and has spent more frequent time inside the top ten. He finished the day with an 11-14 score, and knows more to be gained.
“We've got a lot to work on, but I'm excited I matched my best overall finish with an 11th. It's something to build off of. I got good starts, and there's a lot to take away that's good. But in the second moto, I was smoked. I need more,” said Hawkins . “But we're going to work on that and I'm ready to get back to these next races. I'm ready for this two-week break. I've been building all year, getting better at every race, so let's keep it rolling.”
The final member of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team, Jalek Swoll, finished in 13th overall with a 10-18 score in his motos.
“Today was frustrating. I feel good and feel like I can ride good, but I'm still dealing with whatever happened at Millville and unfortunately, I can't shake it right now,” said Swoll . “I'm looking forward to these two weeks off and getting myself back in fine form. I'll come back with a chip on my shoulder. I feel like I was gaining momentum, but I'll be back and keep chipping away and figure it out.”
Next Event (Round 9): August 12, 2023 – Unadilla MX in New Berlin, N.Y.
Round Eight Results: Washougal
250 MX Results
1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha), 1-1
2. Justin Cooper (Yamaha), 3-2
3. Hunter Lawrence (Honda), 2-4
…
4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 4-5
11. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 11-14
13. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 10-18
450 MX Results
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda), 1-1
2. Chase Sexton (Honda), 2-2
3. Jason Anderson (Kawasaki), 4-4
…
20. Anton Gole (Husqvarna) , 20-19
24. Harmish Harwood (Husqvarna) , 24-22
30. Gared Steinke (Husqvarna) , 37-24
37. Scott Meshey (Husqvarna) , 36-32
38. Brandon Ray (Husqvarna) , 39-34
250 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Hunter Lawrence – 300 points
2. Haiden Deegan – 297 points
3. Justin Cooper – 281 points
…
4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 274 points
10. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 144 points
12. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 102 points
29. Jorgen Talviku - 15 points
43. Kai Aiello - 2 points
450 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Jett Lawrence – 400 points
2. Dylan Ferrandis – 305 points
3. Aaron Plessinger – 280 points
…
37. Anton Gole - 12 points
47. Luke Renzland - 4 points
48. John Adamson - 3 points
54. Scott Meshey - 3 points
This week’s Pro Motocross stop at Spring Creek MX in Millville, Minnesota, is a rider favorite, offering up everything from sand to hardpack, and an excellent challenge for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team trio of RJ Hampshire, Jalek Swoll, and Talon Hawkins.
250 MX
As usual, it was exciting to spot where RJ Hampshire was as he launches out of the gate, and then watch him go to work slicing through the pack. When he completed the first lap of moto one at Spring Creek, he was in sixth place. By the finish, he’d carved his way to third on his FC250, working past some very tough 250-class competition. In moto two, the story was much the same for RJ, except that he was 12th, and came back to finish in sixth spot despite a crash. He picked up a fourth overall score for the weekend and currently sits in third overall in the 250 title chase.
“It was just another grind of a weekend. I feel like my riding has been really good. The first moto was decent, pretty solid. In the second moto, I got hung up on the start. I ended up going down about halfway. I got another fourth overall, but I just need to try and turn it around a bit in these second motos,” said Hampshire . “We have one more race, and then a bit of a break that I'm looking forward to. I'll try to get some points back next weekend, then a break coming up.”
For Jalek Swoll, the day at Spring Creek ended with an eighth and a 14th in the two motos, after a bit of a biomechanical issue. That gave him a tenth overall for the day.
“Today was a 'whatever' day for me. I felt good on the bike, so that was good. I didn't get the best start in moto one, but my riding was decent. I feel like if I'd had a better start, I would have had a much better day. In moto two I had a weird incident and did something kind of funky to my arm...which gave me a weird feeling. So that was survival,” said Swoll . “For now, the plan is to get some normalcy back. Kind of figure out what's going on, and what happened, and try to be more under control and ready to go for next time if this happens. All-in-all, I survived the day.”
For the third member of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team, Talon Hawkins, he spent the first third of the first moto inside the top ten hanging with some of the fastest 250-class competitors before sliding back to 15th. In moto two he finished 12th, good enough for a 13th overall finish.
“Today was another step in the right direction. It was cool to be coming back here to this race… it's a good track. It's tough, though, very tiring and taxing on the body. I ended up with a 13th overall. I'm happy with my second moto performance. I just need to improve on the first moto,” said Hawkins . “I'm looking forward to getting back to work. We're heading back home to Cali, my hometown, and put some more work in.”
Next Event (Round Eight): July 22, 2023 – Washougal MX Park in Washougal, Wash.
Round Seven Results: Spring Creek
250 MX Results
1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda), 1-2
2. Justin Cooper (Yamaha), 4-1
3. Jo Shimoda (Kawasaki), 2-3
…
4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 3-6
10. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 8-14
13. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 15-12
20. Jorgen Talviku (GASGAS) 18-40
450 MX Results
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda), 1-1
2. Chase Sexton (Honda), 2-2
3. Dylan Ferrandis (Yamaha), 5-3
…
18. Anton Gole (Husqvarna) , 17-17
22. John Adamson (Husqvarna) , 22-19
31. Charlie Putnam (Husqvarna) , 31-27
32. Scott Meshey (Husqvarna) , 21-29
250 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Hunter Lawrence – 260 points
2. Haiden Deegan – 247 points
3. RJ Hampshire - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 240 points
…
10. Jalek Swoll - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 130 points
13. Talon Hawkins - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 85 points
29. Jorgen Talviku - 15 points
43. Kai Aiello - 2 points
450 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Jett Lawrence – 350 points
2. Dylan Ferrandis – 269 points
3. Aaron Plessinger – 246 points
…
38. Anton Gole - 9 point
44. Luke Renzland - 4 points
45. John Adamson - 3 points
50. Scott Meshey - 3 points
Everything about Southwick is tough, with the sand, heat and humidity…and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team, who were ready to take on the roughest track on the AMA Pro Motocross series.
250 MX
It was Jalek Swoll who led the charge for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team at the start of moto one, as he rounded the first turn in second spot on his FC250. He was closely pursued by RJ Hampshire in seventh, and Talon Hawkins was lurking just outside the top ten in 11th place.
As usual, Hampshire was clawing his way forward from his starting position, moving up to third at the finish. In moto two, he once was near the front, working his way from just outside the top five to fourth at the finish, and was closing on the overall winner as they raced to the checkers. His moto scores were good for fourth overall. He maintains his third overall spot in the championship standings, but has moved back to within 15 points of the lead over the last two races.
“Overall, it was just a really solid weekend. Nothing special, but I made up a lot of points. I had two decent starts and salvaged what I could. It was 3-4 on the day and I'll just keep plugging away. We're at the halfway mark and I'm still in the championship hunt.,” said Hampshire. “I'll go back, recover, and Millville is another fun one for me. I'm just looking to get these starts figured out to give me a little bit more of a shot at these wins.”
After an excellent start in moto one, Jalek Swoll suffered a couple of crashes that dropped him to 11th, but he rebounded on moto two with a seventh-place finish, and a ninth-place overall score. He has also steadily climbed in the 250 championship standings, moving from 21st at Fox Raceway and cracking the top ten at Southwick by moving into ninth overall.
“Qualifying was good for me, and it was nice to finally find some speed in practice and carry it into the motos. In the first moto I had a good start and was riding okay but I went down early and that was kind of tough. I had two falls in that one and it put me pretty deep and I only got back to 11th. In moto two I had a good start, in the middle of the top ten, and it was okay...nothing crazy. I started to feel better at the end but just a little too late. I had sixth right in front of me but I ran out of time,” said Swoll. “I'm looking forward to next weekend and build off the momentum that I got today, despite the crashes.”
Talon Hawkins cracked the top ten barrier in moto one, and backed it up with a 14th in moto two to score an 11th overall, the best of his pro career. He sit just outside the top ten overall in 11th spot.
“We got a top ten, and that's been a goal of mine ever since coming into this. I have a lot to improve and a lot to work on, but it's definitely something good to take away from today. I came into today without the highest level of confidence, but I turned it around and put a smile on my face,” said Hawkins. “I'm glad I was able to almost break the top ten overall...I got 11th, my best finish so far. We're looking to keep on improving every race.”
Next Event (Round 7): July 15, 2023 – Spring Creek Motocross in Millville, Minn.
Round Six Results: Southwick
250 MX Results
1. Tom Vialle (KTM), 1-3
2. Justin Cooper (Yamaha), 2-2
3. Jo Shimoda (Kawasaki), 6-1
…
4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 3-4
9. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 11-7
11. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 10-14
14. Jorgen Talviku (Husqvarna), 14-16
34. Travis Mecking (Husqvarna) 31-32
450 MX Results
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda), 1-1
2. Chase Sexton (Honda), 2-2
3. Dylan Ferrandis (Yamaha), 3-3
…
19. Luke Renzland (Husqvarna), 18-20
22. John Adamson (Husqvarna), 19-24
24. Anton Gole (Husqvarna), 20-DNS
36. Scott Meshey (Husqvarna), 37-35
250 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Haiden Deegan - 218 points
2. Hunter Lawrence - 213 points
3. RJ Hampshire - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 203 points
…
10. Jalek Swoll - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 110 points
14. Talon Hawkins - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 70 points
30. Jorgen Talviku - 12 points
41. Kai Aiello - 2 points
450 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Jett Lawrence – 300 points
2. Dylan Ferrandis – 233 points
3. Aaron Plessinger – 210 points
…
40. Luke Renzland - 4 points
45. Scott Meshey - 3 points
47. John Adamson - 2 points
48. Anton Gole - 1 point
Excited to build on the successful base that has been established, Husqvarna Factory Racing is thrilled to announce that a contract extension has been agreed with Nestaan-MX. The new contract will ensure that Nestaan-MX will continue to act as Husqvarna Motorcycles' official factory team in the FIM Motocross World Championship.
Nestaan-MX, which is owned by Kay Hennekens, has been a staple in the Grand Prix paddock for some time now. Rasmus Jorgensen is in his fourth year as the team manager of the successful squad that is run out of a state-of-the-art facility in Belgium. Jorgensen has played an active role in the development of many riders and will ensure that Nestaan-MX remains a place where young athletes blossom.
Currently represented by a talented trio in the MX2 division, Nestaan-MX has title aspirations. Kay de Wolf has held the red plate already this term and is twenty-two points adrift of the series leader now that the halfway point has been overcome. Competing alongside de Wolf underneath the Nestaan-MX banner, Lucas Coenen just won his first Grand Prix with a brilliant sweep of the first Indonesian round. Roan van de Moosdijk, the third rider on the team, has also won a moto this year and finished on the podium twice.
Robert Jonas (Head of Motorsport, Off-Road): "Nestaan-MX's an exquisite example of an elite team, as the knowledge and infrastructure that is in place is phenomenal. Their current results act as proof of what they can do with exciting talents. Those factors, as well as their drive to succeed, mean that the Nestaan-MX team is a brilliant partner for Husqvarna Factory Racing."
Rasmus Jorgensen (Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager): "Representing a manufacturer as prestigious as Husqvarna Motorcycles is an honour. The passion to win a world championship with the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing team burns brighter than ever and I am so excited for the years of success that lie ahead. Thank you to all involved in Austria, as well as our team in Belgium, for their endless support and confidence."
Husqvarna Motorcycles continues to move up the Moto3 world championship as Ayumu Sasaki scored 2nd position in the Netherlands for round eight of 2023 MotoGP™ and Collin Veijer aced a top ten result at his first home GP.
In what proved a career-best result at the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has finished in second place at round two of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship in Austria.
Always a highlight of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, Red Bull Erzbergrodeo once again lived up to its reputation as the world’s toughest single day hard enduro. With the traditional Iron Road Prologue kicking things off, Bolt, who arrived in Austria feeling fresh and up for the challenge, raced his TE 300 up the gravel fire roads to qualify a highly respectable fifth out of the 1,500 starters. But with Sunday’s main event to follow, he knew the real race was yet to begin.
Faced with a 35-kilometre course he needed to complete in under four hours, Billy got a great jump off the start line as the first 50 riders were waved away at 12.00 CET. However, a crash on the very first climb dropped him from third to 50th in an instant. Jumping back on his bike, Billy put in a heroic 10 minutes of riding on the initial high-speed sections to climb back up to fourth. Soon afterwards he joined Manuel Lettenbichler and Trystan Hart in the battle for the lead.
Taking control of the race lead after 45 minutes as he approached Udo’s Playground – checkpoint 18 of 27 – Billy managed to keep out front for the next 70 minutes and build a healthy looking lead during Carl’s Dinner.
But a wrong line choice while managing a damaged exhaust pipe, saw Billy lose the lead to Lettenbichler and he dropped to second. Unable to go challenge his close rival to the finish line, Billy safeguarded his position and soldiered home to take a hard-fought runner-up result.
The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship continues with round three at Red Bull Romaniacs on July 25-29.
Billy Bolt: “That was a hectic one! I’m pretty chuffed to finally get a Red Bull Erzbergrodeo podium. After getting a great jump off the start line, I crashed on the first climb. I couldn’t believe my luck. The next 10 minutes were a blur trying to pass so many people before we hit the first forest section. I caught up to Mani and we rode together. But I put a dent in my exhaust pipe and lost some power. In Carl’s Dinner I knew that was my best chance to try and pull a gap, so I pushed hard. But when I got to MOTOREX Highway I struggled on the climb, and kinda hit the wall. Mani got passed again and I couldn’t go with him. I wanted to win, and I gave it everything I had today!”
Results: FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, Round 2
Red Bull Erzbergrodeo
1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 2:31:15
2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 2:42:15
3. Trystan Hart (KTM) 2:57:09
4. Jonny Walker (Beta) 2:59:30
5. Wade Young (Sherco) 3:04:21
6. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 3:13:55
Ayumu Sasaki fulfilled another starring role in a fantastically close Moto3 Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley at Mugello by taking his FR 250 GP to 3rd position for round six of 2023 MotoGP™.
The Thunder Valley course always challenges riders on the Pro Motocross series, with the high Colorado elevation and rolling hills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains. Then there are tough ruts, and an uphill start, all of which make a great challenge for the trio of riders competing for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team on their FC250s.
250 MX
RJ Hampshire got taken down as the pack got to the top of the start hill in moto one, but per usual, he was quickly back on his bike and charging. Scored as 19th at the end of lap one, he put in a moto-long charge back to the front and finished in the eighth spot. Though he got a somewhat better start in moto two, the story was nearly the same, as he battled all moto long to get back inside the top ten, with an eventual seventh-place finish, and a ninth overall for the day.
RJ Hampshire: "It was a really frustrating day. I feel awesome on my bike, I just need to get out of the gate. It's so frustrating having to charge like that and have a couple of crashes and still have a shot there at the end. I'm heading back to Florida, and we'll be able to practice some starts this week. I'll figure some things out and we should be better at High Point."
Jalek Swoll’s day featured more time inside the top ten during each moto, but an eventual tenth at the checkers of each race, resulting in a tenth overall.
Jalek Swoll: "It was kind of a tough day. I lacked a little bit but we'll have a good week and come back at Mount Morris. I've got a few things to focus on and try and be better with next weekend. I don't feel like speed wise I'm very far off. I've just got to get a little better endurance and a little of that sprint pace in the beginning and we'll be good. Other than results not looking so good I feel like I'm on the right progression."
Talon Hawkins showed improved speed and consistency in Lakewood, finishing 14th in each moto. That also netted him his best overall finish to date (motocross or Supercross), with a 13th.
Talon Hawkins: "Colorado definitely was an insane one and not what I expected. This place is super-deep and has a lot of deep ruts. It was cool to get my feet wet and ride some ruts again. I ended up with my best finish of the year. I'm pretty happy about that. There's a lot of good to take away from it. I just need to be better next week and throughout this season. I ended up with a 14-14 for 13th overall. I'm ready to move on and get a little better every weekend."
Next Event (Round 4): June 17, 2023 – High Point Raceway in Mount Morris, Penn.
Round Three Results: Thunder Valley
250 MX Results
1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 2-1
2. Justin Cooper (Yamaha) 1-4
3. Levi Kitchen (Yamaha) 5-2
…
9. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 8-7
10. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 10-10
13. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 14-14
450 MX Results
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 1-1
2. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) 4-2
3. Cooper Webb (KTM) 2-5
250 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Hunter Lawrence – 137 points
2. Justin Cooper – 121 points
3. Haiden Deegan – 110 points
…
5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 94 points
13. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 45 points
16. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 25 points
450 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Jett Lawrence – 150 points
2. Dylan Ferrandis – 116 points
3. Cooper Webb – 112 points
…
33. Scott Meshey – 2 points
Round two of the Pro Motocross series turned up the heat on the riders as they headed for their annual visit to the rolling foothills of California’s Eastern Sierra Nevada at Hangtown.
250 MX
RJ Hampshire led the way for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team, with his best qualifying effort of the season (2nd), and a pair of fifth-place moto finishes. He made the best of a pair of tough starts, and put together huge charges from near midpack in each moto aboard his FC250 to eventual 5-5 finishes for fifth overall.
RJ Hampshire: “I felt really good on the bike, I just had two terrible starts that kept us off the box. My riding was really good all day, from qualifying through both motos I felt awesome. But you can't do much when you start outside the top 15. It was probably the hardest 5-5 I've ever had in my life. We'll go back home to Florida after this weekend and we'll look forward to getting some better starts in Colorado and being where we should be.”
Jalek Swoll continues to build speed and confidence after returning to racing following off-season injuries and carded a ninth and eleventh in his two motos that weren’t really indicative of where he raced most of the day. After finishing ninth in moto one, he ran third for much of the second moto before a pair of costly mistakes dropped him just outside of the top ten. But a top ten overall was his best result of the season and added optimism for the races ahead.
Jalek Swoll: “I'd say it was a step in the right direction. I wish I could have gotten a good start in the first moto and learned more of that pace, but I had a mid-pack start and got ninth. It's something to build off. In the second moto, I felt pretty good in the beginning. I got a really good start and ran third about half the moto. I had a pretty close call where I went off the track and lost a few positions. After that it was survival. But I hung around fifth for a while and had a tip-over and it put me back to tenth and that's where I finished. It sucks to fall and have a little mishap off the track, but it's good to see some light at the end of the tunnel and some progression. All is well and we'll keep the building blocks going.”
Talon Hawkins is still learning the ropes of the Pro Motocross series but saved his best result for the tough and hot second moto, where he finished 15th.
Talon Hawkins: “It was pretty good. There's definitely a lot to work on. I need to be doing more motos and the cardio needs to be a little better, so I'm ready to get back out to the Baker's Factory this week and work on that. There's a lot to work on, but it was a step in the right direction. I did better than last weekend, and that's all I can ask for is to do better every weekend. I'm looking forward to this next weekend out in Colorado with the high elevation. We'll be ready to go.”
Next Event (Round 3): June 10, 2023 – Thunder Valley Motocross in Lakewood, Colo.
Round X Results: Hangtown
250 MX Results
1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda), 3-1
2. Justin Cooper (Yamaha), 2-2
3. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha), 1-4
…
5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing , 5-5
9. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing , 9-11
18. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing , 21-15
29. Kai Aiello (Husqvarna) 31-26
39. Jaret Finch (Husqvarna)40-34
40. Brantley Schnell (Husqvarna) 38-37
450 MX Results
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda), 1-1
2. Dylan Ferrandis (Yamaha), 2-3
3. Cooper Webb (KTM), 4-22
…
23. Scott Meshey (Husqvarna) 40-19
250 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Hunter Lawrence – 90 points
2. Haiden Deegan – 80 points
3. Justin Cooper – 78 points
…
5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing , 67 points
14. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 23 points
19. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 11 points
450 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Jett Lawrence – 100 points
2. Dylan Ferrandis – 82 points
3. Cooper Webb – 74 points
With both 450 riders on the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team still on the mend, it was an all-250cc effort for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team as the series headed to Pala, California, for round one of the AMA Pro Motocross series. Fortunately, it was a three-rider effort, as Jalek Swoll returned to action after sitting out the Supercross season due to injury.
250 MX
When the gate dropped for the first moto, Jalek Swoll and RJ Hampshire quickly showed off their starting prowess, as well as the power of their Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing TeamFC250s, as they rounded the first turn in the top two spots. After running in second position for the first two laps, Hampshire took over the lead, which he held to the finish for the win.
Unfortunately, in moto two a pair of crashes early in the race had him at the very tail end of the field. But never being one to give up, RJ charged all the way to 11th, which combined with his win in the first moto win, gave him third overall on the day.
"For the first round of the outdoors, I was so excited to come here and race,” said Hampshire . “It started off with a great start in the first moto. I've never felt like that out front where things felt that easy and I didn't really have to get out of my comfort zone. Coming into the second moto I was going to try and do the same thing and it's on me. I botched that start and was still kind of decent, but the second turn was mayhem and I ended up going down. I made up a bunch of passes right away, and then someone else got a little whiskey throttle and I clipped their rear tire going up the steep hill in the back. Then I had my work cut out for me. I was in last by quite a bit. I knew I had to put my head down and I was charging hard. I didn't know if I had a shot at the podium. I had another little crash near the end, but I'm pretty stoked on the whole day. I'm really happy with the bike, where we're at, our mentality. It's going to be a good year and I'm so damn proud of this team.”
After his first moto holeshot, Jalek Swoll had a crash that force him out of moto one, but despite he was able to return to score his first points of the season with a 20th-place finish in moto two.
“This was my first race back in pretty much a year, and it just felt good to get gate drops,” said Swoll . “Watching from the couch was not fun. Just being out here, 100 percent or not was the goal. The starts were pretty good. I was stoked about that and other than the first moto fall I feel today could have been really good. We'll get healed up, come back a little bit stronger, get some good motos under my belt, and start clicking off some goals this year. My confidence is still there. I feel like I can compete at the top level, so we'll take the starts and the little bit of momentum that was caught today to Hangtown.”
For rookie Talon Hawkins, this was his first crack at a Pro Motocross National, and he finished the day with a 20-17 score, and 19th overall.
“Round one was pretty good, and there's a lot of good to take from it,” said Hawkins . “I needed a better start in that first moto. I got the better start in the second moto, I just didn't ride the way I know how. We're going to work on that this next week and hopefully make something happen next weekend. I'm excited, and this was a good race for me to build off of as we head into the next rounds.“
Next Event (Round 2) : June 3, 2023 – Prairie City SVRA in Rancho Cordova, Calif.
Round 1 Results: Fox Raceway
250 MX Results
1. Hunter Lawrence (Honda), 3-1
2. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha), 6-2
3. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 1-11
…
20. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 20-17
21. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 40-20
450 MX Results
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda), 1-1
2. Chase Sexton (Honda), 2-2
3. Dylan Ferrandis (Yamaha), 3-3
…
35. Scott Meshey (Husqvarna) 28-37
250 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Hunter Lawrence – 45 points
2. Haiden Deegan – 37 points
3. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 35 points
…
20. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 5 points
21. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 1 point
450 MX Rider Point Standings
1. Jett Lawrence – 50 points
2. Chase Sexton – 44 points
3. Dylan Ferrandis – 40 points
The opening round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship in Serbia proved to be one of mixed fortunes for Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt. Returning to the championship after being sidelined through injury in 2022, the newly crowned FIM SuperEnduro World Champion was in high spirits arriving to the Xross Hard Enduro Rally.
Staged over four days in Serbia, the event took in an action-packed endurocross prologue on Wednesday, before setting out on three 100-kilometre-long days of Hard Enduro racing with GPS navigation.
Hitting the ground running, Billy was on flying form around the short endurocross course on his TE 300. Fastest in qualification, the SuperEnduro champ stepped it up another level for the six minute plus one lap race. With a clear holeshot, he quickly distanced himself from the rest of the pack to win by an incredible 37 seconds. Importantly, his prologue victory also earned him three championship points.
With the option to start Offroad Day 1 in third, Billy began the wet and rainy day confident of a strong result. Clocking in some incredibly quick times, he was pushing hard for the win. However, a navigation error in the closing stages of the day unfortunately saw him drop down the leaderboard from a potential top-three placing to ninth thanks to a 43-minute penalty.
Bouncing back, the Husqvarna rider won the following day in style. Charging hard through traffic, he consistently set the pace all day on his TE 300. Reaching as high as second overall on the road, he triumphed with a six-second margin of victory on corrected time. Climbing back up to third in the outright standings, second overall suddenly looked possible.
Unfortunately, despite a strong start to the final day, bad luck struck again. Battling a technical issue as he arrived at the midday service, Bolt lost a lot of time. Regrouping, he soldiered on to finish the day in 22nd and 10th overall in the final classification.
The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship continues with round two at Red Bull Erzbergrodeo in Austria on June 8-11.
Billy Bolt: “It’s been quite the up and down sort of week for me. Everything started off great by winning the prologue. On day one I was riding really good in the rain. In the afternoon I got my navigation mixed up and unfortunately that led to a 43-minute penalty, which dropped me to ninth. I bounced back to win the following day and got back in podium contention. Sitting third, I felt second was possible and if I could achieve that then I would still tie on points for the championship lead thanks to my prologue victory. However, I ran into some problems and despite the team’s best efforts at the service point I had to ride steady to the finish line. There are a lot of positives to take though. My riding is good, and the bike setup is very nice to ride. We’ve a long season ahead of us and although this week wasn’t meant to be, I know there are better races to come.”
FIM Hard Enduro World Championship - Round 1
Xross Hard Enduro Rally Provisional Event Classification
1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 9:49:28.60; 2. Mario Roman (Sherco) 10:22:38.10; 3. Teodor Kabakchiev (KTM) 10:29:04.12; 4. Trystan Hart (KTM) 10:33:04.42; 5. Michael Walkner (GASGAS) 10:36:49.98… 10. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 11:41:41.05…
Championship Standings (After round 1)
1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 20pts; 2. Mario Roman (Sherco) 17pts; 3. Teodor Kabakchiev (KTM) 15pts; 4. Trystan Hart (KTM) 14pts; 5. Alfredo Gomez (Rieju) 11pts; 5. Michael Walkner (GASGAS) 11pts… 8. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 9pts…
MotoGP™ journeyed to France for round five of twenty and Husqvarna Motorcycles watched Ayumu Sasaki finish runner-up with his FR 250 GP around a sunny and busy Le Mans.
Reigning 2023 FIM SuperEnduro World Champion Billy Bolt has switched his focus from indoor to outdoor competition as the Husqvarna Factory Racing rider prepares himself for the opening round of the 2023 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. Feeling fit and motivated for success coming into the seven-round series, Bolt has his eyes set firmly on claiming the championship title.
Less than two months since Bolt secured the SuperEnduro title in dominant fashion with another event victory at the final round in Poland, the British rider is now set to take on round one of this year’s HEWC – the Xross Hard Enduro Rally in Serbia.
Making the switch from indoor to outdoor enduro is no easy task as Billy will have to adapt to the changes in terrain, intensity of the races, and the varied weather conditions expected at each of the seven rounds. Another factor is the switch from 4-stroke to 2-stroke machinery as Billy will focus on his favoured TE 300 for most, if not all, of the races on the HEWC calendar.
With his 2022 Hard Enduro season cut short due to requiring surgery to his wrist – a decision made even harder due to him leading the championship – Bolt will return to HEWC action this year with the goal of not only retaking that position at the top of the standings, but also carrying it right to the end of the season and securing his second world title in the discipline.
The 2023 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship features seven rounds, starting with Serbia’s Xross Hard Enduro Rally on May 17-20.
Billy Bolt: “The 2023 season has been going well for me so far. I wrapped up the SuperEnduro season with another win there, and while it doesn’t translate directly to hard enduro, it’s always good to start the year dominating like that. I’m super excited to get back to the hard enduro scene now and show what I can do. I won the hard enduro world title in 2021 and to be honest, that’s the last time I’ve done the full championship. My 2022 season was cut short through injury, so if anything, it only gives me more motivation to take the win in 2023. I think when you’ve won a title in the past, if you go into that championship with any other goal than to win, then there’s definitely something wrong. The bike for 2023 is looking amazing, and it really suits my style. As soon as I jumped on it, I felt comfortable and that’s really good for my confidence going into the 2023 Hard Enduro World Championship. I couldn’t do what I do without such a strong team around me either. Every championship I have won has come about through a massive team effort. It’s helped me get to where I am and even though there is a lot of hard work to come this year, I feel that together we can make it happen and finish the season on top.”
The last time we saw RJ Hampshire in action, he was coated in mud from head to toe after a last-ditch effort to make a final corner pass in New Jersey. Heading into the penultimate round of the 2023 AMA Supercross season in Denver, RJ and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team were looking for the win that had been oh-so-close but had proven elusive thus far.
250 SX
When the gate dropped for the main event, RJ Hampshire got a great start on his FC250 and was in the top three. He quickly moved into second place and began reeling in the leader. Near the midway point, he made a move for the lead and was there briefly before running out of room on the edge of the track. Once returning to the racing surface he was several seconds behind the lead, but was the fastest rider on the track. His never say die attitude paid off, and with a pair of laps left in the main, he moved back into the lead for good, scoring his first win of the season.
“It was an awesome day. I'm super-stoked for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team, and to knock one of these wins off before the season is over was huge. We've built a lot of momentum; man; I don't take these for granted. I know how much work goes into this from the team side and myself, this motorcycle, and all our supporters. It's just really nice to give them a win... a little payback for all they do for us,” said Hampshire . “I wasn't that fast in qualifying and didn't win my heat race. But I just had that feeling today that I would get it done. I had that big mistake about midway through the main event, but I really put a charge on there at the end and at least gave myself an opportunity to have a shot at the win. Sure enough, we pulled it off.”
450 SX
It’s been more evident than ever during the last couple of weeks that part of the challenge of the AMA Supercross season is making it to the end unscathed. The 450 side of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team is working hard to be back on track with their FC 450 Rockstar Editions as soon as possible.
Next Event (Round 17): May 13, 2023 – Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah
Round 16 Results: Denver
250 SX West Results
1. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
2. Levi Kitchen (Yamaha)
3. Jett Lawrence (Honda)
250 SX West Rider Point Standings
1. Jett Lawrence – 197 points
2. RJ Hampshire – 163 points
3. Enzo Lopes – 137 points
450 SX Rider Point Standings
1. Chase Sexton – 346 points
2. Eli Tomac – 339 points
3. Cooper Webb – 304 points
…
11. Christian Craig – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 150 points
29. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 15 points
31. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 15 points
The Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing team has just completed another round of the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship in Agueda, Portugal, with success. Both Kay de Wolf and Roan van de Moosdijk leapt onto the MX2 podium. The jump-laden layout provided the setting for a brilliant Grand Prix for the team that is running FC 250 machinery.
De Wolf was consistent in the first stint, as he picked his way into third in the early stages and secured that position when the chequered flag waved. The fact that he recorded the third-fastest lap time was indicative of his form. The second moto was made more difficult by a rather mediocre start – he ended lap one in the lower half of the top ten and carved his way to second in what was a superb ride. 3-2 scores put him in second overall on the day. Third is where he lies in the championship standings.
For Moosdijk, third overall was a brilliant step forward in what has been a positive campaign thus far. '39' raced to fourth place in moto one and then made impressive progress in moto two to put himself in the fight for second. Eventually finishing in third in the stint was enough to secure the same position in the overall classification. In addition, he managed to edge closer to the top five in the championship standings.
Lucas Coenen's day consisted of obvious progress. Ninth after a crash in moto one was a solid start to proceedings, then he followed that up with a spirited charge through the field in moto two. To the surprise of many, he sliced from dead last to seventh on a track that was rapidly deteriorating. There is no doubt that the potential showcased in the stint is a sign of what is to come. 9-7 scores meant that he was ranked in sixth at the Grand Prix.
Kay de Wolf: "The second moto was really, really good. I did not have the best start, but I kept working. It was a tough weekend and we turned it around. I am really happy with what we did today and cannot wait to build on this moving forward."
Roan van de Moosdijk: "I am slowly getting back to where I should be and I am happy about that! I knew that I had to pass Simon Langenfelder in the second moto and I did that, so that was good. It has been a tough road to get to this point and I would not have been able to do it without my team."
Lucas Coenen: "I had a good start in the first race and was around third. The track was watered a lot and I washed the front, so I was pretty angry about that. I had a pretty good jump in the second moto and was around fifth, but I crashed on lap one. I came from dead last to P7 with good speed! It is a shame, because I think that I was capable of battling with the front guys."
The Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing team will leap across the border into Spain now, because Intu Xanadu – Arroyomolinos will host round six of the current campaign this coming weekend.
Download high-res images from the Grand Prix of Portugal here.
Results – 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round Five
MX2 – Overall
1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 50pts; 2. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 42pts; 3. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 38pts… 6. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 26pts
MX2 – Moto One
1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 34:01.984; 2. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 34:07.430; 3. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 34:15.461; 4. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 34:20.733… 9. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 34:55.833
MX2 – Moto Two
1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 34:21.031; 2. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 34:28.115; 3. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 34:34.121… 7. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 34:55.436
MX2 – Standings
1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 265pts; 2. Andrea Adamo (KTM) 229pts; 3. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 220pts… 6. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 191pts; 9. Lucas Coenen (Husqvarna) 130pts
MotoGP™ landed back in Europe for the fourth date of the twenty round 2023 campaign and Ayumu Sasaki was one of the stars of a gripping Moto3 affair at Jerez in southern Spain as the Japanese captured 4th position, less than half a second from victory.
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has placed third overall at the 2023 Sonora Rally – round three of the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship. The result elevates the Argentinian to second in the championship standings, where he trails the leader by just seven points.
After a solid but steady start to his 2023 Sonora Rally campaign, Luciano Benavides slowly increased his pace as the race progressed. Two eighth-place results were then followed by a fifth place on day three before the Argentinian delivered his first top-three of the event on Thursday. Going into the final day, Benavides was third overall, holding a narrow 39-second advantage over fourth-placed Toby Price.
With Price leading out on Friday, Luciano put all his focus on closing down the gap to the Australian ahead and securing a podium result, and that’s exactly what he did. Putting in a super-strong ride on the sandy tracks of the 139-kilometre timed special and without making any mistakes, Benavides secured another top-three stage result to finish the rally in an impressive third place overall.
Now lying second in the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship standings, Luciano looks ahead to his home race, round four’s Desafio Ruta 40 held in Argentina from August 26.
2022 Sonora Rally Champion Skyler Howes made an impressive start to his title defence only for it to come to a halt when a crash early on stage two resulted in him suffering shoulder injuries. The American star is still waiting on further tests to understand whether surgery is needed and the possible recovery time.
Luciano Benavides: “The last stage has gone really well for me, it was another battle with Toby, right to the end. I knew I would have to push all day, so I gave 100 percent and thankfully it all paid off and I’ve finished on the podium. Toby made a small mistake there at the end, which was tough, but it worked out for me and means I get some really important points for the championship, where I think I’ve moved up to second now. We have a break of a few months before the next round, which will be my home race. The team won’t stop working so hopefully we can improve things even more and carry this momentum into Argentina in August.”
Norbert Stadlbauer – Rally Team Manager: “The Sonora Rally has been a tough and challenging addition to the W2RC calendar with some fast stages with lots of tricky terrain. It’s been a mixed event for Husqvarna Factory Racing – on one hand, Skyler crashed out on day two, injuring his shoulder. We wish him well for a fast recovery. On the positive side, Luciano has ridden and amazing race, delivering day after day of strong results to ultimately finish on the podium. He also moves up to second in the championship standings, which is hugely encouraging ahead of his home event in Argentina.”
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has placed fifth on stage three of the Sonora Rally – round three of the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship. Putting in arguably his strongest performance of the event so far, the FR 450 Rally rider converted his eighth-place start position into a top-five result after a gruelling three and a half hours in the saddle.
Totalling 466 kilometres and including the longest special of this year’s event at an exhausting 350 kilometres, stage three of the Sonora Rally marked the halfway point of the Mexican race. Keeping his focus for the entire day, Benavides showed his class by making a solid start before increasing his pace towards the end to close in on the leaders.
Luciano’s time today was actually the third quickest, but after bonuses were applied to several riders for leading out, the Argentinian dropped to fifth with an eight-minute deficit to the provisional stage winner. The Husqvarna Factory Racing rider now lies in third place overall and with two stages left to contest will be giving his all to defend his podium position.
Luciano Benavides: “The longest stage of the rally and it was a real mixture of terrain with dunes, camel grass, and broken pistes. It felt like a true Dakar stage today. I think I did a good job – I was able to catch my brother around kilometre 60 and eventually got past him and out of the dust. Towards the end it got really slippery, and I might have lost a little time, but I was focused on making it to the finish. Third overall now, which is great, so I’ll keep on pushing to the end.”
A pulsating Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas was the stage for Ayumu Sasaki and Husqvarna Motorcycles to again star in the Moto3 category but the Japanese did not reach the flag in Texas.
Making a wildcard ride at the FIM EnduroGP World Championship opener, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has once again shown he can mix it with the world’s best classic enduro racers, taking on the opening round of the EnduroGP series in Italy this weekend. Finishing in a highly commendable sixth place in the competitive Enduro2 category on Saturday, Bolt maintained his pace to secure seventh on Sunday, despite a big crash early on.
Reigning 2023 SuperEnduro World Champion Bolt chose to race the opening round of EnduroGP to help build both his speed and endurance ahead of the start of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship following a winter of sprint style SuperEnduro events and races. Choosing to ride his favoured FE 350 saw him step into the Enduro2 category and compete against multiple EnduroGP world champions and classic enduro specialists. Billy wasn’t fazed however and came out swinging in the sandy Friday evening Super Test to place an impressive seventh in class.
Into the first full day of competition, Bolt was able to hold his own on the dry, rough Italian tracks, claiming two top-three test results on his way to sixth place in E2. Sunday continued in very much the same way, and even after suffering a crash in the enduro test, Billy held on to the finish, ultimately claiming seventh place in Enduro2 – a solid result for the indoor and extreme enduro specialist.
Bolt now switches his focus to the opening round of the 2023 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship – the Xross Hard Enduro Rally, held in Serbia from May 17-20.
Billy Bolt: “I’m here at the finish and in one piece, which is definitely a positive. Yeah, I knew what I was getting in to, and it’s certainly been a tough weekend, but I’ve enjoyed it. The tests today were a lot rougher than yesterday obviously, so I tried a different setting on my forks, which didn’t help me, so I was struggling straight away. I had a fairly big crash in the enduro test, which lost me quite a lot of time, so after that I didn’t want to push too hard and risk too much. I’ve finished both days and built my stamina back up, which will be a real help ahead of the Hard Enduro World Championship – I’ve only really done six-minute races since last July. Racing in Italy is always cool – even when you mess up a test and you’re feeling a bit sorry for yourself, you look up and there’s a huge crowd of people cheering for you. It’s hard to beat that feeling. The top guys here are on another level, but I’ve really enjoyed having a go and would definitely like to improve and be a little better prepared for next time. I’ve got the HEWC to focus on now, but I’ll be back in the EnduroGP paddock sooner or later.”
Results – 2023 EnduroGP World Championship, Round 1, Day 1
Enduro2
1. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 1:13:51.52
2. Steve Holcombe (Beta) 1:13:55.11
3. Hamish MacDonald (Sherco) 1:14:35.99
…
6. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 1:16:47.53
EnduroGP
1. Brad Freeman (Beta) 1:13:27.06
2. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 1:13:51.52
3. Steve Holcombe (Beta) 1:13:55.11
…
17. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 1:16:47.53
Results – 2023 EnduroGP World Championship, Round 1, Day 2
Enduro2
1. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 1:05:40.05
2. Steve Holcombe (Beta) 1:05:49.16
3. Hamish MacDonald (Sherco) 1:06:42:54
…
7. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 1:09:10.32
EnduroGP
1. Brad Freeman (Beta) 1:05:23.86
2. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 1:05:40.05
3. Steve Holcombe (Beta) 1:05:49.16
…
21. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 1:09:10.32
Husqvarna Motorcycles again fills the role of protagonist in the opening stages of 2023 MotoGP™ by challenging for top points and places in both Moto3 and Moto2 at a busy and wet Gran Premio Michelin de la Republica Argentina.
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt will turn his hand to classic enduro this weekend as he takes on round one of the 2023 FIM EnduroGP World Championship. Held in San Remo/Arma di Taggia in Italy, the event will open with a Friday night Super Test on March 31, followed by two days of racing through the mountains in the north west of the country.
Fresh from his dominant season of SuperEnduro, where he won every single round to claim his third consecutive world title, Bolt comes into the first stop of the seven-round EnduroGP championship looking to gain some valuable seat time racing outdoors, ahead of the start of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. The wildcard appearance will see Bolt ride his Husqvarna Motorcycles FE 350 in the Enduro2 category – the same machine he steered to victory indoors this year.
Bolt has enjoyed success in EnduroGP competition before, claiming an E2 podium in 2021, and a Super Test win followed by a top-10 E3 result last year. Coming into the opening round of the 2023 season, the Brit is fully aware of the level of racers in the championship, but still plans to give 100 percent and use the weekend to help prepare for the long, demanding events in the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship.
Billy Bolt: “I’m excited to be back racing this weekend, it’s always nice to mix things up and have a change. It’s great to be racing in Italy too, the Italian fans are always very welcoming and the atmosphere there is amazing. There’s no pressure – I requested to race just for something different to do, so I’ll go into the weekend aiming to have some fun racing my bike more than anything else. I’m sure once I get there, the adrenalin will start to build and I’ll want to give my all as usual, but there are no set goals results-wise. I know the boys train so hard for this championship, so I’m under no illusion what I’m up against. After a season of SuperEnduro, I’m looking forward to getting two long days of racing on the bike, it should help to set me up well for the upcoming hard enduro season.”
Points and presence in both Moto3™ and Moto2™ categories for the first time for Husqvarna Motorcycles as the MotoGP™ World Championship launches in the Algarve sunshine.
The Grande Premio de Portugal at the Algarve International Circuit hosts the first of 21 rounds in the 2023 MotoGP World Championship this weekend.
Husqvarna Motorcycles is set for participation in both Moto3™ and Moto2™ classes for the very first time thanks to the LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP team.
Somewhat unusually, MotoGP will fire up Grand Prix engines on European soil as the calendar opens in southern Portugal this week. It has been over fifteen years since the championship last started on the continent. The Algarve International Circuit, close to the town of Portimao, first staged MotoGP in 2020 and has been an ever-present site since; the technical demands of the climbs, drops and cambers of the 4.5km layout providing a challenging mix of speed. The facility has entertained pre-season testing sessions for all three classes and is now building-up to the first event of the longest ever Grand Prix campaign.
Husqvarna Motorcycles embarks on its fourth world championship year but with the added commitment to the Moto2 category. The team have completed tests in both Jerez and Portimao with Moto3 riders Ayumu Sasaki (22 years old, winner of two Grands Prix with nine podiums on the FR 250 GP in 2022 while classifying 4th in the championship) and rookie Collin Veijer (18 years of age) as well as welcoming 2022 MotoGP rider and former Moto3 GP winner Darryn Binder (25, from South Africa, making his debut in Moto2) and Lukas Tulovic (22, from Germany and the 2022 European Champion) for the intermediate division.
Veijer and Tulovic will have to grapple with the demands of Moto3 and Moto2 as new recruits for Husqvarna Motorcycles. Binder has the same status, both coming to a new factory and competing in Moto2, but already has eight seasons of Grand Prix experience to call on. Sasaki’s second year in Husqvarna Motorcycles white and blue sees the continuance of a very strong alliance from 2022; the union represents a good chance of a fourth successive year of Moto3 spoils for the brand.
The Grande Premio de Portugal gets underway with the first Moto3 Practice1 at 09.00 GMT this Friday.
Ayumu Sasaki : “I’m excited! A new team structure and I think it is a stronger background than what we had before: I have everything I need to be stronger than in 2022. Of course, our expectation is very high but we have to take the championship race-by-race and keep our target of always trying for podiums and always being at the front. We have to read the category to be up there consistently. That’s the main thing and then we reassess in the middle of the season. From the tests we have done we are capable of making our target. We have to focus. I cannot wait to start in Portimao.”
Collin Veijer : “I can’t wait to start my first season in the Moto3 world championship. My expectations for this year are to learn new things and to improve every lap. My goal is to be Rookie of the Year and I will try my very best for this. I know I can count on my team and we will work hard together.”
Darryn Binder : “Super-excited to start the first race of the season and it’s certainly different to begin in Europe. Portimao is a crazy track and I really enjoy riding here. Pre-season has been good and I’m excited to run out in the Husqvarna Motorcycles colours for the first time. I hope we’ll have a decent weekend to start the year.”
Lukas Tulovic : “Finally we can get going! The winter break has been a bit longer for me compared to the guys who were in last year’s world championship. I’ve been kicking ass all winter to arrive here fit and ready for Moto2. Testing was awesome. I got to know everybody in the team and the new bike. It was exciting and positive. I have a lot of confidence to start the season. Expectations? I said last year that I was looking to the top ten because I was comparing my lap-times in the European Championship to the world championship and I think it is a realistic target, maybe not at the first race but we will try to be there. I think we can be optimistic and hope to make some progress.”
Peter Öttl, Team Manager: “It was hectic winter getting everything ready but we had two good tests where we fine-tuned the preparation for the season. Collin missed the first one because of a small injury but made his laps in Portimao just fine and worked well with his group. He has good potential and, as a rookie, he will need some time. It’s very exciting to get the championship started in Portugal and we know Ayumu is very competitive; he was riding for wins and podiums last year and that is his – and our - expectation again for 2023. The team have been pushing a lot in pre-season and I want to thank them for this. Now we go racing!”
Jürgen Lingg, Team Principal : “We are proud that Husqvarna Motorcycles has such great confidence in us and we are happy to finally be on the race track. It has been a busy winter but also necessary to organise and prepare this massive project. It's great to see the riders take to the track for the first time in the recent tests. It feels very good. We have a really good package in all classes. We are looking forward to the season finally getting underway and we hope for good results, which will definitely come.”
Jens Hainbach, Head of Sports Management Road Racing: “2023 is a shiny new start for Husqvarna Motorcycles in MotoGP and we could not be happier with our old and new partners that have allowed us to put this historic brand into both Moto3 and Moto2. We have a lot of faith in the team to lead the charge with the FR 250 GP and allow Ayumu-san the chance to fight for the title while we are curious to see how Collin can progress and expand his potential at this level. Moto2 is a platform for development and both Darryn and Lukas will have their own goals and trajectory and it will still be a big bonus for us to have the Husqvarna Motorcycles livery in this category.”
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt not only claimed overall victory at all five rounds of this year’s FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, but the FE 350 racer dominated proceedings by winning all but one of the 15 races held. In celebration of Bolt’s dominance, a new final round highlight video is now live.
With the season starting in Poland back in December of 2022, Billy got his title defence off to the perfect start by going fastest in the intense SuperPole qualifier, before taking all three race wins and opening up an early advantage over his rivals.
That clean-sweep performance of pole position and three race wins was repeated in Hungary at round three, Israel for round four, and at the very final round in Poland, where he clinched the title with two races to spare. In fact, if it wasn’t for an incident-packed second race in Germany at round two, Billy would have undoubtedly won them all.
Despite his domination throughout the season, Bolt was never one to rest on his laurels, giving 100 percent at every round and constantly striving to further improve his pace and performance.
Billy Bolt: “It’s amazing to win just one world championship, so to have taken three SuperEnduro titles in a row now feels incredible. The dream continues! I wanted to get the job done in the first race at the final in Poland, so I could go on and enjoy the other two races, which I managed to do. Husqvarna Motorcycles are celebrating their 120th anniversary this year, so to be a part of that history is definitely something special.”
Rising to the occasion, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt delivered the goods at the fifth and final round of the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship to become the 2023 champion. Best described as a clinical performance from the Brit, Billy took his FE 350 to a convincing overall victory and with it secured his third consecutive world crown indoors.
With the stadium lights dimmed for the night show, Bolt wasted no time in moving ever closer to clinching his third world crown. Laying down a blisteringly fast lap for the SuperPole, he added another three important points to his championship tally.
Lining up for the first of three races, Billy knew victory in race one could potentially see him become the 2023 FIM SuperEnduro World Champion. Grabbing the holeshot put him in prime position, and by executing a series of clean, early laps, he opened up a four-second lead. Overcoming a small tip-over in the rocks, Bolt still rode away to a six-second margin of victory and with it, his third consecutive SuperEnduro world crown on his FE 350.
With the pressure of the title lifted from his shoulders, Billy was at his absolute best for the remainder of the night in Gliwice. Despite a second-row start for race two, he rocketed out of the gate and lead the field of riders before the end of lap one. Never headed and not once putting a foot out of place, Billy delivered arguably his best ride of the entire season and took a 35-second margin of victory.
Signing off an incredible 2023 SuperEnduro campaign, Billy ended his season on a high with victory in race three to remain unbeaten in Poland. With everything going to script, like it had done in his previous two races, he took the chequered flag for the third time on the night to claim the overall win.
Over the course of his dominant indoor season, Billy took his FE 350 to 14 out of a possible 15 race wins, while winning all SuperPole hot laps. Topping the overall podium five times out of five, he proved himself to be a very worthy FIM SuperEnduro World Champion in 2023.
Billy and Husqvarna Factory Racing will now turn their attention to the opening round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship in Serbia on May 17-20.
Billy Bolt: “What can I say, it’s been an incredible season! This is my third world title in a row, but with each one they get that little bit sweeter. Coming into the night, I knew I had a comfortable points lead to play with, but I wanted to go out there and give my best. Topping SuperPole helped the nerves and I rode hard in race one knowing that if I won I would also win the title. That felt so good. Race two was incredible too. Overall it’s been great, but hard fought at every round too. Naturally a big thank you goes to everyone involved in helping to achieve this. It’s a big team effort for sure.”
Results: FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, Round 5
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has taken his fourth straight overall win of the 2023 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship with an outstanding display of riding at round four in Jerusalem, Israel. The Brit now heads into the final round of the series in Poland with a healthy 36-point lead.
Getting the evening’s racing underway with the SuperPole hot lap, Billy was keen to keep his unbeaten run of form going on his FE 350, making it four consecutive SuperPole wins. As the only rider to dip under the 33-second marker, he topped the time sheets and with it secured three important championship points.
With the track proving tight and one-lined in places, the world champ focused on grabbing the holeshot for the opening prestige class race. Timing the drop of the gate to perfection, he was immediately out front on his FE 350. Although later admitting to making numerous mistakes, Billy built up a firm two second lead over rival Jonny Walker and was able to claim his first race win of the night in Jerusalem.
Race two saw the Husqvarna star begin from row two of the reversed-grid start. But it proved to be of little consequence for Billy. Already up to second position on lap one, he took over the race lead on lap two and began to put on a master class of riding. Clocking in clean, fast laps, he quickly checked out. Despite colliding with a back marker midway through the race, Billy raced on to secure win number two.
Pleased with his own performance in race two, Billy unquestionably found his flow in race three. Third off the start, he took control of the race lead on lap one and was never headed. Building up a 13-second advantage, the Brit was clearly in a class of his own as he made light work of the slippery track. With 12 laps complete and the night’s fastest race time, he took the win and yet another maximum SuperEnduro points haul.
With just one round remaining in the 2023 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, Billy will arrive in Poland on March 18 with a 36-point championship lead as he looks to claim his third consecutive world title indoors.
Billy Bolt: “Winning SuperPole and then all three races to claim maximum points is brilliant, it’s been a really, really good night for me. But I’m super critical of how I rode in race one. There were too many mistakes on my part and when I watched the race back on video I saw where I could improve. Race two was much better and then I couldn’t really ask for more in race three because it went that well. Although I’m winning, I’m always trying to improve. With one round to go in the championship, things are looking good for me. I’ve got a solid points lead now and will keep chipping away to get my third title on the bounce, in two weeks’ time!”
Results: FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, Round 4
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has claimed his second stage win of the 2023 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. The FR 450 Rally rider took advantage of his later start position to make up the maximum time on his rivals. Skyler Howes, who earned three and a half minutes in bonuses today for opening part of the stage, placed fifth.
Similarly to his winning performance on stage two, Benavides demonstrated his immense pace and skill at reading the mixed terrain, right from the start this morning. The Argentinian was ahead on time straight away, opening up a one-minute advantage on his rivals by around 100 kilometres into the 308-kilometre timed special. He increased that advantage to well over three minutes by the finish, despite not earning any bonus time.
His excellent winning result on stage four moves Luciano up into second place in the provisional overall rally standings, where he trails the current leader by under three minutes. Despite having to open the fifth and final stage of the race tomorrow, the 27-year-old will give his all and aim to finish his 2023 ADDC on a high.
As the third rider into today’s special, Skyler Howes was always going to face a difficult task of assisting in the opening of the stage. Catching the leading riders relatively early in the special, Howes maintained a solid but safe pace at the front, reducing any risks to himself or his FR 450 Rally machine. Crossing the finish line in fifth, five and a half minutes down on teammate Benavides, was a huge testament to the Americans focus and endurance. Skyler also lies fifth in the overall standings with one day left to race.
Luciano Benavides: “It was a really good day in the desert for me. After the delay this morning, I was really motivated to push as hard as I could right from the start and try to make up as much time as I could to the guys in front. This stage on last year’s race was the first stage I had ever won, so it was nice to top the timesheets again this year. The bike is working really well, and I’m really happy with the job the team are doing here. There’s one day left, and I will be opening the stage. My goal is to take the win, it won’t be easy, but I’ll certainly do my best.”
Skyler Howes: “Today started out quite interesting – we had fog at the start of the stage and as it was blowing in the direction of the special, it took a really long time to clear. It was getting hotter as it got later too. It was a long stage and with the fog making the sand damp, for those of us opening we were leaving the perfect tracks for everyone behind to follow. They could even see where we were on the gas or braking hard. The dunes were really technical, but with the sun a lot higher it was difficult to see properly and read the terrain. Definitely not the day to be opening and we lost quite a bit of time, but I think we did a good job from the front. That’s racing, so we’ll regroup now and push hard once again tomorrow on the final stage.”
2023 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Stage 4 Provisional Classification
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes has put in another strong ride at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge to secure his second consecutive third-place finish at the tough FIM World Rally-Raid Championship event. Battling through the rougher, more physically demanding terrain of stage three, Howes completed today’s special just 19 seconds down on the winner. Opening much of the stage, Luciano Benavides did an exceptional job with his navigation to finish in eighth place, less than four minutes down on Howes.
It was a tough day in the desert today for all riders, with a 266-kilometre timed special delivering a more motocross-like experience due to the harder-going ground and tracks of the looped stage. Thankfully temperatures were lower due to consistent cloud cover, but with the day marking the second half of the event’s marathon stage, competitors were tested to their limits both mentally and physically.
Despite the gruelling conditions, Skyler Howes delivered another consistent ride to complete the stage in third. The American, who set off third into the special, held his own while racing up near the front of the pack, and after collecting just over two minutes in bonuses, secured a top-three result for the second stage in a row, narrowly missing out on the stage win by just 19 seconds. The result moves Skyler from eighth to fifth in the provisional overall standings.
Following on from his day two win, Luciano was first into today’s stage and led out much of the special. After being caught by Jose Ignacio Cornejo at around kilometre eighty, the two rivals raced head-to-head at the lead of the group, fighting to claim the all-important time bonuses for opening the stage. As such, the pace at the front was high, with Benavides ultimately finishing in eighth place and losing under four minutes to the eventual stage winner. The Argentinian currently lies in seventh overall but will enjoy a strong start position for Thursday’s stage four – the penultimate day of the race.
Skyler Howes: “That was a really tough stage today, I’m definitely feeling the fatigue to my whole body. It was also overcast with a lot of cloud cover and that makes visibility in the dunes really bad, so it’s difficult to see any dune cuts, or much of anything for that matter. I caught up with the guys in front just before the refuelling, but it was definitely Luciano and Nacho (Cornejo) that took the reins opening the stage and did a really good job keeping the pace high. I’m actually quite happy with the day, but man it was physically demanding for sure. I’m looking forward to getting a bit of rest now ahead of the final two days.”
Luciano Benavides: “For me, the weather was a lot better today as it was cloudy, and the temperature was a lot lower. It was a really tough day in the desert, with the stage today being more motocross style with less larger dunes. I opened half of the stage, more or less, with me and Nacho (Cornejo) swapping positions at the front. As the time bonuses are bigger for whoever is leading at each waypoint, we really were racing hard to each of them, which was good for the overall pace. So yeah, it was full gas all day, I think I did a good job opening, and now I have a good start position for tomorrow, so I’ll try and make up some time.”
2023 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Stage 3 Provisional Classification
1. Toby Price (KTM) 3:43:29
2. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 3:43:45
3. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 3:43:48
4. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 3:44:04
5. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 3:44:32
6. Ross Branch (Hero) 3:46:32
…
8. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:47:25
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt put in a commanding showing at round three of the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship in Hungary to secure the overall victory. Topping the SuperPole hot lap, before going on to win all three Prestige class races, the defending world champion further extended his championship lead in Budapest.
Dominating the evening’s SuperPole by almost one and a half seconds on his FE 350, Billy was keen to make good on that momentum when the start gate dropped for race one. Exiting the first corner in second position, a hectic lap one saw him slip back to third. Recomposing himself, he went on the attack and by the end of lap two had taken over the lead. Once out front, Bolt pulled clear to eventually claim victory by three seconds.
With the start order reversed for race two, Billy cut his way through the field to reach third position on lap one. After a couple of exchanges, he took the lead on lap three and quickly opened up a healthy advantage. Looking set to claim a convincing win, drama unfolded when he got his front wheel lodged in the rock garden with three laps to go. Dropping to second, he put in maximum effort to reel leader Cody Webb back in and take his second victory of the night.
Setting his sights on a clean sweep in Budapest, Bolt emerged from the second corner of race three in third. Quickly moving into the lead, Billy was determined to do no wrong this time and set about checking out. Executing precision laps on his FE 350 saw the Brit build a commanding lead to cross the chequered flag over 20 seconds clear of his rivals.
With maximum points gained on the night thanks to his three race wins and SuperPole victory, Billy now heads to round four in Israel on March 2 with a 26-point championship lead.
Billy Bolt: “With three wins and topping SuperPole, it was a great night at the office. I knew my speed was good from the off, but in the first two races I seemed to keep tripping myself up. I would get into the lead and then just make a mistake or judge the lapped traffic wrong. Thankfully I was able to recover each time, but I really wanted to do better. I feel like race three was my best of the night. Mistakes were minimal and I was able to ride my lines with confidence. It was a great way to end the night!”
Results: SuperEnduro, Round 3
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has delivered another stunning performance at the 2023 Dakar Rally, placing third fastest on the 675-kilometre stage 13. Teammate Skyler Howes steered his FR 450 Rally to seventh place and now lies third overall in the provisional overall standings, less than two minutes behind the leader.
It was another tough day in the desert for all riders as they completed the 13th stage of this epic 45th running of the Dakar Rally. As the event left the dunes of the Empty Quarter and headed to Al Hofuf, competitors raced 154 kilometres against the clock, which were followed by a long liaison to reach the bivouac.
Luciano Benavides, pushing hard right from the start of the special, was immediately in contention to take his fourth stage win at this year’s Dakar. Initially fastest across the finish line, a one-minute penalty dropped the number 77 to second, which was then corrected to third place after Luciano’s brother Kevin was rewarded time lost for assisting a fallen rider.
Although slightly disappointed not to have taken another stage win, Luciano was more than happy with the way he has ridden the featureless Empty Quarter region and is now looking to finish his race on a high with another strong ride on tomorrow’s final stage 14.
Still well in the hunt for overall victory at this year’s Dakar, Skyler Howes was the sixth rider through the gate this morning and maintained a strong pace to the finish, despite a couple of errors along the way. The American has dropped down to third overall in the provisional overall standings, but he trails the leader by just one minute and 31 seconds and will have one final opportunity to make up time on his rivals on the rally’s 14th stage tomorrow.
Luciano Benavides: “The stage was good – around 150 kilometres of dunes. I had a small crash near the beginning, possibly from pushing a little too hard. But after that, I found my rhythm and was able to push again. Midway through the stage I saw Matthias (Walkner) on the ground with the helicopter. Obviously, I hope everything is ok with him and wish him a speedy recovery. After that, I carried on to the finish and think I did a good job. It wasn’t quite enough to win the stage, but I’m happy with how I rode.”
Skyler Howes: “Well, I definitely gave my all today – I pushed right from the start as hard as I could. When I saw that Walkner had crashed, it affected my focus a little bit. There were some really big dunes today, I had big jumps off the top of them myself, too. That was a bit of a deciding factor, I really wanted to push and try and get the win, but I want to make sure that I can complete the race as well. I missed one waypoint later on, and that meant circling around to pick it up, so I lost a little bit of time there. I’m still in the fight for the win, and I have to be super happy with how this race as gone up to this point. I can never look back and say I didn’t try my best. I’m looking forward to tomorrow, it’s going to be a short but fast stage with little scope to make up time I think, so the goal is to get my Husqvarna to the finish line in one piece and hopefully in a good position.”
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes and Luciano Benavides have safely completed the two-day marathon stage at the 2023 Dakar Rally. On stage 12 today, Skyler Howes finished as sixth quickest and now lies second in the overall standings – just 28 seconds off the lead after close to 41 hours of racing. Luciano Benavides opened the special today, a result of his stage win on day 11 – the Argentinian placed 12th and lies sixth overall going into the final two days of the race.
Despite the pressure of being well in the fight for victory at the 2023 Dakar Rally, Skyler Howes has delivered another cool, calculated ride in Saudi Arabia to complete stage 12 in sixth position and minimise his deficit to the provisional rally leader. His stand-out ride at this year’s event continues as the likeable American now lies in a strong second overall, and with his two closest rivals starting ahead of him on tomorrow’s stage 13, Skyler is perfectly placed to attack.
Also enjoying his time racing through the dunes of the Empty Quarter, Luciano Benavides did another stellar job opening the special today, following his win on stage 11. Benavides stayed focused throughout the 185 kilometres raced against the clock, to complete the stage as 12th fastest, a mere four minutes and 20 seconds down. An incredible performance by the number 77 who is on-course to equal or better his best ever Dakar result.
Skyler Howes: “A good stage for me today. The Empty Quarter really does live up to its name – just an endless sea of dunes. It’s really exciting to go into the last couple of days with the race so close. Both halves of the marathon stage went well – I think I was able to ride both days at a good, consistent pace. I was able to preserve myself and the bike without any issues, which is super important. So now I’m looking ahead at the last two stages of the race. Neither of them are very long, so with things so tight on the leaderboard, I really think this battle is going to run right up to the finish line.”
Luciano Benavides: “Yesterday was an amazing stage for me. My third stage win at the Dakar and I really had a lot of fun racing through the desert, jumping off all the dunes. Obviously today I had to open the stage, but I’m really happy as I think I did a good job and didn’t lose much time at all in the overall. The stage was very similar to yesterday, I just had to take extra care not to make any navigation mistakes and I had to focus on reading the terrain well, too. I’ll get a bit of rest now before tomorrow, where I’ve got another strong start position, so another push, and I hope to finish the day in a strong position.”
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has topped day nine of the Dakar Rally. Securing his second stage win of the 2023 event, the Argentinian delivered a masterclass of rally racing, only dropping to second for a short distance before powering his FR 450 Rally home to post the fastest time. The result moves Benavides from 11th to seventh.
On a tough day at the Dakar, with difficult navigation and challenging terrain, Husqvarna Factory Racing excelled with both riders completing the special inside the top three. It was Benavides, setting off 21st into the stage that came out on top. The number 77 focused carefully on his road book and didn’t make the same mistakes as many of his rivals to lead the timesheets for the majority of the 358 kilometres raced against the clock. Happy with his result, his performance, and the feel of his machine, Luciano will now open Wednesday’s 624-kilometre stage 10 from Haradh to Shaybah.
Starting two places ahead of his teammate, Skyler Howes also put in a great ride to secure a third-place result. Losing a couple of minutes while trying to find one particular waypoint meant that the American was soon caught by Benavides, and from there the two pushed hard toward the refuelling stop and then on to the finish. Skyler retains his lead in the overall standings and will have the opportunity to chase down the second-placed rider on tomorrow’s stage 10.
Luciano Benavides: “I’m really happy. I cannot believe I won again, and to be the first rider at this Dakar to win twice feels incredible. It was a really hard stage with a lot of navigation – you really had to focus on your road book to make sure you didn’t make any mistakes. There were a lot of broken tracks and different lines, so it was easy to take a slightly wrong line. Now I am opening the stage tomorrow, so it will be full gas all the way to the finish.”
Skyler Howes: “The stage today was pretty tricky. We hit a section where we were missing one waypoint and it was in a place deep with stones and a lot of mud. It was tough to navigate through there and I knew we were going off the CAP heading a little, so I had to circle around to get back on track. Luciano caught up with me then and riding together we really put the charge on, partly because I thought I had lost a lot more time than I had. We did a good job all the way from the refuelling to the finish. The ground out there was incredible – there’s been so much rain, in some places it was like riding through giant rivers. It’s been a challenging day and I’m sure there will be plenty more to come as we make our way to the end.”
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has delivered the goods to claim victory at round two of the 2023 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship in Riesa, Germany. In what proved to be a night of edge-of-the-seat SuperEnduro action, the defending World Champion overcame numerous incident-filled races to secure the top step of the podium and extend his points lead.
With a full house of spectators in Riesa, Billy wasted no time in putting on a show. Blitzing the course for the SuperPole, Bolt topped the time sheets on his FE 350 by over one and a half seconds.
Eager to carry that form into the rest of the night, Bolt timed the gate drop of race one to perfection to claim the holeshot and take an early lead. Settling into a fast rhythm, Billy pushed hard to increase his advantage. However, a slight lapse in concentration overtaking lapped riders allowed rival Jonny Walker to momentarily slip by. Immediately regrouping, Billy put his Husqvarna back in front and with a couple of laps to go, he attacked hard to ride clear for a five-second margin of victory.
With the start order reversed for race two, Billy made his now customary cautious start to the race. Putting on a charge, he slotted into second place on lap two. Tangling with Walker while challenging for the lead, both riders crashed in the sand corner. Bolt was quick to his feet and a lap later had fought his way into the lead. However, despite building up a comfortable advantage, a crash on the penultimate lap dropped him back to fourth. Fighting hard to recover, he crossed the finish line in third, despite a dramatic clash with Taddy Blazusiak, which saw both riders hit the dirt after the chequered flag.
Putting race two behind him, Billy focused on winning race three to seal the overall victory in Germany. Third off the start, he took the lead on lap one only to crash once more on the rocky climb. A second crash knocked him back to third. Racing up to second place, he faced a five second deficit to leader Walker with three laps to go. Muscling his FE 350 around the course, he finally drew level with Walker and took the lead with one lap to go. This time holding firm, he claimed a dramatic and hard-fought race three victory to secure the top step of the podium in Riesa.
The 2023 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship continues with round three in Budapest, Hungary on February 4.
Billy Bolt: “I made life hard for myself tonight, but I’m happy to have come out on top in the end. It was pretty hectic on track all night and to be honest I made too many stupid mistakes. I hold my hands up for that. The speed was there, but with only one good line on the track mistakes were easily made. Maybe tonight was about shaking off that Christmas break, but I feel like I have room to improve for round three. Overall, I’ve finished on top of the podium and extended my points leads, so I’m happy with the outcome and look forward to Budapest.”
Results: FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, Round 2
Making the trek to Angel Stadium is an annual tradition for the AMA Supercross Championship, but this year added a new layer of intrigue, as it was also the kickoff of the new SuperMotocross era, where the Supercross and Pro Motocross seasons link together for the first time. RJ Hampshire topped the results for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team, where tough track conditions brought on by an unusual string of rainy days in Southern California made it extremely challenging for all the riders.
250SX
Part of the mystery of any season-opener is to see how all the riders stack up, and the night started off in the best way possible for RJ Hampshire, with a win in his heat race packed with talented title contenders. When the gate dropped for the 250SX Main Event, Hampshire started off in the fourth position, but methodically moved forward. With less than two minutes left to go, he moved into the second spot and finished slightly over five seconds behind the top spot.
"Man, we had an awesome day," Hampshire said. "From start to finish we were solid. I felt like my riding was really good. My starts were decent, and it was a solid start to the season with a P2. We'll take it and lead into Oakland. Hopefully, we can do it again."
450SX
Malcolm Stewart experienced a little bit of everything during the 450SX Main Event. Nearing the halfway point, he took advantage of a bobble by last season’s champion and took over the lead for several laps. Later, contact with another rider forced him off the track. In the closing stages of the main, he had a crash that dropped him to the back of the pack. But even with the tough finish, he was left with a positive impression at the start of the season.
"The day started out pretty slow. I didn't really ride that well in practice and the track was pretty tough, but I got to a point where I was like, 'You know what? I just need to turn this dayaround,' because I felt like I work too hard to get to this point," Stewart said. "I got a decent start in the main event, and just did the best I could. I started riding, clicking off laps, making some good passes, and smart choices. I was leading the main for a while, which was amazing. I don't think I've done that in my whole entire career. Just having all that pressure and dealing with it, if anything brings confidence to me because I know where I belong. I'm very proud of myself. Unfortunately, we did have a crash with three laps to go. It was a big crash for sure. I'm glad that I'm healthy and walked away from it, so we live to fight another day and I'm more proud of myself because of how my day was going and me turning it around and going like that, and doing what I'm supposed to do just brings more confidence for me. I'm looking forward to Oakland."
For the newest member of the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team, Christian Craig, it was a tough way to start the season, finishing 13th on the night in the 450 class.
"A1's done and it was a rough day for me," Craig said. "I started off good in practice and then had a pretty big crash in the whoops and from there on out it was a struggle. I rode tight and not like myself. I’m pretty frustrated with the night, but we're healthy, we're moving on, and only up from here. I've just got to work on starting up front and putting myself in a good position to battle more next week."
Next Event (Round 2): 1/14/23 – RingCentral Coliseum
Round 1 Results: Anaheim, California
250SX West – Main Event
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda)
2. RJ Hampshire - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
3. Cameron Mcadoo (Kawasaki)
450SX – Main Event
1. Eli Tomac (Yamaha)
2. Cooper Webb (KTM)
3. Chase Sexton (Honda)
…
13. Christian Craig - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
22. Malcolm Stewart - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
450SX Championship Standings – After Round 1
1. Eli Tomac (Yamaha) 26 pts
2. Cooper Webb (KTM) 23 pts
3. Chase Sexton (Honda) 21 pts
…
13. Christian Craig - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 10 pts
22. Malcolm Stewart - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 1 pts
250SX West Championship Standings – After Round 1
1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 26 pts
2. RJ Hampshire - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 23 pts
3. Cameron Mcadoo (Kawasaki) 21 pts
FR 450 Rally rider leads home a Husqvarna Factory Racing one-two as Skyler Howes finishes as runner-up and increases his lead at the top of the event standings
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes and Luciano Benavides are excited to get their 2023 Dakar Rally campaigns underway. Following their stellar 2022 season, both FR 450 Rally riders are motivated and confident ahead of the start of the opening round of the 2023 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship, held in Saudi Arabia.
Coming into the 2023 Dakar Rally, Skyler Howes has shown incredible pace over the past 12 months, including a win at the tough Rallye du Maroc – Howes’ first world championship victory. The speed and results are due in part to the hard work put in by the whole team in developing the latest 2023 model FR 450 Rally.
Feeling fit and better prepared than ever to take on the gruelling 8,500 kilometres of the 2023 Dakar, the American is fully focused on delivering his best ever performance at the iconic event. With 14 full stages to cover and over 4,700 kilometres raced against the clock, Howes feels the long nature of the rally, as well as the increased value placed on accurate navigation, should suit his skills and style.
Having also enjoyed a stand-out 2022 season in which he claimed podium results in Morocco and Andalucia, Luciano Benavides is on top form and hungry for success at the Dakar. The 2022 event didn’t go as planned for the Argentinian as he suffered from the same first day navigational issue that caught out many of the front runners. However, quickly regrouping and fighting back up the order gave Benavides the confidence he needed to attack the remainder of the season.
Finding the changes and development made to the FR 450 Rally perfectly suited to his riding style, Luciano feels comfortable to push hard over all varied terrain while also being able to focus on his navigation – something that could prove key over the course the long, upcoming race. With added rule changes that reward riders who open stages coming into effect in 2023, strategy and the ability to read the terrain, and the road book, will be more important than ever.
The 2023 Dakar Rally starts with a short 11-kilometre prologue on December 31 to decide the start order for stage one. The event then covers 14 full days of racing with riders covering a total distance of 8,549 kilometres, 4,706 of which will be timed special stages raced against the clock. The rally comes to a close on Sunday, January 15 in Dammam.
Skyler Howes: “I’m really looking forward to beginning the 2023 Dakar Rally adventure that awaits us. I’m super excited to get started actually, this year I feel a lot more relaxed than at previous Dakars, and that is great for my confidence. Of course, there is still a lot of riding and racing that faces us over the next two weeks or so, and it’s definitely going to be a tough Dakar. But it’s these longer, more challenging events that seem to suit my riding and my mindset. There are going to be a lot of changes this year with new the rules and that means different strategies, but I think it’s good. It’s always tricky when they bring in these rule changes, but we’re all in the same boat here and we’ll have to figure it out as best we can. At the end of the day, all I can do is my best, and that’s what I plan to do – have a cool, fun time racing my Husqvarna through Saudi Arabia.”
Luciano Benavides: “We’re almost ready for the start of the race now. I have prepared more than ever for the 2023 race, and I’m in a really good place to give the event my absolute best. It’s going to be a really long race this year – the longest for around eight years – it means it’s going to be a really tough Dakar, especially the second week through the dunes of the Empty Quarter. Mentally and physically I’m feeling good, and my pace has been really competitive over the course of 2022. I truly feel I have a good shot at securing a top result, I just need to remain focused each day and not make any mistakes as I think they will have a huge impact this year.”
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt got his FIM SuperEnduro World Championship title defence off to a perfect start with victory at round one in Poland. In what was his first return to racing following a five-month injury, Bolt won all three Prestige races in Krakow, along with topping the SuperPole hot lap, to make it a clean sweep at the season opener.
Dominating the SuperPole hot lap by nearly one and a half seconds, Billy earned himself the first gate pick for the opening Prestige race of the night. Despite it marking his first competitive outing in over five months, the FE 350 mounted rider was quick to show everyone that he’d lost none of his race craft. Taking control of the lead, the Husqvarna rider checked out to secure the first race win of the night in Krakow.
With the grid order reversed for the second Prestige race, Billy opted for a steady start from row two before carefully cutting his way through the field with rapid precision. Working safe, clean overtakes, he quickly moved to the front of the field. Once past leader Taddy Blazusiak, he upped his pace during the midway point to pull clear of his rivals for an eventual 30-second margin of victory.
As the gate dropped on the third and final Prestige race in Krakow, Billy set his sights on making it a clean sweep of wins at round one and he didn’t disappoint. Although getting a little boxed in during the first few corners of lap one, the Brit remained calm and composed as he moved up to second. After a couple of laps battling with early leader Jonny Walker, Bolt soon put his Husqvarna out front and wasn’t headed.
Claiming three wins from three starts at round one in Poland, the defending world champion has bounced back from injury in perfect style to establish himself as the rider to beat in the new SuperEnduro season.
The FIM SuperEnduro World Championship continues with round two’s GP of Germany on January 7, 2023.
Billy Bolt: “I’m so pleased to be back racing, but to make my comeback with a clean sweep of wins and taking SuperPole is the dream start to the championship I had hoped for. It’s felt like a long and tough five months off the bike, but I’m chuffed to be back on the bike and racing hard again. It’s what I love to do. Although tonight went to plan, I feel like I’ve some work to do to get back to my very best. We’ve a couple of weeks until round two in Germany, so I’ll keep working hard to be even stronger there.”
Results: FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, Round 1
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes and Luciano Benavides are in the final stages of their preparations ahead of January’s Dakar Rally. With both riders enjoying a stand-out 2022 season, the FR 450 Rally mounted teammates will be looking to carry their excellent form into the 14-stage rally, which starts in less than one month’s time. The 2023 event promises to be one of the toughest ever with long, timed specials and several new-for-2023 rule changes that will test the riders, and the team, to the maximum.
The 2022 season didn’t start in the best way for either Benavides or Howes, with both riders enduring disappointing Dakars for different reasons. While Luciano spent the rally fighting back from a tough first day where he fell foul of some unpredictable navigation, Skyler crashed out of the event on day five. Both riders returned to action at round two of the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship however, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, and claimed top-10 results after putting in strong performances while racing through the UAE desert.
After a long summer break where the duo raced in several local events as well as spending weeks with the team developing and testing their FR 450 Rally machines, they resumed their world championship campaigns at round three in Morocco. It was during this second half of the season that all the hard work paid off, as Howes went on to claim his first ever world championship victory with a win at the Rallye du Maroc, leading Benavides home for a Husqvarna Factory Racing one-two. Then at the Andalucia Rally in Spain, Luciano secured a second consecutive world championship podium result with an excellent ride to third place.
More than happy with the feel and performance of their machines, and both in top form physically, both Howes and Benavides now look ahead to the first round of the 2023 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship, namely the Dakar Rally, which starts on December 31st in Saudi Arabia. The 14-stage event promises to throw up several new challenges to all competitors in terms of long timed specials and even more technically demanding navigation. With just weeks to go before the event starts, Husqvarna Factory Racing are definitely up for the challenge.
Skyler Howes: “I’m super excited for Dakar 2023. The rule changes we’ll have, the longer format, and the tough navigation they are promising, that all suits me and my style well. It’s going to be tough, that’s for sure, but I’m ready to give it everything I have. It’s all in the past now, but I guess things started out pretty rough for me this season – having to withdraw from the Dakar on stage five was obviously a big blow and it took a long time to recover. I went into Abu Dhabi way less than 100% but was able to finish the event. After that things started to turn around – I took the win at the Silver State 300 and the Vegas to Reno races, which was great. But then the victory at the Rallye du Maroc was on another level. It was my first world championship win, and something I had dreamed about my whole career. Those results, along with all the testing I’ve done with the team and the development to the bike, man I’m going into the 2023 Dakar full of confidence. My own personal training has been going really well, too. We still have another team test to go in December, and then more work in the gym, but I’m really excited for Dakar 2023.”
Luciano Benavides: “The 2022 season has been the best year of my career so far. I finished fourth in the world championship and had two consecutive podiums in Morocco and Andalucia. That, as well as a stage win in Abu Dhabi while also opening three stages there has really raised my confidence. My Dakar back in January was good, too. Although the first day was tough, I was able to fight back from that time lost to secure a good finish. In terms of performance, I think I did a really good year and want to take that into the 2023 Dakar. Right now, I’m in the best form I’ve ever been in both mentally and physically. And my feeling on the bike is great, due to all the testing and development the team has done this year. Just a few weeks to go now and we’re in for the big one. I can’t wait to get started.”
Norbert Stadlbauer – Rally Team Manager: “The Husqvarna Factory Racing team have gone from strength to strength this season, both in terms of their outright speed in the world championship and in other national events where they have secured wins and podium results. The form that both Luciano and Skyler are in right now comes down to a lot of hard work and dedication, and I truly believe that the team will be right up there at the sharp end of the results when the 2023 Dakar comes to a close.”
Robert Jonas – Head of Motorsports Offroad: “We are really pleased with the progress of the Husqvarna Factory Racing team this year. In the latter half of the season, Skyler and Luciano have shown time and time again that they are to be counted with the world’s best. With another year of experience and strong results behind them, I have every faith that the team can look forward to delivering strong results at the upcoming Dakar Rally and throughout the 2023 FIM World Rally-Raid season.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing is proud to introduce its four-rider SuperMotocross World Championship roster entering the new season, consisting of newly signed Christian Craig and the returning Malcolm Stewart aboard the 2023 Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition, as well as RJ Hampshire and Jalek Swoll equipped with the Husqvarna FC 250.
Officially launched on Tuesday at RD Field, where the team’s practice facility is based in Murrieta, Calif., all four Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team riders are eager for the gates to drop on the 2023 AMA Supercross season in Anaheim on January 7. From there, inclusive of Pro Motocross beginning in May, the newly introduced series will feature 31 events combined.
As the current 250SX Western Regional Champion, 31-year-old Craig will transition to the 450SX division full-time in the upcoming season with momentum on his side. He has swiftly adapted to the FC 450 Rockstar Edition upon training with Aldon Baker at the Baker’s Factory and carries high hopes into both supercross and motocross.
Malcolm Stewart, meanwhile, is set to continue his upward trajectory in what will be his second year with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. After finishing a career-high third in the 450SX standings this past season, complete with three podiums to his credit, expectations for the entire SuperMotocross World Championship are high for the 30-year-old rider. Christian Craig: “This is year one on the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team and it's been good so far this pre-season. I moved the whole family to Clermont and started fresh with Aldon. We went straight into bootcamp, and it's been good so far. I’m just learning the bike, learning the program and just trying to build each day and get better. I’m getting more familiar with the bike every day and just keep grinding. Other than that, just doing the laps and getting ready for A1, trying to be as ready as possible.” Malcolm Stewart: “I feel great going into the 2023 season with the team. I had a really good year last year for supercross and I felt like we were just getting the ball rolling. I just feel like, for me, it's all about being consistent, as I've always said. I’ve got better goals for myself and I think I got some personal stuff that I know I needed to do done. Being with the team again for another year on this bike, I feel like it's going to be a really good year, so I'm excited. I got a new teammate, Christian Craig, and I feel like he's going hold me accountable just like everybody else that's out there, so I can't wait to see how we do and I think it's going to be a great year for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team.”
It will be RJ Hampshire and Jalek Swoll who lead the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250 class program into the SuperMotocross World Championship series, both continuing with the team and with the goal of competing for victory in the new year aboard their 2023 Husqvarna FC 250 race bikes.
As for RJ Hampshire, this year also marks his fourth with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing and it is shaping up to be his best yet. The 26-year-old finished runner-up in the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship with a breakout Main Event win, followed by finishing fifth in 250MX, where he also managed to stand on top of the podium. Now, he is firmly targeting to contend for championships.
At 22 years of age, Jalek Swoll enters his fourth term with the team in the professional ranks and is looking to put his experience into practice throughout both indoors and the outdoors. In 2022, he displayed top-five form in supercross and has hopes of building on those results in the 250SX and 250MX series. RJ Hampshire: “We've had a really solid off-season so far since the beginning of December and I feel like we're about ready to go. We made a lot of progress with the bike and my comfort, so looking back on last year, I know we're in a good spot. Getting second in the championship was huge and I definitely feel like we can make a big jump forward. These guys have been working really hard ever since last year and we're in a really good spot, so I’m excited to go racing with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team.” Jalek Swoll : “I’m really looking forward to this upcoming season with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team. We've gotten a lot more time on the bike and have had some really good days back in Florida training with Aldon and I’m feeling good about this season. I’m eager to get back into racing with the whole team and look forward to the fun of that whole deal. I’m excited for us riders to come out swinging hard and try to re-brand ourselves this year.” Nathan Ramsey , Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager: “I’m very excited about the 2023 season. We’ve got a new addition to the team with Christian Craig, and three hard-working riders returning this year with Malcolm, RJ and Jalek back with us. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing is looking good, and the guys have been putting in a lot of work at the Baker’s Factory during the off-season. We’re excited to have Josh Hansen on-board doing some testing with the bikes. We’re feeling confident coming into the year and looking forward to getting it started.”
In the swift wake of its most successful season as part of the Moto3™ world championship series, Husqvarna Motorcycles has unveiled the colours for 2023 and the scale of the project to enter two Grand Prix categories next year.
The LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP team welcomed guests, staff and riders to their base in Memmingen, Germany last week and threw away the covers from the FR 250 GP technology that will contest the Moto3 class (in the hands of racers Ayumu Sasaki and Collin Veijer) and the machinery that will front Husqvarna Motorcycles’ debut in the Moto2™ division (Darryn Binder and Lukas Tulovic on board).
The brand has doubled down on their presence in the MotoGP series for 2023, encouraged by the results and progress of the Moto3 wing this year; notably the three wins in the Netherlands, Austria and Malaysia by Sasaki and John McPhee and a total of ten GP podium appearances. The meeting at Sepang, Malaysia, in particular, was a highlight thanks to the 1-2 classification by the Briton and the Japanese.
Sasaki showed world championship form in the second half of the 2022 campaign and was
one of the star draws during the gathering in Germany. Together with fresh team management the riders presented the new-look race bikes for the first time and the shade of Husqvarna Motorcycle white, blue and yellow that will be seen in winter testing and throughout the 21 dates of the 2023 calendar.
Ayumu Sasaki : "2022 has been a lot of ups and downs for me, I had some injuries at the beginning of the year but luckily in the second part of the season, we had some fantastic races: we achieved nine podiums, and two wins and it turned out to be the best season in my career so far. Next year I am aiming to be within the top 3, if possible to fight for the championship, and I will do everything I can to achieve that."
Collin Veijer: "I had an incredible season, especially at the start of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup as I got my first podiums in the first couple of races. In FIM JuniorGP, I sustained an injury in the first race but in the summer break, we trained a lot and tried to fix everything which resulted in two victories in the category and three wins in the Rookies. I am super happy with 2022 and can't wait to start this new adventure. I hope to learn a lot from Ayumu next year but I need to make my own experiences and learn to improve myself from them."
Darryn Binder : "It was a great opportunity to go straight to MotoGP in 2022 but I am very happy to be coming to Moto2 for the very first time. It will be another new adventure for me and I am hoping to make the most of it. I am really happy to join this team as there have been talks before and so it's great to finally come together. I am super-excited to get the 2023 season started and I hope that I can put all the experience I've gained in MotoGP this year into Moto2 and make the most of it and hope to secure some good results. When I first tested the Moto2 bike, it felt really good. I felt comfortable really quickly and after three days I already started to build up a good feeling. Step-by-step I understood what the Moto2 bikes needs and it's cool not to worry about too much electronics because you can just go out, ride and work on the setup. focus on your riding and improve with every exit. The testing was really positive which is why I can't wait to get the season started.”
Lukas Tulovic : "I love the new colours of the bikes and I am sure we will stand out from the crowd. In the European Championship we were already at world championship level on some tracks and based on the riders who have entered Moto2 in 2022, I think you can also expect us to be in the top third of the pack. Of course we have to make steps and improve over the season but my goal is the top 10."
Ayumu Sasaki takes his FR 250 GP to 5th at the MotoGP™ finale in Spain to finish 2022 with 4th place in the Moto3 world championship standings.
The Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana represented the 25th time that MotoGP has descended into the circular ‘speedbowl’ setting of the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, a short distance west of the city of Valencia. World championship riders and teams were competing in front of a largely Spanish audience (but a full attendance) for the fourth time this term but Valencia has long been a customary venue to bring the racing season to a close and counted on sunshine and warm temperatures for the twentieth and final fixture of 2022.
The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team approached the last GP of their three-year tenure in ‘white and blue’ with Ayumu Sasaki chasing a top three championship ranking and John McPhee motivated for his final outing in the Moto3 division after his thrilling victory two weeks ago in Malaysia.
Qualification went smoothly for the crew around the 4km layout with 14 corners and many of those tight and narrow: Sasaki ranked 5th to sit on the second row of the grid while McPhee was only fractions of a second away in 10th for a slot on the fourth line.
Moto3 opened the race card at Valencia with 23 laps and the promise of a very close group vying for the right to the final chequered flag of 2022. Sasaki and McPhee slotted into the fourteen-rider third gaggle with hopes of 4th position. The Japanese had to constantly attack and defend but rode decently once more to obtain 5th; behind Dennis Foggia by four tenths of a second to accept a top four championship berth. McPhee had a busy run trying to elbow his way into the top ten and the Scot made it to the line in 11th for five points.
In the wake of twenty Grands Prix with the expected highs (victories in the Netherlands, Austria and Malaysia and a total of ten podium appearances) and lows (injuries to both riders) Husqvarna Motorcycles was able to see both of its racers place 4th and 11th in the standings and the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team toast 3rd in the Teams’ contest.
After the winter period, that will combine both private and official IRTA tests, Husqvarna Motorcycles will reappear in Moto3 and Moto2™ competition for the season-opening Grand Prix of Portugal in Portimao on March 26th 2023.
Ayumu Sasaki : “It was a very good season and I want to thank all my team and the sponsors. It’s been my best championship so far. We went through some difficulties with injuries and we had some bad luck as well but the second part of the season was incredible with nine podiums and two wins. I struggled here but improved all weekend and finished P5. We collected a lot of data and learning this season for next year and I will have the same crew and same people and we will only have one target. We will start in our best way.”
John McPhee : “An emotional race for me; my last in Moto3. It was nice to be fast and consistent all weekend. I felt competitive which is the best way to complete my final GP. A big thanks to the team and to everyone that supported me and stuck with me in the hard moments. I pushed 100% as always. I look forward to the next chapter of my career.”
Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Final round
1. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 38:10.406, 2. Deniz Öncü (KTM) +0.062, 3. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) +6.557, 5. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) +14.574, 11. John McPhee (Husqvarna) +15.533
Final Moto3 world championship standings
1. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 319pts, 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 257, 3. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 246, 4. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 238, 11. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 102
Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing are excited to announce that Lucas Coenen has joined the squad ahead of the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship. Coenen, who hails from Belgium, is set to compete in the MX2 class aboard the proven FC 250.
Coenen is one of the brightest talents to emerge from Europe in some time. Racing in the EMX250 class at fifteen years of age, he won seven of the final eight motos and secured second in the final classification. It was an impressive term aboard his FC 250 and such potential will be nurtured under the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing awning.
With Lucas Coenen added to their line-up, Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing will run a rather exciting trio in the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship. Kay de Wolf and Roan van de Moosdijk will enter the new term, which begins with the Grand Prix of Patagonia-Argentina on March 12, with title aspirations.
Lucas Coenen: "I am really excited to join Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing for the 2023 season! To start my MX2 career with a brand as prestigious as Husqvarna is an honour and I cannot wait to see what I can do on my FC 250."
Rasmus Jorgensen (Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager): "Adding Lucas Coenen to Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing is exciting for all of us; he was so impressive in the EMX250 class earlier this year and already on a Husqvarna. I'm very proud of the Husqvarna brand, and it makes a lot of sense to continue writing this story together! 2023 is shaping up to be a great year for the team. Kay and Roan are extremely motivated to put the unlucky 2022 season behind them and have set their sights on 2023. We are counting down to round one!"
Luciano Benavides has finished the 2022 Andalucia Rally in third place overall. A strong ride on the short, final stage of the Spanish event saw the Husqvarna Factory Racing rider secure his second consecutive event podium, claiming fourth overall in the final 2022 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship standings.
Despite being short at just over 100 kilometres, the timed special on stage four of the Andalucia Rally delivered challenging terrain and navigation to all competitors for their final charge to the finish line. Due to his third-place result from Saturday’s stage three, Luciano Benavides entered the special with two riders ahead of him. With a three-minute deficit to the provisional leader of the rally coming into the final day, Benavides knew it would be tough to make up the time required, but nevertheless gave his all over the opening half of the stage.
With the times extremely close between the top three, a small mistake by Luciano later in the special cost him several valuable seconds, and with a sizeable advantage to the fourth-placed competitor, Benavides decided to ease his pace slightly over the final kilometres to ensure a safe podium finish. Bringing his FR 450 Rally home just one and a half minutes behind the stage winner, the young Argentinian secured third place in the event, and with it, his second consecutive world championship podium.
Following a tough start to the season, where he placed 13th at the Dakar Rally, Luciano delivered superb performances over the three subsequent rounds to ensure his top-four result in the championship rankings. A stage win at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge was followed by a podium in Morocco and third place in Spain. On top form, Benavides now looks forward to the Dakar Rally next January. Joining his teammate in Saudi Arabia, Skyler Howes will also be aiming to carry the speed that took him to victory at the Rallye du Maroc into the first round of the 2023 season.
Luciano Benavides: “I’m happy to complete the last day of the rally – it was another crazy stage of hard navigation and really tough tracks. It was shorter than the previous days, but it was still quite challenging due to the tricky navigation and less visible pistes. There were also many, many rocks and stones, so it was hard to find a good rhythm. I made a little mistake near the end, but I knew if I stayed at a solid pace, my third place would be safe, so I eased off a little in the final kilometres to bring it home safely. To get back-to-back podiums from here and Morocco and to be able to share the podium with my brother feels great, and the result has moved me up to fourth in the world championship, so I’m really pleased with that, too. It’s important to finish the season strong, with good speed and no injuries, so the plan now is to carry this form to Dakar.”
Victory for John McPhee and 2nd place for Ayumu Sasaki as MotoGP™ rushes through the stifling humidity of the Sepang International Circuit.
The nineteenth and second-to-last Grand Prix of the 2022 MotoGP world championship campaign brought the eastern global stint of the series to an end as Malaysia and the Sepang International Circuit made a popular and overdue return to the schedule.
The Moto3 teams and riders had to reacquaint themselves with the oppressive heat of the site close to Kuala Lumpur and the ever-present threat of heavy rain spells. Comprehensive set-up work to deal with the two long straights and diversity of the 15 corners was also in order as the Sepang offered contrasting flow and demands compared to Phillip Island in Australia the previous weekend.
The Sterilgarda Max Racing team watched Ayumu Sasaki get down to business as the Japanese again worked with the FR 250 GP to lodge his name and number near the top of the time sheets throughout Free Practice as the Moto3 field avoided the worst of the showery climate on Friday. Sasaki ended-up with 7th place on the start grid after Q2 on Saturday while John McPhee dealt with a few issues to labour to the eighth row.
Moto3 was run through 17 gripping laps at midday on Sunday. The onus on slipstreaming and keeping a slot in the leading group through consistency and tyre preservation were vital skills. Sasaki started conservatively, especially considering rain in the morning has left the track damp in places. He soon found another gear to shift from the edge of the top ten into contention for the lead with six laps to go.
McPhee was able to regain ground to slot in the second gaggle. The experience Scot then rode hard to break free and join the leaders, staring at a very small gap to 7th position. Riccardo Rossi’s crash then allowed him to merge with the group.
The final Moto3 push was chaotic and unpredictable as always but McPhee’s sensational inside line to gain four places with two corners to go was the difference. He held onto P1 despite a last-gasp attack from his teammate into Turn 15 and sealed his fourth career victory and the first in Husqvarna Motorcycles colours by four hundredths of a second. The result marked the third triumph for the team this season. Sasaki’s 2nd place was his ninth podium of 2022.
With 227 points Sasaki still has a chance of reaching 2nd place in the world championship standings as the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana will represent the last chance and final sprint of the term in two weeks. The Circuito Ricardo Tormo in Spain will offer a maximum of 25 points and the opportunity for the Japanese to add to his tally. McPhee had risen to 16th prior to the outing in Malaysia and is now 10th. The Husqvarna Motorcycles squad have classified 3rd in the Teams’ contest for 2022.
John McPhee : “I’m proud of myself, I dug so deep. It has been such a tough season and weekend here. It was a tough day yesterday but now I’m so happy for the guys who have been supporting me. One last win in Moto3 but we still have another chance in Valencia.”
Ayumu Sasaki : “Today I gave everything. I heard that Dietrich [Mateschitz] had passed away and I just wanted to give this race to him. I pushed for all I could and will always give my wings for the championship! At least it was John who beat me today! I know it hasn’t been the easiest season for him. I tried to pass at the end but was a bit too hot into the last corner. I’m happy anyway!”
Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Round 19
1. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 38:04.589, 2. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) +0.048 , 3. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) +0.146
Moto3 world championship standings
1. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 294pts, 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 241, 3. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 233, 4. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 227, 10. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 97
Luciano Benavides has put in a solid ride on the long stage three of the Andalucia Rally to place third overall. Despite a crash in the second half of the timed special, the Husqvarna Factory Racing rider was able to complete the day inside the top three, finishing just over three minutes down on the winner.
Luciano Benavides has put in a solid ride on the long stage three of the Andalucia Rally to place third overall. Despite a crash in the second half of the timed special, the Husqvarna Factory Racing rider was able to complete the day inside the top three, finishing just over three minutes down on the winner.
The longest stage of the event started well for Benavides. After a short delay due to the weather, the FR 450 Rally rider was the third competitor to enter the 284-kilometre timed special and immediately delivered a pace that secured his position inside the top three. Feeling comfortable, despite the unpredictable and slippery tracks that made up the first half of the stage, Luciano reached the refuelling point as third fastest.
Setting off again and looking to improve his position, a small crash resulted in the young Argentinian losing several minutes to his rivals. Thankfully, despite being in some discomfort, Benavides was able to safely complete the stage in an excellent third place.
With one day of the event left to contest, Luciano lies third overall, just over five minutes down on the provisional leader. Sunday’s 400-kilometre stage includes a short 100-kilometre timed special, where Benavides will be aiming to give his all in the hope of securing himself a podium finish.
Luciano Benavides: “It was a really, really long day again – more than three hours on the bike and tough, slippery tracks where you are sliding around all the time. Navigation was quite easy, but you had to take extra care about all the notes in your road book. It wasn’t so easy to get completely lost, but it was possible to miss a turn or another track, and that could cost you quite a few seconds each time. Honestly, in the first half of the stage I thought I was doing well. Times were tight but I was holding on to about third place, around 30 seconds down. Then, after the refuelling, I had a crash which cost me a few minutes. I was in a little pain but carried on ok. Towards the end, my brother caught me, so it was cool to finish the stage going full gas on the sand with him. I’m happy with my pace on the whole and looking forward to the finish tomorrow.”
Luciano Benavides has placed third fastest on the opening stage of the 2022 Andalucia Rally. Excelling over the demanding Spanish tracks and terrain, the Argentinian completed the gruelling 315-kilometre timed special in just short of four hours, three and a half minutes behind the leader.
Showing impressive speed over yesterday’s short but fast prologue stage, a small mistake in the closing kilometres cost Benavides several seconds, resulting in the FR 450 Rally rider clocking in sixth fastest. With the prologue deciding the start positions for today’s stage one, Benavides was the seventh rider to enter the timed special, where he immediately set about chasing down his rivals ahead.
Maintaining a strong pace over the broken tracks and riverbeds seen in the early part of the special, Luciano soon caught a pair of riders ahead of him. Initially finding it difficult to make a safe pass due to the dust, Benavides eventually got ahead and was able to push onwards, towards the refuelling stop.
As the stage continued, Luciano fought his way past several other riders as he steadily climbed the leaderboard. By the 200-kilometre mark, the 26-year-old was less than two minutes down on the stage leader. Unfortunately, a small mistake in the closing kilometres cost the Husqvarna rider some time, but he was still able to secure a solid third-place result for the day, and now looks forward to a strong start position into Friday’s 568-kilometre stage two.
Luciano Benavides: “That was a crazy stage one of the Andalucia Rally. It was really slippery out there today, with many tracks and pistes, so you really had to take notice of your notes and navigation. I caught the two guys ahead of me early on, so that meant riding in their dust for quite a while before I could get past them. I put in a good section up to the refuelling, and then after that I caught another two riders, who I was able to get past quite quickly. Later on, I did make a small mistake where I was unsure about the timings after the neutralisation, and that cost me some time. We ended up riding in a group to the finish, so that was good fun. I’m really happy with my riding today and the way the bike handled this tough terrain. Thanks to my team for their hard work and we’ll go again tomorrow.”
Husqvarna Motorcycles is set to become a protagonist in yet another sphere of MotoGP™ next year after forging a union with the resourceful and competitive Moto2 team Intact GP to form ‘LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP’. The name of the squad will cover racing wings in both the intermediate category and in Moto3, where Husqvarna Motorcycles has been winning Grands Prix each season since their reintroduction to world championship action in 2020.
LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Moto3 will be managed by overseer of the current GP crew, Peter Öttl, and will retain the services of Ayumu Sasaki, together with the promise of young Dutchman Collin Veijer. Sasaki, 22 years old, has had a stellar 2022 campaign on the FR 250 GP so far, claiming events in the Netherlands and Austria and with an additional six podium finishes. The Japanese is pushing for the top three in the Moto3 championship standings. Veijer, 17, has won three races in the ’22 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and is still in contention for the title. The Dutch youngster will be a Grand Prix rookie in 2023.
The experience and expertise of Team Manager Jürgen Lingg will be a big asset for Husqvarna Motorcycles’ first thrust into Moto2 and the standardised formula of the final ‘stepping stone’ to the MotoGP class. The new look outfit will be able to count on the pace and character of Darryn Binder as well as Lukas Tulovic. Binder, just 24, has won in Moto3 and is on the verge of completing a decent first term in MotoGP after an unexpected vault between the divisions at the end of 2021. The South African is renowned for his determination and dedication and although he will again be a debutant when it comes to Moto2 he will be able to harness copious lessons from his eight-year career to-date. Tulovic is the newly crowned Moto2 European champion for the LIQUI MOLY Intact GP Junior Team and has made Moto2 GP appearances, the 22-year-old German has also turned his head to recent MotoE competition and is regarded as ‘one to watch’ by the team.
2023 will mark a milestone for Husqvarna Motorcycles thanks to this wider structure and increased awareness at the peak of motorcycle sport.
Peter Öttl, LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Moto3 Team Manager: “For three seasons we have been able to carry the Husqvarna Motorcycles name highly in Moto3 and it is very satisfying to continue the story together with Jürgen and a bigger programme now in Moto2. Ayumu stays with us and after some excellent results in 2022 we hope we can go for even more in 2023. Collin, on the other hand, is a rider with a lot of potential and we trust that he will carry on learning and building his career. I want to thank Husqvarna Motorcycles for the trust and the confidence. We will work hard to keep the Husqvarna name at the front of Moto3.”
Jürgen Lingg, LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Moto2 Team Manager: "We are very grateful to Husqvarna Motorcycles for the trust they have placed in us. This merger is a new and an exciting step for our team, ushering in a new era. We have a new brand, new riders and a new direction. In 2023 the bikes will change colour and we are all motivated and convinced that this change will take us forward."
Jens Hainbach, Head of Sports Management Road Racing:: “Finally we have been able to grow the white and blue from Moto3 to Moto2 and I cannot be happier with our new partners to take Husqvarna Motorcycles into the next era. 2022 has been a breakthrough in Moto3 and it’s fantastic that we will continue on a solid foundation with Peter’s expertise. Jürgen knows Moto2 better than most and, overall, we believe our mix of riders for the brand combine a lot of potential and youth. It’s a strong group package and I want to thank everyone involved for bringing this all together.”
Signing off on a terrific 2022 EnduroGP World Championship campaign, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Mikael Persson has ended his fight for the Enduro3 World Championship title as runner-up. With the outcome of the championship going down to the wire at the seventh and final round in Germany, Persson arrived in Zschopau eager to claim a debut world crown.
Although not getting off to the best start on Saturday, the Swede soon settled into his rhythm on his TE 300. Fighting hard, he ended the day as runner-up to rival Brad Freeman. The result meant both riders were level on points at the top of the class, meaning all was to play for on the final day of the championship
Feeling motivated and knowing that he’d need to deliver he very best, Persson threw all he had at the final day title fight. Putting in arguably one of his best performances of the season at a time when it mattered most, Mikael fought hard for victory. Midway through the day, Persson lay fourth in the overall EnduroGP classification and was charging hard. Frustratingly, he just couldn’t quite bridge the gap to title rival Freeman and despite maintaining the pressure throughout the final lap, the Husqvarna Factory Racing rider ultimately finished the day second.
The strong result ensured Persson ended the 2022 Enduro3 World Championship as runner-up. In what’s been a stellar year for the quiet Swede, Mikael has claimed two race wins and secured no fewer than 11 podium results aboard his TE 300 in the hotly contested Enduro3 category. Additionally, he also won the Enduro3 class of the FIM International Six Days Enduro in September.
Mikael Persson: “Of course it’s frustrating knowing that I wasn’t quite able to win the E3 title, but I gave it absolutely everything I had today. On day one, I started off a bit slower than I hoped I would. Maybe the championship pressure was in the back of my mind. I came strong in the afternoon and ended the day with more confidence. Tied on points for the championship coming into the today meant there was nothing to lose and everything to go for, so I gave it my all. I think I rode my best and I know I gave it my best. Unfortunately, I came up short, which is tough. But to only just lose out against a rider like Brad (Freeman) is something I can be proud of. It’s been a great year. Bringing the title fight right down to the wire shows just how strong we were.”
Results: Rnd7, GP of Germany
EnduroGP - Day 1
1. Josep Garcia (KTM) 1:05:59.24; 2. Brad Freeman (Beta) 1:06:43.15; 3. Steve Holcombe (Beta) 1:06:56.65; 4. Wil Ruprecht (TM Racing) 1:07:14.91; 5. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 1:07:18.40… 8. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 1:09:09.76…
EnduroGP - Day 2
1. Josep Garcia (KTM) 1:03:46.07; 2. Brad Freeman (Beta) 1:04:01.88; 3. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 1:04:29.55; 4. Nathan Watson (Honda) 1:04:29.94; 5. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 1:04:41.73…
Enduro3 - Day 1
1. Brad Freeman (Beta) 1:06:43.15; 2. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 1:09:09.76; 3. Daniel McCanney (Sherco) 1:09:38.87…
Enduro3 - Day 2
1. Brad Freeman (Beta) 1:04:01.88; 2. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 1:04:41.73; 3. Daniel McCanney (Sherco) 1:06:14.92…
Final Championship Standings EnduroGP
1. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 219pts; 2. Josep Garcia (KTM) 195pts; 3. Wil Ruprecht (TM) 180pts; 4. Nathan Watson (Honda) 170pts; 5. Steve Holcombe (Beta) 127pts… 8. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 87pts…
MotoGP™ headed south in the latest swing of the transcontinental stage of the 2022 season and with the quick, sweeping and majestic Phillip Island circuit, close to the city of Melbourne staging the first Australian Grand Prix since 2019.
Short, narrow but also technical and spectacular; Phillip Island is an eagerly anticipated oddity on the world championship schedule thanks to the demands of the layout that emphasises corner speed, slipstreaming and very few hard braking points.
The Sterilgarda Max Racing team came into the event with Ayumu Sasaki having taken five podium finishes in the last seven events with his FR 250 GP motorcycle. The Grand Prix got underway in positive style as Sasaki topped FP2 and then FP3 by a lengthy three quarters of a second and looked in flying form for qualification. The Japanese continued his lap-record breaking pace (having shattered the eight-year distinction) to seal his second Pole Position of the season. John McPhee was down on the sixth row in 16th.
Moto3 was played out across 23-laps on a sunny but breezy Sunday morning. Sasaki was part of a gripping dice with three riders in the lead group. The show saw numerous position changes for the win. The tussle went all the way to the chequered flag with only half a second dividing the quartet at the line and Sasaki was 4th, pipped to yet another trophy by a tenth of a second.
McPhee rode to 6th. The experienced Scot was just seven hundredths of a second away from heading the second group and the classification marked the second-best of the season.
Two rounds and a maximum of 50 points remain in the 2022 Moto3 contest. Sasaki is still 4th and 16 points from the top three. Sterilgarda Max Racing hold 3rd in the teams championship while McPhee is 16th and can still reach the top ten in the races remaining.
The penultimate Grand Prix of the season will be staged by the Sepang International Circuit for the Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia next weekend. The frequent MotoGP testing venue is a short distance south from Kuala Lumpur and is typically a busy and popular stop on the world championship trail.
Ayumu Sasaki : “It was a crazily difficult race! It was a bit damp in the beginning so we kept it steady but then the front guys started to push and I could go as well. It was a good pace and we made a small group. It was an incredible fight and unfortunately I ended up 4th when the podium was so close. It was tricky because the positions changed every lap but I gave my best. I’m satisfied with the weekend; we were strong and fast.”
John McPhee : “I think 6th was a positive step in the right direction and I was able to enjoy riding the bike again. It had been a tough weekend and one of the hardest of the year in terms of finding my feeling here. I wasn’t making too much progress until qualification and then had a lot of moments in the race…but I was determined to push until my absolute maximum for a good result here. I gave it everything so I hope we can be in much better shape from FP1 in Malaysia.”
Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Round 18
1. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 37:38.762, 2. Deniz Öncü (KTM) +0.345, 3. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) +0.460, 4. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) +0.560 , 6. John McPhee (Husqvarna) +7.496
Moto3 world championship standings
1. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 290pts, 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 225, 3. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 223, 4. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 207, 16. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 72
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes has stormed to second place on the fifth and final stage of the 2022 Rallye du Maroc to secure his first ever FIM World Rally-Raid Championship win. The American completed five incredible days of rally racing in the Moroccan desert to ultimately finish just over seven minutes ahead of second-placed Luciano Benavides.
Right from the start of this year’s Rallye du Maroc, both Skyler Howes and Luciano Benavides were able to deliver solid stage results day after day as they fought for the overall honours in Morocco. A one-two finish on day three saw the FR 450 Rally-mounted racers rise to the top of the event standings, and despite losing a little time while opening stage four, the pair reclaimed the top two positions on Thursday’s stage five with an excellent display of speed and navigation over the 290-kilometre timed special.
As the sixth rider into today’s stage, Skyler knew he would have an excellent opportunity to chase down and catch the riders ahead and in turn make up the valuable minutes he needed to finish on the podium. Remaining focussed, despite the added pressure, Howes delivered an impressive ride on the route back to Agadir, making the absolute minimum of errors to place second on the stage, just six seconds behind the leader. The result was enough to top the final rally timesheets by seven minutes and 13 seconds and secure a memorable overall victory in Morocco.
Howes’ victory marks the 30-year-old’s first world championship race win, an impressive achievement that comes down to not only the commitment put in by himself and the team over the year developing the FR 450 Rally, but also Skyler’s focus and work ethic. Now, with his confidence high, the likeable American will shift his attention to the Sonora Rally in Mexico later this month.
Finishing stage five in third, a mere nine seconds behind teammate Howes, Luciano Benavides cemented himself into second place in the overall results. Including Benavides’ impressive stage win on day three, the young Argentinian displayed immense skill and pace over the course of the five-day event to claim a well-deserved podium. Feeling hugely comfortable on his FR 450 Rally following a summer of training and testing with the team, Luciano’s confidence and pace is now at an all-time high. Benavides now looks forward to carrying his momentum through to the final round of the season, and on to the Dakar Rally, beginning late December.
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides will return to FIM World Rally-Raid Championship action at the final round of the season, the Andalucia Rally in Spain, from October 18-23. Skyler Howes will be absent from Spain while he competes at the Sonora Rally in Mexico.
Skyler Howes: “We’re at the finish of the Morocco Rally and I finished first, which is super cool! The final stage was quite technical actually, it wasn’t a walk in the park. The navigation was tricky, and I did a couple of circles out there which slowed me down a little bit. I was still able to finish second on the stage, which was enough to win the overall, and I have to admit it’s the coolest thing of my whole life! Honestly, I’m over the moon. It’s a dream come true to take the win here in Morocco, and the plan is to carry this momentum on to the Dakar Rally.”
Luciano Benavides: “We’ve finished stage five, the last day of the rally. I really wanted to go for the stage win today but made a small mistake that ended up costing me some time. Nevertheless, I finished third on the stage, really close to the winner and second overall, which is amazing. I can’t describe this moment – I have worked so hard since last year to be in this position right now, and to have such a good feeling on the bike. It’s not only me, but the whole team have also done an incredible job on the bike and have worked so hard here in Morocco. This result is a big thank you to them. I can’t wait for Andalucia now, the next round, and of course the Dakar in January.”
2022 Rallye du Maroc – Stage 5 Provisional Classification
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes and Luciano Benavides have safely completed stage four of the Rallye du Maroc in sixth and eighth places respectively. Following his stage win on day three, Benavides did an incredible job of opening the first 300 kilometres of today’s 350-kilometre stage, losing the absolute minimum of time to the chasing pack.
With the two Husqvarna Factory Racing riders setting off first and second into today’s special – the longest of the event at an exhausting 346 kilometres – the FR 450 Rally riders planned to work together to share the navigation and opening duties from the front.
Pushing right from the start with the goal of catching his teammate, Skyler Howes was able to stick to a strong pace and was lying fifth on time one-third of the way through the stage. However, with teammate Benavides almost matching him for speed and navigating well over the fast terrain of the special, Howes didn’t catch the Argentinian until after kilometre 300.
Taking the lead for the final 50 kilometres, Skyler reached the finish line having secured a sixth-place result, eight and a half minutes down on the eventual stage winner. Despite losing time, Howes still lies second in the standings and will enjoy an advantageous start position for Thursday’s final stage of the event.
Completing the special just under four minutes down on his teammate, Benavides was nevertheless pleased with his performance throughout the gruelling stage. Navigating almost the whole timed special on his own from the front, without making any major errors, demonstrates the quality and form of the young Argentinian. Luciano now lies fourth overall, and will also be aiming to deliver a solid ride on the Rallye du Maroc’s final stage to put himself in contention for an overall podium position.
Stage five of the Rallye du Maroc, the final day of the event, leads riders north again from Tan-Tan back to Agadir. Totalling 379 kilometres, the stage includes a timed special of 290 kilometres.
Skyler Howes: “Today was tough, because when you set out near the front, you’re almost always guaranteed to lose a bit of time. But with Luciano and myself starting first and second, we had this game plan to ride together and share the opening of the stage. The problem was Luciano’s pace from the front was so fast it took me most of the stage to catch up to him. I was able to lead the final 50 kilometres or so and that helped, I think. It’s frustrating to lose the overall lead in the rally, but we have a good starting position for tomorrow, so I’ll give it everything I have and hopefully come out with a good result.”
Luciano Benavides: “Today was a really nice day for me in this rally. I didn’t think I would open so much, I think I led for the first 300 kilometres, so I did a pretty good job I’d say. I felt really good and was able to focus on my navigation while keeping up a good speed and I didn’t think about the others behind. The stage was really fast in some sections, but I think those sort of tracks suit me and my style. Also, the navigation was quite tricky, but I was able to get through without making any big mistakes. Overall, the race so far has been really positive for the team, it has shown we have the pace and are well in the fight for the podium. I’ll try my best tomorrow on the final stage and see where we end up.”
2022 Rallye du Maroc – Stage 4 Provisional Classification
1. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 3:21:35
2. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 3:25:51
3. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 3:27:46
4. Ross Branch (Hero) 3:29:04
5. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 3:29:21
6. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 3:30:02
…
8. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:33:47
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has won stage three of the 2022 Rallye du Maroc – the third round of the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship. Bringing his FR 450 Rally home just 25 seconds ahead of teammate Skyler Howes, Benavides moves up to second in the provisional overall standings, one place behind Howes who maintains his lead at the top.
Stage three of the Rallye du Maroc was a hugely positive one for the Husqvarna Factory Racing team. Completing the 299-kilometre timed special in just over three hours, Luciano Benavides secured his second career world championship stage victory with an excellent ride through some of the toughest terrain seen at the event so far.
Taking advantage of his ninth-place start position, Benavides was second on time to the checkpoint at kilometre 30, just one second down on the early leader. Continuing to push, the Argentinian soon moved into the lead, slowly increasing his advantage over teammate Howes to the finish. Moving up to second overall, Luciano will now open Wednesday’s stage four – a difficult challenge, but one the young racer is ready to embrace.
Almost matching Benavides for pace throughout the stage, Skyler Howes put in an excellent ride from his fourth-place start position to lose the minimum of time, despite catching the leaders and opening several kilometres of the special. The result extended Howes’ lead at the top of the rankings to over three minutes. The American star will now set off behind his teammate tomorrow with the hope of catching him and then working together to ensure another strong result for the team.
Stage four of the Rallye du Maroc leads riders north again from Laayoune to Tan-Tan. Totalling 665 kilometres, the stage represents the longest of the event and includes a demanding timed special of 346 kilometres.
Luciano Benavides: “I’m really happy to take the stage win here in Morocco. It’s great for my confidence and it comes down to all the hard work the whole team put in earlier this year. The day went well for me – I navigated well and was able to keep a good pace. It’s great to finish first and second with my teammate Skyler and we are sitting at the top of the overall, too. We still have two more days left to race, so I’ll stay focused and can hopefully do a good job of opening tomorrow.”
Skyler Howes: “Another hard day here in Morocco. Me and Luciano went one-two on the stage, which is super, super cool for us and cool for Husqvarna. It was quite tricky at first because the dunes were so soft and then the back sides of them were broken, which means it’s straight down to the desert floor. Not only is it difficult to navigate and choose a good line, but it’s really easy to get stuck and lose time. Thankfully it looks like everyone had the same issues, so it wasn’t too much of a problem. Later on the route opened up into much faster tracks, but with the wind and weather here, it has made finding the tracks really tough. After catching up to the leading group I just kept my head down to finish the stage safely. Second place on the stage and I’m still leading the rally, so things are good and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
2022 Rallye du Maroc – Stage 3 Provisional Classification
Skyler Howes has placed fourth on today’s second stage of the 2022 Rallye du Maroc. Finishing just over three minutes behind the day’s winner, Howes’ result moves him into the provisional lead of the third round of the 2022 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship. Luciano Benavides also impressed on today’s 435-kilometre stage, completing the timed special in ninth, just over nine minutes down.
With today’s stage leading riders south from Tan-Tan to Laayoune, organisers delivered a long, 315-kilometre timed special that included some very demanding navigation, as well as the familiar mixture of terrain seen at the Moroccan event.
Early on in the day, Skyler Howes made the best use of his start position to make up time and catch the riders ahead. With the timed special consisting of a number of varied terrains with very tricky navigation, and with times across the top-10 riders proving to be very close, even just a small mistake could prove costly. Skyler moved into the stage lead on time at around kilometre 87 and maintained that position for much of the day. Falling foul of a particularly difficult to find waypoint, Skyler, and the group he was riding with, ended up losing several minutes to the chasing pack. However, with many riders suffering the same fate, Howes was able to regroup to finish his stage in a strong fourth place.
With his teammate taking over the rally lead, Luciano Benavides also showed excellent pace on today’s stage. After being caught by Skyler around one third of the way into the special, Benavides was able to match the pace of those around him and indeed opened a good section of the route. Completing the day in ninth place, nine minutes and 13 seconds behind the stage winner, Luciano now lies in third place overall, three minutes and forty-two seconds behind his teammate and provisional rally leader, Howes.
Tuesday's stage three of the Rallye du Maroc, a looped stage based around the city of Laayoune, totals 322 kilometres with a timed special of 299 kilometres.
Skyler Howes: “I’m pleased with how I rode today – the bike is excellent and I’m happy with my navigation the whole way through the stage. The organisers really challenged us all today with some difficult to find waypoints and I think it was a tough day for everyone on the whole. There were some tracks with a waypoint at the end that were especially hard to find. The wind had hidden the tracks so much that it was really tricky to know if you were in the right place. After that we hit the dunes and that was also a real challenge. They were super soft, but there had been some rain too that made them extra difficult to ride. We were in a group of four when we got there and each of us took it in turns to open. With all the challenges, I’m happy to complete the stage with a good result, so now we’ll see what tomorrow brings.”
Luciano Benavides: “Day two is in the books. A really good day, but a tough one for sure. I started off second and caught Ross (Branch) after a little while and ended up opening the faster pistes myself. After the refuelling we were in a group of four, including Skyler, and all of us led out a little. At one point one of the waypoints didn’t validate for me, so I had to turn around to get it. I was able to push and catch up with the others soon after in the dunes. Having the chance to open and still make up good time is really important for my confidence, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow now and hopefully I can keep this momentum.”
2022 Rallye du Maroc – Stage 2 Provisional Classification
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has made an excellent start to his 2022 Rallye du Maroc campaign, posting the second-fastest time on the 557-kilometre first stage. Completing the special just over two minutes behind his teammate, Skyler Howes also impressed across the technically demanding terrain to finish in fourth place.
Covering ground fast, right from the start line and then to chase down the riders ahead, Benavides was quickest to the first checkpoint at kilometre 40. With times tight among the top five, Luciano dropped down to fourth around the midway point of the special, but was able to maintain his safe, solid pace to the finish where he ultimately placed second.
Skyler Howes' journey through the stage differed slightly to that of his teammate. The American star set off one place ahead Benavides but slowly built his pace as he progressed through the special. Choosing to focus on his navigation early on paid off for Skyler and with the terrain becoming more predictable in the latter stages of the day, the FR 450 Rally rider was able to push and make up time on those ahead. Securing a strong fourth-place result, just over three minutes down on the eventual stage winner, means that Howes has three riders to chase down on tomorrow’s day two.
Stage two of the Rallye du Maroc, from Tan-Tan to Laayoune, totals 435 kilometres with a timed special of 315 kilometres.
Luciano Benavides: “It was a really good first stage for me. I started off well, focussing on my navigation and the terrain and found I soon started to catch some of the riders in front. It was a really technical stage with many rocks and stone on the pistes, so it was tricky to keep an eye on your road book while having to look ahead and judge the terrain all the time. I think I did a good job and was able to stay consistent for the whole stage. Towards the end we were able to ride across the beach for around 20 kilometres, which was good fun. I’m really happy with my result from today, but tomorrow will be a different challenge starting near the front. I’ll give my best as always.”
Skyler Howes: “Stage one went quite well for me. I had a few tracks to follow, which made the job a little easier, but it was still quite tricky, and navigation was definitely key today. The terrain really suited me, so I felt right at home on the bike. I made a couple of smaller mistakes, and then one really big one that ended up costing me a few minutes, so it has been a bit of an up and down day, but I’m here, safe at the finish and ready to go again tomorrow.”
2022 Rallye du Maroc – Stage 1 Provisional Classification
The third Grand Prix in a row in 2022 and in the middle of a hectic flyaway stint of the current MotoGP calendar pulled the teams and riders to another busy venue that has been devoid of world championship action for the last two years.
Husqvarna Motorcycles and the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team landed in Bangkok and then transferred to Buriram – the home of the modern and flowing Chang International Circuit – for the OR Thailand Grand Prix. The paddock was met by high temperatures, humidity and rainy skies and the unstable climate continued into Free Practice on Friday where the Moto3 sessions were the only periods affected by the damp.
The wet tarmac was not enough to deter Ayumu Sasaki, who was still riding on a high after a podium finish at his home event in Motegi the previous weekend. The Japanese took his FR 250 GP to the top spot on combined times and was primed for Q2 on Saturday. Ayumu eventually came through qualification – run in overdue dry weather – with 3rd place and a berth on the front row of the grid. John McPhee set the 8th swiftest lap-time to fill a slot on the third row.
On Sunday morning the 22-lap race began under a grey ceiling but the Buriram area containing the 4.6km course was mercifully dry. Sasaki was into contention from the beginning and although he had little for the pace of eventual winner Dennis Foggia, he was able to deter Riccardo Rossi and seal 2nd position on the final corner. The result meant a eighth podium of the season for the team and the third in a row after trophies in Spain and Japan. McPhee crashed in the formative stages through the left-handed Turn 5. The Scot remounted but was forced out of the running.
Sasaki is still 4th in the world championship standings and is just 15 points from the top three. McPhee is 17th and 14 points away from the top fifteen as the experienced Brit counts the cost of his training injury and the small chunk of the season spent on the sidelines. The team are 3rd from 15 in the teams’ league.
MotoGP can finally breathe for a week before another double-header approaches with Grands Prix in Australia (Phillip Island) and Malaysia (Sepang International Circuit) to close activities for October and then bring the series back to Europe.
Ayumu Sasaki : “Today I did my best. I felt comfortable in the race but towards the end the tyre dropped and I was losing out to Dennis on the straight. The last few laps were hard but I’m happy to take 2nd place. We’re climbing up the championship which is good and hopefully we can be even a bit better in the last races.”
John McPhee : “I felt strong and good on the bike and I could attack pretty well but the crash was my mistake and it’s disappointing to end the race like that. It’s only the second time I’ve crashed this season but I’ll have to take it on the chin and just move onto the next one.”
Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Round 17
1. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 37:52.331, 2. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) +1.524, 3. Riccardo Rossi (Honda) +2.804, DNF. John McPhee (Husqvarna)
Moto3 world championship standings
1. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 265pts, 2. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 216, 3. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 209, 4. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 194, 17. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 62
Returning to FIM World Rally-Raid Championship action after a break of around seven months, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides and Skyler Howes have made strong starts to their 2022 Rallye du Maroc campaigns, recording top-four times on today’s opening timed prologue.
Marking round three of the world championship, this year’s Rallye du Maroc is set to challenge riders with five full stages of mixed-terrain racing near the west coast of Morocco. Today’s short prologue results decide the start order for Sunday’s stage one, where riders will leave the host city of Agadir and head south to Tan-Tan.
With the RallyGP class starting in reverse order to their race numbers, it was Luciano Benavides – bike #77 – that took to the 8.97-kilometre prologue stage first. Making light work of the sandy tracks that made up the special, Benavides was able to maintain a fast but safe pace throughout the stage. Completing the prologue in third, Luciano will benefit from a choice of start positions for Sunday’s stage.
Also enjoying good speed on the fast, sandy prologue, Skyler Howes placed one position behind his teammate and as fourth-fastest on his FR 450 Rally. Despite a couple of small mistakes while pushing hard on the nine-kilometre timed section, the American star arrived safely at the finish, happy with his riding, and eager to make a strong start to the rally proper, tomorrow on stage one.
Totalling over 2,200 kilometres, and with over 1,500 kilometres of timed special stages, the 2022 Rallye du Maroc promises to provide a sizeable challenge to all riders on their return to world championship competition.
With the opening prologue completed, competitors will now face five days of intense rally action as they leave Agadir and head south down the Moroccan coast. Stage four of the event, the longest at 665 kilometres, will see riders leave Laayoune and head back further inland, through the mountains, to the finish at Agadir. Sunday’s stage one from Agadir to Tan-Tan totals 557 kilometres with a timed special of 316 kilometres.
Luciano Benavides: “It’s great to be back racing in the world championship. It’s been a busy summer with training, testing and then racing Atacama, but this is where it matters now – Morocco, Andalucia, and then preparing for the Dakar. Today’s prologue was really short at just under nine kilometres and there were a lot of lines in the sand from the previous classes, so I didn’t have to check my road book too much. I’m pleased with third, it means I can choose my start position for tomorrow and hopefully take advantage of that to get a really good start. I’m really happy with my first impressions of the rally – my bike is working well, I feel good, and I can’t wait to get started tomorrow on the ‘real’ race.”
Skyler Howes: “The prologue today went well. It was super fun and more like a motocross sand track through the trees than a rally stage. It wasn’t perfect, I made some small bobbles out there and a couple of small mistakes, but other than that I’m happy with how it all went. It feels great to be back racing the world championship again and I’m feeling really fired-up now – I can’t wait for tomorrow to get this show on the road!”
2022 Rallye du Maroc – Stage 1A provisional Classification
A first trip to Japan for MotoGP in three years ends with Husqvarna Motorcycles on the rostrum at Motegi in 3rd place.
MotoGP travelled swiftly east across the time zones from Spain to Japan for round sixteen of twenty in 2022. For the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team the second consecutive weekend of action took place on a vastly different ‘platform’, with the Mobility Resort Motegi circuit flat, fast and with tough demands on braking and hard acceleration.
The team were optimistic of more podium prizes, particularly with Ayumu Sasaki feeling the warmth of home support for the first time since 2019. The 21-year-old had finished runner-up in Aragon last week and carried the hopes and gaze of the Japanese public who braved wet and humid conditions at Motegi on Friday and Saturday. Both Ayumu and teammate John McPhee used their FR 250 GP motorcycles to slot into the top five of the opening (and extended) Free Practice session and were separated from provisional Pole Position by just three tenths of a second.
After a wet set of FP periods and the Q2 run on Saturday, the pair gained 4th and 12th on the grid and were set for the 20-lap distance. Sunday dawned warm, sunny and with bright blue skies. Sasaki and McPhee both started inside the top ten and the former was at the front of the pack with Izan Guevara for company from the outset. The battle for the lead was formed by a quartet with Sasaki often setting the pace. By the final stages of the race Ayumu was feeling the effects of rear tyre wear and was not able to threaten Guevara or Dennis Foggia. He became the first Japanese on a home podium for almost fifteen years in 3rd spot. It was Sasaki’s seventh rostrum appearance of the season.
McPhee was in the second gaggle and eventually crossed the finish line in 7th for 9 points.
After rising to 4th place in the championship table in the wake of the Grand Prix at MotorLand Aragon, Sasaki banked 16 points in Japan and keeps the same slot; 17 points from the top three. McPhee is 17th. Sterilgarda Max Racing Team are 4th in the teams’ contest.
MotoGP ploughs ahead with its continent-hopping trajectory. The third Grand Prix in a row will take the championship to the hot climes of Buriram and the Chang International Circuit for the OR Thailand Grand Prix.
Ayumu Sasaki : “Yeah, I’m happy to finish on the podium but I expected a bit more, especially as I was leading quite a lot of laps. Near the end I started to feel the rear tyre drop and then it was difficult to fight. Anyway, the podium is good and we have to try and improve for Thailand. I’m happy I could give this third place to all the Japanese fans here.”
John McPhee : “Today I was able to fight well in the race; this has been a weak point for me so far this season because I’ve had the speed but not been able to battle. We ticked this box today but I think I was against the three hardest brakers in the category. I did what I could and I’m happy with how I am riding. This was a step in the right direction.”
Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Round 16
1. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 39:26.526, 2. Dennis Foggia (Honda) +0.593, 3. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) +1.741, 7. John McPhee (Husqvarna) +9.815
Moto3 world championship standings
1. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 254pts, 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 209, 3. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 191. 4. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 174, 18. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 62
Husqvarna Motorcycles emerge from the fifteenth MotoGP fixture of the year with a strong podium result at MotorLand.
After a busy week in San Marino, 2022 MotoGP moved west across Europe and to the modern and scenic MotorLand Aragon circuit for the penultimate European date on the current calendar. Two weeks earlier than usual – and benefitting from warmer late summer weather – the ‘Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragón’ saw Moto3 hustle around the 5.1km layout that involves a wide mix of fast, slow, open, tight and technical corners.
Determined to bounce back from his DNF in Italy, Ayumu Sasaki was in a competitive mood from the outset in Spain and narrowly missed out on Pole Position in Q2 on Saturday. John McPhee was also up to speed quickly and qualified in 5th place, in the middle of the second row of the grid with his FR 250 GP machine.
Sunday morning was overcast in Aragon and cooler compared to the two previous days but Sasaki was hot to bounce from the lights and into the small lead group of three with Izan Guevara and D
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