Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing will enter the 2025 AMA Pro Motocross Championship with Malcolm Stewart and RJ Hampshire equipped with the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition, aiming to make their mark in the 450MX Class when the new season commences in Pala, California. Fox Raceway will play host to Round 1 of the outdoor series that doubles as stage two of the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) this Saturday, May 24. The series will travel throughout the United States this summer, contested over 11 rounds and with the titles set to be decided at Budds Creek Motocross Park in Mechanicsville, Maryland, on August 23. Fresh from finishing fourth in the AMA Supercross Championship, Stewart was also impressive in Pro Motocross last season on his way to sixth in the 450MX standings. The 32-year-old Floridian has the potential to further build upon his career form and is motivated to factor toward the front of the pack when the gates officially drop this weekend. "I am really looking forward to another great season racing outdoors!" said Stewart. "So far, this has been a career year for myself getting that first win in Supercross! We had a good outdoor season in finishing sixth overall last year, so I’m looking forward to getting better results this year." In making his anticipated full-time transition to the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition ahead of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, at 29 years of age Hampshire is supremely excited for the opportunity that he has earned. Last year he missed the majority of the outdoors while in the 250 Class, but managed a podium at the final round despite limited starts. Now, after fighting for the 250SX East title in the AMA Supercross Championship and placing third in the final standings, Hampshire opens the next chapter in his career as an exciting new addition to the premier class with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. RJ underwent minor surgery to remove hardware in his previously-injured wrist following Salt Lake City, which the surgeon is confident will alleviate any pain experienced during the indoor series. "Moving from a 250 to a 450 is a pivotal moment in any racer's career, and I’m excited to be making that transition for the outdoors with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team," Hampshire stated. "I’ve always enjoyed riding a 450, and now I finally get the opportunity to race one full-time. We’ve been putting in the work to make the transition as smooth as possible, and I’m feeling confident and ready for the season to kick-off. After the way the Supercross championship ended, I’m more motivated than ever and ready to embrace the grind this summer." Nathan Ramsey – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager: "As we transition from Supercross to the Pro Motocross season, I’m proud of the strides both Malcolm and RJ have made. Malcolm had an incredible Supercross season, earning his first 450SX career win in Tampa and consistently pushing toward the podium, finishing strong with a second-place in Salt Lake. With last year being his first full outdoor season on the 450 since 2013, he is entering this season even more prepared for outdoors, and I fully expect him to be a serious contender this summer. RJ’s season took a different path due to his injury and off-season surgery, but he showed his resilience by jumping into the East Coast series and giving it everything he had. Watching him battle through to the very end in Salt Lake was a testament to his determination. Now, as he makes the exciting move to the 450 Class for outdoors, it's a special moment for all of us at Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing to be a part of his journey from 250s to the 450. Although he recently had a minor procedure to remove the plate from his wrist, we’re confident in the medical team's assessment and believe he’ll perform at the high level we all expect. We’re fired up to get the Pro Motocross season started and can’t wait to see what these two 450 boys will deliver on the track."
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing and Malcolm Stewart celebrated a well-earned second-place result at the final round of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship in Salt Lake City tonight, with a consistently strong series resulting in him claiming P4 in the final 450SX standings. RJ Hampshire, who entered the round in title contention, placed third in the 250SX East series. Stewart rode his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition to the fifth-fastest 450SX qualifying time inside Rice-Eccles Stadium, before putting up an immense challenge for the Heat Race victory, coming up just shy of the checkered flag in second position. Come the Main Event, Stewart would methodically climb his way into P2 on what was a dry, difficult racetrack, fending off challenges from behind to successfully capture a podium score to conclude the 2025 season. Stewart pieced together an outstanding performance across the 17-round Supercross schedule, which included a breakout first-career premier class victory in Tampa, alongside a further two podium results in Birmingham and Utah. After challenging for a podium in the championship toward the latter stages of the series, Mookie would conclude his season in a confidence-inspiring fourth place overall. "Tonight was awesome," commented Stewart. "These last few weeks at altitude have been solid for us, and when I got into second position tonight for a split second I couldn’t hear my motorcycle – these fans were so loud! It was a great race for me, we did everything that we could, and I’m just stoked to end this championship with a second-place finish. We made a lot of progress this year, because last year we were coming back from injury and I was just overthinking things. Tampa really turned things around for me with having the confidence of being able to run at the front, so all-in-all, I'm really happy and excited to go racing outdoors.” For Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammate Hampshire, last year's 250SX West Class Champion entered Salt Lake City with a chance at claiming the Eastern Division title, and began the day by posting the fifth-quickest qualifying time overall. A fall while running P2 in his Heat Race sent Hampshire to the LCQ, where he would take the win and seal a place in the Main Event. After a hard charge from just outside the top 10, the number 24 would make his way up into title contention onboard his Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition. An untimely late crash while challenging for position with five minutes remaining on the clock unfortunately put an end to RJ's title hopes at that point, remounting to finish in sixth, which placed him third overall in the final point-standings. "Today was a very eventful day," reflected Hampshire. "I felt good on the bike, then the Heat Race didn’t go so well after having a big one that sent me to my first LCQ in a couple of years. That’s always stressful, so then the outside gate pick for the Main gave me an average start, but I put my head down and charged. I had a chance for the championship at the end there and I went for it, which didn’t go in my favor and it's unfortunate to take us both down. Overall, I did everything I could, I tried, and we’ll leave here and move on – I'm looking forward to this next chapter of my career." Next Race: May 24 – Pala, California Results 450SX Class – Salt Lake City 1. Chase Sexton (KTM) 2. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 3. Justin Cooper (Yamaha) 6. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 17 of 17 rounds 1. Cooper Webb, 365 points 2. Chase Sexton, 363 3. Justin Cooper, 281 4. Malcolm Stewart, 277 6. Aaron Plessinger, 255 10. Justin Barcia, 185 Results 250SX Showdown – Salt Lake City 1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 2. Julien Beamuer (KTM) 3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 6. RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) Standings 250SX East Class 2025 after 10 of 10 rounds 1. Tom Vialle, 180 2. Seth Hammaker, 177 3. RJ Hampshire, 173
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Malcolm Stewart charged to a hard-fought fourth-place result during Denver’s 450SX Main Event, now targeting third position in the standings with a single round remaining in the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship. Stewart commenced Round 16 of the series inside Empower Field at Mile High stadium by posting P2 in qualifying, which was then followed up by a popular Heat Race victory onboard his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition. Upon powering to the all-important holeshot, Stewart would keep the pace of the front-runners throughout the Main Event, battling inside the top-five right until the final lap, where he would finish fourth after giving it his all and challenging for the podium. "Denver went well," reflected Stewart. "Every year I come here, I ride really well. Practice and qualifying went good to finish in P2, and then a great start in my Heat Race resulted in winning that one, which was an awesome feeling. In the Main Event, I actually got my first holeshot of the season, which shows that even at the altitude, our bikes have plenty of power! I rode hard in the Main, it was a big battle between second, third, and fourth, but at the end of the day, I gave it everything I had and we ended up in P4. We'll look to close this season out strong in Salt Lake next weekend." With his result tonight in Colorado, Stewart remains fifth in the 450SX season standings and is 16 points outside of third as the season heads to Salt Lake City for the final round next weekend. Next Race: May 10 – Salt Lake City, Utah Results 450SX Class – Denver 1. Chase Sexton (KTM) 2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 3. Justin Cooper (Yamaha) 4. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 5. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 16 of 17 rounds 1. Cooper Webb, 347 points 2. Chase Sexton, 338 3. Ken Roczen, 271 5. Malcolm Stewart, 255 6. Aaron Plessinger, 239 7. Justin Barcia, 185
Kay de Wolf extended his MX2 championship lead with a gritty second overall at Águeda, as Liam Everts endured a weekend to forget in brutal mud-soaked conditions.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's RJ Hampshire kept his 250SX East Class title prospects alive with a fourth-place finish during Pittsburgh's Main Event, as 450SX racer Malcolm Stewart posted a consistent fifth-place result at Round 15 of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship. Current 250SX West Champion Hampshire rode his Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition to the top of the qualifying timesheets at Acrisure Stadium, before carrying that momentum in his Heat Race by claiming a decisive victory. Racing inside the top-five throughout the opening stages of the Main Event, Hampshire would climb toward the front around the midway mark, running as high as third-place and inching closer to the leaders. An incident while navigating through traffic, however, saw the number 24 go down, quickly remounting to a fourth-place ride and valuable championship points. "I felt great today with qualifying P1 and then winning my Heat Race," commented Hampshire. "I had a good Main Event going, put myself in a good position, and then made a small mistake with a few laps to go that really cost me. We're leaving here three points down heading into the finale with a shot at winning this thing, so we'll put our head down for two weeks and be ready to win in Salt Lake." For Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammate Malcolm Stewart, P3 in 450SX qualifying followed by a fourth-place result in his Heat Race marked a strong start to the weekend for the Florida native in Pittsburgh tonight equipped with the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition. Stewart would then push for the entirety of the 450SX Main Event, while staying consistent on what was a dry and highly track technical surface, making a final lap pass for fifth position as he continues to fight for P4 in the overall standings. "Pittsburgh was very, very cool," reflected Stewart. "We had a good race track tonight and I ended up P5, which was really good. I felt like I rode well and made the best out of what was a chaotic start to the race for me. I'm looking forward to Denver as it has always treated me well, and Salt Lake is also one of my favorites. It's an emotional time for me now too, with the 'Stewart 27' documentary coming out tomorrow, so I'm really excited for everyone to see what myself and everybody involved have been working on!" The SMX Next Class was also on the line in Pittsburgh for the category's Supercross AMA National Championship race, where Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Landon Gibson raced to a convincing fourth-place result after a sequence of late race passes. Next Race: May 3 – Denver, Colorado Results 450SX Class – Pittsburgh 1. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 2. Chase Sexton (KTM) 3. Justin Cooper (Yamaha) 4. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) 5. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 15 of 17 rounds 1. Cooper Webb, 325 points 2. Chase Sexton, 313 3. Ken Roczen, 271 5. Malcolm Stewart, 237 6. Aaron Plessinger, 222 7. Justin Barcia, 185 Results 250SX East Class – Pittsburgh 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 2. Nate Thrasher (Yamaha) 3. Max Vohland (Yamaha) 4. RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) Standings 250SX East Class 2025 after 9 of 10 rounds 1. Tom Vialle, 135 2. Seth Hammaker, 142 3. RJ Hampshire, 139 Results SMX Next Class – Pittsburgh 1. Alexander Fedortsov (Yamaha) 2. Landen Gordon (Kawasaki) 3. Enzo Temmerman (Kawasaki) 4. Landon Gibson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna)
Kay de Wolf extends his MX2 championship lead with third overall, as teammate Liam Everts secures second in a strong double podium showing for Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing at Frauenfeld.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's RJ Hampshire charged to a second-place result during East Rutherford’s 250SX East Main Event, while 450SX challenger Malcolm Stewart posted a sixth-place result in what was an impressive come-from-behind performance. Current 250SX West title-holder Hampshire put in a strong display during qualifying, powering his Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition to P2 on a technical track layout before taking second position in his Heat Race. A fast start in the Main Event saw Hampshire in the top three on the opening lap, before posting what was a solid ride on a slick, hard-packed circuit to finish in second once more, and he sits just three points shy of the series lead with two rounds remaining. "This one was a step in the right direction in pretty much all areas for me," reflected Hampshire. "I got a good start and just did my laps, as I just didn't quite have it for Seth [Hammaker]. The track was super-tricky tonight and could catch you out if you weren't careful, so I am happy with a P2. I feel like we're peaking at the right time, so we'll go out there and look for the win in Pittsburgh." For Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammate Stewart, P5 in 450SX qualifying was followed up by a solid fourth place in his Heat Race equipped with the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition. Stewart found himself in 12th position on the opening lap after a tough launch out of the gates, and would steadily make his way through the field across the Main Event. With riders having to balance both pace and smarts within MetLife Stadium, he would race to a well-earned P6 ride by race's end, and maintains P5 in the standings. "New Jersey went alright for me," commented Stewart. "The day was not too bad, it was nice to get away from the questionable weather of the last couple [rounds]! Heat Race went well with P4, and then Main Event, I just got a really bad start and was shuffled pretty far back. I made a lot of passes from there and felt like my ride was good, but we'll come back and have another swing at it next week. Ups and downs are all part of the rollercoaster of racing, but we're still on the Mookie train!" Next Race: April 26 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Results 450SX Class – East Rutherford 1. Chase Sexton (KTM) 2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 3. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) 6. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 18. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 14 of 17 rounds 1. Cooper Webb, 300 points 2. Chase Sexton, 291 3. Ken Roczen, 255 5. Malcolm Stewart, 220 6. Aaron Plessinger, 206 7. Justin Barcia, 185 Results 250SX East Class – East Rutherford 1. Seth Hammaker (Kawasaki) 2. RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 3. Tom Vialle (KTM) Standings 250SX East Class 2025 after 8 of 10 rounds 1. Seth Hammaker, 142 2. RJ Hampshire, 139 3. Tom Vialle, 135
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider RJ Hampshire raced to a third-place podium result in Philadelphia’s 250SX East/West Showdown – Round 13 of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship – and now jointly holds the red plate in the 250SX East Class with three rounds remaining in the division. Current 250SX West Champion Hampshire put in a strong display during his Heat Race, powering the Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition to P2 on a challenging circuit that had been subject to heavy rain in the lead-up. After an early race restart, the number 24 would rocket to the holeshot in the Main Event, holding the lead during the opening stages of the race. Battling hard for the entire encounter, Hampshire would eventually come home in third position and earn the red plate in the process. "I feel like I couldn’t get out of my own way in the Main Event, honestly," reflected Hampshire. "I had to focus a lot on hitting my marks. Both Haiden [Deegan] and Cole [Davies] got me, and I was pretty content still because I knew the guys I needed to beat. This was literally the toughest Main Event I’ve had to do, both mentally and physically. I had to stay in check and it worked out, so we're excited for the next few rounds now.” For Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammate Malcolm Stewart, P4 in 450SX qualifying was quickly backed up by a solid third place in his Heat Race equipped with the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition. In spending the Main Event battling inside the top-five, Stewart would find himself in fourth by the time the checkered flag flew, and he now also climbs to fourth in the 450SX standings. "First things first, we got really lucky with the rain," commented Stewart. "My Heat Race was okay, did what I needed to do to and finished in P3. The Main Event wasn’t great, but also wasn’t bad! It was one of those ones where we salvaged a fourth place on a tough track. We’ll go back now, ride some outdoors and then come back for New Jersey!" Next Race: April 19 – East Rutherford, New Jersey Results 450SX Class – Philadelphia 1. Chase Sexton (KTM) 2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 3. Ken Roczen (Suzuki) 4. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 8. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) 14. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 13 of 17 rounds 1. Cooper Webb, 278 points 2. Chase Sexton, 266 3. Ken Roczen, 240 4. Malcolm Stewart, 204 6. Aaron Plessinger, 184 7. Justin Barcia, 181 Results 250SX East/West Showdown – Philadelphia 1. Cole Davies (Yamaha) 2. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 3. RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 6. Tom Vialle (KTM) 12. Julien Beaumer (KTM) Standings 250SX East Class 2025 after 7 of 10 rounds 1. RJ Hampshire, 117 points 2. Seth Hammaker, 117 3. Tom Vialle, 115
Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing tackled the highs and lows of the Dolomites as Kay de Wolf claimed second overall while Liam Everts starred in qualifying before misfortune on Sunday.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing riders Malcolm Stewart and RJ Hampshire endured a challenging night of competition in Round 12 of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship at Foxborough's Gillette Stadium, with both riders collecting valuable points despite the ultra-tough conditions encountered. The skies opened up for Saturday's action, where 32-year-old Stewart set the eighth-fastest qualifying time in the single afternoon 450SX session onboard his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition, before securing a place in the Main Event via a second-place result in his Heat. Faced with a deteriorating, muddy circuit for the Main Event, Stewart ran within the top 10 during the early stages of the race, before a costly string of falls at the midway mark relegated him right down the order. A comeback for the number 27 followed from that point, with P13 the end result tonight. He continues to hold fifth in the standings. "Rain or shine, we've got to go out there and do our job," Stewart reflected. "Heat Race went decent, managed to get second in that one and qualify for the Main Event, and then in the Main, got a decent start and was pretty composed, honestly. We were in the battle, no big deal, but we know how it goes in the mud, it's just tough. It stopped raining, which made it sticky, and I ended up going down several times and kept finding myself on the ground, but I salvaged 13th at the end of the day. It's not ideal, but it's the way these go sometimes and I'm stoked to be moving into Philly in a nice little points battle for fourth place overall." Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammate RJ Hampshire returned to racing as the 250SX East title fight resumed, powering his Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition to fourth place in his Heat Race. Launching out of the gates for the Main Event, the high was short-lived when he went down in dramatic fashion toward the front of the pack approaching the first turn. After recovering to 15th by the conclusion of the race, last year's Western Division title winner Hampshire gained important points in the 250SX East series, now sitting just three points outside of the red plate. "This one was a complete mudder, one of the worst ones we've had," commented Hampshire. "The goal coming in was just put it in the Main Event and try to make up some points toward the championship. This is probably the best 15th I've had in my life! I pulled a massive start and then just hydroplaned into the first turn, went down four or five more times, but clawed back some points in the series, and now we're only three down with four [rounds] to go. I feel I'm in a good spot and ready for Philly next weekend." The SMX Next Class was also on hand in Foxborough, where Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Landon Gibson raced to a hard-fought fourth-place finish in the rain-affected Main Event tonight. Next Race: April 12 – Philidelphia, Pennsylvania Results 450SX Class – Foxborough 1. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) 2. Shane McElrath (Honda) 3. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 5. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) 6. Chase Sexton (KTM) 13. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 12 of 17 rounds 1. Cooper Webb, 256 points 2. Chase Sexton, 241 3. Ken Roczen, 220 5. Malcolm Stewart, 186 6. Justin Barcia, 173 7. Aaron Plessinger, 170 Results 250SX East Class – Foxborough 1. Chance Hymas (Honda) 2. Cullin Park (Honda) 3. Gage Linville (KTM) 15. RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 22. Tom Vialle (KTM) Standings 250SX East Class 2025 after 6 of 10 rounds 1. Tom Vialle, 99 points 2. Seth Hammaker, 99 3. RJ Hampshire, 96 Results SMX Next Class – Foxborough 1. Kade Johnson (Yamaha) 2. Landen Gordon (Kawasaki) 3. Luke Fauser (KTM) 4. Landon Gibson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna)
Kay de Wolf takes his 10th career Grand Prix win and reclaims the MX2 red plate with a dominant 1-1 at Riola Sardo, as Liam Everts finishes sixth overall after a challenging weekend.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Malcolm Stewart managed to salvage a seventh-place finish at Round 11 of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship, with come-from-behind rides on the cards for the 450SX contender throughout the evening. Equipped with the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition, Stewart posted the fourth-fastest time in qualifying during the afternoon, continuing his impressive mid-season form inside Seattle’s Lumen Field. The 32-year-old was then caught up in a fall during the opening lap of his Heat Race, placing him toward the rear of the field as he remounted. Despite the setback, the number 27 charged all race, making his way back to a commendable P3 by the finish. Faced with a challenging, rutted circuit layout for the 450SX Main Event, Stewart was bumped off-track at the first turn after a strong jump out of the gate and would then play catch-up for the remainder of the race. The Floridian displayed a fighting spirit for its entirety, eventually claiming a hard-fought seventh-place result at the end of the encounter. "Starting with the Heat Race, it was unfortunate to go down early there, but I put my head down and came back to third, which was awesome," Stewart reflected. "In the Main Event, I had a great start, but AP [Aaron Plessinger] made a slight mistake and bumped me off the track. I know he’s not the type of person to do that on purpose or anything, so it was a racing mistake, and it is what it is. But on this track, this isn’t the one you want to be starting from dead-last! I was around a lot of riders who were all over the place – myself included – and seventh place was the best result we had for tonight. We’ll aim to get back up on that podium next weekend." Next Race: April 5 – Foxborough, Massachussets Results 450SX Class – Seattle 1. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 2. Chase Sexton (KTM) 3. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) 7. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 8. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 11 of 17 rounds 1. Cooper Webb, 236 points 2. Chase Sexton, 225 3. Ken Roczen, 202 4. Malcolm Stewart, 177 6. Justin Barcia, 156 8. Aaron Plessinger, 145
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Malcolm Stewart claimed a hard-fought second-place finish at Round 10 of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship in the Birmingham Triple Crown, with 250SX East Class contender RJ Hampshire also sealing P2 on the night. The Birmingham conditions made for a challenging race track, with the dry, hard-packed dirt forcing riders to exercise patience and finesse. Stewart, equipped with the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition, charged to third place in Race 1 as he worked to overcome a major fall during the afternoon in qualifying. Second place in Race 2, followed by third in Race 3, was enough to earn Stewart an inspired second position overall on the night, moving him up to fourth place in the overall 450SX series standings. "I'm really stiff right now after the hit to my hip," reflected Stewart. "Aside from that, I felt really good today and connected with the whole track. My Team Manager Nate Ramsey mentioned that I looked really good today in practice, and we made a game plan of going out there and giving it our all to see where we ended up, and second place was our spot for tonight!" For 250SX East Class contender Hampshire, starting the day with the second-fastest qualifying time was quickly converted to the opening Triple Crown Race victory. Second place in Race 2 had the Florida native lined up in position for the overall, before being caught up a first turn fall in Race 3, which saw him fight back to a fifth-place score. With his 1-2-5 results riding the Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition, Hampshire claimed second overall on the night and he is currently P2 in the standings following five rounds, 10 points outside of the lead. “Overall, I can’t be too bummed with walking away second tonight,” commented Hampshire. “The first two Main Events were good, and then I just got caught up in the last one there – not a lot I could’ve done, but I’m happy to have clawed back some championship points. We’ve got a weekend off now, so I’m looking forward to Boston and hopefully knocking off a win there.” Also on the line were the SMX Next contenders in Alabama, with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Landon Gibson leading the Main Event before an unfortunate crash with just minutes remaining on the clock dashed his hopes of a podium result. Next Race: March 29 – Seattle, Washington Results 450SX Class – Birmingham 1. Chase Sexton (KTM) 2. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 3. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) 9. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 10 of 17 rounds 1. Cooper Webb, 211 points 2. Chase Sexton, 203 3. Ken Roczen, 184 4. Malcolm Stewart, 162 7. Justin Barcia, 142 8. Aaron Plessinger, 125 9. Justin Hill, 125 Results 250SX East Class – Birmingham 1. Nate Thrasher (Yamaha) 2. RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 3. Tom Vialle (KTM) Standings 250SX East Class 2025 after 5 of 10 rounds 1. Tom Vialle, 99 points 2. RJ Hampshire, 89 3. Seth Hammaker, 86 SMX Next Main Event 1. Enzo Temmerman (Kawasaki) 2. Luke Fauser (KTM) 3. Tiger Wood (Honda) 19. Landon Gibson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna)
Liam Everts claimed the MX2 red plate with 3-5 moto finishes and fourth overall in St. Jean d’Angely, as Kay de Wolf charged back from a qualifying DNF to secure fifth overall on race day.
Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing delivers an MX2 masterclass amid treacherous conditions; with Liam Everts racing to victory, and Kay de Wolf finishing second and securing the coveted Red Plate.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider RJ Hampshire raced to a fourth-place result in Indianapolis’ 250SX East/West Showdown tonight, as 450SX teammate Malcolm Stewart delivered a consistent performance with sixth position after winning his Heat Race earlier on. Current 250SX West Champion Hampshire put in a solid display during the Eastern Division Heat Race, powering his Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition to P2 after challenging for the win. A hard charge in the Main Event saw Hampshire positioned well outside the top 10 in the early stages, with an impressive comeback ride in challenging track conditions resulting in a fourth-place finish, and a solid haul of points toward his title chances. "Overall, we got a couple of points back toward the championship, which is positive," reflected Hampshire. "I had a pretty big crash there in the last qualifier on the last lap, which definitely didn’t help the night. I felt good in the Heat, then had a terrible start in the Main – I think I was around 17th – but passed some good guys and fought my way up to fourth. It was a good charge, but probably should’ve been better. We have a weekend off now, then we’ll come out swinging in Birmingham." The team lined up with a special 'Love Moto Stop Cancer' livery in support of the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital round this weekend. Indianapolis served up its typical rutty, technical environment, with a mixture of patience and lap-speed at a premium for success on the night. For Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Stewart, P2 in 450SX qualifying was quickly backed up by a popular Heat Race victory on board his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition. Spending the Main Event battling around the top-five, Stewart would find himself in P6 by the time the checkered flag flew, and remains fifth in the 450SX standings. "Indy fans always show me love," commented Stewart. "Back-to-back Heat Race wins were good from Daytona and Indy, and then in the Main Event, I didn’t get a great start and tried to pick my way through. But with the track being rutty and technical, if you’re not 100 percent on, it can be difficult. I felt a little off in the Main, got a bit tight, and that’s just racing. We live and learn, because we know we’re capable of more, but we’ll get some rest and come back stronger at the next one." Next Race: March 22 – Birmingham, Alabama Results 450SX Class – Indianapolis 1. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 2. Justin Cooper (Yamaha) 3. Chase Sexton (KTM) 4. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) 5. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) 6. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 9 of 17 rounds 1. Cooper Webb, 193 points 2. Chase Sexton, 178 3. Ken Roczen, 167 5. Malcolm Stewart, 140 7. Justin Barcia, 129 9. Aaron Plessinger, 105 Results 250SX East/West Showdown – Indianapolis 1. Seth Hammaker (Kawasaki) 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 3. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 4. RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 8. Julien Beaumer (KTM) Standings 250SX East Class 2025 after 4 of 10 rounds 1. Tom Vialle, 79 points 2. Max Anstie, 78 3. Seth Hammaker, 68 4. RJ Hampshire, 67
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's RJ Hampshire claimed an emphatic 250SX East Class victory in Round 8 of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship at Daytona International Speedway tonight, with teammate Malcolm Stewart racing to sixth position in the 450SX Class. Current 250SX West Champion Hampshire showed speed the moment he hit the famed Daytona circuit onboard his Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition, posting the fastest qualifying time on a rough and rutted surface heading into the night program. That positive momentum would continue as the Florida native launched out of the gates for his Heat Race holeshot, holding firm at the front of the field and taking a convincing wire-to-wire win, setting up a strong gate position for the Main Event. A top-five start for Hampshire in the final was quickly capitalized upon, as a series of decisive moves saw him take the lead in the opening laps. From there, despite a mid-race stoppage, he controlled the race from the front, taking a well-earned first race win of the year. With his Daytona result, Hampshire moves to fourth place in the 2025 250SX East Class point-standings. "Coming in this year, I didn’t have much of an off-season," reflected Hampshire. "I knew I would get stronger as the season progressed, we worked hard with the team over the last two weeks and found a setting that made me really comfortable. I felt good as soon as my wheels hit the dirt here in Daytona, gelled with the track all day, and led 90 percent of the Main Event, which was awesome for us. We’re back on track and I’m stoked on the whole day and to finally add this trophy to the cabinet." Daytona provided notoriously challenging conditions, mixing Supercross-style obstacles with the faster elements of motocross. For Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX entry Stewart, a strong start in his Heat Race led to a well-executed ride, as he powered his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition to a popular victory. A top-10 start in the Main Event saw the local Floridian in the mix up toward the front of the field, battling the leading contenders throughout the entire encounter, and ultimately claiming a sixth-place finish. He sits fifth in the championship following eight of 17 rounds. "Daytona is always fun, a crazy event for me," commented Stewart. "First Heat Race win of the year was awesome and a special moment, especially in front of the hometown fans. I rode well in the Main for P6, we charged hard, although I want to be on the box, so moving forward that’s what we’re aiming at. I’m having so much fun right now, probably the most fun I've ever had in my career, and am keen to keep it rolling. Congrats to RJ [Hampshire] on his win – the Husqvarna boys are doing well right now!" Next Race: March 8 – Indianapolis, Indiana Results 450SX Class – Daytona 1. Ken Roczen (Suzuki) 2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 3. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) 5. Chase Sexton (KTM) 6. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 10. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 8 of 17 rounds 1. Cooper Webb, 168 points 2. Chase Sexton, 158 3. Ken Roczen, 152 5. Malcolm Stewart, 124 7. Justin Barcia, 111 9. Aaron Plessinger, 88 Results 250SX East Class – Daytona 1. RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 3. Seth Hammaker (Kawasaki) Standings 250SX East Class 2025 after 3 of 10 rounds 1. Max Anstie, 63 points 2. Tom Vialle, 57 3. Chance Hymas, 50 4. RJ Hampshire, 49
Kay de Wolf storms to victory as Everts shines on debut – Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing launches its 2025 MX2 title charge in dominant fashion in Argentina!
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Malcolm Stewart claimed a top 10 finish in Round 7 of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship at the Arlington Triple Crown, with the 450SX racer racing to three solid finishes throughout the fast-paced format on Military Appreciation weekend. The Arlington conditions made for a technical and challenging race track, with the soft nature of the dirt creating a rutted surface on top and a hard base beneath. Stewart, equipped with his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition, would navigate the dynamic circuit early, posting the 10th fastest qualifying time. During the night program, the chaotic nature of the Triple Crown format was on display, with action happening on every corner of the track. Amongst the chaos, Stewart pieced together an 8-12-7 scorecard, which resulted in ninth place on a night where the Tampa winner wasn't quite racing at his best. With his Arlington finish, Stewart retains fifth place overall in the 450SX point-standings heading into Round 8 at Daytona next weekend. "Arlington is always a mystery," reflected Stewart. "The dirt seems really good, but then it has a weird, hard bottom. A lot of carnage happened during the Triple Crown, and to be honest, I just felt a little off all day, like I didn't have the tempo quite right. I struggled to match the pace tonight, but I'm not overly disapointed about my riding, as you have those ups and downs sometimes in racing. Another hometown race in Daytona coming up – I have always ridden well there – so I am looking forward to it." Next Race: March 1 – Daytona, Florida Results 450SX Class – Arlington 1. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 2. Ken Roczen (Suzuki) 3. Chase Sexton (KTM) 6. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) 7. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) 9. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 7 of 17 rounds 1. Cooper Webb, 146 points 2. Chase Sexton, 141 3. Ken Roczen, 127 5. Malcolm Stewart, 108 7. Justin Barcia, 99 11. Aaron Plessinger, 68
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider RJ Hampshire returned to the 250SX East Class podium with third place at Round 6 of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship in Detroit, on a night where teammate Malcolm Stewart impressed again with P4 in the 450SX Main Event. Last year's 250SX West Class Champion Hampshire charged to P5 in a tightly-contested qualifying session, before claiming third place in his Heat Race after climbing through the field. Hampshire’s Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition got him off to a good jump in the Main Event, situating him inside the top-five early on in the race. Steadily stalking the leaders, the race would be turned on its head with a late red flag, and a subsequent three-lap dash to close out the 250SX Main Event. Despite the chaos, Hampshire remained composed, going after points and a podium finish for P3, which has elevated him to eighth in the standings as a result. “I didn't feel great here in Detroit today,” commented Hampshire. “Not sure what it was, but just didn’t really gel, although I knew we needed to have a good points night tonight after last weekend. We had the opportunity for more there at the restart, although I played it pretty safe to get a third-place finish, bring it home with some good points and then go after it again in Daytona to get us back in this thing.” Riding a wave of confidence after his first 450SX victory last weekend in Tampa, Stewart spent the 450SX qualifying session vying for a top position on the board, ultimately finishing with the fifth-fastest lap time. Charging hard in his Heat Race, the Florida native battled his way into second place as he looked right at home at the head of the field, securing a strong gate selection for the upcoming Main Event. A good start was on the cards for Stewart aboard his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition as he circulated towards the front of the field early, logging consistent laps as the Ford Field track surface broke down. In a measured ride and backing up his performance from last weekend, he claimed a well-earned P4 finish. "Detroit always treats me well," reflected Stewart. "It’s one of those races where you don’t know how the track will be with the snow, but they do a great job with the dirt. My night was good, felt good on the track all day, and just settled into a groove in the Main Event in fifth place. Then I think Jason [Anderson] went down with a few laps to go and we got fourth, so all-in-all, I’m happy. I’m really motivated by this, to back up Tampa with a solid finish inside the top-five is great, now we want more podiums!" Next Race: February 22 – Arlington, Texas Results 450SX Class – Detroit 1. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 2. Ken Roczen (Suzuki) 3. Chase Sexton (KTM) 4. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 7. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) 9. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 6 of 17 rounds 1. Chase Sexton, 121 points 2. Cooper Webb, 121 3. Ken Roczen, 105 5. Malcolm Stewart, 95 7. Justin Barcia, 83 13. Aaron Plessinger, 53 Results 250SX East Class – Detroit 1. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 2. Max Anstie (Yamaha) 3. RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 4. Tom Vialle (KTM) Standings 250SX East Class 2025 after 2 of 10 rounds 1. Max Anstie, 47 points 2. Levi Kitchen, 38 3. Tom Vialle, 36 8. RJ Hampshire, 24
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Malcolm Stewart has captured a first-career 450SX Main Event victory, with the Floridian putting in a spectacular performance in front of his home crowd at Tampa's fifth round of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship. Stewart’s day during Round 5 of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship started off strong, with the 32-year-old charging to the third fastest lap time on a dry, technical Tampa circuit which put he and his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition to the ultimate test. A hard charge in his Heat Race saw Stewart capture a commendable second-place finish, maintaining momentum from qualifying into the night show. In the Main Event, Stewart got off the line well, with steady progress forward seeing him in second position by the midway mark. From there, he continued to close into the deficit of the leader, before utilizing his superior whoop speed to complete a race-winning pass. That was all that he needed, as he went on the notch his maiden premier class race win. "This has been an emotional rollercoaster to get here," reflected Stewart. "I did my knee in '23 and from that point I wasn't sure... especially after last year, just not being able to figure it out and I was so down on myself. I felt like I was fighting everything, until my Dad sat me down and said 'Look, either quit racing or go out there and make sure you have fun, because that's why we do this in the first place.' So fast forward from there to now in 2025, I had a great off-season, and I felt like I was in a position to do this. At my home race, I couldn't hear my motorcycle at times the crowd was so loud!" Last year's 250SX West Champion RJ Hampshire made a welcome return to racing in Tampa, lining up as one of the favorites for the opening round of 250SX East Class competition. The Florida local wasted no time in getting up to speed, with the experienced racer trading times atop the qualifying timesheet, before posting the second-fastest lap-time entering the night show. A holeshot in the opening Heat Race of the series saw Hampshire complete a clean race, inching away from his rivals and taking a comfortable win, setting the tone for the Main Event onboard his Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition. Unfortunatley for Hampshire, a mid-field start was followed by an incident with a tuff block becoming attached to his motorcycle, ultimately losing significant time in the process. Reverting to a points salvaging mode, he would cross the line in 18th place. "I was really excited to go racing again in Tampa," commented Hampshire. "I qualified second and felt really good fighting for that top spot, and then took that into the Heat Race, which I won. Main Event, I didn't get a good start and got pushed around a bit during the opening laps, and then around lap three I caught a tuff block on my footpeg, and from there the rest is history. Couldn't get it out, and it really sucks because I felt really good. Is what it is, I have dug myself a bit of a hole, although we've done it before and I know I can get out of it, so we'll just get after it in these next rounds." Next Race: February 15 – Detroit, Michigan Results 450SX Class – Tampa 1. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 3. Jason Anderson (Kawasaki) 5. Chase Sexton (KTM) 6. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) 8. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 5 of 17 rounds 1. Chase Sexton, 101 points 2. Cooper Webb, 96 3. Jason Anderson, 84 6. Malcolm Stewart, (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 77 9. Justin Barcia, 68 13. Aaron Plessinger, 40 Results 250SX East Class – Tampa 1. Max Anstie (Yamaha) 2. Daxton Bennick (Yamaha) 3. Cameron McAdoo (Kawasaki) 18. RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) Standings 250SX East Class 2025 after 1 of 10 rounds 1. Max Anstie, 25 points 2. Cameron McAdoo, 20 3. Seth Hammaker, 18 18. RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing), 4
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has made it five in a row by securing a hard-fought overall victory at the fifth round of the 2025 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, held in Budapest, Hungary.
Reigning Champion Kay de Wolf Leads Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing into the 2025 MX2 Season, with Liam Everts joining the team, and eager to bounce back and challenge for wins
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Malcolm Stewart completed the first of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship Triple Crown rounds with a hard-fought 10th position overall tonight in Glendale, Arizona. Stewart started the day strongly in qualifying, putting his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition in sixth place on combined times. The 32-year-old took a pair of strong starts in the opening races, crossing the holeshot line in P2 on both occasions. He finished the first of three finals in P7, but mishaps in the remaining two races around an increasingly demanding, technical circuit saw him cross the line with two P11 finishes. When the results were tallied, Stewart wrapped up Glendale in 10th overall – his fourth top 10 result of the series so far – and now sits ninth in the 450SX standings as the championship heads to his home round in Tampa, Florida, next Saturday. "Glendale has always treated me well and I had a really good qualifying session," reflected Stewart. "I got off to a great start to the first race and I just tried to hang with those guys, but got shuffled back, and ended up seventh. I got another start in the second final, but it was a tougher one for me. The intensity was really high and if you’re not feeling it, things can happen really quick. I didn’t get the best start to the last one, but I was trying to come through the pack before I went down. I got back up and just tried to salvage what I could, so ended up 11th. I learned a lot in that race and we’re going to bring that energy to my home round at Tampa – let’s get this 27 back up on the podium." Next Race: February 8 – Tampa, Florida Results 450SX Class – Glendale 1. Chase Sexton (KTM) 2. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 3. Ken Roczen (Suzuki) 9. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) 10. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 12. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 4 of 17 rounds 1. Chase Sexton, 84 points 2. Ken Roczen, 82 3. Eli Tomac, 75 8. Justin Barcia, 52 9. Malcolm Stewart, 52 15. Aaron Plessinger, 26 SMX Next Class – Glendale 1. Landen Gordon (Kawasaki) 2. Enzo Temmerman (Kawasaki) 3. Landon Hartz (Yamaha) 6. Landon Gibson (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) 8. Dayton Briggs (Husqvarna)
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Malcolm Stewart is beginning to build added confidence and momentum after showcasing his speed and later racing to ninth position at Anaheim 2's third round of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship. Equipped with the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition, Stewart powered to the fourth-fastest time in qualifying during the afternoon in an impressive start to his weekend at Angel Stadium. The 32-year-old unfortunately went down in the first turn of his Heat Race, but remounted and worked his way through to field to an impressive P5 result. Faced with a slick track after rain fell just before the 450SX Main Event, Stewart came out of the first turn just outside of the top 10. The Floridian made some early moves up to seventh, before losing two places late in the race and finishing ninth. With three rounds in the books, he’s placed 10th in the point standings. "I actually felt good all day long. I was P4 in qualifying, but then went down at the start of my Heat race," Stewart reflected. "After I went down I had to come back through the pack with a really good ride and qualified for the Main. It rained before the Main Event, but we went out there and I felt pretty decent the whole time. At the end of the day, I feel like we’re making gains as a team. I felt a lot more comfortable today, we’re heading in the right direction, and I'm riding better." Next Race: February 1 – Glendale, Arizona Results 450SX Class – Anaheim 2 1. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 2. Ken Roczen (Suzuki) 3. Jason Anderson (Kawasaki) 4. Chase Sexton (KTM) 9. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 10. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) 22. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 3 of 17 rounds 1. Ken Roczen, 62 points 2. Chase Sexton, 59 3. Jett Lawrence, 57 9. Justin Barcia, 42 10. Malcolm Stewart, 40 19. Aaron Plessinger, 13
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Malcolm Stewart has raced to a solid seventh-place finish in San Diego’s second round of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship. The 32-year-old posted the seventh-fastest qualifying time in an ultra-competitive session, then held his own during the opening 450SX Heat race to finish fifth, equipped with the Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition. In the Main Event, Stewart started well and ran as high as P4 during the opening laps. The Floridian continued to post fast, consistent laps as the track developed and eventually crossed the line in seventh position, elevating him to P9 in the standings following Round 2. Malcolm Stewart: "San Diego was a good rebound from what happened to me at A1. I felt pretty good in practice and my Heat race was solid. Then in the Main, I didn’t get the best start, but I kinda made it work going into the first turn and I was sitting inside the top five. During the race there were times I felt like, 'Alright, let’s go', but I made a few mistakes and felt a little flat. I’m not sure if it’s because I was a little stiff, but at the end of the day we finished seventh and we can keep building from here. Even though I’m not riding to my full potential, I was still able to land inside the top 10." Next Race: January 25 – Anaheim 2, California Results 450SX Class – San Diego 1. Eli Tomac (Yamaha) 2. Jett Lawrence (Honda) 3. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 6. Chase Sexton (KTM) 7. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) 8. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) 22. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 2 of 17 rounds 1. Eli Tomac, 42 points 2. Chase Sexton, 41 3. Ken Roczen, 40 6. Justin Barcia, 30 9. Malcolm Stewart, 27 15. Aaron Plessinger, 13
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Malcolm Stewart put a dramatic Heat Race crash behind him to take a top 10 result in the opening round of the 2025 AMA Supercross Championship at Anaheim 1. The Floridian posted the seventh-quickest qualifying time and had worked his way into P3 in his Heat when a heavy crash resulted in a DNF. Banged up and bruised, Stewart progressed to the Main after finishing P2 in the Last Chance Qualifier on his Husqvarna FC 450 Factory Edition. An outside gate pick for the Main Event then forced him to work his way through the 450SX pack over the duration the 20-minute race, taking the checkered flag in a hard-earned 10th position. Malcolm Stewart: "A1 was a mystery for me. I honestly felt good all day, in the Heat Race I was sitting third and made a mistake in the sand, and the next thing you know I got whipped and went flying. I hit the ground pretty hard and beat myself up, but when you hit the ground like that it’s to be expected that you don’t bounce back the way you want. I got checked out and I got the green light to go racing, so I went into the LCQ and salvaged what we had. In the Main Event I thought if I could top 10, that’d feel like a win. Sure enough, we got 10th, so we leave on a really high note due to the circumstances and how I feel. I’ll take a couple of days off now to regroup and get ready for San Diego." Next Race: January 18 – San Diego, California Results 450SX Class – Anaheim 1. Chase Sexton (KTM) 2. Ken Roczen (Suzuki) 3. Jason Anderson (Kawasaki) 6. Justin Barcia (GASGAS) 9. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) 10. Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) Standings 450SX Class 2025 after 1 of 17 rounds 1. Chase Sexton, 25 points 2. Ken Roczen, 22 3. Jason Anderson, 20 6. Justin Barcia, 15 9. Aaron Plessinger, 12 10. Malcolm Stewart, 11
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing is embracing a focused approach for the 2025 season, entering the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) with an all-star two-rider team featuring 450 Class contender Malcolm Stewart and 250SX West Champion RJ Hampshire.
Husqvarna signed-off its 2024 Grand Prix season with 3rd place in the Moto3 world championship. Collin Veijer scored 10th position at the last race of the year to collect ‘bronze’. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya entertained MotoGP for the second time in 2024 as the Solidarity Grand Prix of Barcelona replaced the cancelled Valencian GP after the recent DANA floodings in the eastern region of Spain. The twentieth round of the year took place near the Catalan capital and around the 14 corners of the 4.6km layout that has staged the sixth fixture of the season back in May. The IntactGP team brought their Husqvarna machinery to the venue with Collin Veijer tied on points for 2nd place in the Moto3 championship standings, Tatsuki Suzuki hoping to get near a first podium result to end his term with the squad and the Moto2™ contingent of Senna Agius and Darryn Binder also optimistic of strong results to cap a season of ‘personal bests’ in the class. Barcelona was sunny and temperate for the late autumn event with cool conditions in the morning improving with bright skies in the afternoon that made the racing surface slightly easier to judge for grip. The track is renowned for being difficult and lacking in optimum traction and the November scheduling meant another hurdle to negotiate for the team and riders. Collin Veijer was fastest in FP1 on Friday morning and then ranked 5th in Practice 1 later in the day: 0.2 of a second away. Suzuki was less than a second from the main pacesetters and took 16th. The positive speed rolled into Saturday. The Dutchman managed 2nd in Q2 and the Japanese was 10th for the fourth row of the grid and with a view to 18 hectic laps on Sunday morning. The opening thrusts and parries of the Moto3 dispute produced the usual barrage of position swapping. Veijer was in-and-around the top ten and Suzuki in the first fifteen riders. The pack filtered out more in the last two laps and Collin could not quite move into the dice for the podium. He crossed the line in 11th and was moved up to 10th due to a penalty for another rider. Suzuki had lost the tow as the group splintered but persevered at the head of the second collective and grabbed 3 points for P13. The consequences of the twentieth Grand Prix of the year were quickly gathered after the chequered flag. Veijer earns the bronze medal thanks to 242 points, nine podium finishes and a strong second season in which he showed considerable improvement. Suzuki placed 14th, having entered the top ten on nine occasions from twenty. The IntactGP team classified 3rd in the Teams list. Collin Veijer, 10th: “My start was quite good and I felt confident but after a few laps I could see that we were suffering on the straight a bit. We came up a bit short. We made a choice today that didn’t work out and this can happen. I enjoyed my last race in Moto3. We had some battling! I know I could have been much better but I’m happy with 3rd in the championship because it was the goal. Onto next year!” Tatsuki Suzuki, 13th: “I’m disappointed with the race. I didn’t have a comfortable feeling. I tried to maximise what I had to finish P13. It wasn’t the result that we needed or what we wanted. No podium this season but otherwise it was quite decent and the team helped me so much. We worked hard this year.” The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya brought a captivating and unpredictable Moto2 year to a close for the Intact unit and their energetic riders Senna Agius and Darryn Binder. The Australian was the quicker of the duo on Friday and placed near the top ten. Through Saturday’s sessions and qualification Agius was again the main protagonist and was clearly relishing his second attempt to get the better of Barcelona. He was 10th quickest after Q2 (popping out of Q1 as well) and Binder ended the day with 22nd on the grid. The last Moto2 race of the year produced 21 engaging laps. Agius had his eyes on the top ten and hounded the top five after two early big multi rider crashes while Binder had to pull some feisty moves to pick through the second half of the pack. Agius eventually had to slow his pace due to an issue with his right arm and finished 13th while Binder just missed the points in 16th. The story of 2024 puts Senna 18th in the championship table after his rookie year and with one memorable podium finish at Phillip Island and four top ten results. Darryn ranked 19th with a finish of 5th in Indonesia as the highlight. Senna Agius, 13th: “I had a really good start and was just trying to save the tyre, and with eleven laps to go my right arm went to sleep for some reason. I could not brake or open the throttle as I wanted. I was wondering if I could finish. I just tried to bring the bike home and I’m really disappointed because I had the package to be going for the podium. I’ve never had a physical problem like this before so it’s confusing. Overall, quite happy with my first world championship campaign. I did my best and had some good moments.” Darryn Binder, 16th: “It’s been a tough weekend. I was trying to get comfortable and never really found the right feeling to be able to push the pace. I knew it would be difficult from 22nd place but I went out and did my best. I tried to save some tyre but I was struggling in the last quarter. I’m a bit disappointed to have been pipped for the last point. I did what I could and I just want to say huge thank you to the whole Husqvarna IntactGP team. It’s been a pleasure to work with them for the last two years.” Results Moto3 Solidarity Barcelona Grand Prix 1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO 32:27.723, 2. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS +0.147, 3. Angel Piqueras (ESP) Honda +1.210, 4. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP) KTM +1.352, 8. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS +2.025 10. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna +2.713, 13. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna +10.823, 19. Alvaro Carpe (ESP) KTM +13.437, 22. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) KTM +16.645 Final World Championship standings Moto3 1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO, 421 points, 2. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS, 256, 3. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna, 242, 7. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), KTM, 157, 14. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna, 91, 15. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS, 66, 17. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO, 45, 23. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) KTM, 13 Results Moto2 Solidarity Barcelona Grand Prix 1. Aron Canet (ESP) 36:29.282, 2. Manuel Gonzalez (ESP) +0.091, 3. Diogo Moreira (BRA) +1.124, 7. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO +5.647, 13. Senna Agius (AUS) Husqvarna +14.733, 16. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna +16.476, 22. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo +29.727, DNF. Celestino Vietti (ITA) Red Bull KTM Ajo, DNF. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO Final World Championship standings Moto2 1. Ai Ogura (JPN), 274 points, 2. Aron Canet (ESP), 234, 3. Manuel Gonzalez (ESP), 195, 7. Celestino Vietti (ITA) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 165, 8. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO, 155, 17. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO, 69, 18. Senna Agius (AUS) Husqvarna, 66, 19. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna, 54, 20. Deniz Öncü (TUR) Red Bull KTM Ajo, 49
Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing is excited to announce that Liam Everts, one of motocross’ brightest young talents, will join the team for the 2025 MX2 season. Everts will race alongside reigning MX2 World Champion Kay de Wolf, forming a duo that promises to take the FIM MX2 Motocross World Championship by storm. Liam Everts, aged 20, hailing from Hasselt in Belgium, carries a prestigious motocross pedigree as the son of ten-time world champion Stefan Everts and the grandson of four-time world champion Harry Everts. While his family’s legacy has undoubtedly shaped his early career, Liam’s own accomplishments are now speaking for themselves. In 2021, Liam made his MX2 debut at the Grand Prix of Sardinia, where he quickly began to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with. The next season, in 2022, Everts’ determination saw him secure a top-10 finish in the MX2 World Championship. Building on this momentum in 2023, Liam fiercely challenged Andrea Adamo for the world title until a major crash at the penultimate round interrupted his campaign. Despite this setback, 2023 was a breakout year for Everts. He captured Grand Prix victories in Germany, the Netherlands, and Turkey, firmly establishing himself on the world stage. By season’s end, he had secured fourth place overall in the MX2 World Championship - proving he’s ready to step out from his family’s shadow and make his own mark. The 2024 season saw Everts demonstrate his incredible raw speed once more, securing back-to-back Grand Prix victories in Trentino and Portugal before an unfortunate injury prematurely ended his season. Now, on his way to full fitness, Everts is ready to enter a new chapter with Husqvarna in 2025, where he will be racing on the Husqvarna FC250. #26 - Liam Everts: "I'm super happy to join Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing - they’re a great group of people, and it’s an exciting new challenge. I’ve spent a lot of time with them in the past, so I feel really good about this move. My motivation to take on a fresh challenge is really high; I definitely needed a change. We both want to win - that’s the ultimate goal. We want to become world champions. We’ll see how everything goes with me coming back from injury, but we’ll take it step by step and see what the speed is like once I’m back on the bike. This opportunity also felt like the perfect time to change my race number – new team, new colors, new number! After the accident, a lot changed, and now it felt like the right time to start something of my own. My family has been super supportive. It feels like an exciting, fresh chapter in my career!" Rasmus Jorgensen - Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Team Manager: “We’re super excited to have Liam join the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing team. His talent, dedication, and strong work ethic make him a perfect fit for our program. With the unfortunate injury he sustained in China, the first and only priority right now is to get him back on the bike without any limitations whatsoever. With Kay [de Wolf], the reigning MX2 World Champion, as his teammate, we’re confident that this duo will continue to push themselves, each other, and our team forward, ultimately creating an exciting dynamic that will bring us great highlights in 2025! Let’s go TEAM!”
Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing's Kay de Wolf fulfilled a lifelong dream in 2024 by becoming a motocross world champion. From his humble beginnings through to the moment he crossed the finish line in Spain to capture his first world title, watch the full, raw, and emotional story of how a young racer from the Netherlands made his aspirations become a reality. Watch Kay de Wolf - The Journey to World Champion on the Husqvarna Mobility YouTube channel HERE. Featuring Kay’s family, friends, trainers, and team personnel, Kay de Wolf - The Journey to World Champion includes insights from some of the people closest to him who all played vital roles in his racing achievements. Since signing with Husqvarna for the 2019 season, Kay’s 2024 title marks the rewarding culmination of an exceptional six years with the brand. By guiding the Dutchman from his EMX125 debut through to claiming his first MX2 World Championship title, Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing is the first team in history to record such a feat. For the upcoming season, Kay will defend his MX2 title aboard his world championship winning FC 250, starting with the MXGP of Argentina on March 2, 2025. Head to the Husqvarna Mobility YouTube channel to watch Kay‘s Journey to World Champion HERE.
The nineteenth and penultimate Grand Prix of 2024 MotoGP™ took place in the heat and humidity of the Sepang International Circuit and Collin Veijer excelled in the difficult conditions to record 5th place. MotoGP travelled onwards to the familiar climes of Sepang for the third Grand Prix in a row and the last fixture in an overseas streak that has seen the series visit Australia and Thailand in recent weeks. Malaysia entertained the world championship for the 32nd time and Sepang opened its gates for the 24th occasion as a premium venue. The track is a popular testing site for Grand Prix due to the wide range of corners and the high technical challenge. The tropical climate also adds difficulty due to the temperatures and the propensity for showers. The opening session for the Moto3 riders and teams on Friday was wet as the IntactGP pairing of Collin Veijer and Tatsuki Suzuki took their Husqvarna FR 250 GP machinery onto the warm asphalt. As is the norm at Sepang, the surface quickly began to dry and Veijer ended Practice 5th fastest and half a second from 1st place while Suzuki was 10th. The Dutchman and Japanese charged into Q2 on Saturday with their own agendas in mind. Veijer is chasing the ‘silver medal’ in his second world championship season, while Suzuki was eying the possibility of fighting for his first podium finish for the team in 2024. After qualification the pair had made sure of 4th (for Suzuki and a season-best) and with Veijer in 8th on the grid for the 15 laps on Sunday. Sepang’s long 5.5km length and 15 corners, not forgetting the two long straights, placed large emphasis on braking, precision, tyre preservation and slipstreaming. Veijer and Suzuki were quickly into the dispute for the leading positions and through the oppressive temperatures and sunshine. Tatsuki’s race ended with a technical issue and seven laps to go. Collin kept pushing and was 5th and just one second from the winner by the chequered flag. One round remains in 2024. Veijer is joint-second in the Moto3 points table. Suzuki is 14th and still has a chance of pushing up to 12th. The IntactGP team 3rd. The cancelled Grand Prix of Valencia will be replaced by an event that races for Valencia. Collin Veijer, 5th: “The feeling was really good. When I saw that my rival for P2 in the overall standings had crashed, I told myself to stay calm and not risk anything crazy. That's what I did for the whole race, collecting everything but always trying to stay in the group. I had a lot of trouble at corner entry at the hard braking points because we were using the harder front tyre. Overall, we did a good job in terms of the championship by finishing the race in P5. This means that we are equal on points with the second-placed rider. we have to focus on the last race and do our job well there because we really want to take the runner-up position.” Tatsuki Suzuki, DNF: “My start was okay. After that, I stayed pretty calm because we had opted for the harder tyre. My plan was to stay behind the group but when I realized that the riders in front were slowing down the pace, I said to myself: ‘Okay, this is the moment to push’ but at that point we had a technical problem. So, it's a shame, but on the other hand we were able to show our potential very well. We still have one race to go and we're not going to bury our heads in the sand but work hard to make it there.” IntactGP pushed the Moto2 bikes of Darryn Binder and Senna Agius outside of the pitbox eager to see how the vastly improving duo would perform in Malaysia after podium appearances in Australia and more front-running pace in Thailand. Lap-times were very tight and the South African and Australian worked through their settings and options on Friday and across changeable track conditions. On Saturday it was rookie Agius who was 18th fastest for the end of the sixth row while Binder was 22nd on the grid. Moto2 raced around Sepang for 17 laps on Sunday as the mercury climbed to 35 degrees. Agius’ race was over on the first lap after a tangle in traffic put him on the ground. Binder tried his best to fight back from the lower regions of the top twenty but he also crashed out with nine laps remaining while tipping into Turn 15. Darryn Binder, DNF: “A weekend to forget. I struggled a bit on Friday but made steps forwards yesterday and was hoping we could continue that today. The track conditions were really tricky: it was so hot, and the grip was low. I had a bad start and there was a lot going on in front of me. A lot of guys going down. I was trying to see what I could do and was locking the front wheel a lot and unfortunately I came into the last turn and I ended up crashing with no warning at all. Hopefully we can end the season on a high at the final round.” Senna Agius, DNF: “Unfortunately I got caught up in an incident in Turn 9. It’s devasting. The last couple of races have been quite hard to comprehend. Not much more to say. Everyone is putting in a lot of effort and this is not where we should be. We just have to work for the next one.” Results Moto3 Malaysian Grand Prix 1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO 33:03.671, 2. Taiyo Furusato (JPN) Honda +0.088, 3. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP) KTM +0.411, 5. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna +1.091, 12. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS +16.019, 14. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) KTM +20.793, DNF. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna, DNF. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS, DNF. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO World Championship standings Moto3 1. David Alonso (COL) CFMOTO, 396 points, 2. Daniel Holgado (ESP) GASGAS, 236, 3. Collin Veijer (NED) Husqvarna, 236, 7. Jose Antonio Rueda (ESP), KTM, 144, 14. Tatsuki Suzuki (JPN) Husqvarna, 88, 15. Jacob Roulstone (AUS) GASGAS, 58, 17. Joel Esteban (ESP) CFMOTO, 45, 23. Xabi Zurutuza (ESP) KTM, 13 Results Moto2 Malaysian Grand Prix 1. Celestino Vietti (ITA) KTM 36:06.629, 2. Jorge Navarro (ESP) +1.486, 3. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO +3.265, 4. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO +4.502, 7. Deniz Öncü (TUR) KTM +7.720, DNF. Senna Agius (AUS) Husqvarna, DNF. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna World Championship standings Moto2 1. Ai Ogura (JPN), 261 points, 2. Aron Canet (ESP), 209, 3. Sergio Garcia (ESP), 181, 7. Celestino Vietti (ITA) KTM 165, 8. Jake Dixon (GBR) CFMOTO, 155, 16. Senna Agius (AUS) Husqvarna, 63, 18. Izan Guevara (ESP) CFMOTO, 60, 19. Darryn Binder (RSA) Husqvarna, 54, 20. Deniz Öncü (TUR) KTM 49
MotoGP™ arrived to one of the fastest, most scenic and challenging Grand Prix circuits on the calendar and Husqvarna’s Senna Agius scored a memorable first career podium finish.
Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf claimed the MX2 Gold Plate and helped Team Netherlands secure a third-place podium at the 2024 Motocross of Nations, while Lucas Coenen’s strong performance was cut short by a crash.
Collin Veijer steered his Husqvarna to 2nd place at an overcast Motegi to end the sixteenth round of 2024 MotoGP™ with his eighth podium classification of the season.
Kay de Wolf has secured the 2024 MX2 championship on his 20th birthday ahead of Lucas Coenen in second place, capping off an outstanding season with seven Grand Prix wins and total Red Plate dominance.
MotoGP™ rounded the hot climes of Mandalika in Lombok as Tatsuki Suzuki guided his FR 250 GP to 7th place after another Moto3 spectacle & Darryn Binder captured a Moto2 top five result.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing endured one of its toughest rounds of the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) at tonight's final round in Las Vegas, where both Christian Craig and Malcolm Stewart were struck by misfortune in the 450SMX division. Both qualified inside the top 10 with Stewart seventh and Craig 10th on combined times riding their Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition machinery, setting up what looked to be a promising night ahead on the hybrid race track located at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. A crash with another rider saw Stewart ease it home to 19th in Moto 1, but he wasn't able to line up for the final race of the season, demoting him to 17th in the final 450SMX standings as a result of the triple points on offer in the Las Vegas SMX Final. It was a similar story for Craig, finishing 17th in the first race, before having to pull out of Moto 2 and also spelling the end of his season early. That meant he had to settle for 20th in the post-season rankings, also impacted by the points structure at the finale. "Tonight was a tough way end the season, but we have to focus on all the positives that we have achieved this year," commented Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager, Nathan Ramsey. "It wasn’t our night in Las Vegas, so we will focus on regrouping during the off-season and come out swinging in 2025. I’m happy and honored to be a part of an amazing crew, we are all looking forward to next year, and will strive towards reaching greater heights as a team." Rockstar Energy Husqvarna also had Landon Gibson on track this weekend in the 250 World All-Stars category, qualifying a solid fifth position and then racing forward to P7 in the Main Event. Results 450SMX Class – SMX Final 1. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda 2. Hunter Lawrence (AUS), Honda 3. Eli Tomac (USA), Yamaha 4. Aaron Plessinger (USA), KTM 8. Justin Barcia (USA), GASGAS 22. Christian Craig (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 23. Malcolm Stewart (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 24. Chase Sexton (USA), KTM Standings 450SMX Class 2024 after 3 of 3 rounds 1. Jett Lawrence, 156 points 2. Hunter Lawrence, 156 3. Eli Tomac, 129 4. Aaron Plessinger, 116 7. Chase Sexton, 89 9. Justin Barcia, 75 17. Malcolm Stewart, 48 20. Christian Craig, 34
The Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli fired into motion once more for MotoGP in 2024 and Collin Veijer took his FR 250 GP to 3rd position under the Italian sunshine.
It wasn't Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's day at Texas Motor Speedway in Playoff 2 of the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX), but the countdown is on for the Las Vegas SMX Final next weekend, where the team hopes to finish season 2024 on a strong note. 450SMX saw Malcolm Stewart ride his Husqvarna FC 450 Rockstar Edition to P9 in qualifying and then he was 11th in Moto 1 after recovering from a bad start. Improved track position in the early stages of the second moto was short-lived when he was caught up in an incident, going on to claw his way back to 17th. That placed him 13th overall in Fort Worth and he's now ninth in the standings. "Fort Worth was definitely a warm one!" Stewart said. "We tried everything we could to be up there with the guys this weekend. First one, I had a bad start and that was on me, so by the time you recover it's tough. In the second moto, it was a really good start, but I locked handlebars with another rider – just a racing incident. I need to take what I learned with that start and try to apply it in Vegas. With triple points on the line, there's a lot to be made up yet. We'll dig deep and try to get this bike up there toward the front! We'll have a really great week and end this thing on a good note." Texas was also up-and-down for teammate Christian Craig, racing forward to 10th in the first race, but he was caught up in early drama at the start of Moto 2, and then went down in the latter stages. That meant he had to settle for 18th at the finish, which resulted in 14th overall. Craig sits 12th in points, well within reach of the top 10 with the SMX Final to pay triple points next Saturday evening. "Today was challenging, for sure," Craig explained. "The track was super-basic, but the dirt made it tough. Qualifying was decent and then the first moto was alright as well, but in the second moto, I got caught up in the second turn, so had to come from behind. I made some passes, but then went down pretty hard, and my elbow did not feel good after that. I did what I could from there, so it was frustrating – we'll see what we can do next week." A sixth-place score in 250SMX Moto 1 marked a solid start for RJ Hampshire at Texas Motor Speedway, before he was able to challenge inside the top three during the second outing. Unfortunately, the Husqvarna FC 250 Rockstar Edition rider crashed out soon afterward, ending his weekend prematurely. After being credited 15th overall, Hampshire is now ranked 13th in the championship. "It was a tough weekend," Hampshire commented. "First moto, I felt pretty good, and it was decent. Second moto, I was running third, but slid off the face of the triple and went too far right into the tuff blocks. It was disappointing to end the weekend like that obviously, but my pace was good again today and that is a positive to take out of Texas." Next Race: September 21 – Las Vegas, Nevada (SMX Final) Results 450SMX Class – SMX Playoff 2 1. Hunter Lawrence (AUS), Honda 2. Chase Sexton (USA), KTM 3. Jett Lawrence (AUS), Honda 7. Aaron Plessinger (USA), KTM 12. Justin Barcia (USA), GASGAS 13. Malcolm Stewart (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 14. Christian Craig (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Standings 450SMX Class 2024 after 2 of 3 rounds 1. Hunter Lawrence, 90 points 2. Chase Sexton, 89 3. Jett Lawrence, 81 5. Aaron Plessinger, 62 9. Malcolm Stewart, 48 12. Christian Craig, 34 14. Justin Barcia, 33 Results 250SMX Class – SMX Playoff 2 1. Haiden Deegan (USA), Yamaha 2. Tom Vialle (FRA), KTM 3. Jo Shimoda (JPN), Honda 5. Julien Beaumer (USA), KTM 7. Pierce Brown (USA), GASGAS 13. Ryder DiFrancesco (USA), GASGAS 15. RJ Hampshire (USA), Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Standings 250SMX Class 2024 after 2 of 3 rounds 1. Haiden Deegan, 100 points 2. Tom Vialle, 81 3. Levi Kitchen, 78 5. Julien Beaumer, 69 7. Pierce Brown, 56 12. Ryder DiFrancesco, 39 13. RJ Hampshire, 36 26. Casey Cochran, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 4
Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing is guaranteed to take both first and second in the 2024 MX2 championship following Lucas Coenen and Kay de Wolf’s 1-2 finish in Shanghai, while Mattia Guadagnini finished inside the top-10 at the MXGP of China.
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.
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Prestige Overall 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 63pts; 2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 51pts; 3. Cody Webb (Sherco) 43pts; 4. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 43pts; 5. Cooper Abbott (Sherco) 31pts… Prestige Race 1 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 7:41.953; 2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 10 laps, 7:58.900; 3. Cody Webb (Sherco) 10 laps, 8:14.278… Prestige Race 2 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 7:25.807; 2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 10 laps, 7:55.102; 3. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 10 laps, 8:05.578… Prestige Race 3 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 7:19.638; 2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 10 laps, 7:41.718; 3. Cody Webb (Sherco) 10 laps, 7:49.157… Championship Standings (After round 1) 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 63pts; 2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 51pts; 3. Cody Webb (Sherco) 43pts; 4. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 43pts; 5. Cooper Abbott (Sherco) 31pts…
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.” 2022 Andalucia Rally – Stage 4 Provisional Classification 1. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 1:22:53 2. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 1:23:09 3. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 1:24:24 4. Tosha Schareina (KTM) 1:24:36 5. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 1:24:53 6. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 1:25:00 2022 Andalucia Rally – Provisional Overall Classification (after stage 4) 1. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 9:58:48 2. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 10:02:02 +3:14 3. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 10:05:25 4. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 10:11:43 5. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 10:14:10 6. Tosha Schareina (KTM) 10:17:22
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.” 2022 Andalucia Rally – Stage 3 Provisional Classification 1. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 3:46:32 2. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 3:48:22 3. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:49:35 4. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 3:51:12 5. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 3:50:30 6. Sebastian Buhler (Hero) 3:52:26 2022 Andalucia Rally – Provisional Overall Classification (after stage 3) 1. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 8:33:55 2. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 8:36:53 3. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 8:39:01 4. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 8:44:50 5. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 8:45:27 6. Ross Branch (Hero) 8:50:09
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.” 2022 Andalucia Rally – Stage 1 Provisional Classification 1. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 3:39:25 2. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 3:42:39 3. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:42:54 4. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 3:44:29 5. Tosha Schareina (KTM) 3:46:30 6. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 3:46:42 2022 Andalucia Rally – Provisional Overall Classification (after stage 1) 1. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 4:45:33 2. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 4:48:07 3. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 4:49:26 4. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 4:50:21 5. Tosha Schareina (KTM) 4:52:46 6. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 4:53:38
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… Enduro3 1. Brad Freeman (Beta) 229pts; 2. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 226pts; 3. Matteo Pavoni (TM) 178pts…
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 1. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 1:37:30 2. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 1:37:36 3. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 1:37:47 4. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 1:39:00 5. Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 1:40:05 6. Ross Branch (Hero) 1:41:14 2022 Rallye du Maroc – Provisional Overall Classification (after final stage) 1. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 16:30:29 2. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 16:37:42 3. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 16:41:17 4. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 16:42:36 5. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 16:45:20 6. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 16:50:40
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 2022 Rallye du Maroc – Provisional Overall Classification (after stage 4) 1. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 14:51:42 2. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 14:52:53 3. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 14:58:31 4. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 14:59:55 5. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 15:05:06 6. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 15:07:11
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 1. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:09:42 2. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 3:10:07 3. Ross Branch (Hero) 3:12:20 4. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 3:12:45 5. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 3:13:01 6. Toby Price (KTM) 3:13:12 2022 Rallye du Maroc – Provisional Overall Classification (after stage 3) 1. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 11:22:51 2. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 11:26:08 3. Toby Price (KTM) 11:27:36 4. Ross Branch (Hero) 11:29:37 5. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 11:30:07 6. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 11:32:40
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 1. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 3:18:44 2. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 3:21:38 3. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 3:21:45 4. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 3:21:56 5. Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 3:23:57 6. Toby Price (KTM) 3:24:49 ... 9. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:27:57 2022 Rallye du Maroc – Provisional Overall Classification (after stage 2) 1. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 8:12:44 2. Toby Price (KTM) 8:14:24 3. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 8:16:26 4. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 8:16:43 5. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 8:17:06 6. Ross Branch (Hero) 8:17:17
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 1. Ross Branch (Hero) 3:44:56 2. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:46:05 3. Toby Price (KTM) 3:47:27 4. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 3:48:16 5. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 3:49:29 6. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 3:50:33 2022 Rallye du Maroc – Provisional Overall Classification (after stage 1) 1. Ross Branch (Hero) 4:46:24 2. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 4:48:29 3. Toby Price (KTM) 4:49:35 4. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 4:50:48 5. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 4:55:05 6. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 4:55:21
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 1. Ross Branch (Hero) 1:01:28 2. Toby Price (KTM) 1:02:08 3. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 1:02:24 4. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 1:02:32 5. Adrien Van Beveren (Honda) 1:02:48 6. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 1:03:52
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 Daniel Holgado for company. McPhee was part of the second posse and challenging for the top five. Sasaki stalked Guevara as the pair dropped Holgado in the final stages of the chase but the Spaniard remained error-free and the Japanese was not able to strike. The gap was less than a second at the chequered flag and Sasaki laid his hands on a sixth trophy of the season as runner-up. McPhee ran wide at almost mid-race distance into Turn 1 and lost almost ten places but stretched the throttle cable to get back into the thick of the second group. He was able to finish fractions of a second ahead of Xavi Artigas in the charge to the line and salvaged a top ten ranking. Sasaki is eying the top three of the world championship. He continues to hold 4th position but is only 13 points away from Dennis Foggia. McPhee gained 6 points and is 18th in the Riders’ list. Ayumu can now look forward to his first home event in three years. The Motul Grand Prix of Japan will occur at the Mobility Resort Motegi circuit in just seven days time. Ayumu Sasaki: “Today I gave my best. Izan was just a bit faster. I was following him and trying to save tyres but he was quicker in the last three laps. So I stayed calm and took 2nd, which I though was better after a disappoint last race. A good result, I’m happy to be on the podium again and now we go to Japan: I cannot wait for my home Grand Prix.” John McPhee: “I felt really strong but we had a couple of issues. The first three were a bit too strong but I felt I could have been better in the second group. I jumped out of gear and lost positions but recovered. I couldn’t quite be there on the last lap. I had speed and I could overtake so I’ll take the positives from today into Motegi.” Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Round 15 1. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 37:29.944, 2. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) +0.957, 3. Daniel Holgado (KTM) +6.536, 10. John McPhee (Husqvarna) +17.071 Moto3 world championship standings 1. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 229pts, 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 196, 3. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 171. 4. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 158, 18. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 53
The fourteenth appointment for 2022 MotoGP™ rounded the flat curves of the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli and John McPhee rode to the top ten in San Marino. The Italian seaside resort of Misano Adriatico welcome MotoGP for the second date of the 2022 schedule on the mainland and for the 28th Grand Prix at the site. The event, officially titled ‘Gran Premio Gryfyn di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini’, saw fans flock to the flat, fast and familiar Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. Misano holds good memories for the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team. The squad celebrated victory in 2020, which was the first Grand Prix win for Husqvarna Motorcycles in the Moto3 division. The crew were also leading a damp race in 2021. Ayumu Sasaki arrived in San Marino on the wave of decent form thanks to triumphs in two of the previous three meetings. The Japanese, along with teammate John McPhee on the FR 250 GP motorcycles, were consistently around the top positions of the Free Practice sessions and were only unsettled by a light bout of rain on Saturday that created a mixed damp/dry track surface and made Q2 a tricky prospect. McPhee ended up with 8th place and a spot in the centre of the third row of the start grid while Sasaki had to accept the 17th best lap-time. Moto3 opened a dry and sunny Sunday with a 23-lap distance. The lead group was quickly formed by eleven riders but Sasaki’s efforts were clipped almost immediately when he was hit entering Turn 4. The Japanese was thankfully unhurt but he was out of the running. The onus was left on McPhee. The Scot was mired in the thick of the second pack and secured 9th – for the second race in a row - and was just over 11 seconds away from the winner. He was in a melee with seven riders split by just one second at the flag. Sasaki is still closely implicated in the battle for the championship top three. He holds 6th position and is just 31 points from Dennis Foggia. McPhee continues to make progress in the rankings and is 17th. In a fortnight’s time MotoGP will again get fast. The Gran Premio Animoca Brands de Aragón will take the series back to Spain and to the swirling MotorLand Aragon circuit for round fifteen. John McPhee: “A little underwhelmed by the result because it doesn’t represent all the hard work we are doing throughout the weekend. I’m still riding in a little bit of a different way to what I know and how I can ride. I can manage the race and we can be fast and on certain points of the track I am so strong. On other parts the guys can pass me too easily and this is what we need to improve. Anyway, we have very good speed, and I really want to thank all the guys in the team. We will achieve the results we deserve very soon.” Ayumu Sasaki: “Very disappointing today. In Warm-up we were P1 and we had great pace but I was hit on the first lap. That was it. These things can happen in racing. There was nothing I could do. We just have to look ahead and we have six more GPs to go. It’s been up and down this season but we just have to accept today and look for better luck in Aragon.” Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Round 14 1. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 39:21.864, 2. Jaume Masia (KTM) +0.289, 3. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) +0.334, 9. John McPhee (Husqvarna) +11.383, DNF. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) Moto3 world championship standings 1. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 193pts, 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 204, 3. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 169. 6. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 138, 17. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 47
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Mikael Persson has won the Enduro3 class at the 2022 FIM International Six Days Enduro. Riding his TE 300 at the historic event, the Swede topped his class on each day of competition in France before placing a solid fourth on the final motocross race. Following his breakthrough ride at the 2021 ISDE, where he placed third overall, Persson came into this year’s 96th edition with the goal of emulating that success and to carry the same speed that has taken him to the lead of the Enduro3 World Championship. A strong start on day one saw Persson complete the opening five tests in third overall, opening up a near 20-second advantage at the top of the Enduro3 category. With day two following the same route, Mikael was able to maintain his strong pace across the increasingly rough terrain to complete the day inside the top five overall, further extending his advantage in E3. Top-six overall results on days three and four helped to increase Mikael’s advantage in the E3 class as he carried a 30-second lead into the final day of special tests. Once again giving his maximum effort on the fresh tests of day five, and despite rain falling at times, the Husqvarna Factory Racing rider was able to maintain his position at the top of his class. With just Saturday’s motocross test separating him from the top step of the Enduro3 podium, Persson delivered a solid but safe ride on the final day to finish the event off on a high and secure his class win. Mikael Persson: “I’m pretty happy with my performance over the week. Obviously, it feels great to take the win in E3, and I think I had good consistent speed in all the tests, in the different types of terrain. I know there is a little work to do to get on terms with the guys right at the front – a couple of seconds here and there can mean a bit of a gap at the end of six days. For me, I know I tried my best throughout the whole race. The top 10 in the results is near enough the same as in EnduroGP, so I’m where I should be you could say, but I know I made a couple of mistakes that cost me some time. On day five especially, I really pushed as hard as I could, and it meant I went into the final motocross test nearly one minute ahead of the others in my class. As we know anything can happen on the way to that final chequered flag, so I stayed safe and got a solid finish. It felt great to be riding for the Swedish World Trophy team again this year. Everyone gave their best and we came away with sixth place in the end, not far behind the USA. My focus now switches back to the world championship and the final round where I hope to fight for the E3 title.” Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Austin Walton finished fifth in the Junior World Trophy class, while another Husqvarna rider of note was Jamie McCanney who finished ninth overall as he helped Team Great Britain to victory in the World Trophy competition. Results – FIM International Six Days Enduro 2022 Enduro 3 1. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 3:12:34.13 2. Jaume Betriu (KTM) 3:13:19.88 3. Leo Le Quere (Sherco) 3:13:58.12 4. Max Ahlin (Beta) 3:16:25.13 5. Marc Sans (Husqvarna) 3:16:52.57 6. Andrew Wilksch (Husqvarna) 3:19:05.01... World Trophy Team 1. Team Great Britain – 12:49:54.60 Steve Holcombe (Beta), Nathan Watson (Honda), Jed Etchells (Fantic), Jamie McCanney (Husqvarna) 2. Team Italy – 12:54:40.30 Andrea Verona (GASGAS), Thomas Oldrati (Honda), Alex Salvini (Husqvarna), Samuele Bernadini (Honda) 3. Team Spain – 12:54:40.83 Marc Sans (Husqvarna), Jaume Betriu (KTM), Josep Garcia (KTM), Bernat Cortes (GASGAS) 6. Team Sweden - 13:09:18.17 Mikael Persson (Husqvarna), Albin Elowson (Husqvarna), Joakim Grelsson (KTM), Oskar Ljungstrom (Honda)
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has successfully crossed the finish line at the 2022 Atacama Rally to complete the five-day event in second overall. Forming part of what was a small but competitive line-up, Luciano was in contention for overall victory from day one and would end the rally on a high by claiming the final stage win to secure his runner-up finish. Using the event as part of his preparation for the upcoming rounds of the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship, Luciano was eager to put recent developments to his FR 450 to the test in a real racing environment. With the Atacama Rally comprising five stages and taking riders across 1258 kilometres of technical terrain, the race proved to be the perfect testing ground. From day one, Luciano was in the fight for the lead before losing a little time on the penultimate stage. Undeterred, the Argentine regrouped to take a commanding victory on the final special of the event to advance from fourth to second in the standings. Finishing as runner-up and exactly two minutes from overall victory underlined what was an encouraging result for Luciano at the Atacama Rally. Skyler Howes was absent from competing at the Atacama Rally but will return to action with Luciano at the Rallye du Maroc on October 1-6, the penultimate round of the 2022 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship. Luciano Benavides: “I’m really happy with my performance this week and it was great to end with a stage win and finish second overall. I really pushed for the win but with everyone being so close it was difficult to make up time. With the team we tested a lot prior to this race and what we have worked on has made a huge difference. The bike was perfect all week so the hard work has paid off. This race has been great for preparation ahead of the next world championship rounds and I’m feeling really confident ahead of the Rallye du Maroc next month.” 2022 Atacama Rally – Provisional Overall Classification 1. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 17:35:35 2. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 17:37:35 3. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 17:40:02 4. Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 17:42:00 5. Daniel Nosiglia (KTM) 19:20:39
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire put on a strong showing in Crawfordsville, Indiana, delivering 2-4 moto results to finish fourth overall in 250MX at the penultimate round of the 2022 AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Hampshire entered Ironman full of enthusiasm after claiming his first 250MX victory of the year at the prior round. With a solid qualifying result in eighth, he was positioned well for Moto 1 and he powered his FC 250 into podium contention right out of the gate. A battle ensued to maintain third and he swapped positions several times before reclaiming the spot mid-race. It wasn’t long before he climbed into second, where he finished with a strong runner-up performance. With a top-10 start in Moto 2, Hampshire battled alongside his teammate, Swoll, for the first couple laps before making the jump to sixth near the halfway point. Determined to break into the top-five, Hampshire continued to press on as he powered his way into fourth with a few laps to go, finishing just outside the podium with fourth in the moto and fourth overall for the weekend. “Another solid weekend,” Hampshire said. “We were good all day and had good speed. Once I got my flow in both motos, I felt like I clicked off really good laps and was fast, battling at the front. I’m stoked to be back in this thing. We were not there for a while, and it's so draining whenever you show up and you're not at the level you know you can be at. I’m stoked on the things that we have going on and hope to be better next weekend.” In Moto 1, Swoll got off to a strong start just outside of the top-10. However, bad luck struck within a few laps when he had a tip-over, dropping him back to 19th. Motivated to regain as many positions as he could, he went to work navigating the loamy midwest soil and chasing down his competition. He was able to climb to 13th by mid-race and with a few laps to go, he made a final push to ultimately finish 11th. In the second moto, Swoll sat 10th after the first lap and he settled into ninth for a majority of the race. Making a late-race pass for eighth, he held steady in the final moments to secure eighth in the moto and eighth overall with combined scores of 11-8 in Indiana. “I got a decent start in the first moto,” Swoll said. “We were running up there, and I had to tip over. I was pretty deep [in the field], and came back to 11th. Moto 2 was an okay start but I lost pace a little bit. I'm just going to put all my focus into that last round and try to give somebody something to look forward to for the next year.” Coming off a successful week at the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn's, Talon Hawkins made his second Pro Motocross appearance, collecting 21-29 moto finishes. Even though a crash on the last lap of the second moto set him back a bit, the young rider was able to remount and finish the race. “It started off a little rough but I was able to turn it around,” Hawkins said. “It was my second Pro National and I'm just looking to keep improving every time. Obviously, I had a pretty bad get-off in my second moto on the last lap - another rider came into me and I ended up front-flipping. We're going to get back out there and get back to training this week.” Still trying to find their rhythm after returning late in the season from injury, 450MX teammates Malcolm Stewart and Dean Wilson showed signs of improvement at Round 11, each capturing their best moto finishes of the year in Moto 2. Stewart, the ninth-place qualifier, came into the first moto with high hopes as he blasted off the line and into a top-10 battle. Shuffling between 10th and 11th throughout the race, he eventually settled into a comfortable 11th. With an unwavering performance in the second moto, Stewart maintained eighth wire-to-wire, notching his best moto-finish this season and eighth overall at the Ironman National. “I think the day was overall better for me,” Stewart said. “Qualifying was much, much better. Getting these races under my belt, it’s starting to kind of come back to me. I feel like we're going in the right direction. Our team made a few adjustments for that second moto, and we ended up eighth. I'm really happy just the way that I performed, but the results aren't quite there.” A tough start had Wilson sitting 18th on the opening lap of Moto 1 but he quickly made passes to reach 14th within a few laps. Around the middle of the race, he picked up another position and crossed the line in 13th. In Moto 2, a start inside of the top-10 would propel Wilson’s performance as he sat in seventh by the end of the first lap. Unfortunately, near the middle of the race, Wilson found himself off the track while battling with his teammate and he lost a few positions before he could re-enter. Focused on improving his result, he rallied back up to ninth later in the race to score his best moto-finish of the season. With 13-9 finishes, Wilson secured 10th overall. “Another weekend of improvements,” Wilson said. “First moto, I had a really bad start. I got up to 13th and had a decent pace at the end. I pushed hard and that gave me good confidence. I got a decent start in the second moto and I was hanging in there for a bit. Malcolm and I had a good battle. He got around me and I kind of ran his pace until I came around the corner and the berm went off the track. I lost a few positions but I got back on, made a good couple charges and ended up ninth. The goal is to be top-10 in both motos.” Next Event (Round 12): September 3 – Fox Raceway II National – Pala, California Round 11 Results: Ironman National 250MX Results 1. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 1-3 2. Jo Shimoda (KAW) 5-1 3. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 3-2 4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 2-4 … 8. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 11-8 27. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 21-29 450MX Results 1. Chase Sexton (HON) 2-1 2. Eli Tomac (KAW) 1-2 3. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) 3-3 … 8. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 11-8 10. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 13-9 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 478 points 2. Jo Shimoda – 437 points 3. Hunter Lawrence – 430 points … 5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 314 points 12. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 169 points 15. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 131 points 39. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 7 points 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 496 points 2. Chase Sexton – 495 points 3. Jason Anderson – 402 points … 18. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 55 points 22. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 43 points
Mikael Persson is all-set to take on the 96th edition of the FIM International Six Days Enduro (ISDE), held in France. With shakedown complete and all special tests walked, the three-time Swedish Enduro Champion is looking forward to riding for his national World Trophy team while also aiming to repeat the individual podium success he achieved at the 2021 event. Representing Husqvarna Motorcycles on its return to EnduroGP competition in 2022, Mikael Persson has impressed over the course of the season, claiming nine Enduro3-class podiums from 12 days of racing, including a double win at the GP of Italy. The 27-year-old currently leads the E3 standings going into the final round in Germany in just over six weeks’ time. Winner of the Enduro Youth Cup in 2015, Persson then spent several years contesting his national championship where he enjoyed considerable success, claiming the Swedish title in 2018, 2019, and 2021. However, it was his performance at the 2021 ISDE that secured his return to the world championship paddock. Riding as a privateer in the 2021 ISDE, Persson immediately felt comfortable on the hard Italian dirt and began to turn heads, delivering multiple top-six results as well as going fastest on day three. Completing the tough event in third overall, he also placed a highly creditable runner-up in the hotly contested Enduro1 category. Now, with full factory backing behind him and riding his proven TE 300, Mikael hopes to equal his podium success of last year and help push his Swedish national team into contention for the top places in the coveted World Trophy competition. The 2022 FIM International Six Days Enduro takes place in Le Puy-en-Velay, France, from August 29 – September 3. The historic event comprises five full days of special test racing in the hills and mountains of south-central France before the final motocross test on Saturday. In total, riders will cover more than 1,300km over six tough days before reaching the finish. Mikael Persson: “I’m really looking forward to racing the ISDE, it’s definitely going to be tough to repeat the results from last year, but I’m fully focused on doing so. It’s been a pretty hectic season so far for me, from joining the factory team and getting to know the bike to fighting for the Enduro3 title. I’ve been really pleased with my performance to be honest – I’ve just been taking things step-by-step, and the speed has been there. Recently I’ve been able to get back home for a small break which has helped a little ahead of the Six Days. My plan is to push as hard as I can and hopefully win the E3 category. On scratch, even a top-five would be a dream come true for me – there are so many riders who will be fighting for the podium, I definitely think it’s going to be a tough one this year. I feel that Sweden has a good Trophy team this year and if everything goes well for sure we can fight for the podium.”
Well-rested and focussed on success, Luciano Benavides will soon return to competitive action at the 2022 Atacama Rally. In strong form last time out at round two of the FIM Rally-Raid World Championship, the Husqvarna Factory Racing rider hopes to secure a strong result at the Chilean event before heading back to Europe for more testing ahead of the Rally du Maroc on October 1. Showing good pace at both the Dakar Rally in January and the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in March, Benavides is arguably in the best form of his career. By securing a stage win in Abu Dhabi, and successfully overcoming the challenge of opening three of the five stages, the Argentinian racer proved he is able to mix impressive speed with accurate navigation – key skills in the hunt for rally success. Now, despite the Atacama Rally not featuring in the FIM Rally-Raid World Championship for this year, Luciano still plans to deliver a strong result at the event and build on his speed and confidence ahead of the final two rounds of the championship in October. The race in Chile is ideal for both training and set-up purposes due to the barren nature of the Atacama Desert, which provides the perfect testing ground for the updated FR 450 Rally. Starting Sunday, August 28, and based around the Chilean city of Iquique, the 2022 Atacama Rally comprises five full days of racing, covering over 1,700 kilometres, set out in looped stages all starting and finishing at a single bivouac. Known as one of the driest deserts on the planet, the Atacama will provide plenty of challenges for Luciano due to its mixture of barren tracks and steep, sandy dunes. Luciano Benavides: “I’m really excited to do the Atacama Rally. I think it’s a really good one for training because we’ve only done the Dakar and Abu Dhabi so far this year, so it will be good to do some racing before heading to Morocco in just over a month’s time. Although I’ve been able to do a lot of training, both at home in Argentina and with the team, it’s always different when you are in an actual race situation. It will feel good to be back in the desert racing again, but I also want to keep working on my navigation as well. Although I will definitely try my best to fight for the win, the main focus will be to train for the next two races of the world championship and for the Dakar next January. Since the last race in Abu Dhabi, we’ve done some good testing with the team, so I’m really happy with the bike and looking forward to seeing how it performs in Chile. While we have had a break from racing, I’ve been able to work on my fitness and strength, and build my weight a little, too. Starting with the Rallye du Maroc in October, we then have the Andalucia Rally soon afterwards, which is then followed by the Dakar – it’s a lot of tough races in quite a short time, so it really takes it out of you physically. It’s going to be a tough end to the year with a lot of races and training, but I’m really looking forward to it and can’t wait to get started.”
The hills of St. Jean d'Angely were alive earlier today, as thousands of fans packed into the historic track to see the penultimate round of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship take place in humid conditions. Tackling the event with momentum after a positive outing in Finland one week ago, the Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing and Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing riders put some solid points on the board. Continuing to make progress, following a turbulent campaign, Pauls Jonass added a solid number of points to his total at the Grand Prix of Charente Maritime. Involved in the most furious battles in moto one, Jonass charged until the very end to take eleventh. Three measly seconds separated him from the guy ahead. The second moto was an extremely positive exercise, as '41' raced to a comfortable sixth place and was not too far from the top five. It was a step forward and one that helped him take eighth in the overall classification. Brian Bogers raced to 13-14 scores on the fast-paced layout. Glued to his teammate's rear wheel for much of the opening moto, he struggled to make moves on the slick surface and eventually settled for thirteenth place. A mediocre start left him facing an even tougher challenge in moto two; he was forced to move from eighteenth to fourteenth at the chequered flag. Thirteenth was his final ranking in the overall classification. The Grand Prix of Charente Maritime was a luckless affair for the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing squad, but there were bright spots. Roan van de Moosdijk impressed in the second MX2 moto, in particular, as he raced to fourth quite comfortably and showed off his pace aboard the FC 250. Unfortunately, a fall in moto one meant that he could only recover to thirteenth. 13-4 scores put him ninth in the overall classification. Much like his teammate, Kay de Wolf was halted by a crash in moto one and could only salvage a fourteenth. The second moto was a much better stint for '74' though; he made positive progress whilst others struggled and reached the chequered flag in eighth. 14-8 scores left de Wolf eleventh in the overall classification. A lot of valuable information was gathered on the unique surface and that will serve him well in the future. There is a small break in the schedule now, but the Husqvarna Factory Racing riders will be knuckling down to ensure that they end the Grand Prix term with a bang. The grand finale, the Grand Prix of Turkey, is set to be run on September 04. Pauls Jonass: "The second race was a big step forward for me. I have been working really hard with the team to get closer to the front, so to follow the top five for a lot of the race felt really nice. There is only one round to go, but I am still pushing hard to get good results. I was really comfortable in Turkey last year." Brian Bogers: "Saturday was not too good for me, for some reason, but I made some steps forward today. My starts let me down, but I was still happy with my riding at different points. It was obviously not the best weekend, compared to what we have been doing recently, but we learnt a lot. I am looking forward to ending on a high in Turkey." Roan van de Moosdijk: "The first moto was not too good. I was running fifth or sixth and felt good, but I crashed in a turn. I struggled to get back into a rhythm after that. I did everything that I could to get ready for the second moto. I took fourth early on in that one and stayed there for the whole moto. I was happy to end the weekend on a good note!" Kay de Wolf: "I was really struggling in the first moto and just could not find a rhythm. It did not click for me, but the second moto was better. I did not have the best start, yet I came from tenth to eighth on a track that most guys struggled to pass on. It was a tough weekend. We made the best out of it and will take what we have learnt into next year." Results – 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round Seventeen MXGP – Overall 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 47pts; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 45pts; 3. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 40pts… 8. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 25pts; 13. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 15pts MXGP – Moto One 1. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 35:29.204; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 35:30.187; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 36:00.074… 11. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 36:46.188; 13. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 36:48.484 MXGP – Moto Two 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 35:33.882; 2. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 35:34.835; 3. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 35:35.873… 6. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 36:01.506; 14. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 36:48.230 MXGP – Standings 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 721pts; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 615pts; 3. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 557pts… 6. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 406pts; 9. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 350pts MX2 – Overall 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 47pts; 2. Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 47pts; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 34pts… 9. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 26pts; 11. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 20pts MX2 – Moto One 1. Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 34:13.423; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 34:15.283; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 34:18.204… 13. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 35:50.830; 14. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:55.605 MX2 – Moto Two 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 34:10.603; 2. Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 34:16.039; 3. Tom Guyon (KTM)… 4. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 34:21.912; 8. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:09.593 MX2 – Standings 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 710pts; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 708pts; 3. Simon Langenfelder (GASGAS) 564pts… 7. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 410pts; 14. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 176pts
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire has secured his first 250MX victory of the season at the Budds Creek National, delivering an outstanding performance with 1-2 moto scores at the 10th round of the 2022 AMA Pro Motocross in Mechanicsville, Maryland After battling through the ups and downs of a long outdoor season, Hampshire was more than determined to put his FC 250 into the center of the podium late in the year. He set himself up for success in Moto 1 with a second-place start, pressuring the race leader early on before making his move out front halfway through. With a big charge late in the race, Hampshire posted a dominant five-second victory at the end of 17 laps. He put himself into another good position off the start of Moto 2, working his way from fifth to second later in the race. He maintained a solid pace to finish runner-up in the moto, which was good enough to seal the overall win in the 250MX class. “This is so special!” Hampshire said. “We were fast from the beginning and we just took a gamble there and stuck with this paddle tire all day and that really helped. We got two good starts, rode well and got our first overall this season. I’m stoked for myself and for this whole team, we’ve been through a lot already just this outdoor season, so I’m just stoked to be able to give the team our first overall of the season. Let’s keep this going, I’m not just settled in here, I want more!” Jalek Swoll put forth a season-best performance at Budds Creek, despite having to come back from a pair of crashes in the first moto. After re-mounting back in 28th on the opening lap, Swoll climbed through the pack up to 13th before suffering another big crash that ultimately pushed him back to 23rd. He bounced back with a top-three start in Moto 2, battling between third and fourth for most of the race. He got passed by the defending champion with a few laps to go and he capped off the day on a positive note with a best finish of fifth in the moto. “All-in-all, it was a good day for me,” Swoll said. “I got off to a good start around P3/4 and got tangled up with Justin Cooper early in the first one, so I came from pretty much dead last to around 13th. But I had no tear-offs and couldn’t see and ended up having a really big one on the straightaway. I re-grouped and got a good start in Moto 2, ran the pace for a while, but I was a little hurt at the end. I finished fifth – the best finish of the year for me – so I’m going to take the positives, try to heal up and better that score next week.” It was the second race back from injury for 450MX teammates Malcolm Stewart and Dean Wilson, who each have their sights set on making progression with only four motos left in the series. Stewart scored a top-10 overall finish in the class, putting in consistent 12-10 moto scores throughout the day. “I think the day was good,” Stewart said. “Overall, I got ninth, but I think that was a lot better start than it was for Unadilla. The whole team is working hard, so I’m just glad to get some gate drops – I think just getting that race-mode back in me is definitely helping a lot. Let’s just keep digging, we’ve got two rounds to go and we’re getting close to that top-10 so let’s just keep moving.” Wilson also scored some points in both motos, finishing the day 15th overall with 18-11 results in the class. “It was a challenging day for me,” Wilson said. “Unfortunately, I got collected in a pileup off the start in the first moto and came from last to 18th. I didn’t ride great but it was good to come through the pack and learn different lines. In the second moto, I got a better start and made some pretty good passes at the beginning. Mookie and I had our own battle the whole moto – he got around me and I tried to get around him again but just couldn’t make it happen. It was good for me, just building my speed and fitness.” Next Event (Round 11): August 27 – Ironman National – Crawfordsville, Indiana Round 10 Results: Budds Creek National 250MX Results 1. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 1-2 2. Jo Shimoda (KAW) 3-1 3. Jett Lawrence (HON) 2-3 … 11. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 23-5 450MX Results 1. Jason Anderson (KAW) 2-2 2. Eli Tomac (KAW) 1-5 3. Ken Roczen (HON) 3-3 … 9. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 12-10 15. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 18-11 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 433 points 2. Jo Shimoda – 396 points 3. Hunter Lawrence – 390 points … 5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 274 points 12. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 169 points 16. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 108 points 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 449 points 2. Chase Sexton – 448 points 3. Jason Anderson – 369 points
MotoGP™ flies around the Red Bull Ring for the thirteenth round of twenty in 2022 and Husqvarna Motorcycles capture a second Moto3™ win of the season 23 intense and hard-fought laps in Austria marked another gripping episode of the 2022 Moto3 Grand Prix term and both the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team and Husqvarna Motorcycles were once more key protagonists in what has been a satisfying and competitive campaign so far for the partnership. The Red Bull Ring provided a swift but demanding layout of 11 corners at almost 4.5km in length but the new chicane – marked Turns 2a and 2b – was a fresh challenge for the eighth Grand Prix to run at the site since its remodelling and reopening. The section was installed to slow the speed through the long uphill section before the distinctive Turn 3 but became a prime overtaking zone and a tactical spot for the typically large Moto3 pack dispute. 2022 Grand Prix winner Ayumu Sasaki had taken his FR 250 GP motorcycle to 2nd place on the grid after a dry qualification session on Saturday but the Japanese’s crash and contact with another rider from the British round two weeks previously meant he had to serve a double Long Lap penalty during the race. Sasaki initially led but then lost ground for both sanctions and had to battle back into contention from a low as 24th. Ayumu posted repeated fastest laps to cut though the field. He reached the front again and then his last circulation was quicker than his qualification effort to ensure a second triumph and fifth podium of the year as well as his eighth top six classification. Meanwhile teammate John McPhee started the Grand Prix from the sixth row and managed his pace, tyres and slot. He was on the tip of the second group as Moto3 dispersed in the final stages and took 9th. In the Moto3 world championship standings, Sasaki’s 25 points from Austria helped him regain 4th place in the table; 6 points from further promotion and 55 from the leader. McPhee, who is still trying to surge up the list after missing Grands Prix due to a training injury earlier in the year, is 17th. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team will be eying their chances of closing on the top three of the Teams’ contest when MotoGP next reforms for the Gran Premio Gryfyn di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini in Italy in two weeks when the Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli entertains the fourteenth stop of the current calendar. Ayumu Sasaki: “I never gave up! In Silverstone I made a mistake, it was my fault and it meant another hard moment of a tough season with the penalty but I’m overcoming the obstacles. I came here knowing I had the penalty and I had to be better than anyone else. I had a good attitude to the job all weekend and had incredible pace. The race was dry fortunately and I didn’t do any mistakes. My last lap was amazing. Thanks to everyone. I hope we can catch the front guys in the championship in the coming GPs.” John McPhee: “My pace was decent. I had good rhythm as soon as I could break the group but I struggled to overtake and was pretty vulnerable going into the corners. I had to line-up the exits. I finally got my head down but missed a few more laps to make the front group. I dug-deep today and pushed 100% but missed a bit. We have work to do but I’m sure the results will come.” Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Round 13 1. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 39:03.516, 2. Tatsuki Suzuki (Honda) +0.064, 3. David Muñoz (KTM) +0.292, 9. John McPhee (Husqvarna) +7.474 Moto3 world championship standings 1. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 193pts, 2. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 188, 3. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 144. 4. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 138, 17. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 40
Skyler Howes has won the prestigious Vegas to Reno desert race held in Nevada, USA. Riding his Husqvarna Factory Racing FR 450 Rally in the event, Howes fought back from a difficult qualifying session to take the win on what was an especially tough 2022 edition of the race. Starting just outside of Las Vegas and covering nearly 500 miles on its way to the finish near Reno, the event is famous for being America’s longest and fastest single-day offroad race. With rain and flooding in the area causing the organisers to alter much of this year’s route, riders faced an extra-technical, but shortened race due to detours around some of the worst hit sections of the traditional course. To add extra interest to this year’s race, organisers included the Open Pro class in Thursday’s time trial qualification. However, the added challenge didn’t work out well for Howes as a crash on the short three-mile loop resulted in the Husqvarna rider starting as the very last pro competitor in Friday’s main race. Using both his skill and judgement to battle his way through the dust raised by the racers ahead of him, Howes steadily made progress through the course of the event. With his pit crew delivering a faultless and fast service throughout the day, Skyler was able to keep his head down and focus on the task, and riders ahead. Fighting his way through to a strong position, Howes found himself in cleaner air in the final 100 miles of the race and was able to push to make up time on his rivals. Ultimately delivering an impressively consistent and near mistake-free ride from start to finish, the FR 450 Rally rider was able to take the win – his second career victory at the event – by just over four minutes from second-placed, FX 450-mounted Dalton Shirey. Skyler Howes: “I’m super-stoked to get the win! Especially as a solo rider versus the other teams. The organisers did an incredible job of managing the difficult conditions – so many of the dry lake beds were full of water and a lot of the rest of the course was destroyed by flooding. Qualifying wasn’t so good, I had a little tip off that cost me a little time, and on such a short course it meant I set off last of all the pro class on the main race. The dust out there was incredible, thankfully riding the rally bike, I was able to carry on for longer without stopping for fuel and so that helped to make up time on the guys ahead. I just rode my own race and ticked off the miles. With a bit more clear air towards the end, I was able to make up those last few minutes I needed. Dalton crossed the line first, but on corrected time, I managed to take the win by about four minutes. It’s back to training and testing now – we’re working on the roadbook a lot and I want to be at my absolute best in time for Morocco. It's still a little way off, but I’m feeling good and can’t wait to get back to some world championship racing now.” Skyler Howes and the Husqvarna Factory Racing team will next be in action at round three of the FIM Rally-Raid World Championship, the Rallye du Maroc, held October 1-6 in Morocco. Results – 2022 Vegas to Reno 1. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 6:33:30.442 2. Dalton Shirey (Husqvarna) 6:37:34.732 3. Joseph Wasson/Zane Roberts (Beta) 6:38:42.025 4. Jeremy Newton/Tuffy Pearson (KTM) 6:49:05.772 5. Hayden Hintz/Trevor Hunter (KTM) 6:58:44.161 6. Russell Tonjum (Honda) 7:08:48.370
With a memorable Grand Prix of Sweden in the rear-view mirror, the Husqvarna Factory Racing riders leapt across to Finland for round sixteen of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship. Hyvinkää, a track that has not appeared on the calendar in eight seasons, played host to even more Husqvarna success, as Brian Bogers ripped to a moto victory in MXGP and Kay de Wolf claimed another podium finish in MX2. It was yet another memorable Grand Prix for Bogers, who looked at one with his FC 450 on such a tricky surface. Starting moto one in third place, thanks to the power within his steed, it took him absolutely no time at all to move into the lead and he did not look back from that moment on. Lapping a second faster than his competition on a consistent basis, he eventually won the moto by nine seconds. Unfortunately, a couple of mistakes restricted him to sixth in the second moto and caused him to miss the overall podium by a single point. Such a strong showing helped him climb to sixth in the standings. Pauls Jonass endured a tricky day at Hyvinkää, as a hard fall in qualifying left him in some discomfort. Jonass put his head down on race day, despite a bad gate pick, and charged from the back of the pack to thirteenth at the chequered flag. Eight valuable points were claimed via the ranking. The second stint was a much stronger showing for Jonass, thanks in part to a better start, as he battled in the lower half of the top ten and crossed the finish line in tenth place. 13-10 scores put him in twelfth overall on the day. Putting his FC 250 on the MX2 podium in a rather convincing fashion, Kay de Wolf raced to impressive 3-2 scores in Finland. The first moto was a spectacular affair – he enjoyed a race-long battle with his teammate before taking control of third place. '74' was on the verge of claiming the Grand Prix victory in the last stint, as he battled for the victory until the very last corner before ultimately settling for second place in the moto and overall classification. It was a superb display that resulted in him taking his fourth podium of the term. De Wolf has progressed to seventh in the championship standings now. Roan van de Moosdijk continued to make impressive progress in just his third race back from injury. Podium pace was on show once again, as he held third for eight laps of moto one before giving way to his teammate. Still, '39' held on for his second fourth-place finish in succession and established some momentum before the second moto. Such pace was put to good use at the end of the day – he charged into the early lead and was en route to the moto win until a small fall caused him to drop to third. Unfortunately, the mistake cost him a spot on the overall podium too. 4-3 scores left him in fourth overall. The final triple header of the year continues this coming weekend. The penultimate stop of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship, the Grand Prix of Charente Maritime, will be held at the historic circuit of St. Jean d'Angely on August 21. Brian Bogers: "I am very happy with that first moto. It was just amazing and my FC 450 worked incredibly well. I felt so good on the track! I wanted to replicate that ride in the second moto, but I made a couple of errors. I pushed too hard at the beginning of the race and then made some mistakes. I wanted to be on the podium, of course, but I am happy with our progress." Pauls Jonass: "I was quite lucky, after crashing hard in the qualifying race yesterday. I was left with a bad gate pick today, because of that, and had to fight from the back each time. I was trying to get in a rhythm today and I was happy to finish with a solid ride in the second moto. There are some good tracks ahead, so we will not stop pushing." Kay de Wolf: "I ran out of time in that second moto. It was a difficult race; I really gave it my all and I just missed out in the end. I am happy with my riding and my feeling on my FC 250 though. I am looking forward to France next weekend. I just cannot thank the team enough – they are working so hard for us and I really appreciate it." Roan van de Moosdijk: "I had a good gate pick today. My start was not too bad in the first moto and I made some good passes early on. I struggled in the middle of the moto, because I need to get used to the intensity. Where do I even begin with the second moto? I took the lead and just did my own thing. I led for more than half the moto, but hit an edge in a corner and crashed. I am angry with myself. This is a big improvement though." Results – 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round Sixteen MXGP – Overall 1. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 47pts; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 40pts; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 40pts… 4. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 40pts; 12. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 19pts MXGP – Moto One 1. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 35:42.121; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 35:51.744; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:55.171… 13. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 36:50.753 MXGP – Moto Two 1. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 33:56.062; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 34:01.196; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 34:08.951…6. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 34:29.046; 10. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 34:49.120 MXGP – Standings 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 674pts; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 570pts; 3. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 525pts… 6. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 391pts; 9. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 325pts MX2 – Overall 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 47pts; 2. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 42pts; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 39pts… 4. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 39pts MX2 – Moto One 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 35:36.173; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:50.156; 3. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:55.434… 4. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 36:02.491 MX2 – Moto Two 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 33:57.862; 2. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 33:59.175; 3. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 34:15.406 MX2 – Standings 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 676pts; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 661pts; 3. Simon Langenfelder (GASGAS) 535pts… 7. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 390pts; 15. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 150pts
It was a steep return to the AMA Pro Motocross Championship for the entire Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team, who lined up with a nearly-complete four-rider roster for the first time in New Berlin, New York. For the team’s 250MX riders, the Unadilla National served as the first race back after a two-week break from racing, while 450MX riders Malcolm Stewart and Dean Wilson each made their 2022 outdoor debut at Round 9. Once again showcasing his determination in the roughest of track conditions, RJ Hampshire was the team’s top finisher with 3-8 moto finishes and a top-five overall in the 250MX cl After qualifying fourth, Hampshire grabbed a top-10 spot out of the gate in Moto 1. He sat in ninth for the first five laps before climbing his way up to fifth over the next few laps. Nearing the end of the race, he picked up two more positions to finish third, scoring his first podium since Round 1. In the second moto, Hampshire found himself buried in 13th after experiencing an issue on the opening lap. He gained a few spots up to 10th through the first half of racing but lapped traffic proved to be a challenge heading into the second half of the moto. Determined to excel, Hampshire continued to battle through the field, ultimately landing his FC 250 into an eighth-place finish. “We had positives today,” Hampshire said. “I was fast in qualifying, which I haven't been. First moto, I felt like I got into a really good flow early and was clicking good laps off and landed back on the podium for the first time since Round 1. Second moto, I got a decent start and then just split out right after the finish. Someone went into the line I was going for and I tried to get out of it and just swapped the front. It was a bummer but we'll definitely take the positives out of today.” Jalek Swoll got off to a good start in Moto 1, positioning himself just outside of the top-10. Unfortunately, he struggled to stay upright throughout the race. After falling back to 16th on the second lap, Swoll made a strong push to climb into ninth but he lost a few spots to eventually finish in 12th. In Moto 2, Swoll charged to an eighth-place position on the first lap. He tried to maintain the spot, but a few mistakes dropped him back to ninth. Holding steady in ninth until just after the halfway mark, Swoll eventually slipped to 11th. Battling lapped traffic late in the race, he wasn’t able to make any moves and he ultimately finished 11th in the moto and 11th overall for the day. “My starts were good, I just kept finding myself on the ground,” Swoll said. “I was trying to push but every time I fell, it was just a huge gap – so I was kind of just in no man's land. I feel like my riding was okay, I just have to get those starts again and just be a little bit better and we'll be fine.” Lining up for his first AMA Pro Motocross race in eight years, team rider Malcolm Stewart also made his return to racing in New York after missing the first eight rounds due to injury. With a start just outside the top-10, Stewart ran in the 12th-place position early on, bouncing between 13th and 14th for the remainder of the race. Easing his way into the long motos, Stewart ultimately finished 14th. In Moto 2, he grabbed a 14th-place start and immediately went to work in chasing down his teammate, Wison, ahead. Hovering around the top-15 battle, Stewart dropped a couple spots later in the race, settling for 16th at the line. “First outdoor race back in eight years and I think it was a good day just being back,” Stewart said. “Of course, the results didn’t show it, but just having that race back there again was really good for me. I'm happy to be back, but we have some work to do. I'm really looking forward to Budd's Creek because that's obviously one of my favorite tracks. I learned a lot, and you can't replicate racing, so this is just a good race just to come back to – to get through it.” After several months off of competition due to injury, Dean Wilson was happy to make his debut alongside his teammate. However, with a less-than-ideal gate pick in Moto 1, Wilson struggled to get a good position off the start. Sitting around 23rd on lap one, he began picking off riders to get just inside the top-20 nearing the end of the race, earning his first point of the season with a 19th-place finish. In Moto 2, Wilson chased the top-10 battle with teammate Stewart on his heels, locking in 13th for the remainder of the moto. “On paper, it wasn't very good but it was a long time off,” Wilson said. “I think it was five months off total, so it's great to be back. I really struggled with the track, it was so choppy and I feel like I'm not quite in shape where I should be yet. I got arm-pump really bad in the first moto so I told myself to just get through it and the second race was a little bit better. I think I'm going to get better every moto, it's just tough coming back, especially when all these guys have been racing and they're in the flow. By the end of the summer, hopefully I’ll be where I should be.” Next Event (Round 10): August 20 – Budds Creek National – Mechanicsville, Maryland Round 9 Results: Unadilla National 250MX Results 1. Jo Shimoda (KAW) 1-3 2. Justin Cooper (YAM) 5-1 3. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 2-5 … 5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 3-8 11. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 12-11 450MX Results 1. Chase Sexton (HON) 1-1 2. Eli Tomac (KAW) 2-2 3. Jason Anderson (KAW) 3-3 … 15. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 14-16 16. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 19-13 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 391 points 2. Hunter Lawrence – 365 points 3. Jo Shimoda – 351 points … 5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 227 points 10. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 169 points 16. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 92 points 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Chase Sexton – 409 points 2. Eli Tomac – 408 points 3. Jason Anderson – 325 points … 30. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 12 points 33. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 10 points
The penultimate round of the FIM Enduro3 World Championship proved a pivotal one for Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Mikael Persson with the Swede retaking control of the points lead on his TE 300. Delivering a super consistent weekend of racing at the GP of Hungary, Persson finished second both days in Zalaegerszeg. After slipping to second in this year’s championship fight at round four, Persson has crucially gained momentum at the right time, putting himself back in the driving seat with just one round to go. Entering this weekend’s GP of Hungary 11 points behind rival Brad Freeman, Persson ended it three points in front thanks to a pair of hard-fought runner-up finishes. With conditions in stark contrast to last weekend’s muddy GP of Slovakia, Persson took a little bit of time to get going on Saturday morning. A crash on the first enduro test hampered his rhythm. But once settled in he fought his way back to second in class, finishing just six seconds shy of victory. Again up the sharp end of the results on Sunday, Mikael got off to a flying start by winning the opening two special tests. But with times proving super tight, the fight for victory was close. A couple of mistake in the latter half of the day hurt his chances of winning and he had to settle for second place. The FIM EnduroGP World Championship concludes with the seventh and final round in Germany on October 14-16 where Persson will be looking to clinch the Enduro3 title. Before then, Mikael will compete in the FIM International Six Days Enduro in France on August 29 - September 3, where he aims to better his individual overall result of third from 2021 with Team Sweden. Mikael Persson: “It’s been a solid weekend with good results in Enduro3 for the championship fight. I had a few mistakes throughout each day, but overall I felt strong and consistent. Conditions were tricky in the dust and completely different from last weekend in Slovakia. I had a crash in the first enduro test on Saturday which took a little bit of time to get going from, so that might have cost me a chance of winning there. There’s a bit of a gap now until the final round in Germany in October, so I’ll try to manage that as best I can and give it my best shot there to be world champion.” Results: Round 6, GP of Hungary Day 1 - Enduro3 1. Jaume Betriu (KTM) 1:02:40.79; 2. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 1:02:47.14; 3. Matteo Pavoni (TM) 1:02:48.16; 4. Marc Sans (Husqvarna) 1:02:50.28; 5. Daniel McCanney (Sherco) 1:02:54.59… Day 2 - Enduro3 1. Marc Sans (Husqvarna) 1:01:15.80; 2. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 1:02:28.83; 3. Leo Le Quere (Sherco) 1:01:17.34; 4. Jaume Betriu (KTM) 1:01:35.78; 5. Brad Freeman (Beta) 1:02:05.87… Enduro3 Championship Standings (After round 6) 1. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 192pts; 2. Brad Freeman (Beta) 189pts; 3. Matteo Pavoni (TM) 167pts; 4. Marc Sans (Husqvarna) 141pts; 5. Daniel McCanney (Sherco) 125pts…
The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team pushed out their FR 250 GP Husqvarna race machinery at Silverstone in the UK having conquered the previous round at Assen in the Netherlands and refreshed after the summer break. Silverstone, quick, long, flat and with a mix of flowing and elongated corners, benefitted from surprisingly good and stable British climate for the twelfth fixture of an intense Grand Prix season. Ayumu Sasaki was buoyant to get back into action after his success the previous month but his eagerness was matched by teammate John McPhee who carried sizeable hopes for his home Grand Prix. The pair were among the fastest during Free Practice and carried the momentum into Q2 where they were able to take 8th and 9th positions on the start grid for the 17-lap race Sunday morning. The FR 250 GP motorcycles were in the heart of a terrific, intense and large squabble for the podium that numbered up to 21 riders. The race was hectic with Sasaki and McPhee swapping positions within the top ten repeatedly and with nobody able to breakaway or create an advantage. With three laps to go Sasaki lost control going into Village corner and crashed. McPhee reached as high as third but in the dash to the finish line – when less than one second separated the first eight racers – he was bumped to 7th spot; equalling the Scot’s second-best result of the season. Sasaki still maintains his total of 113 points and has slipped to 6th in the standings. He trails 1st place in the Moto3 championship table by 69 points. McPhee has pushed up to 16th. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team are 4th in the Team’s rankings. More speed awaits Husqvarna Motorcycles at the Red Bull Ring in two weeks. The CryptoDATA Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich takes the world championship to Spielberg in the depths of Austria. John McPhee: “The bike was working great but we geared it for a slightly faster race and for a higher speed compared to the pace we found. We were all tightly bunched and it was a bit frustrating. I felt really good but Moto3 is like that! I tried to make it to 3rd on the last lap but someone rode into the side of me and I lost some places. We had a sniff of the podium but it wasn’t to be. The positives are that we had the speed and on a track where the slipstream wasn’t so crucial I think we might have been able to pull away.” Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Round 12 1. Dennis Foggia (Honda) +37:30.120, 2. Jaume Masia (KTM) +0.252, 3. Deniz Öncü (KTM) +0.297, 7. John McPhee (Husqvarna) +0.932, DNF. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) Moto3 world championship standings 1. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 182pts, 2. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 179, 3. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 140. 6. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 113, 16. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 33
The fifth stop of the FIM Enduro World Championship saw Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Mikael Persson shine in the wet and slippery conditions to take home a strong second-place result each day in Enduro3. Pushing hard in the mud, the Swede also took his TE 300 to two top-eight results in EnduroGP, equalling his best finishes of the season to date. Back to business after a four-week break between round four in Portugal and five in Gelnica, Slovakia, the weather couldn’t have been any more contrasting for this weekend’s EnduroGP racing. Heat and dust were replaced by lingering rain and mud, while a 15-minute-long enduro test would also shake things up. Rain on Saturday ensured the special tests were hard to predict early on. After a cautious start, Mikael began to get a feel for the conditions and upped his pace as his confidence grew. Fastest in the final extreme test, the Swede ended his day second in Enduro3, while also matching his season’s best result of seventh overall in EnduroGP. Eager for more on Sunday, Persson was quick to adapt to the early morning rain and mud. Fastest on the opening cross test, he took the Enduro3 race lead by five seconds. Mistakes on the following enduro test worked against him and he slipped back to second. Chipping away, he clocked the fastest Enduro3 time on the final extreme test to close out the day with another Enduro3 runner-up result. The FIM EnduroGP World Championship now heads to Hungary for round six on August 5-7. Mikael Persson: “It’s been a solid weekend finishing second both days in Enduro3. I’m not super happy with the result because I would like to be closer to Brad for the victory, but it’s been a good weekend. Saturday went well. I improved as the conditions dried, and I was able to finish seventh in the overall too. I was hoping for a little more on Sunday, but I lost some time in the morning and had to fight back. Overall it’s been a good challenging weekend and with the GP of Hungary next weekend I hope to get another strong result there.” Results: Round 5 - GP of Slovakia Day 1 Enduro3 1. Brad Freeman (Beta) 1:05:00.63; 2. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 1:05:44.26; 3. Matteo Pavoni (TM) 1:05:53.49… Day 2 Enduro3 1. Brad Freeman (Beta) 1:05:44.38; 2. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 1:06:29.46; 3. Matteo Pavoni (TM) 1:06:54.98… Enduro3 Championship Standings (After round 5) 1. Brad Freeman (Beta) 169pts; 2. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 158pts; 3. Matteo Pavoni (TM) 142pts…
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team riders experienced a day of holeshot challenges at Washougal MX Park, the site of AMA Pro Motocross Championship Round 8, because despite its picturesque views, the track conditions proved to be anything but easy when you’re coming from behind for 30-minutes plus two-laps. As the team’s top-finisher of the day, RJ Hampshire persevered for seventh overall with 8-6 moto scores in the 250MX class. Struggling to get the positioning he needed off the line in Moto 1, Hampshire found himself back in 10th on the opening lap and he spent the early part of the race working to get through the traffic. Establishing himself in eighth through the second half of the race, Hampshire carried that through the checkers. In the second moto, he got off to an eighth-place start and once again had his work cut out. With a big push in the latter half of the race, he closed out strong with a sixth-place finish in Moto 2. “It was a long day for me, my starts were terrible,” Hampshire said. “First moto was a bit of a struggle and second moto, I felt like I found some comfort mid-way through. I felt like I rode decent for the second half of the moto but all-in-all, it was just kind of a struggle of a day. We’ve got two weekends to figure some things out and I’m hoping to come back at Unadilla with a fighting chance and hopefully we can knock out a couple podiums.” It was also a challenging day off the gate for teammate Jalek Swoll. The sixth-place qualifier found himself back in 14th at the start of Moto 1 and he maintained a steady charge throughout the race to ultimately secure a ninth-place finish. In Moto 2, Swoll started just outside the top-10 off the line but he got caught up in another rider’s crash and went down on the opening lap, sending him back to 27th early on. He quickly put his head down and climbed through the pack, making up a lot of ground to ultimately salvage 12th in the moto and 11th overall. “Qualifying was a lot better today, it’s nice to finally get in the mix and be there speed-wise,” Swoll said. “My riding was pretty good in Moto 1 but I’ve been struggling to get up there in the first few laps and on a track like this, you don’t want to find yourself in the back because it’s really hard to pass. I got a better start in Moto 2 but somebody else’s mistake costed me and I went down. I was at the back of the pack and only could get back to 12th. It’s not where we want to be but we’re going to keep plugging away and making improvements.” 450MX After eight rounds under the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing tent, fill-in rider Shane McElrath lined up for his final bout with the team at Washougal. In the first moto, McElrath found himself buried in the back of the pack on lap one and he fought to bring himself inside the top-20 within the first five laps. He kept the charge going into the final laps, capturing an impressive 14th-place finish in race one. With a much better start in Moto 2, McElrath battled for a top-10 position all race long and he held strong in the final laps to secure 10th in the race and 13th overall for the day. “Washougal was a tough race day,” McElrath said. “I had pretty good qualifying session but as the track developed more, I struggled on finding a flow out there. I’m happy with my effort and the progress that we’ve made. It’s not easy out there. I’m content with where we’re at but I know I have some more to give and I’m going to keep working regardless of what the future holds. I’m just happy for this opportunity and it’s definitely taught me a lot, so I’m excited.” Next Event (Round 9): August 13 – Unadilla National – New Berlin, New York Round 8 Results: Washougal National 250MX Results 1. Jett Lawrence (HON) 2-2 2. Justin Cooper (YAM) 4-1 3. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 1-4 … 7. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 8-6 11. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 9-12 450MX Results 1. Chase Sexton (HON) 2-1 2. Eli Tomac (KAW) 1-2 3. Jason Anderson (KAW) 3-3 … 13. Shane McElrath – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 14-10 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 355 points 2. Hunter Lawrence – 327 points 3. Jo Shimoda – 306 points … 6. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 194 points 10. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 169 points 16. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 73 points 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 364 points 2. Chase Sexton – 359 points 3. Jason Anderson – 285 points … 10. Shane McElrath – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 157 points
Returning for a second year and once again attracting a truly global line-up of up-and-coming young riders, the 2022 European Junior e-Motocross Series was a resounding success for Husqvarna Motorcycles. With many talented youngsters competing on the pioneering EE 5 their skills, tenacity, and ability to race at the highest level has once again helped showcase the performance of these e-powered machines. Proving to be incredibly popular throughout its maiden season in 2021, the European Junior e-Motocross Series was introduced to nurture talented young motocross riders and demonstrate the capabilities of e-mobility to a global audience. Bigger and better for 2022, the five-round series gained momentum throughout the year, culminating in a double-header event in the Czech Republic, which attracted a record line-up of 40 riders from no fewer than 16 countries. With over a quarter of the riders in the final point standings mounted on Husqvarna Motorcycles’ pioneering EE 5, this fact alone underlines the performance and reliability of this all-electric motorcycle. The 2022 season proved to be highly competitive and saw multiple riders enjoy top-10 results on their EE 5 machines, with young Spaniard Ares Gil ending the year as the highest ranked Husqvarna Motorcycles finisher in eighth overall. To view all of the exciting racing from this season, every moto is now free to watch on MXGP-TV.com with a simple sign-up required to access all of the 2022 action. For more information, results, and photos from the 2022 European Junior e-Motocross Series, please visit junioremotocross.com Federico Valentini – Vice President Global Motorcycle Marketing: “Just over one year ago the series was created in partnership with Infront Moto Racing, adding another important step to the ladder for young riders who dream of reaching MXGP, all while demonstrating just how capable e-powered motorcycles can be. In only its second year, the European Junior e-Motocross Series has continued to grow, and has become more and more popular. This was highlighted even further at the final round in Loket where the full circuit was used, which was incredible to witness and a testament to the performance of the EE 5. The series was designed to introduce younger riders to the MXGP paddock and give them a head start on understanding top level racing, how the tracks develop, and experience racing in front of huge crowds. It’s been an exceptional season and I’d like to thank all those riders and their families who chose to compete with the EE 5 and prove just how capable this e-powered machine really is.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire fought his way to another top-five overall in the 250MX class with 5-4 moto finishes at Round 7 of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship in Millville, Minnesota. Hampshire got a top-10 start in the first moto and climbed up to seventh right away. Passing his teammate Robertson for sixth, he continued to plug away, reaching as far up as fourth. He got passed later in the race and dropped back to fifth, where he ultimately finished. In Moto 2, he got off to a sixth-place start and he quickly battled up to fourth early on. Fighting hard to make a late-race pass for third, Hampshire ended up going down just before the finish, but he was still able to salvage fourth in Moto 2. With combined scores of 5-4, Hampshire secured fifth overall on the day. “It was a dog fight all day but I felt like I rode pretty well,” Hampshire said. “Second moto, I felt more comfortable but I had to ride so hard. It’s a bit frustrating but I feel like we’re riding probably the best I ever have and in control, just need a little bit more speed. I’ll go home this week and have a pretty good setup coming into next week.” It was a heartbreaking ending to the day for both Jalek Swoll and Stilez Robertson, who each started off the day positively. In the first moto, it was Robertson who found his footing early on with a seventh-place start, while Swoll sat back in 13th after coming together with another rider after the start. Robertson passed up to sixth early on and he bounced around inside the top-10 for the rest of the race, dealing with a minor bike issue that had him finishing 10th in the first moto. Swoll made a steady climb through the field, passing his teammate Robertson later in the race to ultimately secure ninth in Moto 1. In Moto 2, Swoll and Robertson got caught up in a multi-rider pileup through the sand whoops and both riders found themselves on the ground and dead last at the start of lap one. In an unrelated crash, the race was red flagged early on and despite a second-chance to line up in a restart, Robertson was unable to make it, due to an injured ankle. Swoll attempted to return to the gate for a restart but ultimately made the decision to sit out the second moto as well. “I didn’t have the best start in Moto 1 but I feel like the riding was pretty good and I finally felt like I was finding some comfort out there,” Swoll said. “Moto 2 was cut really short – just one of those racing incidents – and there’s nothing much I could have done. It is what it is, I had to sit that one out, but the positives are for sure in the right direction and I’m pretty excited to go racing next weekend.” “My day was eventful,” Robertson said. “I qualified almost the best I have all year, so I was excited. First moto, I think I had a little bike problem that hindered me a little bit. In the second moto, I saw the two riders crash in front of me and I tried to go left and unfortunately my teammate was there and I hit him. I folded my ankle pretty hard and that’s all she wrote. I’m going to go home and get it checked out and try to get back as quick as I can.” In his AMA Pro Motocross debut, Talon Hawkins had a steady performance to earn his first championship points in the 250MX class. He was mid-pack off the start of Moto 1 and he charged up to 19th early in the race, maintaining that position for a few laps. He later dropped back to 20th, where he ultimately finished. In Moto 2, Hawkins had a much better run after the red flag restart, sitting just inside the top-20 on lap one. He made a few passes up to 15th later in the race and from there, he rode strong to close out a solid debut in the professional ranks. Hawkins will return to the amateur circuit later this month to compete at the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s. “It was so sick!” Hawkins said. “I came into today looking to have some fun and I think I accomplished that goal. I didn’t do the best in qualifying but I tried to put it behind me and do as well as I could in the race. I had an awesome day, I ended up with a 20-15, so I’m pretty pumped on that for my first Pro National.” Fill-in rider Shane McElrath captured a top-10 overall finish at the seventh round, carrying 10-11 moto scores on the day. “It was a better day, I would say for the most part we were better and more consistent,” McElrath said. “First moto was probably my best first moto and in the second moto, I really struggled with the track and fighting with the bike pretty bad. Still trying to figure out how I can go faster and maintain that but we’re going to keep working.” Next Event (Round 8): July 23 – Washougal National – Washougal, Washington Round 7 Results: Spring Creek National 250MX Results 1. Jett Lawrence (HON) 1-1 2. Jo Shimoda (KAW) 3-2 3. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 2-5 … 5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 5-4 15. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 9-38 16. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 10-39 19. Talon Hawkins – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 20-15 450MX Results 1. Eli Tomac (KAW) 1-1 2.Chase Sexton (HON) 2-2 3. Jason Anderson (KAW) 3-4 … 9. Shane McElrath – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 10-11 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 311 points 2. Hunter Lawrence – 284 points 3. Jo Shimoda – 266 points … 8. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 169 points 9. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 166 points 18. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 52 points 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 317 points 2. Chase Sexton – 312 points 3. Jason Anderson – 245 points … 10. Shane McElrath – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 139 points
Maintaining his championship lead, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has put in a determined ride at the fourth stop of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship in Italy to finish as runner-up. Winner of the newly-formed Red Bull Abestone in 2021, Bolt was excited to return to the Tuscany mountain peaks in Italy to do battle again. Finishing fourth last time out at Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, the TE 300 mounted rider knew he needed another strong result as the championship reached its halfway point. Staged over two days, Red Bull Abestone opened with a series of qualifications on Saturday, which saw Bolt on top form. During the morning’s enduro special tests, Billy was setting the pace. Enjoying the fast-paced terrain, he pushed hard to put his name at the top of the standings. Fastest in each of the tests, he took a commanding 45-second margin of victory heading into the evening’s straight rhythm shootout. Fighting his way through a series of knockout heats, the Husqvarna rider easily reached the final, before winning that to end his day as the top qualifier. For Sunday’s feature two-lap race, Bolt held prime position by starting first. And with riders flagged away in 30 second intervals, he was determined to use that leverage to his advantage. Feeling fresh, he pushed hard early on to open up a lead on his rivals. Knowing that his ongoing wrist injury would hinder him on the downhills, Billy used his trial skills to good effect on the technical rock gardens and held the race lead for over 45 minutes. Slipping to second midway through lap one, he hung onto leader Manuel Lettenbichler for as long as possible, opening up a healthy margin over third place. Controlling that as best he could, Billy ultimately crossed the finish line as runner-up. The result sees him successfully maintain his lead at the top of the championship standings. The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship continues with round five at Red Bull Romaniacs on July 26-31. Billy Bolt: “That was a hard race for sure. We knew the course would be difficult, but doing two laps made it even tougher. I’m pleased with second place though. Kicking things off by winning the qualification and straight rhythm was nice. I always enjoy those race formats and qualifying first put me in a strong position for Sunday. Starting out first I knew it was a good opportunity to make some time on a clear track. But with my wrist injury it was hard to hang on during the downhill sections and I just couldn’t push the pace I wanted. When Mani came past, I made a small mistake and lost touch with him. He pulled away a bit and I pulled a gap on third place, so the final lap was about trying to manage that and bring it home safe.” Results - Round 4, Red Bull Abestone 1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 2 laps, 4:13:29.553; 2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 2 laps, 4:22:19.280; 3. Mario Roman (Sherco) 2 laps, 4:41:00.340; 4. Alfredo Gomez (GASGAS) 2 laps, 4:51:33.621; 5. Matthew Green (KTM) 1 lap, 2:37:23.413; 6. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 1 lap, 2:46:30.811… FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Standings (After round 4) 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 62pts; 2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 60pts; 3. Mario Roman (Sherco) 58pts; 4. Alfredo Gomez (GASGAS) 47ts; 5. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 40pts…
Entering the second half of the FIM EnduroGP World Championship as the new Enduro3 class leader, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Mikael Persson arrived at round four in Portugal aiming for another successful weekend. Achieving a career best double E3 class win last time out in Italy, the spirits of the TE 300 mounted rider were understandably high. While trying not to focus on being the E3 championship leader, Mikael was eager to keep building on the impressive speed he showed one week previously at the EnduroGP of Italy and consistently put himself in the fight for victory and podium results in Portugal. Second fastest in Friday’s Super Test, Persson got his participation in round four off to a strong start. Pushing hard throughout Saturday morning he was locked in a fierce battle for the podium. Fastest in the final Cross Test set him up for a good run on the final lap of three, but a mistake on the following Extreme Test hurt his chances and he finished an eventual fourth. Ready to redeem himself, the Swede again hit the ground running on Sunday morning. Showing impressive consistency, he kept himself in the fight for Enduro3 class victory by rarely dipping outside the top three fastest times. Although giving his best he had to settle for third, missing the win by less than 10 seconds. The FIM EnduroGP World Championship continues with round four in Slovakia on July 29-31. Mikael Persson: “It’s been a good weekend in terms of pace. I was close enough both days to be in the fight for the Enduro3 win but lacked a little speed at the end to make it happen. The times were tight and I made a couple of mistakes that I couldn’t afford when it’s close like that. On Saturday my rhythm was solid and I was riding good until a small mishap on the final Extreme Test dropped me to fourth. On Sunday I was in the hunt all day, but just missed that little extra on the final lap. But in the end to be just 10 seconds from winning shows how competitive things are. We’ve a short break now to regroup, charge the batteries, and fight again in Slovakia.” Results: Round 4 GP of Portugal Day 1 EnduroGP 1. Nathan Watson (Honda) 1:00:21.68; 2. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 1:00:37.33; 3. Daniel Milner (Fantic) 1:01:02.96… 15. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 1:02:19.87… Enduro3 1. Brad Freeman (Beta) 1:01:53.63; 2. Antoine Basset (Beta) 1:01:53.90; 3. Matteo Pavoni (TM) 1:01:54.02; 4. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 1:02:19.87… Day 2 EnduroGP 1. Nathan Watson (Honda) 57:27.68; 2. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 57:48.40; 3. Steve Holcombe (Beta) 57:53.55… 8. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 58:38.54… Enduro3 1. Brad Freeman (Beta) 58:25.65; 2. Marc Sans Soria (Husqvarna) 58:28.61; 3. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 58:38.54… Championship Standings (After round 4) EnduroGP 1. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 133pts; 2. Wil Ruprecht (TM) 110pts; 3. Nathan Watson (Honda) 107pts... 11. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 40pts... Enduro3 1. Brad Freeman (Beta) 129pts; 2. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 124pts; 3. Matteo Pavoni (TM) 112pts…
It was a career-best 250MX performance for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Stilez Robertson, who put in an astounding ride for third overall at the RedBud National in Buchanan, Michigan. With 3-5 moto scores, Robertson earned both his first moto-podium and overall-podium in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, edging out his teammate, RJ Hampshire, who finished fourth overall with 4-6 results at the fifth round. Robertson was smooth and steady throughout the day. In Moto 1, he powered his FC 250 off the line to immediately join the leaders up front. Robertson continued to push hard and trail the top-three for the first half of the moto and holding firm in fourth, he pushed hard for a podium spot. He seized the opportunity around the halfway mark and shifted up into third, where he eventually took the checkered flag. In Moto 2, he quickly grabbed fourth off the start and within another lap he made his way into third. It wasn’t long before he encountered intense pressure from behind and ended up shuffling back to fifth. While trying to regain spots, he lost traction and went down on the face of a jump, which dropped him even further back to eighth halfway through the race. Climbing back up to fifth, Robertson was able to secure a top-five moto finish to ultimately claim a career-best third overall at RedBud. “RedBud was a good day,” Robertson said. “I just wanted to have two good motos today and we did. We got two good starts as well, so I'm super stoked and just want to keep it going. It was a really fun day and can't wait to get to Southwick and do it again. Just keep trying to do my best and keep trying to ride like I do during the week, and I think we'll be okay.” In only his second race back since an injury at Round 2, Hampshire had a promising start to the day, qualifying seventh. However, with a mid-pack start in Moto 1, Hampshire had his work cut out for him early on. He was able to climb up to eighth within a few laps and he continued to pick off riders one-by-one, positioning himself in fourth late in the race. Attempting to go for a podium spot, Hampshire ultimately finished just behind his teammate in fourth. In Moto 2, he was running inside the top-10 early on before getting caught up in a crash with two other riders, which dropped him to the back of the field. He put his head down and gained nearly 10 spots by the next lap, once again surmounting an impressive comeback throughout the race. With another late-race charge, he took the checkered flag in a solid sixth, finishing the day with 4-6 results for fourth overall. “The riding was really good today, I felt like I was almost back to normal,” Hampshire said. “My starts were not good and in the first moto, I was beat. The second moto, I ended up going down with a group of guys on the first lap and was buried back in 30th or so. I felt much better on the bike this weekend and had pretty good strength, so I think we're just going to continue to get better now. We kind of got over that hump with injuries and we’re back having fun and still have a fight in us.” Jalek Swoll returned to the 250MX lineup after missing the last couple rounds due to injury. Qualifying eighth earlier in the day, Swoll didn’t get off to the best start in Moto 1 and he found himself shuffled back to around 20th for most of the race. He made moves to come through the pack halfway through but he ultimately finished 20th. In Moto 2, he was positioned in 12th after the first lap and he battled around that position before ultimately finishing 14th. “We've for sure had some better days but it is what it is,” Swoll said. “We got through two motos today, so we'll just build off that coming into Southwick and be ready to drop the hammer. I'm getting tired of just rolling around, so I'm really going to try to send it next weekend and put myself in a position where I feel like I need to be.” In the 450MX class, fill-in rider Shane McElrath had a good start to the day, qualifying 10th. Unfortunately, he went down with a few other riders in the first turn of Moto 1, which set him back from the rest of the field right away. He did his best to climb through the field, ultimately finishing 14th. In Moto 2, he was displaced to the back of the pack off the start but he put up a good fight to work his way to 16th by the end of the first lap. Still early in the race, he was able to advance to 12th and he made a big push into the final stretch, where he made a last-lap pass to secure 11th just before the checkers. “I felt like today was the first productive race day I've had,” McElrath said. “I actually passed some people, and the results don't really show what we went through today. It was a good step over the last two weeks being back in Florida and we made some pretty big bike changes, which I think is really starting to come around now. It's definitely progress. We've had a lot of work to do, but we've done a lot of work. So, I'm excited to keep it going.” Next Event (Round 6): July 9 – Southwick National – Southwick, Massachusetts Round 5 Results: RedBud National 250MX Results 1. Jo Shimoda (KAW) 1-3 2. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 2-2 3. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 3-5 4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 4-6 … 17. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 20-14 450MX Results 1. Eli Tomac (KAW) 1-1 2. Chase Sexton (HON) 2-2 3. Justin Barcia (GAS) 8-3 … 11. Shane McElrath – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 14-11 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Hunter Lawrence – 218 points 2. Jett Lawrence – 211 points 3. Jo Shimoda – 182 points … 8. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 130 points 10. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 98 points 21. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 20 points 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Chase Sexton – 224 points 2. Eli Tomac – 217 points 3. Ken Roczen – 194 points … 10. Shane McElrath – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 102 points
The Husqvarna Factory Racing stars made the lengthy trip across the globe to Samota-Sumbawa, Indonesia, for round twelve of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship. The spectacular circuit, which had never been raced on before, played host to thousands of fans who were excited to see Pauls Jonass, Brian Bogers and Kay de Wolf in action. Pauls Jonass had the speed to fight for a position on the Grand Prix podium, but a minor error in moto one cost him dearly. Jonass was running in fifth quite comfortably in the early stages and desperately trying to make progress, when a misstep in a turn caused him to drop to ninth. '41' ultimately recovered to seventh. The second moto was eerily similar to the first – Jonass was fighting hard inside of the top five to start with and looked good as he diced with the frontrunners. Unfortunately, an error meant that he was forced to settle for another seventh place. 7-7 scores put him in seventh overall. Desperately trying to salvage some points, after picking up an illness at the beginning of the weekend, Brian Bogers put in a valiant effort to claim fifteenth in moto one and six valuable points. Bogers showed a lot of heart by returning to the start line for moto two, but could only salvage sixteenth. Sixteenth was his overall ranking too – eleven points were gained at the Grand Prix of Indonesia. Kay de Wolf claimed a respectable number of points on Indonesian soil, despite battling a sickness on race day. De Wolf actually showed more of that incredible pace aboard his FC 250; he was a clear contender for a spot on the podium in moto one. '74' ran as high as second place in that moto, but fell a couple of times and had to ultimately settle for eighth at the chequered flag. After giving it his all in that moto, in such tough conditions, the decision was made to miss moto two; the illness had simply taken too much out of him. There is a break in the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship schedule now. The next round, the Grand Prix of Czech Republic, will be run at the old-school circuit of Loket on July 17. Pauls Jonass: "The speed was good at the beginning of the day and it is kind of the same old story. I just struggled a little as the track got rougher. The speed was really good and so was the feeling on my FC 450, but I was just missing something. I had small crashes in both motos too – that didn't help after some great starts! The good thing is that the speed is there." Brian Bogers: "This weekend was a complete disaster. I got food poisoning, so we knew that it would be tough. We just did what we could to salvage some points today. We will get healthy and try to bounce back at the next round with some good results, because I can do better than this." Results – 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round Twelve MXGP – Overall 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 50pts; 2. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 44pts; 3. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 38pts… 7. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 28pts; 16. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 11pts MXGP – Moto One 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 34:55.151; 2. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 35:00.082; 3. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 35:02.823… 7. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 35:41.182; 15. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 34:57.449 MXGP – Moto Two 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 35:12.673; 2. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 35:16.507; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 35:18.678… 7. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 35:45.281; 16. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 37:24.408 MXGP – Championship Standings 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 535pts; 2. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 410pts; 3. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 405pts… 7. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 278pts; 8. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 263pts MX2 – Overall 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 50pts; 2. Simon Langenfelder (GASGAS) 42pts; 3. Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 38pts… 15. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 13pts MX2 – Moto One 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:33.662; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 35:42.474; 3. Simon Langenfelder (GASGAS) 35:52.610… 8. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 36:31.217 MX2 – Moto Two 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 36:06.053; 2. Simon Langenfelder (GASGAS) 36:13.848; 3. Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 36:32.387 MX2 – Championship Standings 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 502pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 498pts; 3. Simon Langenfelder (GASGAS) 395pts… 10. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 244pts
It was a dream weekend at the office for Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Mikael Persson who claimed the Enduro3 class win on both days at round three of the FIM EnduroGP World Championship in Italy. Securing maximum points in Carpineti, the Swede took his TE 300 to the top of the championship standings. Jumping into the EnduroGP mix, Billy Bolt joined Persson in Italy and raced his way to a pair of top-10 placings in Enduro3. Going from strength to strength in 2022, Mikael delivered his best form of the season to date in the hot, dry, and dusty conditions of Carpineti in northern Italy. Impressing all on the opening day of racing, the Swede powered his way to a debut win in Enduro3. Feeling comfortable in the conditions, Persson topped the first three special tests on Saturday morning to build up an early E3 class lead. Opening up a comfortable advantage over his classmates, he continued to put in a relatively mistake free ride to secure a 30-second margin of victory. The win marked his first visit to the top step of a senior EnduroGP podium. Clearly motivated by his ride on day one, Persson began day two in confident form on his TE 300. Fast starting, the Swede immediately put himself at the head of the Enduro3 category by winning the first five special tests of the day. A mistake on the penultimate extreme test cost him some time, but in regrouping quickly Mikael held his advantage to claim the win and with it move to the top of the Enduro3 standings. Dusted off from his fourth place finish in last weekend’s Erzbergrodeo, Billy Bolt made a last minute decision to jump into EnduroGP competition. Arriving with no expectations and having had little time to walk any of the event’s special tests, Billy simply set about enjoying the change of scene. Fastest Enduro3 rider on the Friday Super Test saw him get off to a great start. Going on to set some competitive times, while also topping the penultimate extreme test, Billy ended his day 10th in Enduro3. Starting day two with more familiarity of the special tests, Billy looked to improve on Sunday. Claiming multiple top four test times, along with topping another extreme test, Billy took his TE 300 to an improved ninth in Enduro3. The FIM EnduroGP World Championship continues with round four in Portugal on July 1-3. Mikael Persson: “It’s been a long, dusty and tough weekend, but overall it’s been awesome! Taking my first ever Enduro3 win on Saturday I then managed to win again on Sunday, which was amazing. And now I’m leading the championship, so honestly I can’t really ask for more than that. I’m a little in shock! Each day I just kept pushing as hard as I could without going over my limit. My weak spot was the enduro test and I improved some speed there so that was a good positive. We roll on to Portugal next weekend, so the goal is just to keep this momentum going!” Billy Bolt: “Honestly, I really enjoyed coming here even though I didn't have the best preparation. I struggled a lot on Saturday as I arrived late from Erzberg and didn’t walk any tests. In a strange way I appreciate coming to race EnduroGP and getting beat. These guys are so fast at what they do and being put down a peg or two is humbling. All weekend I was riding against myself and just trying to better myself. And I think I did that with each special test.” Results – 2022 FIM Enduro World Championship – Round 3, Italy Day 1 Enduro3 1. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 1:13:05.05 2. Matteo Pavoni (TM) 1:13:35.94 3. Leo Le Quere (Sherco) 1:13:59.60 4. Antoine Criq (Beta) 1:13:59.60 5. Daniel McCanney (Sherco) 1:14:24.52 10. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 1:16:21.04… EnduroGP 1. Josep Garcia (KTM) 1:10:24.16 2. Wil Ruprecht (TM Racing) 1:10:42.11 3. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 1:11:55.98 4. Nathan Watson (Honda) 1:12:16.84 5. Daniel Milner (Fantic) 1:12:29.22 8. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 1:13:05.05 29. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 1:16:21.04… Day 2 Enduro3 1. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 58:14.19 2. Leo Le Quere (Sherco) 58:24.15 3. Marc Sans Soria (Husqvarna) 58:26.83 4. Brad Freeman (Beta) 58:34.68 5. Matteo Pavoni (TM Racing) 58:39.74 9. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 59:39.62… EnduroGP 1. Wil Ruprecht (TM Racing) 56:50.65 2. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 57:06.87 3. Nathan Watson (Honda) 57:19.15 4. Thomas Oldrati (Honda) 58:00.75 5. Daniel Milner (Fantic) 58:00.80 7. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 58:14.19 23. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 59:39.62… Championship Standings (After Round 3) Enduro 3 1. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 96 pts 2. Brad Freeman (Beta) 89 pts 3. Matteo Pavoni (TM Racing) 84 pts 4. Davide Guarneri (Fantic) 71 pts 5. Daniel McCanney Sherco) 65 pts 11. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 13 pts EnduroGP 1. Wil Ruprecht (TM) 105 points 2. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 99 pts 3. Josep Garcia (KTM) 87 pts 4. Thomas Oldrati (Honda) 68 pts 5. Nathan Watson (Honda) 67 pts 8. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 31 pts
For the second weekend in a row MotoGP got up to speed with another Grand Prix event at a historic and busy venue. The TT Circuit Assen – almost 75 years as a motorcycle world championship racing host – was significantly cooler than the German Grand Prix at Sachsenring and also provided a different riding test altogether with the 18 bends and curves sending the Moto3, Moto2™ and MotoGP™ classes flying around the flat course at a terrific rate. Ayumu Sasaki and John McPhee – both fit and gaining in speed with every passing lap – rolled out the FR 250 GPs in the northern Netherlands and had to deal with copious rainfall and some difficult conditions in the first Free Practice sessions on Friday. Both the Japanese and the Scot were able to use their experience to get a feeling for the Assen asphalt and for their first foray with Husqvarna Motorcycle technology on the surface. On Saturday the two riders entered the Q2 session and a close – and mercifully dry – outing saw the first six rows of the grid split by just over a second. Sasaki was in hot form and his flying effort in the final minute of Q2 gave him his second career Pole Position and his first in Husqvarna Motorcycles colours. McPhee was 11th and only eight tenths of a second slower. The Moto3 contest was formed by 22 rapid laps on Sunday morning as the rain stayed away and the fans flooded into the grandstands and around the shallow grass banking; so distinctive to this particular track. The Grand Prix was one of the most competitive for the team in recent years as both riders hunted podium results and remained ensconced in the leading troupe. Sasaki, who was so close to another podium result in Germany seven days previously on what was an early return to action from a shoulder injury, hunted the rear wheel of Izan Guevara for the majority of laps and make his move on the final circulation to record his first GP win and the first for the team since the summer of 2021. The luckless McPhee, who had clocked the fastest chrono in the race, crashed out of a potential 3rd place with only half a lap remaining. Sasaki holds 113 points and has risen to 4th in the standings. He is just two adrift of the top three in the Moto3 championship table. McPhee stays 19th. MotoGP now pauses for the month of July. The season will resume with the Monster Energy British Grand Prix at Silverstone on the first weekend of August – John McPhee’s home round - and where Husqvarna Motorcycles tasted Moto3 success in 2021. Ayumu Sasaki: “It took a long time, a lot of training and sacrifice and finally I could win! It’s amazing. This year so far has been difficult, with the injury, but we came back strong and the bike has been very good. It was a great race and I kept behind Izan [Guevara] and had the pace. To win is unbelievable and I want to thank everyone that’s supported me and all my family. Now into the summer break and hopefully the second half of the season will carry on like this and be better than the first.” John McPhee: “My initial reaction after the crash was one of frustration but having had a little time to reflect and by seeing how strong we were, setting the new lap record and coming through so well we could show we were in the fight for the podium. There were a lot of positives. Obviously huge congratulations to Ayumu and the team and hopefully next time we can both be on the podium together.” Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Round 11 1. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 37:28.371, 2. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) +0.314, 3. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) +0.392, DNF. John McPhee (Husqvarna) Moto3 world championship standings 1. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 182pts, 2. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 179, 3. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 115. 4. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 113, 19. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 24
Reigning FIM Hard Enduro World Champion Billy Bolt will compete in the third round of the FIM EnduroGP World Championship in Italy this weekend – June 24-26. Bolt will compete alongside Husqvarna Factory Racing’s regular series competitor Mikael Persson, and also ride the 2-stroke Husqvarna Motorcycles TE 300 machine in the Enduro3 category. Just days on from completing the arduous Red Bull Erzbergrodeo extreme enduro in Austria, Billy has decided to temporarily switch disciplines to classic enduro this weekend and challenge the best in the world. Similarly to his wildcard ride in the 2021 EnduroGP World Championship, where he also raced at the Italian GP, the 24-year-old will face a Friday night Super Test, followed by two long days of special test racing in the hills close to the town of Carpineti on the Saturday and Sunday. Hoping to lead the way in the hotly contested E3 category, Mikael Persson currently lies third overall in the class. Fresh from his double-podium performance at round two of the series, the Swedish star will be looking to take his first win of the season in Italy and narrow the deficit to the current series leader. With temperatures at the venue expected to reach close to 40 degrees over the weekend, the event will prove a tough challenge for all competitors, both technically and physically. Billy Bolt: “I’m looking forward to racing another weekend of EnduroGP. Yeah, it’s definitely going to be a little different to Erzberg, but I enjoyed myself last year and I’m hoping for more of the same again. We only decided to give it a go on Wednesday, so I’ll turn up, ride the 300 and just have fun. I’ll be giving it my all of course, but this one is all about the enjoyment. The atmosphere in the EnduroGP paddock last year was great, and although I did well on the Saturday and Sunday, the Friday night Super Test was amazing, so I’m looking forward to having a good crack at that again. It’s great to ride different types of events and different locations, so I’m really happy to have the chance to ride some more classic enduro here in Italy.”
Pushing through the pain barrier, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt secured a career-best fourth at Red Bull Erzbergrodeo. The result sees the Brit extend his lead at the head of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship after round three. Despite managing on-going wrist and ankle injuries, Billy arrived at Austria’s iconic Iron Giant at Eisernez eager to deliver his best during the three days of hard enduro racing. With the Iron Road Prologue qualification kicking things off, Billy powered his Husqvarna TE 300 up the high-speed quarry roads to set the fifth fastest time from over 1,500 competitors. Putting in another fast performance on Saturday’s second day of qualification, Billy secured himself a front-row start for Sunday’s all-important Red Bull Erzbergrodeo main race with sixth. Knowing the 26th edition of the legendary hard enduro was set to become one of the toughest yet, Bolt put in a determined effort off the start to avoid as much trouble as possible. Riding well inside the top five he negotiated the early chaotic climbs of Waterpipe and Three Kings with relative ease. Despite needing to remove some track marking lodged in his front wheel shortly afterwards, Billy was able to maintain his high rhythm as the sections like Udo’s Playground and Double Fault saw the race increase with difficulty. Focused on his own performance, he continued to battle his way through the treacherous Carl’s Dinner boulder garden, before clearing the technical forest section of Motorex Highway in a close sixth. Feeling a little more energy left in the tank, Bolt pushed on with the final two daunting sections of Dynamite and Lazy Noon remaining. Clearing Dynamite to battle his way inside the top five, he then grabbed fourth at Lazy Noon, a position he held to the finish line. The result now sees Billy extend his lead in the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship after round three. For Husqvarna Motorcycles’ supported hard enduro legend Graham Jarvis, hopes of a record-breaking sixth Erzbergrodeo victory failed to materialise. After drowning his bike in water off the start line, it took over one hour before he could continue. However, what followed was a ride of heroic proportions, as Graham raced his way from 500th to an incredible 18th after four hours. The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship continues with round four at Red Bull Abestone in Italy on July 8-10. Billy Bolt: “That was hard, probably the hardest Erzbergrodeo I've ever done so I’m happy with fourth considering my fitness and the injuries I’ve got. I was struggling a little at Machine, but I just kept plugging away and taking things section by section. I managed to pass two riders in the closing stages to get fourth, so I’m happy for that and to also extend my lead in the championship is sweet too.” Results: Round 3 - Red Bull Erzbergrodeo 1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 2:58:51; 2. Mario Roman (Sherco) 3:02:17; 3. Trystan Hart (KTM) 3:11:53; 4. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 3:18:25; 5. Alfredo Gomez (GASGAS) 3:20:30… 18. Graham Jarvis, CP21 Championship Standings (After round three) 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 45pts; 2. Mario Roman (Sherco) 43pts; 3. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 40pts; 4. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 37pts; 5. Teodor Kabakchiev (KTM) 35pts…
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire made a valiant return to the 250MX lineup at Saturday’s High Point National, powering through a recent injury to secure 7-7 finishes and valuable points in the 2022 AMA Pro Motocross Championship Hampshire returned to racing at Round 4 after having surgery just two weeks ago to repair injuries sustained in a crash at Round 2. With a top-10 start in the first moto, Hampshire raced up to eighth early on and he picked up another spot late in the race to secure a respectable seventh in Moto 1. In the second moto, he got off to a much better start around the top-three and he battled for podium contention for the first six laps. The remainder of the race took a toll on his still-recovering body and he ultimately dropped back to seventh but the competitor inside of him dug deep to maintain seventh through the checkers, salvaging seventh overall for the day. “Today was a tough day but we battled through it,” Hampshire said. “Did what we could, showed up and gave it all I had today. That was probably the hardest 7-7 I’ve ever had in my life. I’m glad we showed up and went racing today, though. We’ll have a good weekend off now and we’re headed to my favorite track. I’m looking forward to RedBud.” Coming off a season-best finish at the previous round, Stilez Robertson was ready to go at the start of Moto 1. Unfortunately, Robertson was involved in an early crash on the opening lap, forcing him to come through the pack from dead last. He put his head down and charged through the field to score an impressive 14th in the first moto. With an eighth-place start in Moto 2, Robertson put in a good charge to ultimately finish eighth in the moto and 11th overall. “The day was up and down for me,” Robertson said. “I went into the motos confident and really happy. I didn’t get a good jump and in the third-turn, I went down and hit someone’s back tire so I came from last up to 14th. Second moto, I got an okay start and stayed around that position. I battled the whole moto, it was fun, but definitely not where we want to be. We’ll take this weekend off and rest/recoup and come back to my favorite track swinging at RedBud.” In the 450MX class, fill-in rider Shane McElrath battled through challenging track conditions to come away with a top-10 overall finish. In Moto 1, McElrath found himself outside the top-15 on the opening lap and he climbed a few spots up to finish 13th. In the second moto, McElrath started off in ninth and he bounced between ninth and 10th for the rest of the race, ultimately securing ninth. “It was a little bit rough today, I just struggled with the track from the first time out,” McElrath said. “I felt pretty good in practice but it’s a tough track to flow on and I didn’t quite figure it out. I’m a little bit disappointed but I know that I can be better and we can make some good changes to continue making progress.” Next Event (Round 5): July 2 – RedBud National – Buchanan, Michigan Round 4 Results: High Point National 250MX Results 1. Jett Lawrence (HON) 2-1 2. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 1-2 3. Jo Shimoda (KAW) 3-5 … 7. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 7-7 11. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 14-8 450MX Results 1. Eli Tomac (KAW) 2-1 2. Chase Sexton (HON) 1-2 3. Jason Anderson (KAW) 3-5 … 10. Shane McElrath – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 13-9 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 186 points 2. Hunter Lawrence – 174 points 3. Jo Shimoda – 137 points … 8. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 94 points 12. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 65 points 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Chase Sexton – 134 points 2. Ken Roczen – 129 points 3. Eli Tomac – 120 points … 10. Shane McElrath – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 65 points
MotoGP™ reached the halfway point of the season with a baking German Grand Prix at Sachsenring and Husqvarna Motorcycles counted on Ayumu Sasaki for top five honours. A positive late fitness test for Ayumu Sasaki meant that the Japanese joined teammate John McPhee in the hot and sunny paddock at Sachsenring for the tenth round of twenty in the 2022 season. Ayumu was able to ride his Husqvarna Motorcycle FR 250 GP after recovering sufficiently from his shoulder injury sustained in practice for the Italian round at Mugello last month. A capacity crowd in Germany filled the Sachsenring grandstands as the public returned to the compact facility situated close to the city of Chemnitz for the first time since 2019. With only 13 turns and a 3.7km layout, Sachsenring is an endlessly curving, technical trajectory and grouped many riders within the same second in terms of times. This created a condensed and frantic competitive bunch for the Grand Prix race that was spun for 27 laps on Sunday. Both Sasaki and John McPhee showed their experience and skills from the first circulations of Free Practice as the distinctive white and blue race machinery haunted the top of the time sheets. The duo moved through to Q2 and ended Saturday with Sasaki highest on the grid in 4th and McPhee in 13th. The gauge reached 33 degrees on Sunday and it was Sasaki who made the better getaway. McPhee was a victim of a falling rider in the first turn and ran off the track and into the gravel. The Scot spent the entire race fighting back from the time deficit to take 19th. Sasaki was an active part of the six-rider chase for the podium. Izan Guevara had escaped and claimed victory but the chase for the other two rostrum spots was furious and decided in the final corners. Sasaki passed the chequered flag in 4th place and less than a second from 3rd. McPhee remains 19th in the Moto3 championship standings. Sasaki’s return to action landed him 13 points and leaves him 6th in the table. MotoGP moves immediately northwest this week. The historic, flat and technical kinks of the TT Circuit Assen will be the site of the last Grand Prix outing prior to the 2022 summer break. Ayumu Sasaki: “I’m happy with the race and how we managed to be P4. Last week I wasn’t expecting to be back here in Germany! The podium was very close, so that was a bit disappointing, but at the same time – today especially – I cannot be too down. The left side of my tyre was completely finished in the last few laps. We are still at the front for the championship. The top three is a bit far but we’re only at the halfway point of the season. A lot can still happen.” John McPhee: “It was a real shame to be collected by some other riders’ crashes at Turn 1. It meant I was taken into the gravel and was more than twenty seconds from the guys in front once I re-joined. It was a long race but I’m happy because I got stick-in and pushed every single lap to try and remain consistent and fast and to get a better understand of the bike at this track. My rear wheel was slightly buckled from the impact, so it wasn’t easy. We can take the positives: the consistency and the work with the used tyres. We just need to improve in a few small areas and we can reach for the results that we are working towards.” Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Round 10 1. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 39:14.946, 2. Dennis Foggia (Honda) +4.853, 3. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) +4.964, 4. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) +5.941, 19. John McPhee (Husqvarna) +45.223 Moto3 world championship standings 1. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 166pts, 2. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 159, 3. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 115. 6. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 88, 19. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 24
Thousands of passionate fans charged into the Grand Prix of Germany, the eleventh round of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship, earlier today. The historic circuit of Teutschenthal played host to the race, which was a positive affair for the Husqvarna Factory Racing riders. The Standing Construct Husqvarna duo, Pauls Jonass and Brian Bogers, made progress after a difficult event in France and Kay de Wolf returned to racing for the Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing effort. Using the power within his FC 450, Jonass rocketed out of turn one in second in the first premier-class stint. '41' was poised in the laps that followed; he held that runner-up spot to the chequered flag and trailed the eventual victor by just five seconds. Unfortunately, a great start to moto two was destroyed by a fall on lap one. Proving just how comfortable he is aboard his steed, he charged from the back of the pack to thirteenth on a track that most struggled to pass on. Jonass was classified in sixth overall via 2-13 moto scores. For Jonass' teammate beneath the Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing tent, Brian Bogers, round eleven provided an opportunity to get back on track after missing the last event in France. Barely recovered from the illness that sidelined him, Bogers was classified in eighteenth overall via 17-16 moto scores. Seventh is where he currently sits in the championship standings. Kay de Wolf returned to the MX2 division, after missing the last three stops with a fractured metacarpal in his hand, and strived to establish a base that he could build off of in the coming weeks. Although a crash in turn one threatened to ruin his first moto, he did well to charge back to eleventh at the chequered flag. De Wolf followed that up with another eleventh in moto two, despite a crash, and claimed a good haul of points in his return to racing. '74' was classified in eleventh in the overall classification as well. Keeping an eye on the future, Maxime Grau made a welcome return to EMX250 competition with Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing and placed his FC 250 on the podium for the first time. Grau sprinted to 3-2 moto scores, despite a crash early in the first moto, and climbed onto the overall podium in second overall. A long-haul flight awaits the Husqvarna Factory Racing riders now. The next stop of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship, round twelve, will be run in Indonesia on June 25/26. Pauls Jonass: "I am disappointed to miss the podium, of course. Getting on the podium is always the goal! I felt so good on my FC 450 all weekend. Even in the second moto, when I was coming through the field, my speed was really good. I am confident though. The speed is there, as is the feeling on the bike, and the team is working so hard." Brian Bogers: "My illness is over now, but I can just feel it in my fitness. It is good that I finished both motos and this weekend was just about survival for me. This is not what we want, of course, because things were going so well. I just had to be patient with it and now I'll keep building with the team to get back to full fitness." Kay de Wolf: "I crashed in the first turn in moto one; I was dead last and came back to eleventh. You do a lot of physical training when you are injured, but there is nothing that compares to riding a bike. I had an okay start in the second moto and passed some people. I hit a stone in a turn, tucked the front wheel and went back to eleventh. I just did my own thing in the last ten minutes." Results – 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round Eleven MXGP – Overall 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 47pts; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 45pts; 3. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 34pts… 6. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 30pts; 18. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 9pts MXGP – Moto One 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 34:12.430; 2. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 34:18.299; 3. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 34:25.705… 17. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 35:28.332 MXGP – Moto Two 1. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 34:34.232; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 34:39.644; 3. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 34:49.396… 13. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 35:30.660; 16. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 35:47.263 MXGP – Championship Standings 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 485pts; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 384pts; 3. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 366pts… 7. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 252pts; 8. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 250pts MX2 – Overall 1. Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 45pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 44pts; 3. Mikkel Haarup (Kawasaki) 38pts… 11. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 20pts MX2 – Moto One 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 34:45.123; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 34:46.082; 3. Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 35:00.754… 11. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:56.395 MX2 – Moto Two 1. Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 34:48.513; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 34:59.169; 3. Mikkel Haarup (Kawasaki) 35:03.964… 11. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 36:03.436 MX2 – Championship Standings 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 460pts; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 452pts; 3. Simon Langenfelder (GASGAS) 353pts… 10. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 231pts
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Stilez Robertson secured a career-best finish in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship on Saturday, racing to sixth overall in the 250MX class with 6-7 moto finishes at the Thunder Valley National. In the 450MX class, fill-in rider Shane McElrath claimed a season-best eighth overall with 12-5 scores at Roun Robertson had a great start in the first moto, charging his way into third on the opening lap. He battled up front in fifth before getting passed halfway into the race. Putting up a good fight late in the race, Robertson attempted to break into the top-five but ultimately finished sixth. In Moto 2, he found himself just inside the top-10 off the start and he climbed into seventh early on. Racing steadily to the finish, Robertson rounded out the day with a solid seventh, giving him sixth overall on the day. “Today was pretty good,” Robertson said. “I went 6-7 in the motos, so it was the best day ever in outdoors for me. Six motos down and 18 to go, so let’s keep it going! I’m having fun and the team is killing it, so I’m looking forward to the rest.” Fill-in rider Shane McElrath had a season-best performance at Round 3, finishing the day off strong with fifth in Moto 2. McElrath had a 12th place start in the first moto and he battled just outside the top-10 all race to lock in a 12th place finish. In Moto 2, he charged off the line to put himself into sixth early on and he battled up to fifth by the sixth lap. From there, he kept a strong pace into the final moments to secure a season-best finish of fifth in the second moto. “Much better today and a much better week all-around,” McElrath said. “We had a couple good riding days this week – actually my best ones yet – and we made really good progress on the bike. I think I’m just growing confidence every time I’m on the bike. It took me a while to get going today, so I need to work on that, but we’re taking big steps and I’m happy.” Team rider Jalek Swoll grabbed an eighth-place start in Moto 1 and he fought his way up to seventh heading into the midway point of the race. While running eight, Swoll experienced a big crash with a few laps to go and wasn’t able to continue racing for the rest of the day. Next Event (Round 4): June 18 – High Point National – Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania Round 3 Results: Thunder Valley National 450MX Results 1. Ken Roczen (HON) 2-1 2. Eli Tomac (KAW) 1-3 3. Chase Sexton (HON) 4-2 … 8. Shane McElrath – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 12-5 250MX Results 1. Jett Lawrence (HON) 2. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 3. Levi Kitchen (YAM) … 6. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 6-7 41. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 36-DNS 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Chase Sexton – 134 points 2. Ken Roczen – 129 points 3. Eli Tomac – 120 points … 10. Shane McElrath – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 65 points 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 139 points 2. Hunter Lawrence – 127 points 3. Jo Shimoda – 101 points … 8. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 74 points 16. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 37 points
Intense rainfall made round ten of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship, the Grand Prix of France, a spectacle, as the slick hillside of Ernee became quite tricky. Pauls Jonass was the sole star underneath the Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing tent and salvaged a solid haul of points at the Grand Prix, as he placed his FC 450 in tenth overall. Pauls Jonass was luckless in the first premier-class moto – he was tangled up in a fall in turn one and jumped back onto his FC 450 in dead last. Such a significant deficit didn't deter him though, as he put his head down and sliced past as many stars as possible. Eleventh was his eventual ranking in the first moto, thanks to that very impressive charge. The second moto was a little kinder to Jonass, although a mediocre start left him with even more work to do. A chaotic first lap meant that '41' started in twelfth, yet he managed to climb up to seventh by the time that the moto concluded. 11-7 scores left him in tenth overall at the Grand Prix and helped him edge closer to the riders ahead of him in the championship standings. Brian Bogers, who raced to a terrific podium finish just last week, opted out of the Grand Prix of France, as he was struggling with an illness that was picked up in the days prior to the race. Bogers expects to be back on his FC 450 at the next event. The Grand Prix of Germany is the next appointment for the Husqvarna pilots – Teutschenthal will host that event on June 11/12. The fixture will mark round eleven of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship. Pauls Jonass: "I think that this is the best that I have ridden this year. I felt so much better from Saturday morning; I felt like I could push as much as I needed to. I could really enjoy it this weekend. I rode really, really well in the first moto and made some good passes." Results – 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round Ten MXGP – Overall 1. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 47pts; 2. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 42pts; 3. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 34pts… 10. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 24pts MXGP – Moto One 1. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 34:57.531; 2. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 35:02.867; 3. Brent Van Doninck (Yamaha) 35:11.636… 11. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 35:51.350 MXGP – Moto Two 1. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 34:11.133; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 34:12.919; 3. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 34:17.261… 7. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 34:42.6712 MXGP – Championship Standings 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 438pts; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 365pts; 3. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 339pts… 8. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 220pts
Round nine of 2022 MotoGP™ brought the world championship to the hot and slippery Circuit de Barcelona – Cataluyna where the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team were able to score 7th place. The second trip to Spain in the 2022 MotoGP World Championship meant a hot and steamy ordeal around the challenging curves of the Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya; a 4.7km layout that mixes a combination of slow, fast and demanding corners all with slick asphalt. The site in northeast Spain has been a regular part of the MotoGP calendar for more than three decades and since the facility was first built in the early 1990s While the track was a puzzle in terms of set-up and tyre choice for the best traction across the 21-lap race duration, the team were able to adapt quickly. John McPhee began only his fourth GP of the season after recovering from a back injury while David Salvador was drafted in once more as a replacement and took the FR 250 GP motorcycle left by Ayumu Sasaki as the Japanese star continues to recover from his practice crash last week in Italy that left him with a broken left collarbone. On Saturday McPhee was only tenths of a second from the top of the time screens while Salvador – competing at a place he knows well from Junior GP and other national events – was also quick to take 3rd spot in FP3 and go straight into Q2. By the end of play Saturday afternoon they were 11th and 16th on the grid respectively. The weather stayed consistent for Sunday: sunny with high temperatures. The Moto3 lead group was quickly formed by up to 20 riders as McPhee pushed to be part of the fray and Salvador was also making decent time. The Spaniard rode fantastically and entered the top five of the race until he was unseated by contact from another rider into Turn 10 on lap 13 and highsided out of action. Luckily he was unhurt. McPhee persisted and was engaged in a frantic fight in the midst of the top ten. He passed the chequered flag in 7th and just over three seconds from the winner, Izan Guevara. The Grand Prix points have helped the Scot rise two places in the world championship standings: from 19th to 17th. Sasaki is 6th despite his absence and could consider a racing return before the summer break. The Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland will bring MotoGP together again in two weeks time at the endless curving and distinctive Sachsenring circuit. John McPhee: “I felt good on the bike, strong and my pace was decent. As soon as there was any clear track then I was particularly fast but I struggled a bit in the group and with the late braking points today. I didn’t show our true potential speed-wise. P7 was a solid result. It is not where we want to be but we were just three seconds from the victory and we’re getting closer. The good thing is that we know where we can improve and we’re going in the right direction.” David Salvador: “This was a big step for me this weekend. I didn’t have the best starting position and it felt great to come through like I did. I passed riders in a calm way at the beginning because I was saving myself and the bike for the last stage of the race, which has been a weak point. Then, a rider crashed into me and that was it. I’m still pleased because it was a great experience to near the front. Thanks to the team again for giving me the chance to improve and make progress as a rider. Thanks to all the sponsors also for the backing.” Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Round 9 1. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 38:22.351, 2. David Muñoz (KTM) +1.975, 3. Tatsuzki Suzuki (Honda) +1.985, 7. John McPhee (Husqvarna) +3.341, DNF. David Salvador (Husqvarna) Moto3 world championship standings 1. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 150pts, 2. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 134, 3. Jaume Masia (KTM) 103. 6. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 75, 17. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 24
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Stilez Robertson captured a top-10 overall finish at the Hangtown Motocross Classic, delivering consistent 11-7 moto scores in the 250MX division. The second round of the 2022 AMA Pro Motocross Championship proved to be a a challenging day for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammates at RJ Hampshire and Jalek Swoll, who both suffered premature endings to their day in Rancho Cordova, California. Despite the challenges, Robertson was able to keep it steady through both motos of the day. He got a mid-pack start in the first moto, forcing himself to come through the field early on. Halfway into the race, Robertson had worked his way up to 14th and he continued to push late in the race to finish just outside the top-10. In Moto 2, he got off to a top-10 start and he spent most of the race dicing between the seventh and eighth-place positions, ultimately solidifying seventh. “It started off a little rough, just not feeling where I should be,” Robertson said. “First moto was okay; I came through the pack after a bad start. Watching between motos, we figured out some things to tweak on the bike and we got it set right. It took me a little bit to get going but I finished seventh in the second moto, which is closer to where I want to be. The main goal is two good starts so we're going to keep building. There's 21 motos to go.” Teammate Jalek Swoll bounced back strong in the first moto after a tough opening round last week. He blasted his FC 250 into second off the start of Moto 1, racing at the rear wheel of the leader for the first several laps. Meanwhile, facing intense pressure from Michael Mosiman behind, Swoll managed to hold him off until just under the halfway point before dropping back to fifth. Late in the race, Swoll got cross-rutted and crashed, dropping him back to ninth. With a third-place start in the second moto, Swoll was off to a promising race. However, bad luck soon struck when he crashed within the first lap, leaving him unable to finish the race. “This was my first time riding this track and I had a really good start in Moto 1,” Swoll said. “I was running top-three for most of the race and my fitness and speed felt good but the crash that I had from Pala kind of just beat me down today. My shoulder wasn’t ready to go but we still showed up and put our best foot forward and it kind of gave up on me in the later stages of the day. Trying to get this thing fully 100 percent for Thunder Valley to do the same things. We're in a good spot, we just have to keep pushing away.” After just narrowly missing the overall podium at Round 1, Hampshire came into the weekend looking for redemption in the form of a top-three finish. Fifth in qualifying, Hampshire started off the day strong but he found himself battling just inside the top-10 for most of the first moto. He experienced an issue late in the race, setting him back to a 16th place finish, and later made the decision to not line up for Moto 2. Fill-in rider Shane McElrath battled through a challenging day in the 450MX class. With a start just outside the top-10 in Moto 1, McElrath shuffled between ninth and 12th over the 16-lap race, ultimately locking in 12th. In the second moto, he raced between 13th and 14th for several laps before settling into 14th for rest of the race. “It was a pretty tough day today for me,” McElrath said. “I kind of was struggling with the track every time I went out, it was a little bit deceiving, and I was off the pace all day. Every time I was out there, I was battling more with the track than I was with any of the guys around me. I think we still have a lot of room to grow and I think that we’re perfectly capable of doing that. I’m excited to get back to work this week and to continue making progress and rebound next weekend.” Next Event (Round 3): June 11 – Thunder Valley National – Lakewood, Colorado Round 2 Results: Hangtown Motocross Classic 450MX Results 1. Jason Anderson (KAW) 1-3 2. Chase Sexton (HON) 2-2 3. Eli Tomac (YAM) 4-1 … 14. Shane McElrath – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 12-14 250MX Results 1. Jett Lawrence (HON) 3-1 2. Justin Cooper (YAM) 2-3 3. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 4-2 … 9. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 11-7 15. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 9-40 21. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 16-DNS 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Chase Sexton – 94 points 2. Ken Roczen – 82 points 3. Jason Anderson – 76 points … 11. Shane McElrath – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 40 points 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 95 points 2. Hunter Lawrence – 84 points 3. Jo Shimoda – 72 points … 9. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 45 points 11. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 37 points
Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing riders, Brian Bogers and Pauls Jonass, have just posted strong results at round nine of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship. Intu Xanadu - Arroyomolinos hosted the fixture that was officially dubbed the Grand Prix of Spain; thousands of fans flocked to the track to bask in the intense heat that transformed the event into a true test of fitness. Brian Bogers is riding better than ever before and the Spanish stop was a testament to that, as he mirrored the race leaders in moto one and came so close to a podium finish. Swift manoeuvres on the first lap helped him climb from the lower half of the top ten up to fourth, which is a spot that he held all of the way to the chequered flag. Eleven measly seconds separated him from the race winner at the end of the moto. The second moto was yet another impressive showing for Bogers, who managed to make another step forward and secure third place. '189' climbed from the edge of the top five to third, much like in the first moto, and held the position until the very end, which helped him place his FC 450 onto the podium for the second time this term! 4-3 scores left him in third overall and helped him climb to sixth in the championship standings. Focus has shifted to round ten of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship now. The superb old-school track of Ernee, which has hosted countless poignant moments in the sport, will be the setting for the event on June 04/05. Brian Bogers: "This feels amazing. It was a tough Grand Prix, but that third in the second moto was a great moment. I am so happy to be back on the box and I want to be up here more. My riding feels so good and I think it is clear that the speed is there to do this more often. I just feel so good on my FC 450 at the moment, no matter where we are racing." Pauls Jonass: "I thought this was going to be a good weekend, after being first in free practice, but I struggled as the track got rougher. It is just frustrating at the moment – I am trying my very best and I got ninth twice. I am eager to get back to work and make some progress at the next two rounds of MXGP." Results – 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round Nine MXGP – Overall 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 50pts; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 38pts; 3. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 38pts… 9. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 24pts MXGP – Moto One 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 34:36.213; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 34:39.729; 3. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 34:45.135… 4. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 34:47.948; 9. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 35:16.340 MXGP – Moto Two 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 34:39.757; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 34:42.953; 3. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 34:46.529… 9. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 35:10.643 MXGP – Championship Standings 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 404pts; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 338pts; 3. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 292pts… 6. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 243pts; 8. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 196pts
The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team returned to action on Saturday with the opening round of the 2022 AMA Pro Motocross Championship in Pala, California. With a third-place podium in Moto 1, RJ Hampshire fought through adversity in the second moto to finish just outside the overall 250MX podium in fourth. Fill-in rider Shane McElrath had a solid debut with the team in the 450MX class, capturing a top-10 overall finish at the Fox Raceway National. Hampshire, the third-place qualifier, had a rough crash earlier in the day when he came together with another rider during the second practice session but he grinded through to line up for the first moto of the season. He didn’t get the best start in Moto 1 but he made a lot of early passes to climb from 11th to fifth halfway into the race. His valiant charge took him straight to the podium with about five laps to go, checking off his first podium appearance of the season right away. Positioning himself towards the front at the start of race two, he was making his way into the top-five battle when he came together with another rider in turn two and went down. Re-mounting in dead last, Hampshire put his head down and climbed back into the top-10 late in the race. With a last-lap pass for ninth, Hampshire was able to clinch fourth overall with combined moto scores of 3-9. “It was a pretty crazy day and I was able salvage a fourth overall,” Hampshire said. “The day started off wild, I came together with someone in practice and hit the ground pretty hard but I was able to put that behind us. I feel like I was riding well today and we had really good speed, it’s not like we’re far off. I’ll work on getting a better start next weekend at Hangtown, and being up there and staying consistent.” It was a good opening round for teammate Stilez Robertson, who managed a top-10 overall in the 250MX class with 10-11 finishes on the day. Robertson maintained a steady pace in both motos, setting a positive tone early in the season. “Qualifying was a little rough for me,” Robertson said. “I just overrode, honestly, but it’s round one of 12, so my main goal this year is to be there every weekend and then I think the results will come. Going 10-11 for 10th overall is not the greatest day but it’s not the worst day. We’re going to keep plugging away.” In his first race as a fill-in rider for the injured Dean Wilson, Shane McElrath immediately showcased his enthusiasm with a great start in Moto 1, just narrowly missing the 450MX holeshot as he tucked into a close second early on. Battling up front with the top riders, McElrath came away with 11th in the first moto. He picked up where he left off in the next moto, dicing back-and-forth with the same front-runners once again. Progressing on the bike with each lap he made, McElrath held his own late in the race to secure seventh in Moto 2 and 10th overall for the day, “It was honestly a good start to the season,” McElrath said. “It was a quick deal that we put together and for me, it’s been a couple years since I’ve raced outdoors. I had a good feeling on the bike but I’ve not been racing in a couple months so there were a lot of questions I had for myself. I knew that once I got going, I could find a flow, I just had quite a bit of nerves today. First moto was tough but we had some changes for the second moto and regrouped. This is a very good opportunity in front of me and I don’t want to let it go to waste. I want to keep building on today. I think we have a lot of room to grow and I’m excited about it.” Team rider Jalek Swoll had his day cut short after getting tangled with another rider at the start of the first 250MX moto. As a result, Swoll was unable to finish the race. Next Event (Round 2): June 4 – Hangtown Motocross Classic – Rancho Cordova, California Round 1 Results: Fox Raceway National 450MX Results 1. Chase Sexton (HON) 1-1 2. Ken Roczen (HON) 2-2 3. Christian Craig (YAM) 3-3 … 10. Shane McElrath – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 11-7 250MX Results 1. Jett Lawrence (HON) 1-1 2. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 2-2 3. Jo Shimoda (KAW) 4-3 4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 3-9 … 10. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 10-11 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Chase Sexton – 50 points 2. Ken Roczen – 44 points 3. Christian Craig – 40 points … 10. Shane McElrath – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 24 points 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 50 points 2. Hunter Lawrence – 44 points 3. Jo Shimoda – 38 points 4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 32 points … 10. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 21 points
A competitive but fruitless eighth Grand Prix of the season for Husqvarna Motorcycles at one of the fastest and most spectacular circuits on the MotoGP™ calendar. Mugello is one of the hallowed race circuits in MotoGP. A tantalising blend of fast corners, chicanes, line choice, flow and a vast 1.1km main straight: the track is famous for its technical challenge as it is for the noisy atmosphere and the typical passion that the native fans bring to the ‘Gran Premio d’Italia’. The eighth round of twenty (the cancellation of the Finnish Grand Prix reducing the schedule and creating a summer break) was also the home event for the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team and there was a sense of expectation as they wheeled their machinery into the pitbox. The weather conditions started as sunny, hot and humid but was unstable for qualification and then much cloudier and fresher for race day. Friday Free Practice proved to be costly for the team. Ayumu Sasaki fell and was struck by another rider. The Japanese, who has already appeared on the podium three times this season, was taken to hospital with collarbone and neck injuries. Sasaki is likely to miss the next two Grands Prix but the team will review his condition and carefully monitor his recovery. The onus therefore fell on Scot John McPhee who used his experience and positive feeling with the FR 250 GP to remain in contention and was less than half a second from Pole Position after Q2. On a weekend when Sterilgarda Max Racing Team Principal Max Biaggi was inducted in the MotoGP Legends Hall of Fame for his outstanding career, his Moto3 race crew was able to play a prominent part of the first sprint of the GP. McPhee started from 6th on the grid and was circulating with the leaders until a mistake at mid-race caused him to crash out. The bike was too damaged to remount and continue. McPhee stays 19th in the championship standings while Sasaki is 5th. The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya now awaits for round nine as MotoGP moves straight to eastern Spain this week. John McPhee: “Until race day I think we had a productive weekend. We showed that I’ve come back strongly from my injury and we were in the top ten every session. Unfortunately in the race I struggled to keep my position. It was difficult to make a pass and in the end I made a mistake and highsided. I’m really sorry to the team for this. The good point is that we showed we had the speed. This is only my third race this season and I just need a bit more time to adapt. We’ll keep the positives and look ahead to Barcelona.” Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Round 8 1. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 39:43.214, 2. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 39:43.193 (1 place penalty), 3. Tatsuzki Suzuki (Honda) +0.012, DNF. John McPhee (Husqvarna) +3.193, DNS. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) Moto3 world championship standings 1. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 137pts, 2. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 109, 3. Jaume Masia (KTM) 95. 5. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 75, 19. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 15
The second round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship proved a tough one for Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt, with the defending champion battling hard to take a well-deserved fourth at Serbia’s Xross Hard Enduro Rally. Husqvarna supported rider Graham Jarvis claimed a podium result with third. Still nursing the effects of a SuperEnduro wrist injury, Billy arrived at the second round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship looking to maximise his points at the first European round of the series. Kicking things off with a Straight Rhythm Prologue on Wednesday, Billy was at his best on the short street course. Winning all of his heat races, he easily progressed to the final and duly claimed a comfortable win. However, with three long and demanding days in the mountains ahead of him, he knew the racing would get progressively harder. A strong start on Thursday saw Billy begin fourth on the road, picking off riders throughout the day to lead the way. Frustratingly, some navigation issues in the closing stages saw him slip down the order. But his result was still good enough to lead the overall classification into day two. A gruelling two-hour and 30-minute morning special stage took its toll on Billy on day two as he lost a lot of time in the forest. Despite fighting hard in the afternoon special stages, he slipped to fourth overall in the classification. With only one day to regroup, Billy knew a podium result or better would be tough to achieve. Beginning with a third fastest time on the first special stage, he then dug deep to finish second quickest on the two remaining special stages, battling right to the end. However, the damage done on day two would be too much to overturn and Billy had to be content with fourth. Added together with his runner-up result from round one, Billy now holds the joint lead in the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship after round two. Hard enduro legend Graham Jarvis was out in force in Serbia, pushing the pace at the front of the Xross Hard Enduro Rally. Easing into day one he placed fifth fastest. Finding the difficult conditions of day two more to his liking, Graham was flying on his Husqvarna TE 300 and ended his day third overall. Sensing another podium result was on the cards, Jarvis pushed hard to clinch his second top-three result of the season. He now holds the championship points lead together with Billy Bolt. The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship continues with round three at Erzbergrodeo on June 16-19 in Austria. Billy Bolt: “It’s been hard work this week. I’ve felt drained of energy here in Serbia and was having to dig deep each day to keep in the fight. I've been battling a wrist injury since pretty much SuperEnduro ended back in March, it’s really hurt my fitness. And with this race being really physical that showed. Of course, it was nice to win the prologue on Wednesday, but I didn’t get to ride the pace I wanted during the rest of the week. That said, I'm now leading the championship, so I’ll take that as a positive. Erzbergrodeo is next and my focus is to regroup and get ready for that!” Graham Jarvis: “It’s awesome to get on the podium again. I wasn’t sure how my fitness would fare in this multi-day race, but I managed to get there in the end. At 47 years old I can’t believe I’m in joint lead of the championship. We’ve got Erzberg next, that’s the big one. But I’m riding well and I’m going to go for it!” Results (Provisional) - FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, Round 2: Xross Hard Enduro Rally 1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 11:10:04; 2. Teodor Kabakchiev (KTM) 11:20:07; 3. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 11:28:35; 4. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 11:37:27; 5. Wade Young (Sherco) 11:37:27… Championship Standings (Provisional After Round 2) 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 30pts; 2. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 30pts; 3. Teodor Kabakchiev (KTM) 27pts…
Mikael Persson has delivered his best FIM EnduroGP World Championship performances this season, claiming a pair of Enduro3 class podium finishes at the GP of Portugal. Enjoying the tough conditions on Saturday, Persson took his TE 300 to third place, before going one better on Sunday to claim a hard-fought second-place result and finish just under seven seconds from the win. Continuing to settle in to both the EnduroGP championship and his Husqvarna Factory Racing team, Mikael Persson carried the momentum that saw him improve throughout the GP of Spain last weekend into round two in Portugal. Making a near mistake-free ride on Saturday, the 27-year-old delivered 12 consistent special test times to stay in touch with the leaders, boosting his confidence going into day two. With his TE 300 2-stroke performing perfectly beneath him in the hot, dry, and stony conditions in Portugal, Persson skilfully battled through the technical terrain to ultimately rank second fastest in E3 on Sunday. In doing so he finished a highly competitive ninth in the overall EnduroGP category. Now, feeling far more at home racing at world championship level, Mikael sits equal third in the E3 standings and looks forward to improving even further at the next stop of the 2022 FIM EnduroGP World Championship, which takes place in Carpineti, Italy, on June 24-26. Mikael Persson: “It’s definitely been another step in the right direction for us here in Portugal – with the help of the team, I continued to improve all weekend. In fact, overall the whole round has been amazing, I felt really good on the bike and made very few mistakes, I just had one little crash today, which thankfully didn’t cost me too much time. Step-by-step we’re making improvements to the bike and in turn I’m able to be far more consistent out on the tests, and that in itself increases my confidence even further. Saturday went well with my first podium of the season and 13th overall. Then on Sunday, I was able to keep up a good strong pace, especially at the start of the day, and was leading up to the halfway point. As things went on, I struggled a little bit with my fitness but managed to bring it home in second. It would have been good to take the win, but all-in-all I’m happy with how I rode and now I’m really looking forward to carrying on at the next round.” Results – 2022 FIM Enduro World Championship – Round 2, Portugal Day 1 Enduro 3 1. Brad Freeman (Beta) 1:10:13.81 2. Davide Guarneri (Fantic) 1:11:05.37 3. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 1:11:47.69 4. Matteo Pavoni (TM) 1:11:52.91 5. Antoine Basset (Beta) 1:12:12.38 6. Daniel McCanney (Sherco) 1:12:19.55 EnduroGP 1. Wil Ruprecht (TM) 1:08:14.76 2. Josep Garcia (KTM) 1:08:18.41 3. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 1:09:01.08 4. Thomas Oldrati (Honda) 1:10:13.00 5. Brad Freeman (Beta) 1:10:13.81 … 13. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 1:11:47.69 Day 2 Enduro 3 1. Davide Guarneri (Fantic) 58:43.81 2. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 58:50.53 3. Antoine Basset (Beta) 59:58.86 4. Matteo Pavoni (TM) 1:00:00.87 5. Marc Sans Soria (Husqvarna) 1:00:06.21 6. Daniel McCanney (Sherco) 1:01:20.86 EnduroGP 1. Josep Garcia (KTM) 58:11.12 2. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 58:29.44 3. Wil Ruprecht (TM) 58:33.58 4. Brad Freeman (Beta) 58:33.58 5. Hamish MacDonald (Sherco) 59:15.64 6. Thomas Oldrati (Honda) 58:50.53 … 9. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 1:00:34.68 Championship Standings (After Round 2) Enduro 3 1. Davide Guarneri (Fantic) 71 points 2. Brad Freeman (Beta) 69 pts 3. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 56 pts 4. Matteo Pavoni (TM) 56 pts 5. Antoine Basset (Beta) 45 pts 6. Daniel McCanney (Sherco) 44 pts EnduroGP 1. Wil Ruprecht (TM) 68 points 2. Josep Garcia (KTM) 67 pts 3. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 67 pts 4. Thomas Oldrati (Honda) 45 pts 5. Nathan Watson (Honda) 39 pts 6. Brad Freeman (Beta) 33 pts ... 14. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 14 pts
A strong performance for Husqvarna Motorcycles in front of passionate French fans at Le Mans as Ayumu Sasaki rides to 2nd place at round seven of the 2022 MotoGP™ series. The Le Mans Bugatti circuit is one of the most distinctive layouts on the MotoGP world championship trail at 4.2km and with fourteen varied turns that make tough demands of the riders for braking and acceleration but also test their bravery for corner entry and slipstreaming. These qualities were of particular importance for the Moto3 Grand Prix at a dry but cloudy seventh round of twenty-one this year. Sterilgarda Max Racing approached the weekend with Ayumu Sasaki in fiercely competitive form and hunting his third podium result of the season. The team were able to count on their full line-up for the first time since the opening round in Qatar. John McPhee had recovered sufficiently from the back injury he’d sustained in training to be able to wheel out the FR 250 GP from the pitbox. Le Mans witnessed busy attendances throughout Friday and Saturday when the sunshine beamed down onto the venue in northeast France. Sasaki was the best qualifier after Saturday’s Q2 and occupied 12th place on the grid. McPhee, getting back in the flow of Moto3, was on the sixth row in 15th. Sunday saw the climate shift to clouds and a light shower in the first laps caused a considerable shift for the grip and feeling on the French asphalt. The Moto3 class was the first to lay down rubber trails and the 22-laps was soon halted due to rain in the first two circulations. Sasaki was one of several fallers at Turn 14 but the red flag allowed the Japanese to restart after some great work by the team to get the FR 250 GP repaired in less than 15 minutes.
Making both his and Husqvarna Factory Racing’s full-time return to the FIM EnduroGP Word Championship, Mikael Persson has delivered two strong days of racing at the opening round of the series in Lalin, Spain. Placing fifth in the Enduro3 category on Saturday, Persson went one better on Sunday to claim fourth, missing out on a podium place by less than five seconds. Riding a 2-stroke TE 300 in the E3 class, Persson had anticipated that it would take him a little time to dial himself in to the highly competitive EnduroGP world championship. However, after placing fifth on the Friday night Super Test, the 27-year-old delivered a solid opening day of racing on Saturday, finishing fifth quickest, one minute and 13 seconds down on the class winner. Sunday went even better for Persson. Feeling more at home on his TE 300, the multiple Swedish Enduro Champion was able to push hard on the dry, dusty tests, once again improving his speed as the day continued. Finishing inside the top five on the final five tests secured Mikael fourth in the E3 class, just 4.54 seconds behind third. Happy with how his weekend went, and with the progress he and the team made together, Persson is now looking forward to taking the fight to Portugal next weekend. The 2022 FIM EnduroGP World Championship continues with round two in Peso da Régua and Armamar, Portugal next weekend – May 13-15. Mikael Persson: “It’s been a tough weekend, but it feels really good to be back racing EnduroGP. Both days have been long with some difficult tests and some long transfers. For me, the tests were quite broken, and in these conditions, it’s been quite a steep learning curve. But I’m happy with how I rode, and we were able to make some improvements on the bike as the weekend went on. Day one went ok, but I felt under a little bit of pressure and made a few too many mistakes – not a perfect day that’s for sure. On day two, I was able to relax a little more on the bike and because of that my speed was a lot better. It felt good to be fighting for the podium too, and a little closer to where I want to be. Overall, I’m very happy with the weekend and we’re going in the right direction. I’m going to try and keep the momentum going into Portugal.” Results – 2022 FIM Enduro World Championship – Round 1, Spain Day 1 Enduro 3 1. Brad Freeman (Beta) 1:00:58 2. Davide Guarneri (Fantic) 1:00:54.85 3. Matteo Pavoni (TM) 1:01:13.78 4. Daniel McCanney (Sherco) 1:01:50.15 5. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 1:01:58.49 6. Antoine Basset (Beta) 1:02:17.22 EnduroGP 1. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 59:24.16 2. Steve Holcombe (Beta) 59:27.76 3. Wil Ruprecht (TM) 59:27.92 4. Josep Garcia (KTM) 59:30.17 5. Nathan Watson (Honda) 59:40.09 6. Hamish MacDonald (Sherco) 1:00:10.06 … 18. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 1:01:58.49 Day 2 Enduro 3 1. Brad Freeman (Beta) 58:33.58 2. Davide Guarneri (Fantic) 1:00:16.54 3. Matteo Pavoni (TM) 1:00:30.14 4. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 1:00:34.68 5. Daniel McCanney (Sherco) 1:00:34.78 6. Marc Sans Soria (Husqvarna) 1:00:40.18 EnduroGP 1. Josep Garcia (KTM) 58:11.12 2. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 58:29.44 3. Wil Ruprecht (TM) 58:33.58 4. Brad Freeman (Beta) 58:33.58 5. Hamish MacDonald (Sherco) 59:15.64 6. Thomas Oldrati (Honda) 59:29:70 … 12. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 1:00:34.68 Championship Standings (After Round 1) Enduro 3 1. Brad Freeman (Beta) 40 points 2. Davide Guarneri (Fantic) 34 pts 3. Matteo Pavoni (TM) 30 pts 4. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 24 pts 5. Daniel McCanney (Sherco) 24 pts 6. Marc Sans Soria (Husqvarna) 19 pts EnduroGP 1. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 37 points 2. Josep Garcia (KTM) 33 pts 3. Wil Ruprecht (TM) 28 pts 4. Brad Freeman (Beta) 22 pts 5. Hamish MacDonald (Sherco) 21 pts 6. Nathan Watson (Honda) 20 pts ... 15. Mikael Persson (Husqvarna) 4 pts
Consistency was key this season for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart, who topped off a career-best season of third overall in the AMA 450 Supercross Championship with a fighting fourth in Salt Lake City, Utah. Teammate RJ Hampshire also put in a strong ride at the season finale, claiming fourth in the combined 250SX East/West Showdown Main Event and runner-up in the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship. Stewart has been battling to maintain a coveted top-three position in the 450SX Championship standings for most of the season and the Florida native had no intentions of letting it go at the final round. With a strong and smooth performance in 450SX Heat 1, Stewart secured a third-place transfer into the Main Event. He grabbed a top-five start in the Main Event, racing his way into fourth early on. Patiently positioning himself for a podium push, Stewart made his move into third just before the halfway point but he was taken out a few turns later, dropping him back to sixth. Despite losing his momentum, Stewart quickly re-mounted and began chipping away at a podium position late in the race, coming within less than a second of making it happen before a mistake – just a few turns before the finish – solidified him in fourth. With three podiums and 10 top-five finishes in 2022, Stewart was able to clinch a career-best third overall in the 450SX Championship Standings. “The night was great honestly, and I was riding really good all day,” Stewart said. “In the Main Event, I made a pass for third and got into it with Barcia and he shuffled me back a couple positions. I was able to make my way back up and run him down again, all the way to the last lap, but I had a lapped rider in front of me and made a little mistake. The big goal for us was to end on a high note with third in the series and we accomplished that, so I can’t thank the whole team enough for a great year! We’ve been solid and we’ve been smooth, so let’s take this thing outdoors!” In the 250SX class, riders from both divisions started off with two separate paths of qualifying, which led to one combined East/West Showdown Main Event at the end of the night. In the Eastern region, RJ Hampshire had a tough start to the heat race but he was able to put his head down and salvage an eighth-place transfer into the E/W Showdown. In the Main Event, Hampshire got out of the gate in fourth and he battled inside the top-five all race long. Swapping positions just outside the podium, St. Louis Triple Crown winner came away just shy of the podium to capture his third top-five finish of the season and second overall in the 250SX Eastern Regional Championship. “We started out a little bit of a struggle but we salvaged that Main Event,” Hampshire said. “We got a good start from the outside and I felt like I rode pretty solid for the second half of the race and gave ourselves a shot at the podium. I’m stoked to end the season on a good note, a healthy note, and second in the championship. I can’t be too bummed, especially with how it started, so just to be here at the end is a huge improvement for myself and the team. Another series coming up, so I’m excited to get it going again.” In the Western division, Jalek Swoll found himself buried off the start of his heat race but he went to work battling his way through the field to ultimately secure a ninth-place finish. In the Main Event, Swoll secured a great jump off the start and he battled up front to the first turn until he got hit and shuffled back right away on the opening lap. He fought into the top-10 just after the halfway point and putting in a strong charge at the end of the race, he came away with his sixth top-10 finish of the season. “It was super muddy in the heat race and I didn’t have a great start, so that was kind of a struggle and it put me on the outside in the main,” Swoll said. “I actually had a really good start and was coming into the first turn as one of the first bikes and I got hit and went all the way backwards. That pretty much ruined the night when it comes to a track that’s really tight for passing. I think the speed was a lot better these last two rounds than all year, so we’ll take that and get some more comfort in the off-season so we can come out swinging.” Round 17 Results: Salt Lake City SX 450SX Results 1. Jason Anderson (KAW) 2. Chase Sexton (HON) 3. Justin Barcia (GAS) 4. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX East/West Showdown Results 1. Nate Thrasher (YAM) 2. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 3. Pierce Brown (GAS) 4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing … 10. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 359 points 2. Jason Anderson – 350 points 3. Malcolm Stewart, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 314 points … 10. Dean Wilson, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 152 points 250SX East Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 192 points 2. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 158 points 3. Pierce Brown – 149 points … 13. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 67 points 250SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Christian Craig – 230 points 2. Hunter Lawrence – 220 points 3. Michael Mosiman – 197 points … 10. Jalek Swoll, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 106 points
Marking the return of the Husqvarna Factory Racing team to the FIM EnduroGP World Championship paddock, Mikael Persson will contest the highly competitive Enduro3 class riding a 2-stroke TE 300 model. The seven-round season commences this weekend, May 6-8, in Spain. Dominant on the international scene back in 2015 when he won the Enduro Youth Cup, Persson then spent several years away from the world championship paddock where he focused on his own national championships at home in Sweden. Claiming the Swedish title in 2018, 2019, and 2021, Mikael also added wins at the famous Gotland Grand National and Novemberkasen races to his CV. But it was last season, at the iconic International Six Days Enduro in Italy, where he turned heads once again on the international stage, following an incredible week-long ride. On the pace throughout the event, Persson went on to claim an impressive third-place overall result. Now, having signed to represent Husqvarna Motorcycles as its sole official competitor in the 2022 EnduroGP World Championship, the young Swede is focused on delivering a strong year of racing on his TE 300 as he fights for the E3 crown and the overall EnduroGP honours. The 2022 FIM EnduroGP World Championship starts in Lalin, Spain on May 6-8 and is followed one-week later with round two from Portugal, on May 13-15. With seven rounds in total, the championship goes on to visit Italy, Slovakia, and Hungary, with the final race taking place at the historic Zschopau venue in Germany on October 14-16. Mikael Persson: “I’m really looking forward to the weekend and getting the EnduroGP season started. I have been training a lot over the off-season and have taken on some races, but this is where it counts now, at the world championship. For sure, my goal for this year is to be on the podium in the E3 class, and the way I feel right now I’m confident of being able to fight for that result. My speed over the pre-season has been good, but I know it will take a little time to settle in. EnduroGP is so competitive, especially the Enduro3 class, but I know if everything goes well, I have what it takes. The bike has been working really good – obviously we have changed some things over what the extreme guys use. My riding style is quite aggressive, so we’ve worked on smoothing the power and making it more linear. It’s up to me now to get my timing right on all of the different types of terrain we’re going to see this year, and hopefully if everything goes well, the team and I should be in the hunt for the title when the season comes to a close later in the year.” Calendar - 2022 FIM EnduroGP World Championship Round 1: 6-8 May - GP of Spain – Lalin Round 2: 13-15 May - GP of Portugal - Peso da Régua – Armamar Round 3: 24-26 June - GP of Italy – Carpineti Round 4: 1-3 July - GP of Portugal - Coimbra – Souselas Round 5: 29-31 July - GP of Slovakia – Gelnica Round 6: 5-7 August - GP of Hungary – Zalaegerszeg Round 7: 14-16 October - GP of Germany – Zschopau
MotoGP bathed in typically hot conditions in southern Spain and as the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto welcomed back a large and excitable crowd for the first time since 2019. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team watched the progress of their star Moto3 rider Ayumu Sasaki as the Japanese pulled through from the last slot on the grid and a Long Lap penalty at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España to seize 10 points. The sixth fixture of the season took place directly after last weekend’s journey to Portimao, Portugal and to the 4.4km Jerez layout – that mixes three hard braking turns with several fast, flowing sequences. The Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto is not only a consistent and popular Grand Prix host but also a regular testing venue for teams throughout the three classes. Therefore set-up and knowledge of the course was at a premium and pushed together the lap-times. Sasaki was quickly up to pace through Free Practice and Qualification but his front row grid position was punished by alleged slow-riding on Saturday and he faced a considerable handicap. Starting from last place and needing to fulfil a Long Lap, the youngster then pushed to the maximum to win positions. He did brilliantly to reach 6th and join the leading group with 8 of the 22 laps to go but then ran out of effective grip with his tyres in the final circulations. Ayumu secured 6th place but was only 0.8 of a second behind the winner after a thrilling conclusion to the GP. David Salvador was again deputising for the recovering John McPhee. The JuniorGP hopeful was able to continue his adaptation to the Moto3 GP machine and fought for points through the duration of the race until a double Long Lap penalty created a difficult time deficit. The Spaniard past the chequered flag in 19th. Sasaki is now 6th in the Riders’ standings. Sterilgarda Max Racing Team remain 6th in the Teams contest and Husqvarna Motorcycles is 4th in the Constructors championship. The SHARK Grand Prix de France represents the seventh stop on the 2022 MotoGP trail and the paddock will gather again in two weeks time within the iconic setting of Le Mans. Ayumu Sasaki: “I’m satisfied with today’s result. After yesterday’s penalties I was close to giving up but I knew I had good pace, and enough to win but I wasn’t sure if I could catch up. So, I was worried but the team did not give up and I could see and feel that. I went for it and was surprised by my speed. In the first ten laps I was perhaps 3-4 tenths [per lap] faster than what I expected. I felt great with the bike set-up and it was perfect but I used the soft tyres a bit too much early in the race to catch-up…but this was the target. I was struggling on the braking with the tyres in the last laps so I calmed down and knew today wasn’t the day to win. P6 was an amazing recovery so I’m happy and we can focus for the next race to start at the front and go for the victory.” David Salvador: “A beautiful race today to see all the fans here in Jerez, we made a step in Warm-up that gave me slightly better feeling with the front of the bike. I had a Long Lap penalty and I thought I had more time to do it but that meant I ended up having double! Anyway, like last time, I was able to learn a lot and gather information as well as work on some of my weak points that were allowing other riders to overtake me. Thanks to all of the team for all their work because I feel the improvements every time I am out there. It was a shame about the penalties because we would have taken points today.” Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Round 6 1. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 39:19.873, 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) +0.061, 3. Jaume Masia (KTM) +0.208, 6. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) +0.847, 19. David Salvador (Husqvarna) +23.338 Moto3 world championship standings 1. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 103pts, 2. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 82. 3. Izan Guevara (KTM) 73. 6. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 55, 20. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 11
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart came close to securing his first win of the 2022 AMA Supercross Championship on Saturday after delivering an impressive runner-up result at the penultimate round in Colorado. Track conditions were anything but easy at Denver’s Empower Field at Mile High but Stewart rose to the challenge with a powerful Main Event performance and he gained a valuable boost into third overall in the 450SX championship standings with one round remaining. With a daytime format for the second-straight week, timed qualifying got underway first thing in the morning and Stewart captured a strong P3 to kick off the day. In 450SX Heat 2, he got off to a top-five start and quickly pushed his way into fourth. Setting his sights on the top-three, he made a late-race charge to secure a top-three transfer finish. In the Main Event, Stewart positioned himself into fifth off the start and he mixed it up with the front-runners for the first few laps. Inheriting third early on, he chased after the championship contenders and it wasn’t long before he injected himself into the lead battle. Just before the halfway point, Stewart made a swift pass on newly-crowned champion Eli Tomac for second and he raced his way to his third runner-up finish of the season. “I’m excited, that was a really big finish for me,” Stewart said. “For some reason, I always ride tracks really good in altitude and I felt really good about it. Even though we didn’t win, we got second and I’m third overall in the points now, which the end-goal is to be third in points, so I'm excited about that.” The 250SX Western division returned to the gate for their final bout before heading into the East/West Showdown next week at the season finale. Team rider Jalek Swoll came away with a top-10 finish in the Main Event after battling through challenging conditions all day. With a fourth-place start in 250SX Heat 2, Swoll battled up front for the first two laps before getting shuffled back to sixth early on. He made a charge late in the race to secure a top-five transfer. In the Main Event, Swoll had a great jump off the line, almost capturing the holeshot, and he settled into third on lap one. Battling inside the top-five for the first half of the race, he dropped to sixth midway through and he fought hard after lappers held him back from making the triple on the last lap, ultimately finishing 10th. “Today was a step in the right direction in terms of comfort on the bike,” Swoll said. “I was towards the front way more than the back and I had some really good starts. In the Main Event, I hung in third for a little bit but just couldn't find that pace and lost a few positions to sixth. On the last lap, I got caught behind a couple of lappers and they went like they're going for the triple and backed out at the last second and I had nowhere to go, so I had to roll the triple and lost a ton of positions. That one stings, for sure, but we'll come back and try to be a little bit better in Salt Lake.” Final Round: May 7 – Salt Lake City, Utah Round 16 Results: Denver SX 450SX Results 1. Jason Anderson (KAW) 2. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 3. Marvin Musquin (KTM) 250SX West Results 1. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 2. Michael Mosiman (GAS) 3. Christian Craig (YAM) … 10. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 359 points 2. Jason Anderson – 324 points 3. Malcolm Stewart, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 295 points … 10. Dean Wilson, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 152 points 250SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Christian Craig – 215 points 2. Hunter Lawrence – 197 points 3. Michael Mosiman – 181 points … 10. Jalek Swoll, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 93 points
Husqvarna Motorcycles races to another podium finish with 3rd place as MotoGP™ arrives in Europe and tackles the technically challenging Algarve International Circuit. Round five of 2022 MotoGP landed in Portimao, Portugal. The 4.6km winding circuit and one of the newest venues on the world championship calendar provided a fast and flowing test for the riders in Moto3, Moto2™ and MotoGP categories. The Algarve International Circuit was the scene for the 17th Grand Prix in the country but only the fourth in Portimao, situated in the south and close to the coastline, after events in 2020 and then a double in 2021. Husqvarna Motorcycles principal star rider, Ayumu Sasaki, was joined by David Salvador in the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team pitbox for the second meeting in a row. The Spanish rookie was a late call-up after John McPhee was unable to pass a fitness test. The Scot had travelled to Portugal after pushing hard to recover from a training accident but will now aim to re-join the team and the series for the Grand Prix of France in three weeks. The rain poured down for Free Practice on Friday but both Sasaki and Salvador were able to hover in the top ten as the slimy conditions caught out many riders. On Saturday the skies remained grey. The best qualifier was Sasaki who rushed his FR 250 GP motorcycle to 10th on the damp surface. In contrast to the previous round at COTA in the USA, Moto3 opened race day in Portugal and was back to the usual first slot on the timetable. Sunshine finally beamed down on a busy circuit as the Moto3 field rushed around 21 laps. Sasaki started outside the top ten but by the third lap was already hunting the top five and then moved up to 3rd by mid-race distance as the rhythm and gaps of the leading group fluctuated. The Japanese was extremely competitive and eying victory all the way up until the last couple of corners where he was able to secure 3rd place for his fourth career podium and the second of the season. Salvador completed his second appearance for the team with 22nd place. Sasaki is now 7th in the Riders’ standings. Sterilgarda Max Racing Team sits 6th in the Teams table and Husqvarna Motorcycles is 4th best in the Constructors competition. The MotoGP World Championship only has a brief respite this week as the Gran Premio Red Bull de España will take place at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto for the sixth fixture of the year on May 1st. Ayumu Sasaki: “Today I’m a bit disappointed because I was looking for the win. I was managing the tyre and not pushing much. I knew the pace was slower than what I could make. Two laps to go I planned to breakaway but could not get a gap and was then passed by [Jaume] Masia very aggressively and I lost some positions. I had to come back and made the ground so I was satisfied with the last lap but I wanted the win! The team did a great job and the bike was amazing so we will try again in Jerez.” David Salvador: “Thanks to the team and my sponsors because this was again another good opportunity for me to learn and apply the experience to my JuniorGP season. We are working quite well and I know we will get a bit better for Jerez. I think we can be a bit further ahead. We need to focus more on qualifying because it’s a weak point at the moment but I’m getting more and more confidence in the bike. My rhythm wasn’t that bad today but we can get tenths of a second better a lap. That’s the goal.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “Today was definitely a very solid performance for our team. Ayumu is doing a very good job and has been constantly in the top five for the last few races. He is realising that he can do it out there and can produce something big this season. I hope his first victory comes for him as soon as possible. David replaced John at the last moment and while we know his potential it was difficult to ask more from him this weekend. I hope he can make a better position at the next race in Jerez.” Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Round 5 1. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 38:17.725, 2. Jaume Masia (KTM) +0.069, 3. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) +0.110, 22. David Salvador (Husqvarna) +30.402 Moto3 world championship standings 1. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 83pts, 2. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 82. 3. Jaume Masia (KTM) 54. 7. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 45, 18. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 11
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart is back on a roll late in the AMA Supercross Championship season, securing a hard-fought fourth-place at Round 15 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. With two rounds remaining in 2022, Stewart holds 11 top-five finishes in the stacked 450SX division and he continues to vie for the illustrious number one spot. Stewart, a notoriously fast qualifier this season, grabbed another great qualifying position in third and he kept the ball rolling with a top-three start in 450SX Heat 2. He maintained a solid pace throughout the eight-lap heat race to secure a third-place transfer. In the Main Event, Stewart found himself back in sixth off the start, and he raced just outside the top-five for the first eight laps. Hitting his stride just before the halfway mark, Stewart really started to pick up his pace later in the race as he battled his way into podium contention. He put on a hard charge in the final stretch to get within striking distance of third-place, but it wasn’t enough to secure a spot on the podium in Foxborough. “We did a lot of testing with the team this week, and I feel like my whole bike setup was definitely in the right direction,” Stewart said. “This race was an early one, so it's always kind of different. In the Main Event, I started terribly and I kind of got pushed out wide and made a few mistakes. Marvin and I were kind of playing yo-yo and lapped riders on the track really came into play toward the end of the race. He got a little ahead of me, and I pretty much rode a quiet fourth.” 250SX East Hampshire, the third-place qualifier, had a tough start in his heat race as he found himself on the ground immediately off the start. Struggling to complete the first lap with a distorted front-end, Hampshire went down again before making his way to the mechanic’s area to straighten things out. He put in a hard charge for the rest of the race but didn’t have enough time to secure a transfer spot. In the LCQ, he got out front early on, and he clicked off smooth laps to earn himself a gate in the Main Event. Hampshire had a redeeming start in the Main Event as he jumped into third early on. Five laps in, he charged into second and immediately set his sights on the race leader of Pierce Brown. As the race wore on, Hampshire continued to close the gap on the leader. He was well within striking distance until he hit the back of Brown’s bike and went down. Re-mounting in sixth, Hampshire rode hard in the last seven laps but wasn’t able to make up any ground, ultimately finishing sixth. “Man, I had a really tough day,” Hampshire said. “I had good starts again. In the heat race, I crashed right off the start when someone hit me and went to the LCQ. I got some more laps in the LCQ and felt really good in the Main Event. We were clicking them off. I definitely had a shot at that win, and had good speed to do it, but just happened to come together with Pierce with about four or five to go and kind of threw it away tonight. I was happy with the riding in the Main Event.” Next Round: April 30 – Denver, Colorado Round 15 Results: Foxborough SX 450SX Results 1. Jason Anderson (KAW) 2. Chase Sexton (HON) 3. Marvin Musquin (KTM) 4. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX East Results 1. Austin Forkner (KAW) 2. Jett Lawrence (HON) 3. Pierce Brown (GAS) … 6. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 341 points 2. Jason Anderson – 298 points 3. Justin Barcia – 275 points 4. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 272 points … 8. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 152 points 250SX East Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 192 points 2. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 139 points 3. Pierce Brown – 128 points … 13. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 67 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart battled through the elements at Saturday’s Atlanta SX, where he captured a solid top-five finish amidst a hectic day of racing in the 450SX class. Only four points outside of third overall in the point standings, Stewart continues to solidify his presence in the premier class as he fights for his first win in 2022. Teammate RJ Hampshire managed a tough day in Atlanta, securing a top-10 finish in the stacked 250SX East/West Showdown and climbing up a notch to second overall in the Eastern Regional standings. Early morning rainfall created a muddled start to the day with one condensed practice and qualifying session for each class and super slick conditions as the gates dropped for the daytime schedule. In the 450SX division, Stewart put in a fast lap good enough for fifth overall and he settled into a top-five start in the heat. Climbing into third halfway through, he held a steady pace through the finish to secure third in the heat. In the Main Event, Stewart got off to a sixth-place start and he positioned himself inside the top-five battle early on. The slick track conditions lent themselves to riders shuffling around all over the top spots but Stewart kept himself steady and in the mix all race long to secure his eighth top-five finish of the season at Round 14. “The day was actually pretty good, even though it was a short day,” Stewart said. “I feel like I rode pretty good in the main. I had a decent start and I kind of just made some things happen and we ended up fifth. I do feel like there was a lot more left in the tank but honestly, I’m happy to re-bound myself after the crash last weekend. I know it’s just a top-five but it’s something to build off of and I’m stoked to just be back racing again and we’ll be ready for next weekend.” In the 250SX class, the East/West Showdown brought together the top riders from each regional division, giving teammates RJ Hampshire and Jalek Swoll the opportunity to line up together in the combined Main Event. Hampshire, last weekend’s 250SX East winner, shot off the line in his heat but he lost footing coming into the first turn and rode off-track for a moment, returning in third. Racing in second for the majority of laps, Hampshire made a late-race charge to overtake the lead with one lap to go but he lost it on the final lap, ultimately finishing third after being docked one-position for a race infraction on lap one. In the Main Event, Hampshire got off to a great start up front but he went down in the slick conditions on the opening lap. Re-mounting in fifth, he kept himself in the top-five battle for the first few laps before shuffling back a few spots midway through the race. From there, Hampshire made the decision to ride a comfortable pace for the remaining laps, ultimately securing a solid eighth in the combined E/W Showdown. “This was my first time racing Atlanta and it was a tough day to try and get comfortable with only one practice,” Hampshire said. “My starts are still pretty solid but I just wasn’t comfortable in that Main Event. It got pretty hairy as the race went on and I just kind of went big-picture and backed it down, so I can live to fight another weekend. Hopefully we’ll be back on the podium in Boston, if not the top step.” Swoll, the team’s 250SX West rider, managed his day to come away with an 11th place finish in the Main Event. Battling through the rough conditions, he secured an eighth-place finish in the heat race, giving him an immediate transfer onto the East/West Showdown starting line. In the main, Swoll got a 12th-place start and he raced just outside the top-10 all day. “It wasn’t the best day for me but we got some better starts,” Swoll said. “I just need a little bit better riding and we’ll fix the issues. All good, just looking forward to the next round and we’ll try to end off supercross with some good results.” Next Round: April 23 – Foxborough, Massachusetts Round 14 Results: Atlanta SX 450SX Results 1. Jason Anderson (KAW) 2. Eli Tomac (YAM) 3. Chase Sexton (HON) … 5. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX East/West Showdown Results 1. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 2. Christian Craig (YAM) 3. Jett Lawrence (HON) … 8. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 11. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 325 points 2. Jason Anderson – 272 points 3. Justin Barcia – 257 points 4. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 253 points … 8. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 152 points 250SX East Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 169 points 2. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 122 points 3. Cameron Mcadoo – 114 points … 11. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 67 points 250SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Christian Craig – 194 points 2. Hunter Lawrence – 171 points 3. Michael Mosiman – 158 points … 11. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 80 points
The Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas brought MotoGP back to the long and demanding layout of ‘COTA’ and for the second round in the space of a week. The series had last visited Austin in October 2021 and found similarly hot conditions but this time with a blustery wind that added an extra technical edge to the open, sprawling 5.5km layout. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team placed their FR 250 GP motorcycles into the paddock and into a state of readiness after last week’s race in Argentina where Ayumu Sasaki expertly seized the squad’s first trophy of the season. John McPhee had not recovered sufficiently from his back injury (sustained in a training accident) so his saddle was temporarily occupied by young Spaniard David Salvador who has excelled with strong results in Junior GP and the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. Both Sasaki and Salvador had to get in-tune with the demands of COTA. The 20 corners of the American course (hosting the U.S. round of MotoGP for the ninth time) blended speed, hard-stopping power and flow – a key factor for the Moto3 class. Sasaki obtained the 9th fastest lap-time in qualification and filled the final slot on the third row of the grid. Salvador was on the 8th row. The Grand Prix schedule pushed Moto3 to the third and final event of race day, compared to the usual opening slot. Temperatures were warmer and there were greater deposits of Moto2™/MotoGP™ rubber on the asphalt that had been re-laid over the winter and was far less bumpy. Sasaki was immediately in contention at the front of the field. The fast Japanese remained a constant presence for the podium as the group narrowed to seven runners in the final five laps. Entering the last few turns Sasaki was denied in his bid for a second consecutive piece of silverware by just a tenth of a second. The 21-year-old has been able to rise to 8th in the championship standings. Salvador brought the bike home in 22nd. After lengthy trips to Argentina and the United States MotoGP will defer to the European leg of the world championship calendar in the coming months. The Grande Premio Tissot de Portugal at the Algarve International Circuit will run round five on April 24th. Ayumu Sasaki: “I’m happy to be P4 and to be very competitive again. We started the weekend in bit more of a difficult way compared to the other three rounds. We kept working, we kept believing and the team did a fantastic job today. My bike was the best it could be. In these windy conditions it was very competitive. I’m very happy but then also a little disappointed we missed the podium. We did some good things today and now we go to Portimao where we were very strong in the test.” David Salvador: “A good race and a decent start. I passed riders quite quickly. My feeling was key on the FR 250 GP. The second half of the race was pretty tough to keep the rhythm and I think I was just lacking race mileage. It was great to work with the team here and I know it will benefit me in JuniorGP. Thanks to the team for the opportunity, all my sponsors and my family.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “I have to say that it was a good result by the whole team because we didn’t have the best start on Friday and we ended up with good points and Ayumu fought for the victory right up until the last corners. David was new to us, the bike and the level but he didn’t make mistakes. I think this experience will have been good for him. The team did a great job. Hopefully we can get even more performance in Portugal.” Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Round 4 1. Jaume Masia (KTM) 38:58.286, 2. Dennis Foggia (Honda) +0.172, 3. Andrea Migno (Honda) +0.394, 4. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) +0.490, 22. David Salvador (Husqvarna) +38.396 Moto3 world championship standings 1. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 74pts. 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 58, 3. Andrea Migno (Honda) 41. 8. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 29, 17. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 11
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire has secured his first-career 250SX win following a top-notch performance at Round 13 of the AMA Supercross Championship in St. Louis, Missouri. Putting together three solid Main Events with 2-2-1 finishes on the night, Hampshire left it all on the racetrack with an emotional culmination in the center of the Triple Crown’s overall podium. Hampshire’s remarkable performance began with him earning fastest-qualifier for the first time in his career and he carried that momentum into the night show with a powerful holeshot in the first Main Event. Pulling a gap early on, Hampshire led until the seventh lap when he got crossed up in the take-off of a jump and landed on a tough block. He re-mounted quickly, losing two positions, and he charged hard late in the race to reclaim second on the final lap. He shot off the line in Main Event 2 to secure a second-straight holeshot but a red flag came out on lap two, resulting in a complete restart. Hampshire didn’t let that faze him as he pulled yet another holeshot on the restart and led the first five laps of the race. Halfway through, he lost a position to the points leader but he held strong in second for the remainder of the race. In an impressive feat, Hampshire aced his fourth holeshot of the night in the last Main Event and he assumed the lead position for the first three laps. Swapping it back-and-forth for the next couple laps, Hampshire eventually walked away from the battle and he cruised into the finish to secure a career-best overall win. “This is unreal. This has haunted me for so long, I can’t even get words out,” Hampshire said. “I had good times in practice and felt a lot more comfortable on the bike. My starts tonight were unreal and you could tell we made a lot of progress because I holeshot every time I was on the track and led a lot of laps. I’m just so dang stoked for the team to finally get one of these. Big thanks to the guys that have been putting in the work behind the scenes. We put it together tonight, it was our night.” In the 450SX division, Malcolm Stewart experienced a night of highs and lows, while teammate Dean Wilson had an especially tough night, with a race-ending early in the first Main Event. Setting the fastest qualifying time for the fifth time this season, Stewart secured a great gate pick for Main Event 1. He blasted his FC 450 Rockstar Edition into the top five out of the gate, quickly moving into fourth. By the second lap, Stewart had moved into third and he held that spot all the way to the checkers. In the second Main Event, Stewart got off to a sixth-place start and he was on the move early on until he clipped a tough block and crashed. While pinned under his bike, Stewart’s handlebar got caught in his knee brace and the track crew had to assist him in getting the bike free. Eventually re-mounting in last place, Stewart pulled into the mechanic’s area and made an attempt to salvage his race but ultimately made the decision to pull off and prepare for race three. In Main Event 3, he grabbed a fourth-place start and worked his way into third early on. Still struggling through discomfort from his earlier crash, Stewart shuffled back to fifth and he rode steadily inside the top-five for most of the race before dropping back to sixth with a few laps to go. Wilson had a strong start to the day after securing a top-10 position in qualifying. However, things took a turn for him in the first Main Event of the night. With a top-10 start, Wilson was racing mid-pack early on but he experienced a hard crash that sent him off-track on lap three. He received trackside medical attention for quite a while before being transported out of the stadium. Next Round: April 16 – Atlanta, Georgia Round 13 Results: St. Louis SX Triple Crown 450SX Results 1. Marvin Musquin (KTM), 2-1-2 2. Chase Sexton (HON), 1-3-3 3. Eli Tomac (YAM), 4-4-1 … 9. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 3-19-6 22. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 22-22-22 250SX East Results 1. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 2-2-1 2. Jett Lawrence (HON), 1-1-5 3. Mitchell Oldenburg (HON), 3-3-4 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 302 points 2. Jason Anderson – 246 points 3. Justin Barcia – 240 points 4. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 235 points … 8. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 152 points 250SX East Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 148 points 2. Cameron Mcadoo – 114 points 3. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 107 points … 10. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 67 points
The opening round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship got underway in Israel, with Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt putting in a solid ride across the three days to claim second. Making it a Husqvarna 2-3, hard enduro legend Graham Jarvis returned from injury to take third. Hot on the heels of his winning SuperEnduro World Championship campaign, Billy Bolt was back outdoors and on two-stroke machinery for the Hard Enduro World Championship series-opener in Israel. As the defending world champion, Bolt eager to make good his start to the season. Despite the lack of test time with his TE 300i and carrying a niggling wrist injury from superenduro duty, Bolt was eager to get racing underway. Faced with extreme heat in the Dead Sea region - temperatures rose to almost 50 degrees each day - Bolt got down to business on the opening day of racing. Favouring the SuperEnduro format, Billy was simply in a class of his own as he raced to a confident win. A change of terrain for day two saw competitors tackle an 18-kilometre-long time-trial style prologue. Fast, dry, dusty, and incredibly hot, Bolt best managed the conditions to secure a comfortable third, knowing well to save energy for the third and final punishing day of racing. Pushing riders to their max, a 75-kilometre-long course would see the Minus 400 decided on day three. A strong start put Billy at the sharp end of the results as he battled with rivals Mario Roman and Wade Young. With the second half of the race increasing in difficulty, Bolt made his bid for the win, but wasn’t able to make it stick and had to be content with the runner-up result. After eight months on the injury bench, hard enduro legend Graham Jarvis made his return to racing in Israel. Campaigning his Husqvarna Motorcycles supported Jarvis Racing Team TE 300i, Graham made his custom ‘steady start’ to the event. Knowing day three was the decider, Jarvis came on strong right when it counted. Navigating the final key sections, he jumped from fifth to an impressive third, showing he’s lost none of his determination, race craft, or hunger for podium success. The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship continues with round two at the Xross Hard Enduro Rally in Serbia on May 18-21. Billy Bolt: “It’s been a physical start to the season for sure. After a full superenduro season I was a little underprepared coming here. Considering how little time I’ve spent on the two-stroke prior to Israel I’m happy with second. At the service point I could see Mario and Wade’s tyres were in better condition, so I knew I just needed to hang on and manage a podium result. There’s a long road ahead in this championship with seven more races to come, so although today I wasn’t at my best, I came away with some solid points.” Graham Jarvis: “It feels brilliant to be back racing and even better to finish on the podium. It’s been a long road to recovery to get to this point. The initial part of today’s race was fast, and I wasn’t comfortable to go with the top guys straight away - I’m still thinking about my knee. But after the service point, I settled in and started to make progress. The rock section at the end was the decider and I made places there for third.” Results - FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, Round 1: Minus 400 1. Mario Roman (Sherco) 3:48.24; 2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 3:55:37; 3. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 3:58:00; 4. Alfredo Gomez (GASGAS) 4:03:08; 5. Wade Young (Sherco) 3:52:08… Championship Standings (after round 1 of 8) 1. Mario Roman (Sherco) 20pts; 2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 17pts; 3. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 15pts; 4. Alfredo Gomez (GASGAS) 13pts; 5. Wade Young (Sherco) 11pts...
Husqvarna Motorcycles was able to obtain their first trophy of the season at Termas de Rio Hondo thanks to Ayumu Sasaki’s 3rd position. MotoGP flew from one side of the world to the other with the Grand Prix of Indonesia followed by a boisterous return to Argentine soil and for the re-opening of the quick and varied Termas de Rio Hondo circuit. Round three of the 2022 world championship brought a cooler climate compared to the previous outing in Lombok but was equally challenging. Delays with freight caused the Grand Prix schedule to be delayed and condensed from three days to two. All three classes had to practice and qualify with a busy Saturday timetable. In the heat of the Moto3 sessions, the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team were trying to refine the set-up of the fast FR 250 GP for Ayumu Sasaki. The Japanese had showed excellent speed in a difficult climate in Indonesia but demonstrated enough speed to be in contention for trophies and was again searching for the same pace and potential in South America. The team were counting on the Japanese once more with John McPhee still not fit enough to compete after fracturing two vertebrae in a training accident prior to the Indonesian fixture. The Scot is pushing to return to the bike for round four. Sasaki sped to a time just a tenth of a second from Pole Position on Saturday, his 2nd place was good enough for the front row and the second time in three races he has begun a Grand Prix race from the first line. Moto3 entertained the bumper crowd for 21 laps on Sunday. Sasaki was in the midst of the melee for the podium and had to negotiate a Long Lap penalty for an altercation two weeks ago in Indonesia. The handicap dropped him outside of the top ten and he fought his way back to 4th and then produced a magical overtaking move on the final corner to snatch 3rd. The result gives the team their first silverware of the campaign and Sasaki the third podium appearance of his career. Sasaki collected 16 points for his efforts and properly launched his season with eighteen race weekends still to come. The next date is the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, Texas in a matter of days. Ayumu Sasaki: “I’m happy I could finish on the podium. I knew I had the pace even though I had to do a Long Lap penalty. I lost just two seconds and then just focussed. In the last five laps I struggled with grip that cost me in the fight for the win. The first two races have been difficult but we are strong and I’m happy to be back.” John McPhee: “I worked every day with my physiotherapist with the aim of returning for the Argentine Grand Prix. Unfortunately after a thorough examination, the doctors informed me that the fracture needs more time, before it can be welded. We return to work with the intention of recovering for the grand prix that will take place in Texas the following weekend. Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Round 3 1. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 38:51.668, 2. Dennis Foggia (Honda) +0.146. 3. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) +0.375, DNS. John McPhee (Husqvarna) Moto3 world championship standings 1. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 58pts, 2. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 54. 3. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 28. 11. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 16, 16. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 11
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart finished just outside the 450SX podium with a solid performance at Round 12 of the AMA Supercross Championship in Seattle, Washington. With five rounds remaining, Stewart sits a mere six points away from second overall in the championship standings as he continues to fight for his first win in 2022. Lining up in pole position for the fourth time this season, Stewart rolled into 450SX Heat 2 with high confidence and he captured the holeshot and early lead. He held onto the top spot for a majority of the race before engaging in an intense three-way battle during the final two laps. Stewart held his own in second going into the final lap but he ultimately finished third. In the Main Event, Stewart got off the line in sixth and quickly made his way into a top-five position. Maintaining a solid pace, he climbed into fourth and put a late-race charge on Marvin Musquin for the final podium position coming into the last lap of racing. Despite all efforts, Stewart wasn’t able to make anything stick and he finished just outside the podium with a hard-fought fourth-place. “I felt good all day,” Stewart said. “I didn’t get the best start in the Main Event and I was sitting in fourth and Marvin was right there for third, so the last lap I tried to make a little pass and one of the lapped riders ended up going inside and kind of screwed me up and I went down. Overall, I felt good, I just wasn’t fast enough to get on the podium tonight. I’m glad we ended on a better note than last weekend, so we’re going to take what we learned and go from there.” Dean Wilson, the sixth-place qualifier, grabbed a top-10 start in 450SX Heat 1 and he charged his way through the pack to reach the top-five a few laps in. From there, Wilson rode a strong race to secure a fifth-place transfer. In the Main Event, Wilson shot off the line to capture a top-five start and he battled around fifth for the first half of racing. He got shuffled back a couple spots later in the race but he maintained a good pace to match his season-best finish of seventh in the Main Event. "My riding was pretty good for the most part,” Wilson said. “In the main, I was in the top-five mix for a few laps, which was cool. I wasn’t too far away from top-five at the end but my arms got really tight in the last few minutes, just lack of good lines and flow on the track. It’s frustrating but I did some things well and I just have to learn from that and ride like I know how to and I can definitely be in that top-five.” The 250SX Western division returned this round after five weeks off from racing. Team rider Jalek Swoll had a great start to the night as he powered his way to a second-place start in 250SX Heat 1. Racing up front on the opening lap, Swoll made a mistake that dropped him back to seventh early on but he kept his focus ahead to climb back to a sixth-place finish in the heat. In the Main Event, Swoll didn’t get the best start as he rounded the first lap in 15th. He worked his way into the top-10 within the first five laps and he continued to push as far up as eighth before the checkered flag flew. “It was a tough one, I feel like it could have been a better night if I had a better start,” Swoll said. “I got into the back of the pack, somewhere around last, and could only make it up to eighth. It’s frustrating, so I’m going to go back to the practice track, put in some work on my starts and come back after the break and be better.” Next Round: April 9 – St. Louis, Missouri Round 12 Results: Seattle SX 450SX Results 1. Eli Tomac (YAM) 2. Jason Anderson (KAW) 3. Marvin Musquin (KTM) 4. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing … 7. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX West Results 1. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 2. Christian Craig (YAM) 3. Michael Mosiman (GAS) … 8. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 281 points 2. Jason Anderson – 227 points 3. Justin Barcia – 222 points 4. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 221 points … 8. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 151 points 250SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Christian Craig – 171 points 2. Hunter Lawrence – 145 points 3. Michael Mosiman – 141 points … 11. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 68 points
Drawing his participation in the 2022 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship to a close at round five in Germany, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has delivered another dominant display of riding, clinching the overall win in Riesa. Having secured the world title last night at the same venue, Bolt’s victory ensured a clean sweep of podium results across the five rounds. Fighting tooth and nail, teammate Colton Haaker ended his championship campaign in third overall. Less than 24 hours after winning the 2022 SuperEnduro World Championship in Riesa, Bolt was back inside the stadium on Sunday afternoon for the fifth and final round of the season. A reversed course offered new motivation for Billy as he aimed for an unbeaten run of overall victories this season. Posting the fastest time in SuperPole on his FE 350 set the tone for what was to follow. Immediately taking the lead on the opening lap of race one, the British rider soon checked out. Comfortably attacking all of the biggest obstacles, he eased away from the field to take a commanding 27-second margin of victory. In race two with the start order reversed, Billy eased his way around the first corner before beginning his fight forward. Up to third on lap three, he put his Husqvarna into the lead on lap five and controlled proceedings from there to take his second win. Determined to sign off his season on a high, Bolt gated third in race three but was leading by the end of lap one. Clocking in a series of near-perfect laps, he claimed the race win to end his championship campaign on the top step of the podium for the fifth time in as many rounds. In what’s been an incredible year, Billy not only won the world title, but won all five SuperPole qualifications and took 14 race wins from a possible 15. He now sets his sights on successfully defending his FIM Hard Enduro World Championship crown, beginning with the season opener in Israel on April 5-7, in less than three weeks’ time. Entering the final round of the championship tied on points for second, Haaker was focused on making it a Husqvarna 1-2 in SuperEnduro. However, things didn’t quite go to plan for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider with some small mistakes proving more costly than expected. Third in SuperPole, he then raced to third in the opening race. Quickly getting to the front of the field in race two, Colton led until lap four before giving way to Bolt. With second looking likely, a small error saw him slip to third on the final lap. Putting in his best showing of the afternoon, Haaker raced hard in race three, hoping luck would fall his way. Battling with rival Jonny Walker, Colton eventually took second place. Although not quite enough to claim the championship runner-up position, the American nevertheless did enough to secure a well-deserved third overall in the final standings. With the 2022 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship complete, Husqvarna Factory Racing now turn their attention outdoors to the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. Round one takes place in Israel on April 5-7. Billy Bolt: “It’s pretty much been the perfect season and to cap things off with a clean sweep here in Riesa is brilliant. I’ve really enjoyed things this weekend. Winning the title last night left me pretty relaxed coming into today and I felt like that showed in my riding and I delivered one of my best performances of the season. To win all but one race this year is pretty special too. It’s been an amazing championship, which has gone so well from the start. The races in Hungary weren’t easy, and I’m a little frustrated that I got beaten in that first heat there, which is my only loss all year. From my team, family, friends, and everyone around me that supports me, I can’t thank them enough. I’ll try to let this moment sink in as champion and then look to getting focused and back on the 2-stroke for Hard Enduro next month.” Colton Haaker: “Coming into the final night of the series tied on points with Jonny (Walker) I knew what I had to do. The track was really good, and I felt good, but I just made a silly mistake in the opening final, which put me a long way back. I tried as hard as I could to catch up, but it didn’t really happen. The second moto was going great, I was second into the final lap, ahead of Jonny, and I got into it with another rider. I didn’t want to take any risks, which meant that I basically meant that I needed to win the final round. And with Billy riding so well that’s not easy to do. I finished second in the race, third in the championship. It’s been a fun series. Husqvarna have done great, and congrats to Billy for an incredible championship.” Andi Hölzl: “We are so, so happy about Billy winning the SuperEnduro World Championship title. He has been incredible this season. It’s a very well-deserved championship. He’s been incredibly fast and consistent this season, only once not winning a heat race during five events and always being the fastest in qualification. Colton also did his very best to make it a Husqvarna 1-2 in the series, finishing in a strong third in the championship. It’s been a great season, now we look forward to the Hard Enduro World Championship.” Results - FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, Round 5 Prestige Event Classification 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 63pts; 2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 51pts; 3. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 48pts… Prestige Race 1 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 9 laps, 6:58.865; 2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 9 laps, 7:26.159; 3. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 9 laps, 7:39.039… Prestige Race 2 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 9 laps, 7:06.884; 2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 9 laps, 7:17.514; 3. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 9 laps, 7:27.321… Prestige Race 3 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 9 laps, 7:02.484; 2. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 9 laps, 7:20.357; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 9 laps, 7:27.154… Final Championship Standings 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 321pts; 2. Jonny Walker (Beta) 232pts; 3. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 229pts; 4. Diogo Vieira (GAS GAS) 147pts; 5. Tim Apolle (Beta) 141pts…
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire made his first overall-podium appearance of the 2022 AMA Supercross Championship season on Saturday with a solid third-place performance inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. His 450SX teammate, Dean Wilson, also had a break-through night as he scored a season-best Main Event finish with seventh at Round 11. It has been a long time coming for Hampshire, who’s led plenty of laps already this season. The Florida native had an encouraging start to the day, qualifying inside the top-five once again. In 250SX Heat 1, he powered his FC 250 into third off the start, quickly making the pass into second. It was smooth sailing from there, as he trailed the leader for the remainder of the heat to secure his third heat-race podium this year. In the Main Event, Hampshire got buried mid-pack off the start but he quickly picked off riders to break into the top-five on the fifth lap. As the track deteriorated, Hampshire only got stronger as he gained two more positions to put himself into a podium position mid-way through the race. Hampshire did all the right things in the second half of the race to set himself up to secure his first (non-Triple Crown) Main Event podium of the season. “We made progress tonight,” Hampshire said. “It’s been a struggle and I haven’t been comfortable at all. When the Main Event came, I just kind of managed my race and didn’t try to push anything and we had our best result of the season so far. So, I can’t be too bummed on the night. It’s a good way to end this little stint and we’ll go into the break and get some time on the bike that I’ve been racing. Hopefully we will have a new guy when we come back in a couple weeks for St. Louis.” Team rider Stilez Robertson missed Round 5 of the 250SX East after injuring his wrist in a practice crash earlier in the week. 450SX Dean Wilson made huge strides tonight with season-best performances across the board in Indy. Stepping up right away with a sixth-place in qualifying, Wilson positioned himself well for the heat. He charged into fifth off the start in 450SX Heat 1 and he set his sights on a podium position early on. Pacing the top two riders in third, Wilson held that spot until the checkered flag, capturing his best heat-race finish of the season. In the 450SX Main Event, Wilson put in a commendable ride despite challenging track conditions throughout the race. With a ninth-place start, he rode inside the top-10 for the first few laps before settling into eighth for most of the race. He picked up another spot for seventh when his teammate crashed late in the race and he held strong to claim a season-best seventh on the night. "Indianapolis was definitely a step in the right direction,” Wilson said. “I’m definitely getting closer to the guys up front but tonight was a very, very technical track. In the main, I just kind of struggled with the ruts and the whoops were really tricky. P7 is my best finish yet but I’m not real stoked on it because my riding wasn’t very good, but definitely some positives that we’ll take to Seattle next weekend.” A top-three qualifying position for Malcolm Stewart set him up well for 450SX Heat 2, where he pulled the holeshot and battled for the early lead. Settling into second, he made a few attempts on the leader throughout the nine-lap race but wasn’t able to make anything stick, ultimately finishing second in the heat. In the Main Event, Stewart secured another great start in third and he got shuffled back to fourth by the second lap. Riding in fourth for a majority of the race, Stewart kept himself within striking distance of the podium heading into the final stretch. After charging through the whoops, Stewart got cross-rutted in the next section and came up short, sending him over the bars and onto the ground. It took a while to remount his machine but he was able to cross the line in eighth and salvage valuable points in the championship chase. “I feel like Indy actually treated me well,” Stewart said. “I’ve always liked this track and the atmosphere here has always been good. In the Main Event, I was sitting in fourth and I didn’t feel bad at all. The track was tough for everybody and I made one big mistake that kind of cost me but honestly, I’m just thankful that I’m okay. I’m a little bummed and irritated but it actually motivates me a little bit more to get back up there and get ready for Seattle. Let’s go get ‘em!” Round 12: March 26 – Seattle SX – Seattle, Washington Round 11 Results: Indianapolis SX 450SX Results 1. Eli Tomac (YAM) 2. Justin Barcia (GAS) 3. Marvin Musquin (KTM) … 7. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 8. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX East Results 1. Jett Lawrence (HON) 2. Cameron Mcadoo (KAW) 3. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 255 points 2. Jason Anderson – 204 points 3. Justin Barcia – 204 points 4. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 202 points … 9. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 135 points 250SX East Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 125 points 2. Cameron Mcadoo – 114 points 3. Pierce Brown – 87 points 4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 81 points … 8. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 67 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire made his first overall-podium appearance of the 2022 AMA Supercross Championship season on Saturday with a solid third-place performance inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. His 450SX teammate, Dean Wilson, also had a break-through night as he scored a season-best Main Event finish with seventh at Round It has been a long time coming for Hampshire, who’s led plenty of laps already this season. The Florida native had an encouraging start to the day, qualifying inside the top-five once again. In 250SX Heat 1, he powered his FC 250 into third off the start, quickly making the pass into second. It was smooth sailing from there, as he trailed the leader for the remainder of the heat to secure his third heat-race podium this year. In the Main Event, Hampshire got buried mid-pack off the start but he quickly picked off riders to break into the top-five on the fifth lap. As the track deteriorated, Hampshire only got stronger as he gained two more positions to put himself into a podium position mid-way through the race. Hampshire did all the right things in the second half of the race to set himself up to secure his first (non-Triple Crown) Main Event podium of the season. “We made progress tonight,” Hampshire said. “It’s been a struggle and I haven’t been comfortable at all. When the Main Event came, I just kind of managed my race and didn’t try to push anything and we had our best result of the season so far. So, I can’t be too bummed on the night. It’s a good way to end this little stint and we’ll go into the break and get some time on the bike that I’ve been racing. Hopefully we will have a new guy when we come back in a couple weeks for St. Louis.” Team rider Stilez Robertson missed Round 5 of the 250SX East after injuring his wrist in a practice crash earlier in the week. 450SX Dean Wilson made huge strides tonight with season-best performances across the board in Indy. Stepping up right away with a sixth-place in qualifying, Wilson positioned himself well for the heat. He charged into fifth off the start in 450SX Heat 1 and he set his sights on a podium position early on. Pacing the top two riders in third, Wilson held that spot until the checkered flag, capturing his best heat-race finish of the season. In the 450SX Main Event, Wilson put in a commendable ride despite challenging track conditions throughout the race. With a ninth-place start, he rode inside the top-10 for the first few laps before settling into eighth for most of the race. He picked up another spot for seventh when his teammate crashed late in the race and he held strong to claim a season-best seventh on the night. "Indianapolis was definitely a step in the right direction,” Wilson said. “I’m definitely getting closer to the guys up front but tonight was a very, very technical track. In the main, I just kind of struggled with the ruts and the whoops were really tricky. P7 is my best finish yet but I’m not real stoked on it because my riding wasn’t very good, but definitely some positives that we’ll take to Seattle next weekend.” A top-three qualifying position for Malcolm Stewart set him up well for 450SX Heat 2, where he pulled the holeshot and battled for the early lead. Settling into second, he made a few attempts on the leader throughout the nine-lap race but wasn’t able to make anything stick, ultimately finishing second in the heat. In the Main Event, Stewart secured another great start in third and he got shuffled back to fourth by the second lap. Riding in fourth for a majority of the race, Stewart kept himself within striking distance of the podium heading into the final stretch. After charging through the whoops, Stewart got cross-rutted in the next section and came up short, sending him over the bars and onto the ground. It took a while to remount his machine but he was able to cross the line in eighth and salvage valuable points in the championship chase. “I feel like Indy actually treated me well,” Stewart said. “I’ve always liked this track and the atmosphere here has always been good. In the Main Event, I was sitting in fourth and I didn’t feel bad at all. The track was tough for everybody and I made one big mistake that kind of cost me but honestly, I’m just thankful that I’m okay. I’m a little bummed and irritated but it actually motivates me a little bit more to get back up there and get ready for Seattle. Let’s go get ‘em!” Round 12: March 26 – Seattle SX – Seattle, Washington Round 11 Results: Indianapolis SX 450SX Results 1. Eli Tomac (YAM) 2. Justin Barcia (GAS) 3. Marvin Musquin (KTM) … 7. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 8. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX East Results 1. Jett Lawrence (HON) 2. Cameron Mcadoo (KAW) 3. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 255 points 2. Jason Anderson – 204 points 3. Justin Barcia – 204 points 4. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 202 points … 9. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 135 points 250SX East Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 125 points 2. Cameron Mcadoo – 114 points 3. Pierce Brown – 87 points 4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 81 points … 8. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 67 points
An exciting second Grand Prix of the 2022 MotoGP™ schedule saw Husqvarna Motorcycles push for a trophy at the Mandalika circuit’s inauguration. MotoGP headed to the new Pertamina Mandalika Circuit on the island of Lombok for round two of 21 in the 2022 series. While the MotoGP class had discovered the curves and demands of Mandalika in a three-day test the previous month, the Moto3 class were learning the trajectory for the first time. The facility had only recently been completed and the track asphalt had largely been re-laid after the initial MotoGP visit. The first Grand Prix in Indonesia since 1997 was a challenge due to the unseen course but also the climate. The team and riders had to deal with high temperatures and showery conditions that created mixed grip and traction issues throughout practice and qualification. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team were down to one-rider representation in Lombok as John McPhee sustained a back injury in a training accident the previous week and could not participate at Mandalika. This left Ayumu Sasaki as the main hope on the Husqvarna Motorcycles FR 250 GP. The Japanese quickly adapted to the circuit and headed the time sheets after Friday. His effort in Q2 qualification meant he lined-up 10th on the grid and heading the fourth row. Sunday morning dawned sunny and hot. Sasaki pushed his way into the running for the podium as eventual winner Dennis Foggia broke free. A hectic battle for the 2nd and 3rd rostrum places occurred for most of the 23 laps and Sasaki was in the thick of the action until the final lap when a small misjudgement caused him to lose control and have contact with Andrea Migno. The incident took both riders down and out of the race. Round three of 2022 MotoGP means a long trip west rather than east. The series will move to the flat and twisty Termas de Rio Hondo circuit for the Gran Premio Michelin de la Republic Argentina on the first Sunday of April. Ayumu Sasaki: “We struggled a bit in the group and I wasn’t that strong on hard braking, so it was very difficult for me to overtake which was a shame because I had good pace. On the last three laps I tried to gain positions but made a mistake. I feel very disappointed and I’m sorry for the other rider. I just wanted to try for the best. Unfortunately we didn’t get any point again. We know we have good pace and we are strong so we will try to reset and restart in Argentina.” Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Round 2 1. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 38:51.668, 2. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) +2.612. 3. Carlos Tatay (CFMOTO) +0.573. DNF. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna), DNS. John McPhee (Husqvarna) Moto3 world championship standings 1. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 34pts, 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 33. 3. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 16. 10. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 11, 24. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 0
Delivering yet another showstopping performance, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has successfully defended his FIM SuperEnduro World Championship crown thanks to a victorious result at the penultimate round of the season in Germany. Winning all three races, plus SuperPole qualification, he simply dominated the proceedings from start to finish. Rising to the fore in Riesa, teammate Colton Haaker made it a Husqvarna 1-2 on the night’s overall podium. Claiming three seconds place finishes, Haaker also moves to second overall in the championship chase. As winner of all three rounds of the 2022 season to date, Bolt arrived at the penultimate stop in Germany with a healthy 50-point lead in the championship and with the potential to wrap up the title one round early. Quick to get going, the Brit set a blisteringly fast time in SuperPole to top the qualification by almost one-and-a-half seconds from Haaker. From the drop of the gate in race one, Bolt led the way on his FE 350. Gaining time on the highly technical rock climb, he pulled further and further from his rivals to win by 23 seconds. Unfazed by the reversed start order for race two, Billy calmly set about his business. Ending lap one in seventh, he then moved his way into the top-four. Up to second, Bolt then found a way past Haaker with two laps to go to take the lead and ultimately the race win. Knowing a win in race three could seal the world title, Billy set about doing exactly that. Quickly out front, he led all but one of the nine laps. A small mistake midway allowed those behind to close up, but with composure resumed, Bolt raced ahead to win the race and with it successfully defend his SuperEnduro crown. For Haaker, the penultimate round of the series saw the American deliver his best result of the season to date. Up for the challenge, he hit the ground running in Riesa, taking second in SuperPole. Enjoying the course, Colton put in a confident ride in race one, moving into second on lap two and holding it for the remainder of the race. Race two saw him lead the majority of proceedings. Holding station out front, he fought hard to keep teammate Bolt at bay. But with two laps to go Billy found a way through and Colton had to settle for second. In the third and final race, Colton sat in third, but with his eyes focused on second place. Pushing for all his worth, he made a pass stick to take the position on the final lap and with it secure the runner-up place on the overall podium. With his strong performance, Colton now moves into second overall in the championship with just one round remaining in Riesa tomorrow night. The 2022 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship concludes with round five in Riesa, Germany on March 20. Billy Bolt: “I’m lost for words. I didn’t get to have this winning moment the first time around, so it’s brilliant to have it here in Germany tonight. It makes it feel that much more real, you know. I knew it was possible to win the title one round early here in Germany, but I was trying not to think about that. I just wanted to enjoy my riding and see what would happen. I felt good on the track and didn’t push past where I felt my limits were. To be a two-time SuperEnduro World Champion is incredible, but it’s very much a team effort too within Husqvarna, my family, and friends. We’ve one more race tomorrow, so we can’t celebrate too much tonight!” Colton Haaker: “It’s been the best round of the season so far going 2-2-2 for second overall. Second in points now with one round to go, which is cool. But I’m finding it a bit tough to be honest. I’m fighting arm pump a lot and after about three laps I’m almost in survival mode. I feel like there’s more to give. I’m trying to stay positive and work to be better. Tomorrow is the last round so I want to give it my best shot and end it on a high.” Results – FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, Round 4 Prestige Event Classification 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 63pts, 2. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 53pts; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 45pts… Prestige Race 1 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 9 laps, 7:26.921; 2. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 9 laps, 7:49.865; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 9 laps, 8:12.759… Prestige Race 2 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 9 laps, 7:28.730; 2. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 9 laps, 7:37.937; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 7:51.120… Prestige Race 3 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 9 laps, 7:38.575; 2. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 9 laps, 7:45.317; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 9 laps, 7:46.502… Championship Standings (After round 4) 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 249pts; 2. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 181pts; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 181pts…
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart had a near-perfect night at Round 10 of the AMA Supercross Championship, landing his FC 450 Rockstar Edition on the second step of the 450SX podium after claiming the top qualifying and heat race finishes earlier in the night. In the 250SX East division, teammate RJ Hampshire delivered a hard-fought performance to finish just off the podium with a season-best fourth in the Main Event. Stewart set himself up for a positive night once again, claiming an impressive pole position in the 450SX class for the second-straight round. In 450SX Heat 2, Stewart continued to boost his own confidence as he grabbed the holeshot and led all nine laps en route to his third heat-win of the season. With a tough start in the Main Event, Stewart got pushed toward the back of the pack in 14th. Picking up five spots within a lap, he continued to pick up the pace to bring himself inside the top five around the halfway mark. As the track conditions became more challenging, Stewart only got stronger and he carried great momentum into the second half of racing. He passed on the inside of the finish-line turn to move into podium contention and he diced back-and-forth for third later in the race. With just a few laps remaining, Stewart was gifted a position when a crash occurred ahead of him and he capitalized all the way through the checkers, clinching a solid second overall at Round 10. “I felt good all day. P1 in practice and in the heat race, I knew we had a good ball rolling,” Stewart said. “In the Main Event, I didn’t get the best start but I just really had to ride because it’s one of those tracks where it’s going to bite you at any time. I just started clicking off laps and I didn’t really want to put too much thought into it, I just wanted to get up there. Once I started seeing riders crash – like top-tier riders going down – it was kind of crazy but we ended up second and I’m thankful. Let’s just keep the momentum going!” Top-10 out of the gate in 450SX Heat 1, teammate Dean Wilson made quick work of his competitors to jump into sixth early on. Continuing to charge further towards the front, Wilson was pushing the limits and lost the front-end in the corner after a triple. Dropping to 16th, he earned back several positions to ultimately land a sixth-place transfer position. In the 450SX Main Event, Wilson had a roller-coaster performance. He was shuffled to the back of the field after the start. Within two laps, he had scored five positions up to 11th but he crashed in the whoops and dropped back to 19th. He re-mounted and climbed to 16th before once again going down and falling to 19th near the middle of the race. Putting in a strong ride late in the race, Wilson was able to salvage 14th on the night. "The Main Event didn’t turn out very well for me,” Wilson said. “I was in a good position, top-five actually, but I crashed in the whoops. I got up from that and had another fall, so unfortunately, not a good night. The track caught a lot of riders tonight and unfortunately, I was one of them. But I am healthy, so we’ll be back next weekend.” 250SX East After qualifying fifth, RJ Hampshire had a strong gate pick for 250SX Heat 2 and he pulled a great holeshot, narrowly missing a first-turn pileup. Facing intense pressure from the series leader, Hampshire slid back to second early in the race. Halfway through, he lost his rhythm and missed a whoop, dropping him back to fifth, where he ultimately finished. Hampshire had a mid-pack start in the Main Event and he set his sights on chipping away at the positions ahead of him. He was up to seventh by the third lap, breaking into the top-five around the mid-way point. With only a couple laps remaining, he charged into fourth and held off a couple hard-charging riders to ultimately finish just off the podium in fourth. “Man, it was a tough day,” Hampshire said. “Lost in the shambles for about 90 percent of it but we managed to get out of here healthy. We did what we could in the Main Event and will try to be better for next weekend.” In 250SX Heat 1, Stilez Robertson blasted his FC 250 off of the line into sixth. Over the next six laps, he steadily worked his way up to second. Pushing toward the lead position, Robertson gave a good effort to ultimately secure a solid second. In the 250SX Main Event, he narrowly missed the holeshot but he immediately pushed into the lead. With the top riders racing wheel-to-wheel early on, Robertson wasn’t able to hold them all off and he slipped to second. Around the halfway point, the 19-year-old sat in sixth but a couple mistakes dropped him back to ultimately finish eighth on the night. Four rounds into the series, Robertson sits fourth overall in the championship standings. “Not much to say really, it wasn’t a great day for me,” Robertson said. “My starts were good but the riding was off all day. We’re going to put our head down this week and get to where we belong.” Round 11: March 19 – Indianapolis SX – Indianapolis, Indiana Round 10 Results: Detroit SX 450SX Results 1. Eli Tomac (YAM) 2. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 3. Justin Barcia (GAS) … 14. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX East Results 1. Jett Lawrence (HON) 2. Cameron Mcadoo (KAW) 3. Pierce Brown (GAS) 4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing … 8. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 229 points 2. Jason Anderson – 187 points 3. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 187 points … 10. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 119 points 250SX East Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 99 points 2. Cameron Mcadoo – 91 points 3. Pierce Brown – 68 points 4. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 67 points … 7. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 60 points
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides and Skyler Howes have both successfully reached the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge finish line after five largely positive days of racing. With Luciano securing a stage win and commendably opening three of the event’s specials, Skyler improved day-by-day with both his pace and confidence returning after his injury earlier this year. In the overall classification, Benavides would place ninth overall with Howes just 15 seconds adrift in 10th. Facing his toughest test of the entire ADDC on the final day of racing, Luciano Benavides opened the short, 209-kilometre special following his impressive stage win yesterday. With the relatively simple and fast special offering little to separate the riders, Luciano would lose only a minimal amount of time to the leaders and complete the stage as 14th fastest. In what proved to be a considerable learning experience for Luciano in Abu Dhabi, the Argentinian embraced all the challenges that fell his way and would ultimately secure ninth overall. With little time aboard his FR 450 Rally prior to the ADDC due to injury, the Skyler Howes used the event to race himself back into shape with a third-place finish on stage three undoubtedly the highlight of his week. Improving with each passing day, the American completed the rally with a strong sixth-place finish on stage five and despite an understandably steady start to the ADDC, Skyler would place 10th overall in the final standings. Luciano Benavides: “I’m happy to have reached the finish line healthy and it was a challenging race for sure. I opened three of the stages, which was difficult but I embraced the challenge and learned a lot. It was a great experience opening each time that’s for sure. For the next race I need to be a little bit stronger early on so that I’m up front in the overall as once you lose time it’s so hard to make it up on the leaders. Winning yesterday’s stage was great for my confidence though and it shows that I have the speed. Overall, there has been a lot of positives that I’ll take away from here.” Skyler Howes: “The final stage was pretty simple and straightforward, and I rode alone for all of it, which does add a little bit of difficulty. But overall, throughout the rally I’ve improved, and my confidence has returned after my crash at the Dakar. I got stronger all week and by day three I was back to feeling like my normal self out there. It’s great to be back with the team and racing again and finishing this race in one piece, so I’m happy about that and now it’s onto the next one.” 2022 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Stage 5 Provisional Classification 1. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 2:20:57 2. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 2:21:31 3. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 2:22:08 4. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 2:24:12 5. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 2:24:30 6. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 2:25:22 … 14. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 2:30:33 2022 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Provisional Overall Classification [After Stage 5] 1. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 16:54:24 2. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 16:57:32 3. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 16:58:20 4. Toby Price (KTM) 17:02:41 5. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 17:02:55 6. Joaquim Rodrigues (Hero) 17:04:34 … 9. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 17:15:17 10. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 17:15:32
Following on from yesterday’s positive results for Husqvarna Factory Racing at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, Luciano Benavides has raced to an impressive stage victory on the penultimate day of the rally. The Argentine was on form throughout the 243-kilometre special, delivering a faultless ride to claim a deserved debut stage win ahead of the final day of the event. Adding to the success for the team, Skyler Howes narrowly missed out on a top-five finish, ultimately posting the sixth-fastest time. As the 11th rider to enter stage four, Luciano Benavides was poised for a strong result as he could utilise the lines left in the sand by the leading riders. Despite this known advantage, the Argentine opted to concentrate on his roadbook to avoid any potential deviations from the route and focused on riding his own race. Even at the day’s refuelling station when informed that the win was a strong possibility, Luciano applied the same strategy to the very end of the special, which rewarded him with the first stage win of his career in the FIM Rally-Raid World Championship. Rounding out a positive day of racing for Husqvarna Factory Racing at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, Skyler Howes, lifted by his third-place finish yesterday, completed the stage four special as the sixth fastest rider. The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge draws to a close tomorrow with stage five leading all competitors to the event’s finish line at Yas Marina. With Luciano and Skyler moving up the provisional standings after posting strong results on stage four, both riders are on form and eager to advance even further up the leaderboard on the final day of racing. Luciano Benavides: “I really wanted a stage win and it feels really good to finally secure one for myself, but also the team as together we have been working really hard. From the start today I pushed really hard and I knew that I had a good opportunity to win after starting in 11th. At the refuelling stop I knew I was in with a good chance of winning but I kept focused on myself and my riding and relied on my roadbook to minimise mistakes, which paid off. I’m so happy to have finally won a stage! Tomorrow I look forward to the challenge of opening the final day of this race and my aim is for another strong result.” Skyler Howes: “Another positive day today. It took a while to get up to speed early on and then Toby Price caught me, so I rode with him to the end, which helped me to maintain a strong pace. There was some tricky terrain about halfway in but overall, it was a fun stage and a good day on the bike. I’m going to make a few small adjustments with my settings just to fine-tune things a little and then my focus is on a strong final day tomorrow.” 2022 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Stage 4 Provisional Classification 1. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:04:10 2. Toby Price (KTM) 3:04:42 3. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 3:05:14 4. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 3:06:02 5. Joaquim Rodrigues (Hero) 3:07:07 6. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 3:07:51 2022 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Provisional Overall Classification [After Stage 4] 1. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 14:33:27 2. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 14:33:50 3. Toby Price (KTM) 14:35:09 4. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 14:36:01 5. Joaquim Rodrigues (Hero) 14:38:36 6. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 14:40:47 … 9. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 14:44:44 10. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 14:50:10
Delivering a strong third-place finish on stage three of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes signalled his return to form with an impressive display of riding and navigation on what was another tough day in the desert. Luciano Benavides was faced with the arduous task of opening most of the 255-kilometre special and would ultimately post the 11th fastest time. Returning to form on day three of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, Skyler Howes posted the third quickest time after a solid day of racing through the mixed terrain special stage. Improving with every completed stage as he continues to rebuild after his early season injury, the American now aims to bring the same speed and form into the final two stages of the rally. Second into stage three after his impressive runner-up result yesterday, Luciano Benavides quickly moved past the leading rider to open the special. In what was a highly commendable display of navigation, while also managing to maintain a strong pace, the FR 450 Rally mounted rider was never caught by the chasing pack, leading them home while only losing a minimal amount of time. Luciano would ultimately record the 11th fastest time. The penultimate stage of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge takes place tomorrow and after an encouraging day in the desert for Husqvarna Factory Racing riders today, Skyler and Luciano look forward to another positive day of racing ahead of the final stage on Thursday. Skyler Howes: “I felt much more like myself today despite a small crash in the dunes. From the start things were much better. I got into a good rhythm early and maintained that pace all the way to the end. For most of it I was riding in a group, which was fun and overall it was just a much better day and a step in the right direction. I’m really happy after today and the goal is to carry this momentum into the final two days of the rally.” Luciano Benavides: “Today was a long day with lots of positives. I was able to catch and pass Ross Branch at around the 50-kilometre mark, so I knew my pace was good and then I opened the stage for the rest of the day pretty much. After refuelling I was riding with Kevin (Benavides) until he crashed so I stopped to make sure he was ok and then pushed on to the finish. There was some complicated navigation in the dunes near the end but I enjoyed the challenge and reached the finish without any issues. I’m happy and looking forward to tomorrow.” 2022 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Stage 3 Provisional Classification 1. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 3:24:13 2. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 3:25:14 3. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 3:26:43 4. Toby Price (KTM) 3:28:20 5. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 3:28:22 6. Joaquim Rodrigues (Hero) 3:28:55 … 11. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:38:38 2022 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Provisional Overall Classification [After Stage 3] 1. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 11:23:47 2. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 11:28:11 3. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 11:28:15 4. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 11:28:36 5. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 11:29:59 6. Toby Price (KTM) 11:30:27 … 10. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 11:40:34 11. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 11:42:19
Kay de Wolf has raced to a sensational podium finish aboard his Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing FC 250 at the second stop of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship. De Wolf raced to 3-4 finishes on the Mantova circuit, which hosted the Grand Prix of Lombardia, and continued his strong run of form in the MX2 division. Roan van de Moosdijk, his teammate, had positives to take from his outing on Italian soil too, as did the Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing duo of Brian Bogers and Pauls Jonass. De Wolf entered the two motos today with the fifth gate pick, a position that he put to good use in the first stint. Completing lap one in fourth, after a strong start, de Wolf charged into third quite quickly and set his sights on the leaders. A race-long charge meant that he was attacking the rider in the runner-up spot in the closing stages, but he ultimately came up just short and settled for third. Six tenths separated him from the rider in second at the chequered flag. The second moto was extremely eventful for the MX2 sophomore, who engaged in a race-long battle for a podium spot. De Wolf shadowed the race leaders for much of the race, before eventually bursting into second place. A last-lap duel for that position ensued and, unfortunately, de Wolf crashed just three turns from the finish line. Refusing to give up, he climbed onto his FC 250 and salvaged a fourth in the moto to take third overall at the Grand Prix of Lombardia. De Wolf has now advanced to the same position in the championship standings. For van de Moosdijk, the Grand Prix of Lombardia was an impressive display of both grit and determination. Fighting hard after a heavy impact in the qualifying heat, he battled from tenth to fifth in the first moto of the day and was just two seconds from the rider in fourth at the end. A crash in the first turn of moto two destroyed his chances of another top-five finish, but he charged hard to salvage a fifteenth. Tenth was his final ranking in the overall classification. Mantova has been kind to Brian Bogers in the past and today was no different – he showed impressive pace and narrowly missed out on a podium finish in the premier division. Bogers ran as high as fourth in moto one, before settling for seventh, and then challenged the top three in the second encounter. Bogers was second early on, before settling into a comfortable third place and holding that to the very end. Fourth was his overall ranking on what was a successful day at the Grand Prix of Lombardia. Pauls Jonass was excited to make his first appearance on the Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing FC 450, after recovering from a small surgery, and did remarkably well with a lack of seat time. Jonass took an impressive tenth in moto one, before turning his focus to the upcoming rounds of the current campaign. A weekend off will offer the Husqvarna Factory Racing riders an opportunity to regroup before tackling the Grand Prix of Patagonia-Argentina, run at the sandy track of Neuquén, on March 20. The race will mark the first time that the FIM Motocross World Championship has travelled overseas in more than two years. Kay de Wolf: "I did not have an easy Saturday at all, but we turned it around today. I had a good first moto and the riding was good in that second moto too, except for the fact that I made some small mistakes. I lost the focus a little bit. I got passed by [Simon] Langenfelder and wanted to pass him back, but we hit each other and I crashed. That dropped me from second overall to third. It was a tough pill to swallow, but I am happy to be on the podium." Roan van de Moosdijk: "The weekend actually started well, but then I hit my shoulder pretty hard in the qualifying heat and did not have a great gate pick for the races today. Somehow I started eighth or ninth in the first moto – the first half of that moto was really good. The pain got worse towards the end, but I still finished fifth. I crashed on the start in the second moto and came back to fifteenth. I just tried to salvage some points. I am looking forward to a weekend off before giving it my all in Argentina." Brian Bogers: "I was really motivated today! I had a good start in the first moto and moved to fourth, but then I started to struggle a little bit. I finished seventh. I felt a lot better in the second moto and had another good start. I settled into third quite quickly and stayed there for the whole moto. I was really happy with that third. I missed the overall podium by five points, but hopefully we can get on there in the future." Pauls Jonass: "The first moto was really quite okay! I struggled to get into a rhythm in the first couple of laps, but still passed some guys and finished in tenth. It was great to be back and I am looking forward to getting back onto the bike again." Results – 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round Two MXGP – Overall 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 47pts; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 42pts; 3. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 39pts… 4. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 34pts; 18. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 11pts MXGP – Moto One 1. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 35:22.090; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 35:23.416; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:38.194… 7. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 35:52.571; 10. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 36:08.816 MXGP – Moto Two 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 35:46.428; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:53.443; 3. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 35:58.513 MXGP – Championship Standings 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 94pts; 2. Jorge Prado (GASGAS) 82pts; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 77pts… 5. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 57pts; 21. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 11 pts MX2 – Overall 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 50pts; 2. Andrea Adamo (GASGAS) 38pts; 3. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 38pts… 10. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 22pts MX2 – Moto One 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 35:33.242; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:38.682; 3. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:39.283… 5. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 35:46.127 MX2 – Moto Two 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 35:56.659; 2. Simon Langenfelder (GASGAS) 36:00.726; 3. Andrea Adamo (GASGAS) 36:09.320… 4. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 36:10.068; 15. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 37:18.850 MX2 – Championship Standings 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 90pts; 2. Simon Langenfelder (GASGAS) 86pts; 3. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 74pts… 6. Roan van de Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 55pts
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has continued his positive start to the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge with an impressive runner-up result on stage two. After narrowly missing out on taking the stage win, Luciano now advances to sixth in the provisional classification. For Skyler Howes, after nearly crashing twice early on, the American opted to focus on reaching the finish safely and with a strong pace, ultimately recording the 10th fastest time. The second stage of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge proved to be a serious test of endurance for both riders and their machines. With all competitors racing for well over four hours, it was a long and physical day in the saddle with both Husqvarna Factory Racing riders completing the 316-kilometre stage safely and advancing up the overall leaderboard at the close of day two. Luciano Benavides, despite taking a little while to find his rhythm across the rolling sand dunes, maintained a strong pace up until he reached the refuelling station. From there, and knowing that the stage win was a possibility, the Argentine upped his speed and navigated accurately. Ultimately securing a runner-up finish on the special, he placed just 39 seconds adrift of the overall stage winner. Continuing to rebuild his strength and endurance, Skyler Howes rode with caution on stage two to reach the finish line without issue. The American’s strategy worked perfectly as he completed the stage without losing too much time to the leading riders. Howes now lies 11th overall in the provisional standings with three days of racing remaining. Tomorrow brings stage three of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, the second leg of the event’s marathon stage. With both Luciano and Skyler successfully completing the first leg with their FR 450 Rally machines running perfectly, only the necessary checks were needed ahead of day three. Luciano Benavides: “Second place for me today is a really good result. It took me a little while to get going on the stage but once I arrived at the refuelling station, I realised that I wasn’t too far from the lead. After that I pushed on to the end and felt great on the bike and everything came together really well. It was another tough stage physically and there was some tricky navigation as well, so I had to really focus and it paid off. It was a great day and we’ll build from here.” Skyler Howes: “Day two done and it was a long and demanding stage today. Early on I had a couple of close calls and then I saw that Michael Docherty had crashed pretty bad, so I hope he’s ok. From there on I rode a strong and steady pace. I knew it wasn’t enough to secure a decent result, but we have three more days and I know I have a lot more to give. I’m still rebuilding after some time off before this race but I feel good on the bike so it’s on me now. I’ll regroup and focus on tomorrow.” 2022 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Stage 2 Provisional Classification 1. Ross Branch (Hero) 4:10:28 2. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 4:11:07 3. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 4:11:09 4. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 4:11:17 5. Franco Caimi (Hero) 4:12:02 6. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 4:14:20 … 11. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 4:18:29 2022 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Provisional Overall Classification [After Stage 2] 1. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 7:52:48 2. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 7:57:11 3. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 7:57:52 4. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 7:58:33 5. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 8:00:14 6. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 8:01:56 … 11. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 8:15:36
A rapid period of pre-season preparation and testing led into the Grand Prix of Qatar and the first round of 21 in 2022 for the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team with their FR 250 GP machinery. The Lusail International Circuit was the traditional launch stage for MotoGP once more and has been the staple venue to kick-off the world’s fastest and most-watched motorcycle racing series for almost two decades. The Husqvarna Motorcycles team knew they would need a delicate blend of settings to master the 16 corners – most of which are right-handers – the kilometre straight and the warm and windy mid-afternoon conditions. Sterilgarda Max Racing Team were also embracing two new riders into the pitbox with the experience of John McPhee and Ayumu Sasaki giving the crew potentially their most competitive line-up for the last three years. Qualification saw Sasaki as one of the star performers. The Japanese couldn’t record a lap to enter Q2 directly but once he’d emerged from Q1 was able to vie for Pole Position and use his guile to secure a front row spot. He set off for the race from 2nd on the grid, only eight hundredths of a second from 1st. McPhee was less than a second away and lined-up in 7th, heading row three. The Grand Prix was formed of 18 laps on Sunday afternoon. Both Husqvarna Motorcycles riders slipped into the large lead group as 12 participants swapped positions and slipstreams in the fight but Sasaki swiftly leapt ahead by the second lap. He set a tremendous speed and soon built up an advantage of more than three seconds as McPhee battled hard in the mid top-ten. Sasaki seemed to be coasting to victory but a mistake into Turn 6 saw him become unseated and the impact broke his left fairing bracket. He then lost time with a technical issue and was eventually forced to retire. McPhee pushed on and was just outside the four-rider tussle for the podium. The Scot crossed the line in 5th for some decent championship points. The final race results constitute the young world championship standings (McPhee 5th and Sasaki 23rd) and now the Husqvarna Motorcycles crew head to Indonesia for their first encounter with the Pertamina Mandalika Circuit on the island of Lombok in a fortnight’s time. John McPhee: “P5 is a really solid way to start the year. I didn’t know how strong my pace would be across the race distance but we managed to compose ourselves well. It would have been perfect if I could have attacked a little bit more but I was feeling a bit on the limited. It was important to get these points on the board. A big thanks to the team because they worked so hard all weekend to help me adapt to the FR 250 GP and to understand the way to ride it. We’ll hope for better now in Indonesia.” Ayumu Sasaki: “I’m very disappointed. The team did a fantastic job and I rode well. I felt good on the bike and was really enjoying the race. The first ten laps went so quick. I was steady and calm but I had an issue on the bike. It was some bad luck. We will keep a positive mindset and still plenty of races to go. Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “We could have wished for a better end to the race but it was still a great performance from Ayumu and also by John. We have to investigate the issues but today was good proof and motivation that we are ready to win again. We will be looking for a very good result next time.” Results – 2022 Moto3 World Championship, Round 1 1. Andrea Migno (Honda) 37:59.522, 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) +0.037. 3. Kaito Toba (KTM) +0.573. 5. John McPhee (Husqvarna) +1.064, DNF. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) Moto3 world championship standings 1. Andrea Migno (Honda) 25pts, 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 20. 3. Kaito Toba (KTM) 16. 5. John McPhee (Husqvarna) 11, 23. Ayumu Sasaki (Husqvarna) 0
Enjoying a positive start to the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, round two of the FIM Rally-Raid World Championship, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides and Skyler Howes have safely completed stage one just outside the top-10 overall with Luciano placing 11th and Skyler close behind in 14th. As the seventh rider to enter the opening stage of the rally, Luciano Benavides was able to capitalise on the lines the leading riders left in the rolling sand dunes to quickly close the gap on his rivals. Shortly after refuelling, the Argentine moved to the head of the field, navigated with precision, and went on to complete the 262-kilometre timed special with the 11th fastest time. With four days of racing remaining, the 25-year-old will benefit from a favourable starting position tomorrow as he looks to begin fighting his way up the overall classification. Returning to action after his unfortunate crash during the Dakar Rally in January, Skyler Howes enjoyed the opening stage at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. With Luciano catching up with him at the midway point of the special, the American was then able to ride alongside his teammate and focus on maintaining a strong pace to the end of the stage. Skyler would ultimately complete the special as the 14th fastest rider. The second stage of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge takes place tomorrow and is set to be the longest of the event at 316 kilometres. Incorporating leg one of the rally’s marathon stage, once completed Skyler and Luciano will arrive at a temporary bivouac where they’ll prepare their FR 450 Rally machines without the support of the team before entering stage three. Luciano Benavides: “It’s been a good first day here in Abu Dhabi. It was a nice stage, quite fast and flowing, and quite a physical test also. From starting seventh I moved forwards and after refuelling I opened the stage. I was able to navigate really well from there and it was good for my confidence, knowing that I can ride with a good pace while navigating accurately. A great opening stage for me and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.” Skyler Howes: “I really enjoyed today. It’s my first time racing here so everything is new for me but so far it’s been a great experience. Luciano caught up with me at the refuelling and then I was able to latch onto him for a while which was cool, having two Husqvarnas up front and opening the stage. He did a great job of opening and that made things a little easier for me. It’s great to be back on the bike and racing, and I felt better as the stage went on so I’m looking forward to tomorrow and seeing what else this desert has to offer.” 2022 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Stage 1 Provisional Classification 1. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 3:18:32 2. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 3:20:34 3. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 3:20:43 4. Michael Docherty (Husqvarna) 3:20:46 5. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 3:21:09 6. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 3:21:16 … 11. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:29:45 14. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 3:35:47 2022 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge – Provisional Overall Classification [After Stage 1] 1. Michael Docherty (Husqvarna) 3:41:02 2. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 3:41:25 3. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 3:41:39 4. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 3:42:00 5. Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 3:43:08 6. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 3:43:54 … 11. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:50:49 14. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 3:57:07
Husqvarna Motorcycles will enter its third Grand Prix year as a prominent member of the Moto3 world championship and with high expectations as part of the alignment with the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team. The Grand Prix of Qatar will open MotoGP once again for the first round of twenty-one and the longest season in the history of the sport. The teams and riders will gather around the flat, quick and flowing Losail International Circuit course this week hoping to start their campaigns shining as bright as the Qatari lights themselves at MotoGP’s sole floodlit event and a staple part of the calendar since 2004. Husqvarna Motorcycles will wheel out the latest update of the FR 250 GP and a model that has won Moto3 Grands Prix in both 2020 and 2021. The machine will be steered by a brand-new line-up for the Sterilgarda squad – helmed by former world champion Max Biaggi and co-ordinated by Peter Öttl – with Britain’s John McPhee and Japan’s Ayumu Sasaki bringing both GP wins and podium finish pedigree to the package. The team have recently completed private and official testing. The last session involved three days of action at the Algarve International Circuit, Portimao; host to the Portuguese stop on the MotoGP trail and both riders were less than a second from the fastest time. Their shakedown work was completed and now just final refinements remain when the pitlane opens at Losail on Friday. Since the famous Husqvarna Motorcycles brand re-entered Grand Prix racing in 2020 it has gathered two victories and five podiums as well as a top-five championship finish in 2021. The Grand Prix of Qatar instigates a continental dash for the initial phase of 2022 MotoGP. After Losail the paddock will travel to the new Pertamina Mandalika Circuit – where the Moto3 class will discover the Indonesian asphalt for the first time – then to Argentina, the USA and the European segment of the schedule begins with the trip to Portimao on April 24th. John McPhee: “I’m really happy. The guys have been so welcoming, especially Peter. Working with the Husqvarna guys directly has been great because they bring so much knowledge to the group. Testing was quite exciting because I can see there is so much potential in the bike. I know we’ll be strong at the races because the FR 250 GP is so good for corner entry and also the engine package is really strong, stronger than what I’ve had in the past. We’re close to Qatar now and I’m excited to get going. I know we can do some more fine-tweaking in the Free Practice sessions we have ahead and I’m really looking forward to the season.” Ayumu Sasaki: “Riding in Qatar is always something special. I feel really motivated because we had an amazing test and I felt great on the bike and good with the team. I cannot wait to start racing and hopefully we’ll have a strong round one of the 2022 season.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “I am very excited to start the 2022 championship, which for Sterilgarda Max Racing represents the third consecutive year as the factory team for Husqvarna Motorcycles. It has been a very long winter, through which we have prepared the 2022 season in the best possible way with Ayumu Sasaki and John McPhee. It will be important to get off to a good start right from the first practice in Qatar.” Pit Beirer, Husqvarna Motorcycles Motorsport Director: “2022 is our third year with the FR 250 GP and those strong white colours in Moto3 and the third with Max, Peter and his crew. It is also another season where we know we will see the guys right at the front of the class and pushing for top results. For the first time the team have a new rider line-up but John and Ayumu are not new to us: they have experience and a lot of potential to give Husqvarna Motorcycles our best Moto3 championship so far.”
The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team rounded out the west coast stretch of the 2022 AMA Supercross Championship on Saturday and the third time was a charm for Malcolm Stewart, who delivered his best Anaheim SX result with a fourth-place finish at Round 6 in Anaheim, California. Stewart, the fifth-place qualifier, came together with another rider off the start of 450SX Heat 2 and he found himself back in 10th on the opening lap. He immediately began a charge through the field, placing his FC 450 Rockstar Edition into the top-five late in the race, ultimately securing a fifth-place transfer. In the Main Event, Stewart grabbed a top-five start and he battled in the front pack early on. Moving into fourth around the halfway point, Stewart set his sights on a podium position and he fought hard in the final laps to ultimately come away with fourth on the night. Six rounds in, Stewart holds fourth overall in the 450SX Championship standings. “I felt like the entire day was good,” Stewart said. “I already knew the track was going to be really dry and slick because we already did two races and this was the final round. I felt like the biggest factor of tonight was the whoops and I just tried to be smart – this was one of those races where you could gain some and lose a lot, so I’m happy with taking another top-five finish. We’re definitely keeping the ball rolling.” Team rider Dean Wilson fought his way through a challenging night. Qualifying a season-best seventh, Wilson found himself mid-pack off the start in 450SX Heat 2 and he made his way into a qualifying position by lap two. However, he went down just after the halfway point and dropped outside the top-nine, resulting in a trip to the last chance qualifier. With a solid performance in the LCQ, Wilson secured a second-place transfer into the Main Event. He got off to a 13th place start in the main and he climbed his way up to the top-10 battle. He continued to charge through the second half of the race, finishing 12th on the night. "My night was a little bit rough,” Wilson said. “I qualified well but I crashed in my heat race and had to go to the LCQ, which is never ideal. After that, I was far outside on the gate and was just kind of in traffic the whole time and the best I could do is 12th. I really struggled in the main with flow, I felt like I was kind of fighting my bike everywhere. Not my best night but we’ll work on trying to be better.” In the 250SX division, team rider Jalek Swoll started off with a fifth-place start in 250SX Heat 2 and he battled just outside the podium all race long. He passed into fourth on lap five and held that position until the final lap when a mistake ultimately dropped him back to fifth. In the Main Event, Swoll put himself into a great position off the start as he battled in podium contention on the opening lap. While running fourth, Swoll suffered a crash through the whoops that would ultimately end his night early. “It was a short night but I felt good and I’m thankful to be leaving from the crash healthy,” Swoll said. “I felt good – like I got back up to how I was feeling before the crash at A1. I made some good passes at the beginning and felt like I was on that forward charge and the whoops bit me and bit me quick. It’s all good, I’m going into this break with my head down and we’ll get back to being on one of these top-three steps.” Round 7: February 19 – Minneapolis SX – Minneapolis, Minnesota Round 6 Results: Anaheim 3 SX 450SX Results 1. Jason Anderson (KAW) 2, Eli Tomac (YAM) 3. Justin Barcia (GAS) 4. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing … 12. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX West Results 1. Christian Craig (YAM) 2. Vince Friese (HON) 3. Michael Mosiman (GAS) … 21. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 134 points 2. Jason Anderson – 122 points 3. Chase Sexton – 116 points 4. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 112 points … 11. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 72 points 250SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Christian Craig – 148 points 2. Michael Mosiman – 120 points 3. Hunter Lawrence – 119 points … 12. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 53 points
Husqvarna Motorcycles is pleased to announce an extension to its successful partnership with Rockstar Energy Drink for 2022 and 2023. The renewed agreement will see the energy drink giant exclusively direct its full support behind the North American sector of Husqvarna Factory Racing. Beginning a highly successful collaboration in 2015 with the creation of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, the team has enjoyed a wealth of achievements across multiple disciplines. Headlined by Jason Anderson claiming the first AMA 450 Supercross Championship title for Husqvarna Motorcycles in 2018, Zach Osborne secured two 250SX East titles and two Pro Motocross crowns during his prosperous time racing with the squad. Competing in enduro, Colton Haaker has claimed an incredible five AMA EnduroCross Championship titles alongside his three FIM SuperEnduro World Championship victories, all of which were achieved throughout the last six years as part of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. Additionally, Billy Bolt recently became the first-ever FIM Hard Enduro World Champion. To celebrate the continued partnership between Husqvarna Motorcycles and Rockstar Energy, two exciting and innovative motocross models - the FC 450 Rockstar Edition and FC 250 Rockstar Edition – have recently been released. Featuring cutting-edge technology and complete with race-tested components, the motorcycles underline the strength of the collaboration and form the basis of the machines being raced by Rockstar Energy Husqvarna in the 2022 AMA Supercross season. Roger De Coster - Director of Motorsport in North America: "Partnering with Rockstar Energy Drink seven years ago has led to many great milestones and achievements by the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team in supercross, motocross, and offroad. We’ve won many races and multiple championships along the way, and just this last weekend we saw our newest 450SX racer Malcolm Stewart score a career-best second-place result in Phoenix, so we look forward to continuing to build on this great partnership. With new Team Manager Nathan Ramsey and Crew Chief Tony Hall along with longstanding Team Coordinator Sean Murphy at the helm of the SX/MX team, and Offroad Team Manager Anthony DiBasilio in charge of our offroad program, we look forward to reaching even higher highs with the support of Rockstar Energy Drink throughout the upcoming racing seasons.” Robert Jonas - Vice President Motorsports Offroad: “After many successful years together and on behalf of Husqvarna Motorcycles, I am really delighted to announce that our partnership with Rockstar Energy has been extended. The relationship has undergone some changes in recent months but ultimately, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing will continue to compete in North America in both AMA Supercross and Motocross, as well as in all offroad disciplines. Together with Rockstar Energy, we have achieved so much in recent years with multiple championships secured in both the USA and Europe. We now look forward to the coming seasons and achieving more success.” Faby Torres - GM and CEO of PepsiCo Energy: “It’s been an incredible journey with Husqvarna Motorcycles the last six seasons. In shifting our focus to North American racing efforts, I have no doubt we’ll continue with our successful partnership. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing has been one of the best performing teams in the United States, giving our brand forward visibility. Looking ahead, with the riders and team personnel assembled for 2022, I’m confident we’ll continue to win more championship titles together.”
Husqvarna Motorcycles is pleased to announce that Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing will officially represent the brand in the MXGP World Championship in 2022. Joining forces with the prestigious team will see both racers, Pauls Jonass and Brian Bogers, compete aboard proven FC 450 machinery with the highly talented duo excited for the new season to begin later this month on February 2022. With Standing Construct Husqvarna retaining the services of former MX2 World Champion Pauls Jonass alongside the very capable Dutch racer Brian Bogers, the team looks to build upon its highly positive 2021 term in the MXGP World Championship which brought multiple podiums and top-five results for both riders. Beginning with the MXGP of Great Britain on February 20, the 20-round MXGP series is scheduled to return to a traditional calendar with a two-day racing format and travel the globe to ensure a true world championship. With both Pauls and Brian excited for the new season after a positive pre-season period spent testing and training, the stage is set for both riders to accomplish their goals in 2022. Pauls Jonass: “We’re not far away from the new season which is really exciting and moving over to race on Husqvarna machinery again, I really feel that 2022 will be a great season for myself and the whole team. Being able to stay with the Standing Construct team is perfect for me as we put in a lot of hard work before last season, and I know that this will give us a solid foundation going into 2022. We have goals to achieve together and I think that what we have built up over the last year will make a big difference this year. This off season has been really short and a lot of hard work has been done in preparation for the first round. With the team we have been really busy adjusting to the new bike and so far, everything has been positive and I felt comfortable on the FC 450 right away. Overall, I’m super excited for 2022 and I can’t wait to get started.” Brian Bogers: “I’m really excited for the new season. The move over to Husqvarna machinery has not been a big change and the Standing Construct Husqvarna team has provided me with an amazing bike, just like they did last year. We’re going back to a two-day format for GP weekends in 2022 which is another positive change for me as there will be a lot more track time to really dial in the bike for each round. It’s not too long until the new season starts and I'm really excited for round one at Matterley Basin. The Standing Construct team is amazing and feels like a family to me, so this will for sure help me to achieve my goals. In 2021 I claimed many top-five results so my goal for 2022 will be to be up front and inside the top five more consistently. With this team and my new bike I’ve no doubt that I can achieve this.” Tim Mathys – Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager: “We are really proud that we have the confidence of Husqvarna Motorcycles to officially represent the brand in MXGP. As they are one of the pioneers of offroad bikes with such a great history and reputation, it’s a really exciting new chapter for the team. We have enjoyed a great two years running the GASGAS program in MXGP and I think we did a good job with winning an MXGP round and getting several podiums, but now being responsible to represent Husqvarna in the biggest motocross championship in the world is another huge honour. With Pauls Jonass and Brian Bogers, we have two riders who have proven to be able to ride inside top five in MXGP, and with their age I think the extra experience from the past season will make them even stronger in 2022. Both riders feel very comfortable within the team and we are very happy with their professionalism, so that’s a good base to keep working from. We will keep the same crew for the new season. Everyone is very experienced, and they have all been working together for many years. With Wim van Hoof overseeing the team I am convinced we have one of the most capable teams in the paddock so I look forward to 2022 with lots of confidence.” Robert Jonas – VP Motorsports Offroad: “Moving Husqvarna Motorcycles’ MXGP racing efforts over to the Standing Construct team was an easy decision because of their achievements on track, and their professionalism and work ethic away from it. They have done an incredible job to raise the profile of the GASGAS brand over the last two seasons in MXGP, and I strongly believe that they will do the same for Husqvarna Motorcycles in 2022. The team clearly has a great atmosphere and a really strong bond, which creates the perfect environment for both Pauls and Brian to achieve their goals. I wish them both, and the whole team, the greatest of success in 2022." Calendar – 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship Round 1: 20 Feb MXGP of Great Britain - Matterley Basin Round 2: 6 Mar MXGP of Lombardia - Mantova Round 3: 20 Mar MXGP of Patagonia-Argentina – Villa La Angostura Round 4: 3 Apr MXGP of Portugal - Agueda Round 5: 10 Apr MXGP of Trentino (ITA) - Pietramurata Round 6: 24 Apr MXGP of Latvia - Kegums Round 7: 1 May MXGP of MFR - Orlyonok Round 8: 15 May MXGP of Sardinia (ITA) - Riola Sardo Round 9: 29 May MXGP of Spain - intu Xanadú - Arroyomolinos Round 10: 5 Jun MXGP of France - Ernee Round 11: 12 Jun MXGP of Germany - Teutschenthal Round 12: 26 Jun MXGP of Indonesia – Samota-Sumbawa Round 13: 3 Jul MXGP of Jakarta (INA) - Jakarta Round 14: 17 Jul MXGP of Czech Republic - Loket Round 15: 24 Jul MXGP of Flanders (BEL) - Lommel Round 16: 7 Aug MXGP of Sweden - Uddevalla Round 17: 14 Aug MXGP of Finland - Iitti-KymiRing Round 18: 21 Aug MXGP of Charente Maritime (FRA) - St Jean d'Angely Round 19: 4 Sep MXGP of Turkey - Afyonkarahisar Round 20: 18 Sep TBA
The complete Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing squad ventured south to LaCapelle-Marival, France, for their first appointment of the new term this past weekend. The technical layout provided Kay de Wolf and Roan Van De Moosdijk with a valuable opportunity to learn more about the FC 250 in a competitive setting. The duo experienced success in their first outing in new colorus. Kay de Wolf utilised the power within his FC 250 to claim the holeshot in the first MX2 encounter and was unchallenged from there, winning the moto with an advantage of four seconds. De Wolf was just as brilliant in moto two, as he took another victory and topped the overall classification in the MX2 category. Racing against the 450F riders in the 'Super Final' at the end of the day, when the circuit was at its roughest, he battled for a podium spot before settling for fourth, a ranking that left him as the strongest MX2 rider. The rider who trailed Kay de Wolf in the two motos was Roan Van De Moosdijk, who competed aboard the FC 250 for the very first time. Moosdijk chased de Wolf to the checkered flag in both motos to record a 2-2 scorecard in his debut. A similar scenario played out in the 'Super Final' race, as Moosdijk ended fifth and trailed his teammate by just six seconds. Securing a trophy in his Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing debut, momentum was gained after a productive winter period. Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing's Brian Bogers also secured a podium finish at LaCapelle-Marival, as a 4-4 scorecard left him in third overall in the competitive MX1 division. The opening round of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship beckons now – the Grand Prix of Great Britain will open that campaign on February 20. The Husqvarna Factory Racing riders will finalise their pre-season preparation at another international event, Hawkstone Park in the United Kingdom, this weekend. Kay de Wolf: “It was a pretty good day! I had pole position and then got the holeshot in the first moto, so I just led the way from the beginning. I had a lot of fun on the track – it was really technical and grippy. I had another holeshot in the second moto and just did my own thing. I was third in the 'Super Final' against the MX1 riders and almost made the pass for second, but could not make a move against the 450F. I lost third two laps from the end, but finished fourth and was the best MX2 rider. A good day!” Roan Van De Moosdijk: “It was a really positive day – I felt comfortable on the bike and track straight away. The motos were great as well. It just felt like a normal practice day with Kay, like how we have been riding in Spain over the last month. We know that we are going in a good way and it was very nice to get a feel for the bike during a proper race day. We have one more pre-season race to go and then the MXGP series will begin!” Results – LaCapelle-Marival, France MX2 Overall 1. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 50pts; 2. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 44pts; 3. Kevin Horgmo (Kawasaki) 38pts MX2 Moto One 1. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 25:50.000; 2. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 25:54.988; 3. Kevin Horgmo (Kawasaki) 26:11.641 MX2 Moto Two 1. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 25:39.430; 2. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 25:40.538; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 25:41.511 MX1 Overall 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 50pts; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 44pts; 3. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 36pts MX1 Moto One 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 25:47.366; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 25:50.900; 3. Henry Jacobi (Honda) 26:16.351… 4. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 26:21.178 MX1 Moto Two 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 25:49.048; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 25:50.212; 3. Jed Beaton (Kawasaki) 26:17.451… 4. Brian Bogers (Husqvarna) 26:27.210 Super Final 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 24:15.496; 2. Ben Watson (Kawasaki) 24:18.541; 3. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 24:22.850… 4. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 24:37.743; 5. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Husqvarna) 24:43.403
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart made his first podium appearance of the season on Saturday with an impressive performance at Round 5 of the AMA Supercross Championship in Glendale, Arizona. Scoring 3-2-4 finishes, Stewart maintained a consistent pace through all three Main Events to secure second overall at the first Triple Crown of the year. Stewart, the eight-place qualifier, started off fourth aboard his FC 450 Rockstar Edition in 450SX Main Event 1 and he quickly moved into third by lap three. Midway through the race, he dropped back one spot but he was able to regain the position with four laps to go, making his first podium appearance of the night in third. In the second Main Event, Stewart snagged a top-five start and he charged into third by the second lap. He powered his way into second halfway into the race and from there, he maintained a strong pace to secure second in race two. In the third Main Event, Stewart got off to a great start in second and he battled up front for the first half of the race. He got passed on lap seven and lost his momentum, dropping outside of podium contention late in the race, where he ultimately finished fourth in the third race. With consistent finishes on the night, Stewart was able to secure his first overall podium of the season at Round 5. “This is my first-ever podium for a Triple Crown and I’m beyond stoked,” Stewart said.” I can’t thank the whole team enough. We’ve all been grinding and we’re starting to see things pay off and I think this only builds more momentum for everybody.” Team rider Dean Wilson had a tough start in 450SX Main Event 1, crossing the line in 11th on the first lap. He battled just outside the top-10 for the next few laps before charging his FC 450 Rockstar Edition into a top-10 position, ultimately finishing ninth. In the second main, Wilson started near the back of the pack and had to fight his way forward on the opening lap. Picking up a few positions late in the race, Wilson secured another ninth-place finish in the second main. With an 11th-place start in the third Main Event, Wilson quickly climbed into ninth a few laps in and he rode strong to round out the night with another top-10 finish. With 9-9-9 scores, Wilson came away with ninth overall on the night. "My night wasn’t too bad, I just need to work on my starts,” Wilson said. “I had some good rides coming through the pack and made some good passes but I need to give myself an opportunity to battle with these guys and see where I’m at off the start. I think my pace was pretty good, so I’m going to keep working and I’m looking forward to next weekend.” In the 250SX division, team rider Jalek Swoll put together three solid Main Events to finish just outside the top-five on the night. In the first Main Event, Swoll started in eighth and he quickly picked up positions to put himself into sixth on the second lap. He made his way up to fourth just after the halfway point and he diced back-and-forth for a top-five position heading into the final lap, where he was ultimately passed just before the checkers to finish sixth. In Main Event 2, Swoll had a great start, rounding the opening lap in the second-place position. He lost momentum halfway through the race and dropped a few positions near the end, ultimately finishing fifth in the second race. In the third Main Event, Swoll found himself just inside the top-10 off the start and he worked his way up to eighth a few laps in. He raced in eighth for most of the race before overtaking seventh, where he eventually finished in the last race. “I feel like this Triple Crown helped me catch up on a lot of time that I was missing,” Swoll said. “It could’ve been a lot better if I would have nailed the start when I needed to in the last one but it is what it is. I felt like I was making good progress throughout the races but I was just losing too much time in the whoops and obviously you can’t do that when you’re up front with these guys, they’ll take advantage of the weaknesses early. We’re going to work on the flaws this week and I’m going to try to end A3 on a banger.” Round 6: February 12 – Anaheim 3 SX – Anaheim, California Round 5 Results: Glendale SX Triple Crown 450SX Results 1. Eli Tomac (YAM), 1-1-3 2. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 3-2-4 3. Chase Sexton (HON), 11-3-1 … 9. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 9-9-9 250SX West Results 1. Hunter Lawrence (HON), 2-1-2 2. Christian Craig (YAM), 1-4-1 3. Jo Shimoda (KAW), 5-3-3 … 6. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 6-5-7 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 111 points 2. Chase Sexton – 100 points 3. Jason Anderson – 96 points … 4. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 93 points 11. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 61 points 250SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Christian Craig – 122 points 2. Hunter Lawrence – 114 points 3. Michael Mosiman – 99 points … 11. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 51 points
Billy Bolt has taken the win at round two of the 2022 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, held in Hungary. The Husqvarna Factory Racing rider qualified fastest before claiming SuperPole and two race wins from three on his FE 350. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Colton Haaker enjoyed a solid night in Budapest, ultimately finishing a close fourth overall. The night started off perfectly for Bolt, with the British racer continuing his unbeatable run of form to comfortably qualify fastest and take the SuperPole honours by over one second, earning himself three valuable championship points in the process. After a measured start in race one, Billy deftly picked his way through the course to take the lead with around three minutes to go. A small error while navigating a log section was just enough for him to lose his position, and with time running out it ultimately lead to Bolt settling for second. Eager to make amends in race two, Billy made light work of the reverse-grid start to move into third place after only three corners. After calmly moving into second, Billy’s pass into first place was hampered when a competitor got caught up in his rear wheel. Despite losing a little time, the 24-year-old was able to quickly regain the lead and hold it to the chequered flag where he claimed his first race win of the night. Prestige race three was all Bolt! After a strong start, the championship leader soon moved up to take the lead and from there he never looked back. Increasing his advantage lap-by-lap, Billy put on a masterful display of riding to take the victory by over 10 seconds. The result increases Bolt’s lead in the championship standings to an impressive 35 points with three rounds left to race. Travelling across to Europe to contest SuperEnduro round two, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Colton Haaker enjoyed a strong performance on the tight and technical Hungarian track to secure a strong fourth overall. Haaker opened the evening in style, placing second to teammate Bolt on the SuperPole hot lap. Fighting his way through the mayhem of races one and two, Colton placed fourth in both to put himself in a good position going into the third heat. Keen to finish the night on a high, Colton claimed the holeshot in race three and after being passed by his teammate was able to hold on to second, ultimately finishing as runner-up. Completing the evening on 45 points, the three-time world champion narrowly missed out on the event podium by just one point. After two rounds, Colton lies second overall in the prestige class standings. Billy Bolt: “It was a super difficult night, but I’m pleased to come away with another win and extend my lead in the championship. The track was really tight, and with not much traction it was easy to get arm pump and then make mistakes. Qualifying and SuperPole went well, but then in race one I struggled to find my rhythm and got caught up a few times. Race two went much better, and then race three was near enough perfect – I was able to manage my pace once I got to the front and held on to take the win and the overall.” Colton Haaker: “It’s really good to be here in Budapest racing SuperEnduro. I haven’t been able to get in much riding since the last event, but I’m happy with how I rode today going 4-4-2 on a tough track like this. It took me a little while to relax and get up to speed, but I gave it my all and had fun out there. From not being certain if I’d get here to race, to missing out on the podium by just one point, it’s been a good weekend and I’m looking forward to the next one.” Results - SuperEnduro, Rnd2 Hungary Overall Event Classification 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 60 pts; 2. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 50 pts; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 46 pts; 4. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 45 pts… Prestige Race 1 1. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 10 laps, 6:56.233; 2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 7:03.984; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 7:05.532; 4. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 7:38.243… Prestige Race 2 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 6:48.249; 2. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 6:51.995; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 6:52.130; 4. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 7:28.168… Prestige Race 3 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 6:48.474; 2. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 6:58.673; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 7:04.079; 4. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 7:04.456… Championship Standings (After Round 2 of 4) 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 123 pts; 2. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 88 pts; 3. Taddy Blazusiak 87 pts; 4. Jonny Walker (Beta) 87 pts…
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt is fit and raring to get back to FIM SuperEnduro World Championship action, with round two of the 2022 series getting underway this Saturday, February 5, in Budapest, Hungary. Bolt currently holds the championship points lead following his dominant performance at round one in Poland back in December. Unstoppable in Lodz at the SuperEnduro opener, Billy comfortably went fastest in SuperPole, before going on to win all three Prestige class races to the delight of the enthusiastic fans. Now, carrying a healthy 15-point lead into Hungary, the FE 350 rider will be looking to increase that advantage with another display of indoor enduro mastery at the famous Papp Laszlo Sportarena in Budapest. The win at the opening round of SuperEnduro capped off an incredible 2021 for Bolt where he also won the inaugural FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. A hard-fought championship victory, which went right down to the wire with the top two protagonists finishing the season on identical points, it was Billy’s grit and determination that ultimately secured him the title. Including this weekend’s Hungarian event, four rounds of the 2022 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship remain, with Israel rescheduled to March 3 followed by back-to-back races in Germany on March 19 & 20. There are still plenty of points left to be won, but with Bolt on form and keen to take the lion’s share, things are looking good for the reigning world champion. One rider hoping to take the challenge to Billy this weekend in Hungary is Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Colton Haaker. The three-time SuperEnduro World Champion placed a close third to his British teammate at round one of the 2022 series, and also finished third last time he raced in Budapest back in 2019. But the American will be aiming to take to the top step of the podium this Saturday to claw back some points on the number 57 and truly take the championship fight onto Israel in March. Following the finale of the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, focus will then be fixed on the outdoor season and this year’s FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, where Bolt will be aiming to defend his title over the gruelling, tough, eight-round series. The 2022 calendar gets underway with the Minus 400, held in Israel from April 5-7. Billy Bolt: “I’m really looking forward to getting going this weekend, and I’m very excited to be back on SuperEnduro and racing in the stadiums. We raced in Budapest two years ago and I really enjoyed the track and the stadium and the atmosphere there was excellent with a really good crowd. I won there last time out, so hopefully I can repeat that this year and make it two overall wins from two rounds this season. In general I’ve been trying to stay fit and focused over the winter and just keeping the ball rolling from where we left off last year. Obviously, it was a pretty successful season for me, and the aim is to try and keep that momentum into 2022. So far it all looks to be going that way, so I’m happy. I’m happy with how I’m feeling and happy with the bike – it might be wearing new colours for this year, but it’s performing just as well, and I can’t wait to get it out on the track in Hungary.”
LaCapelle-Marival, France, will be the setting for Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2's first competitive outing of the year. Kay de Wolf and Roan van de Moosdijk will race the annual pre-season international on their FC 250 machines this coming weekend, in an effort to gather more valuable information ahead of the opening round of the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship on February 20. Kay de Wolf returns to Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing for his sophomore year in the MX2 class; he will strive to build on a successful rookie season in which he stood up on the Grand Prix podium four times. A maiden moto victory at the Grand Prix of Flanders-Belgium was the highlight of his rookie term and helped him secure a final result of seventh in the championship. De Wolf has been with Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing since he first stepped onto the TC 125 three seasons ago. Roan van de Moosdijk joins de Wolf beneath the awning in what will be his first season aboard the FC 250, an exciting change of scenery for the former EMX250 champion. Van de Moosdijk has fully recovered from the injury that sidelined him for a majority of the previous season and is excited to add more moto victories to his tally – he won a moto during his rookie season in the MX2 class, 2020, and has six career podiums to his name. Kay de Wolf and Roan van de Moosdijk will race at LaCapelle-Marival on Sunday and then complete their preparation at another pre-season event, Hawkstone Park in the United Kingdom, one week later. The 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship will begin with the Grand Prix of Great Britain, held at Matterley Basin, on February 20. Rasmus Jorgensen (Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager): “It has been an extremely short and intense pre-season leading up to the start of this year. We are very much looking forward to going racing with our new bike and colours. The process of Roan joining the team has been very smooth, and both he and Kay are loving the new bike. They have both done excellent work – I am excited to see them in race action this coming Sunday at LaCapelle-Marival. Huge thanks to all of the Nestaan team members and to the hard-working people at the factory in Mattighofen. Let's go racing!” Kay de Wolf: “This has been a short pre-season, of course, but it has also been really good. Roan and I have been doing a lot of motos together in Spain, which has made us both a lot stronger. I think that we are ready to show the world just how much work we have put in during the wintertime! I am excited to get back behind the gate at LaCapelle-Marival this weekend, then it is not long until the MXGP season begins.” Roan van de Moosdijk: “I can confidently say that this has been my best pre-season preparation ever. Everything clicked with Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing straight away; the bike is amazing and the people are so nice to work with. I have enjoyed the month that we spent in Spain a lot and cannot wait for the first pre-season race this weekend. I am really looking forward to getting behind the gate on my FC 250 for the first time!”
Husqvarna Motorcycles is pleased to announce an extension to its highly successful partnership with leading clutch component manufacturer, Rekluse. The renewed agreement will see Husqvarna Factory Racing continue to benefit from the US manufacturer’s high-quality products, which deliver improved performance and reliability, through to the end of the 2022 racing season. Now entering its 20th year in the motorcycle industry, Rekluse is a brand well-known for its quality components and innovation. Using global offroad racing as a rigorous testing platform to develop its products, the Idaho-based company continues to be a pioneer for motorcycle clutch technology, with Husqvarna Factory Racing relying on the brand’s extensive range of components. Rekluse develop their extensive product range to provide teams and riders with unmatched performance and reliability. The close working relationship between Husqvarna Factory Racing and Rekluse in recent years has resulted in several successes across the globe. In 2020, Zach Osborne claimed the 450 Class Pro Motocross title, a first for Husqvarna Motorcycles, while Billy Bolt secured the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship. Bolt enjoyed further success in 2021 with the Brit claiming the inaugural FIM Hard Enduro World Championship crown. With an extension to this successful technical partnership, Husqvarna Factory Racing will continue to utilise Rekluse products in all forms of competition in 2022, enhancing the performance of the Husqvarna racing machines. Robert Jonas – Vice President Motorsports Offroad: “We are delighted to continue our close working relationship with Rekluse. The partnership has been incredibly successful across our motocross, enduro, and rally racing activities, with Husqvarna Factory Racing undoubtedly benefitting from Rekluse products. The last two seasons have been incredibly rewarding with titles in Pro Motocross, SuperEnduro, and Hard Enduro, thanks in part to the support of Rekluse. Looking ahead to 2022 we’re fully focused on achieving even more success together.” Alison Kelsey, General Manager, Rekluse Motor Sports, Inc.: “We’ve enjoyed a great relationship with Husqvarna Factory Racing for many years and it’s really exciting to be continuing with our partnership through 2022. Over the last few seasons, the team has delivered championships in many different disciplines, which is fantastic for us as it proves the versatility, durability, and performance of Rekluse products. Looking ahead to the new season, we’re behind the team 100% and we are sure that it will be another successful year of racing.”
Husqvarna Motorcycles is pleased to announce a new technical partnership with leading spark plug manufacturer, BRISK. The new agreement will see BRISK spark plugs fitted in all Husqvarna Factory Racing machines competing in world championship motocross and enduro competitions in 2022, with riders set to benefit from the improved performance BRISK products will provide to their motorcycles. Possessing a rich history in spark plug manufacturing dating back to 1935, BRISK quickly became a key supplier to the automotive industry. More recently, the Czech Republic-based brand has concentrated on specialising in competition-focused products. Entering the 2022 season, BRISK will notably upscale its global motorsports involvement by offering its full support to Husqvarna Factory Racing. The new technical partnership will see Husqvarna Factory Racing rely on BRISK spark plugs exclusively throughout 2022 on all 2-stroke and 4-stroke machinery used in the FIM Motocross World Championship, the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, and the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. Robert Jonas – Vice President Motorsports Offroad: “It’s an exciting step for Husqvarna Factory Racing to begin this new partnership with BRISK. Racing at the highest level of motocross and enduro, it is so important to use the very best products for enhanced performance and reliability, which is why we have partnered with BRISK. Their products have been thoroughly tested and are without a doubt an excellent component for the team to use. With the 2022 racing season just around the corner, BRISK will play a vital role in ensuring our riders can perform at their very best and I look forward to a successful season of racing.” Florian Ebner - Head of Technology Offroad Motorsports: “BRISK is the perfect partner for Husqvarna Factory Racing. We tested their products for over one year and saw notable improvements in engine performance. We have already established an excellent working relationship with them and their experienced technical staff. What is really important is that they have in-house production in Europe, close to our race shop, and the ability to offer customized solutions depending on our needs. All these attributes really make BRISK an excellent partner for Husqvarna Factory Racing.” Hana Kajnarová – BRISK Commercial Director: “Partnering with Husqvarna Factory Racing is really exciting for us. In recent years, BRISK has focused on producing a range of specialist motorsport products, so for the team to put their trust in BRISK, it gives us a lot of satisfaction as we know that our extensive research and development has been recognised. On behalf of BRISK, I would like to wish the team and its riders the best of luck for the 2022 season.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart is on a roll in 2022 after capturing his third-consecutive top-five finish in the 450SX class at Round 4 of the AMA Supercross Championship in Anaheim, California. Teammate Jalek Swoll had a break-through ride on Saturday, delivering another top-five result for the team in the 250SX Western division. Stewart was smooth and steady all night, keeping his FC 450 Rockstar Edition in the mix from start to finish. In 450SX Heat 1, Stewart grabbed a fifth-place start he maintained a good pace through the checkers to secure a fifth-place transfer into the Main Event. In the main, Stewart had a great jump off the start and he challenged the leader early on from the second-place position. He continued to fight up front for the first few laps before settling into fourth mid-way through the race. He kept the intensity high for all 20 laps of the Main Event, bringing it home for a strong fifth-place finish in Anaheim. “We were struggling a little bit in practice but we really turned the night around once the gate dropped for racing,” Stewart said. “In the Main Event, I got a really good start – we're slowly starting to get these starts now and I'm really excited about that. I know that we're P5 but we're still in the fight and we'll be ready to go for Phoenix – it's the Triple Crown baby! I'm excited for this one, it's one of my favorite races and it’s always a good time. I love the stadium and just love the vibes there, so I'm really looking forward to it.” It was a positive night for team rider Dean Wilson, who rode his way to a season-best finish in the 450SX Main Event. With a sixth-place start in 450SX Heat 2, Wilson sat just outside the top-five battle for most of the race. With two laps to go, he passed into sixth and maintained a steady pace into the final lap and he fought down to the final turns to ultimately finish seventh. In the Main Event, Wilson put himself into a great position off the start as he battled inside the top-five early on. He dropped back to eighth by the end of the first lap and from there he bounced around inside the top-10. Settling into ninth later in the race, Wilson kept a good pace through the checkers to secure his best finish of the season in ninth. "My night was definitely an improvement,” Wilson said. “I just have to keep trying to improve each week and work on my riding, especially my starts. I wouldn't say I'm totally happy with the result, but it was a solid Main Event and I’m looking forward to the Triple Crown next weekend!" In the 250SX division, Swoll got off to a fourth-place start in Heat 1 and he charged his way up to third by lap three. He overtook second-place on the second-to-last lap but he was passed back just before the finish, ultimately securing third in the heat. In the Main Event, Swoll had a great jump off the line and he immediately went to work battling for a top-five position. He experienced an issue that caused him to drop back to as far as seventh but he kept on charging to put himself in a favorable position late in the race. With two laps to go, he was able to capitalize on some mistakes and ultimately secure his first top-five finish of the season after being sidelined at the first two rounds due to injury. “It was a what-could-have-been night for me but it was still a step in the right direction,” Swoll said. “I felt really good but a freak accident happened and I was getting covered in gas, which is not ideal. It is what it is. I’m going to put it behind me, take the positives and carry it into the week of training and we should be back ready to compete for one of those top-three spots next weekend.” Round 5: February 5 – Glendale SX – Glendale, Arizona Round 4 Results: Anaheim 2 SX 450SX Results 1. Eli Tomac (YAM) 2. Jason Anderson (KAW) 3. Chase Sexton (HON) … 5. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 9. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX West Results 1. Christian Craig (YAM) 2. Michael Mosiman 3. Hunter Lawrence (HON) … 5. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 85 points 2. Chase Sexton – 79 points 3. Jason Anderson – 77 points … 6. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 70 points 11. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 47 points 250SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Christian Craig – 73 points 2. Hunter Lawrence – 67 points 3. Michael Mosiman – 62 points
The 2022 AMA Supercross Championship made its way back to Southern California for round three of racing in San Diego and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart had another steady performance in the 450SX class, finishing inside the top-five for the second-straight week. Qualifying fifth earlier in the day, Stewart got a decent jump in 450SX Heat 2 but he found himself outside the top-10 on the opening lap. He steadily climbed toward the front and with three laps to go, he powered his way into the top-five, finishing strong in fifth. In the Main Event, Stewart got pushed wide off the start and rounded the first lap in 10th. He put his head down and charged up to sixth by the halfway point, where he went to work battling for a top-five position. With the podium battle within reach later in the race, Stewart held strong to come away with a fifth-place finish in San Diego. "The night was great! Another P5 and moving in the right direction,” Stewart said. “We had a nice little battle going – I think it was Ferrandis, Cooper and myself. The box is right there – a little bit better of a start and we would've been in there but we're moving in the right direction and I'm really stoked on the way I've been riding. I can't thank the whole team enough, everyone's been putting the effort in. It's all about being consistent and just learning each and every race.” Dean Wilson didn’t get the best start in 450SX Heat 1 after being forced off-track to avoid carnage early on. After rounding the opening lap in 16th place, he slowly climbed into a transfer position just after the halfway point. He continued to charge in the final laps to ultimately secure an eighth-place finish. In the Main Event, Wilson grabbed a top-10 start but he had a mishap early on that dropped him back to 20th. With his work cut out for him, Wilson clawed his way back up to finish 14th on the night. "On paper my night doesn't look very good but I actually felt good with my riding,” Wilson said. “I actually got a pretty good start in the main but my clutch broke on the first lap and I stalled it. It took a minute to get the bike going and I was kind of riding without a clutch for the whole race. A little bit frustrating because I felt really good physically and I felt like I could have done the whole Main Event at a good pace but it is what it is and we'll come back next weekend." In the 250SX class, team rider Jalek Swoll returned to racing for his first Main Event of the 2022 season. Following a heat race crash at Anaheim that kept him sidelined for the first two rounds, Swoll came back on solid ground with a seventh-place qualifying position. He grabbed a 10th-place start in 250SX Heat 2, battling his way up to sixth halfway through. He made a mistake on the final lap and dropped a position to ultimately finish seventh in the heat. His Main Event performance was on par with the heat, beginning with a 10th-place start and resulting in a seventh on the night. “I know where I should be, so seventh-place kind of stings but it’s my first week back so I'll take it,” Swoll said. “I’ll get some laps in this week and work on getting my starts back and I'll honestly be just fine. I feel like I'm in a good spot speed-wise, so I feel really confident going into next week and I know I'm going to turn it up." Round 4: January 29 – Anaheim SX 2 – Anaheim, California Round 3 Results: San Diego SX 450SX Results 1. Chase Sexton (HON) 2. Eli Tomac (YAM) 3. Dylan Ferrandis (YAM) … 5. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 14. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX West Results 1. Michael Mosiman 2. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 3. Christian Craig (YAM) … 7. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 59 points 2. Chase Sexton – 58 points 3. Cooper Webb – 58 points … 8. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 52 points 11. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 33 points 250SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Christian Craig – 73 points 2. Hunter Lawrence – 67 points 3. Michael Mosiman – 62 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Malcolm Stewart delivered a top-five result at Round 2 of the 2022 AMA Supercross Championship in Oakland, California. Building off a seventh-place finish at the opening round, Stewart continues to build momentum in a favorable start to the new season. Teammate Dean Wilson followed up with a top-10 finish in the 450SX division. Stewart came out of the gate strong in 450SX Heat 1, putting his FC 450 Rockstar Edition into a top-three position off the start. While pressuring for the second-place position, Stewart made a mistake that sent him off the track but he rebounded quickly to manage a fourth-place transfer into the Main Event. Stewart didn’t get off to a great start in the Main Event and he put his head down to climb into a 10th place position on the opening lap. Relentlessly charging, Stewart broke into the top-five halfway through the race and he rode strong in the second half of the race to maintain a fifth-place finish at the second round. "I think the night was actually kind of quiet for me,” Stewart said. “I’m stoked on the way I’ve been riding but starts are holding me back a little bit. It’s part of racing and we can take what we’ve learned from here and move forward. We’re still in a really good position for points so I’m stoked on that and just the whole program I’ve been on, I’ve never had this much fun! It’s only the second race and I feel like I’ve been racing for so long. The whole vibe and happiness has been great, so I’m looking forward to another great week.” With a solid top-10 in qualifying, Dean Wilson lined up in in 450SX Heat 1 where he grabbed a top-five start. Battling just behind his teammate Stewart in fourth for most of the race, Wilson made a late-race mistake and ultimately finished sixth. In the Main Event, Wilson got off to a 12th place start and he chipped away all race long to ultimately secure a top-10 finish. "Overall, tonight was better than the first round,” Wilson said. “I got a good start in the heat race but I rode tight out there. In the Main Event, I didn’t get a great start but I ended up getting 10th. It’s not what we want but only can keep striving to be better and fight with those guys to get to the next step I need to be.” Team rider Jalek Swoll sat out for the second round as he continues to recover from a heat race crash at last Saturday’s opening round in Anaheim. Round 3: January 22 – San Diego SX – San Diego, California Round 2 Results: Oakland SX 450SX Results 1. Jason Anderson (KAW) 2. Aaron Plessinger (KTM) 3. Justin Barcia (GAS) … 5. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 10. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX West Results 1. Christian Craig (YAM) 2. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 3. Seth Hammaker (KAW) 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Justin Barcia – 42 points 2. Jason Anderson – 39 points 3. Cooper Webb – 39 points … 8. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 34 points 12. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 24 points 250SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Christian Craig – 52 points 2. Hunter Lawrence – 44 points 3. Seth Hammaker – 44 points
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has successfully completed the 2022 Dakar Rally with a strong performance on the 12th and final stage of the event, claiming sixth fastest on the short timed special. The result places the young Argentinian 13th in the overall rally standings. Although the final stage of this year’s Dakar Rally was a long one, totalling 680 kilometres from Bisha to the finish in Jeddah, the special used to decide the final event placings was a relative sprint to the finish, totalling just 164 kilometres. As the 26th rider to enter the timed section, Benavides immediately got his head down and pushed hard right from the start. With the special primarily made up of fast, sandy tracks, and navigation proving less of a challenge, times were extremely close at the sharp end of the timesheets. Coming in just less than three minutes behind the eventual stage winner, Luciano secured a strong result for the final stage and with it ended his 2022 Dakar on a high. The impressive performance continued a strong run of form for Benavides who has gone from strength to strength in the second week of racing. Following a tricky start where he, like many of his rivals, lost time on the event’s opening stage, Luciano has delivered six top-10 stage results to fight his way back up the leaderboard. Completing the rally in 13th overall, the former FIM Cross-Country Rallies Junior World Champion is happy to finish a third Dakar Rally and now looks ahead to attacking the rest of the world championship. Skyler Howes had also been showing incredible form at this year’s race when a crash on stage five forced him to withdraw from the event. After undergoing medical checks at the local hospital, the American was discharged and has since returned home where he will get some much-needed rest and recovery time before returning to competition later in the year. Luciano Benavides: “I’m really happy to complete this year’s Dakar, it’s been a really tough event both mentally and physically. It was hard to lose time on the first stage, but since then I have been giving my all to work my way back up the standings. The bike has been great and with a few changes as the race has gone on, I’ve found a setting I feel comfortable with and because of that the results have been improving throughout the rally. Getting to the finish of such a long and intense event feels amazing. It would have been good to get inside the top 10 by the finish, but I’m still happy with my performance. The result and the finish have really improved my confidence and now I’m looking forward to the rest of the year and seeing what we can do in the world championship, before preparing for Dakar 2023.” 2022 Dakar Rally – Stage 12 Provisional Classification 1. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 1:40:00 2. Toby Price (KTM) 1:40:18 3. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 1:40:29 4. Joan Barreda (Honda) 1:41:13 5. Mason Klein (KTM) 1:41:23 6. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 1:42:38 2022 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 12) 1. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 38:47:30 2. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 38:50:57 3. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 38:54:17 4. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 39:06:11 5. Joan Barreda (Honda) 39:13:12 6. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 39:25:36 … 13. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 34:16:17
Luciano Benavides has impressively completed stage 10 of the Dakar Rally as the second-fastest rider. Continuing his exceptional run of form in this second week of racing, the young Argentinian immediately pushed hard from his seventh-place start position, focusing intently on his navigation throughout the special. Putting in a superb ride to complete the 375-kilometre route just over two minutes down on the eventual stage winner, Luciano moves into 13th in the provisional overall standings. The terrain that the riders faced on stage 10 was a mixture of sandy tracks, dirt roads, and a section of dunes – all coming together on what was a fast stage in terms of average speed – that collectively posed a huge challenge to all riders. With temperatures high in the desert, fatigue and focus was also an issue, with many of the event’s top riders making mistakes and subsequently losing time over the course of the special. Overcoming the difficulties on today’s stage, Luciano showed great maturity and skill to take maximum advantage of his seventh-place start position and pushed his way up through the field to ultimately challenge for the stage win on his FR 450 Rally. Completing the gruelling special just two minutes and nine seconds behind winner Toby Price, Benavides now moves up to 13th in the provisional overall standings. Setting off second for tomorrow’s 346-kilometre special on stage 11, and aiming to chase down and catch Price ahead of him, Luciano will be keen to further improve his overall placing before going into the rally’s final day. Luciano Benavides: “I’m really pleased with my day today. It feels good to be right up there near the top and putting in the sort of results I know I’m capable of. I focused a lot on my navigation today, but there were still some tricky notes on the roadbook and some parts of the route were quite confusing. I made a couple of small mistakes, but the guys up front made mistakes too and it was possible for me to make up quite a lot of time over the whole stage. We have two days left now, so I’ll keep pushing and hopefully have a good, strong finish to the rally.” 2022 Dakar Rally – Stage 10 Provisional Classification 1. Toby Price (KTM) 3:05:32 2. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:07:41 3. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 3:09:07 4. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 3:11:12 5. Andrew Short (Yamaha) 3:12:01 6. Stefan Svitko (KTM) 3:12:01 2022 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 10) 1. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 33:27:06 2. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 33:33:05 3. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 33:33:21 4. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 33:35:30 5. Joan Barreda (Honda) 33:37:53 6. Toby Price (KTM) 33:54:49 … 13. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 34:16:17
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has continued his run of top-10 stage results by placing seventh-fastest on day nine of the Dakar Rally. Equalling his result from day eight, Benavides completed today’s special just over four minutes behind the eventual winner. In the provisional rankings, the FR 450 Rally rider lies 14th overall. The prescribed route for today’s 287-kilomtere stage nine was very fast, while also posing less of a challenge in terms of navigation. As such, the top competitors completed the stage with very little time to separate them. Setting off seventh into the special due to his strong performance from stage eight, Luciano Benevides used the first 100 kilometres to get comfortable and settle into the fast terrain before focusing on his speed from there to the end of the stage. Completing the special four minutes and 21 seconds off the leading time, despite navigating through much of the stage on his own, Luciano’s pace shows the quality of his riding and the performance of his Husqvarna Factory Racing machine. With three days left to race, Luciano lies 14th overall, 54 minutes behind the provisional rally leader. However, with times between the riders extremely close, the 26-year-old is fully focused on delivering more strong results, and moving further up the order, to hopefully complete the event well inside the top 10. Luciano Benavides: “Stage nine was a short, fast stage, but I really enjoyed it. It was made up mostly of rocky valleys and canyons with a few sections of dunes, too. The route was really high speed, so it wasn’t the best day to make up time on everyone else. I tried to be as consistent as I could because I think even a small mistake could end up costing you a lot of time today with everything being so close. I think I did a good job – I’m pleased to get two seventh place finishes in a row now, and again it puts me in a good starting position for tomorrow. I’m feeling good, the bike is working well with no problems, physically I am ok too. The team have also been putting in a lot of good work, so I’m really happy with how everything is going. I’m looking forward to pushing once again tomorrow.” 2022 Dakar Rally – Stage 9 Provisional Classification 1. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 2:29:30 2. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 2:30:56 3. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 2:31:17 4. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 2:31:36 5. Joan Barreda (Honda) 2:31:40 6. Andrew Short (Yamaha) 2:33:26 7. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 2:33:51 2022 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 9) 1. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 30:14:03 2. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 30:16:15 3. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 30:17:59 4. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 30:18:44 5. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 30:24:25 6. Joan Barreda (Honda) 30:25:00 … 14. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 31:08:36
Continuing to deliver solid results on the long and massively challenging days of the Dakar Rally, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has finished as seventh quickest on the long, 395-kilometre special on stage eight. Overcoming the usual yoyo effect, where riders starting near the front lose a considerable amount of time to their rivals before going on to earn an advantageous starting position for the following day, Benavides was able to maintain good speed on the stage with a minimum of mistakes. Ultimately, he completed the route just under 10 minutes behind the eventual stage winner. After a steady start through the early kilometres of the stage where he focused on his navigation, Luciano was able to hold his position just inside the top 10 for the majority of the tough, mixed terrain timed special. Where some of his rivals faltered, Benavides was able to maintain his focus and bring his FR 450 Rally to the finish in an extremely commendable seventh place, nine and a half minutes down on the quickest time for the day. His result moves the 26-year-old up to 14th in the provisional overall standings. Now, with his consistency paying off, and his 2022 Dakar Rally campaign going from strength to strength, the young Argentinian is looking to maximise the advantage he has for Tuesday’s 491-kilometre stage nine and make up more time on those starting ahead of him. Luciano Benavides: “Stage eight was a really long day. As usual it had some tricky navigation but also had a really big mix of terrain with big plateaus and dunes, rocky tracks and valleys, and some canyons too – it was really good fun to race through. The stage was fast, and conditions were windy too, but I was able to do a good job of my navigation and so I’m really happy with that. My speed was also good considering I was up near the front. Altogether I’m very happy with how the day went and now I’m looking forward to pushing once again tomorrow.” 2022 Dakar Rally – Stage 8 Provisional Classification 1. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 3:48:02 2. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 3:50:55 3. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 3:52:13 4. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 3:54:46 5. Mason Klein (KTM) 3:56:10 6. Toby Price (KTM) 3:56:41 7. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:57:34 2022 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 8) 1. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 27:38:42 2. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 27:42:27 3. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 27:43:25 4. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 27:44:12 5. Joan Barreda (Honda) 27:53:20 6. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 27:53:29 … 14. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 28:34:45
Luciano Benavides has put in his best performance of the 2022 Dakar Rally to date with an excellent ride to finish in fourth place on the technically demanding 404-kilometre special on day seven. While others struggled with the navigation required to successfully complete the stage without issue, the Husqvarna Factory Racing rider skilfully worked his way through the route, maintaining a good pace and strong rhythm. Fast right from his 15th place starting position as he headed into the stage, Benavides was able to work his way up to fifth place by the end of the sizeable dune section that dominated the opening half of today’s special. From there, the FR 450 Rally mounted racer maintained his top-five placing as he took on the rougher and more challenging second half of the special on the way to Al Dawadimi. Holding his own right to the finish of the stage, Luciano was able to complete the special in fourth place, less than eight minutes down on the eventual winner. The result moves the Argentinian up a further two places to 15th overall, 52 minutes adrift of the provisional race leader. Luciano is now well-placed to mount another attack on Monday’s stage eight, where he will enjoy a fourth-place start position into the 395-kilometre special. Luciano Benavides: “I had a really good feeling with the bike today and because of that I felt really comfortable pushing hard all through the stage. For sure, it’s my best day of the rally so far. I did make some mistakes later in the stage with my navigation, but thankfully I was able to get back on track quickly and didn’t lose too much time on the others. After a difficult start to the race and being forced to try and make up time on every stage, getting a result like this is really good for my confidence. I’m looking forward to tomorrow now and a strong second week to the rally.” 2022 Dakar Rally – Stage 7 Provisional Classification 1. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 3:28:46 2. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 3:29:30 3. Joan Barreda (Honda) 3:31:37 4. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:36:36 5. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 3:37:15 6. Joaquim Rodrigues (Hero) 3:37:43 2022 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 7) 1. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 23:45:02 2. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 23:50:14 3. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 23:50:25 4. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 23:50:40 5. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 23:51:36 6. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 23:53:17 … 15. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 24:37:11
Malcolm Stewart had a strong start to his racing debut with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team on Saturday where he claimed a seventh-place finish at the opening round of the 2022 AMA Supercross Championship in Anaheim, California. Stewart came out blazing aboard the FC 450 Rockstar Edition, claiming his first-career pole position in the 450 class. He charged off the line in 450SX Heat 2 to capture a fourth-place start and he mixed it up just outside podium contention early on. After battling intensely for the fourth-place spot, Stewart put forth a late race charge to overtake third and secure a podium finish in the heat race. In the Main Event, Stewart got off to an eighth-place start and he battled with the premier class front-runners early on. Inching his way toward the top-five, Stewart found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time as he got taken down halfway through the race. Re-mounting in 12th place, Stewart was able to fight his way back to claim an impressive seventh-place finish in the Main Event. "I think this was actually one of the better season openers for me since I started in the 450 class,” Stewart said. “Going into the weekend, I wanted to execute a few things like having a good heat race, and I was able to do that. P1 for a qualifying, I've never done that before, so I feel like that was a big achievement for me and even though we went down in the Main Event, it was actually a good ride performance-wise but you know, the results weren't there. It was a good start but I definitely feel there are a few things that we need to work on but overall, I'm happy to leave here on a good note and looking forward to Oakland and to keep driving – we’ve got 16 more races to go!" Wilson got an 11th place start in 450SX Heat 2 and he worked his way into qualifying position early on. He battled up to eighth midway through the race, ultimately securing a ninth-place transfer. In the Main Event, Wilson got a 13th place start and he rode a solid pace just outside the top-10 all race long to secure 12th on the night. "My night was a struggle for sure, which is frustrating because I've had a really good off season,” Wilson said. “In the Main, I was pretty far outside on the gate and I came through and made some good passes. I was hovering around top-10 and then got passed and ended up 12th. It wasn't great but I believe we'll just get better from here on out." Team rider Jalek Swoll suffered a crash at the beginning of the second 250SX heat race and was unable to continue racing for the night. Round 2: January 15 – Oakland SX – Oakland, California Round 1 Results: Anaheim I 450SX Results 1. Ken Roczen (HON) 2. Cooper Webb (KTM) 3. Justin Barcia (GAS) … 7. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 12. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX West Results 1. Christian Craig (YAM) 2. Seth Hammaker (KAW) 3. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Ken Roczen – 26 points 2. Cooper Webb – 23 points 3. Justin Barcia – 21 points … 7. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 16 points 12. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 11 points 250SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Christian Craig – 26 points 2. Seth Hammaker – 23 points 3. Hunter Lawrence – 21 points
With week one of the 44th Dakar Rally completed in Saudi Arabia, Husqvarna Factory Racing now looks ahead to the second half of the 2022 event, and what are expected to be some of the toughest challenges yet. In what has been a mixed race in terms of results and fortunes, Luciano Benavides continues as the sole rider for the team following the unfortunate crash and subsequent withdrawal of Skyler Howes on stage five. Luciano has delivered strong, consistent results with the minimum of mistakes to lie 17th overall heading into the second week of racing. Top-10 results on stages four and five show that Benavides is definitely on the pace and gelling well with the latest version of the FR 450 Rally. With the six stages left to race looking like they will pose a huge test to all riders with more technical terrain, rocky pistes, riverbeds, and canyons, Luciano is keen to make full use of his experience to further close the gap on those ahead of him and challenge for a top result. The former FIM Cross-Country Rallies Junior World Champion will enjoy a well-deserved rest day in Riyadh today, Saturday, before continuing his 2022 Dakar Rally campaign with Sunday’s stage seven. Lying eighth at the close of stage four, and still very much in the hunt for an overall podium result, Skyler Howes unfortunately suffered a crash on Thursday’s stage five. Although the American was able to make it to the end of the special, medics insisted he was taken to hospital for assessment, where thankfully no serious injuries were found. Although Skyler won’t play any further part in the 2022 Dakar, he is expected to make a fast and full recovery and be back riding soon. Luciano Benavides: “Looking back over my first week at this year’s Dakar gives me a mixture of feelings. On one hand, losing so much time on the first day, with that tricky note in the roadbook, really put me on the back foot straight away. On the other hand, I’m really happy with how I have been riding and navigating through the rest of the race – if it wasn’t for that first day I would be right up there with the leaders, and that’s really encouraging going into the second week. In terms of my feeling and riding, I think it’s my best Dakar ever, so far. The bike is working good and the team are doing a great job. I also believe I am better prepared mentally this year. It has meant I’m able to keep a good rhythm for the entire stage, and in turn that means there’s less chance of making a mistake. Looking ahead to week two, I think the navigation will be the biggest challenge. From previous years the rocky sections and the canyons have always been difficult to navigate through accurately and a wrong turn can end up costing a huge amount of time. The goal for the second week is to treat it like a new race – forget about the times and put in six really strong days. Hopefully then I can get some strong stage results and prove that I am capable of fighting for the top places.” Norbert Stadlbauer – Rally Team Manager: “I’m really pleased with how things have been going up to now with the whole team. Obviously, it’s a great shame to lose Skyler from the race, but thankfully he is doing ok, and we hope to see him back with us soon. The race has been up and down every single day – but that’s Dakar! It definitely seemed to be extremely difficult straight away this year in terms of the navigation and the route – normally the challenge increases as the race goes on. Luciano has been riding well, his pace is there and mentally he seems very strong. It’s a shame he fell foul of the tricky note in the roadbook on day one, it’s tough to lose an hour so early in the race, but he has stayed focused and has done a great job of building his speed. Looking ahead to next week, Luciano is fit and really motivated, if he can continue putting in the sort of performances he’s delivered over the last few days, he should be set for a strong result.” 2022 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 6) 1. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 19:55:59 2. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 19:58:38 3. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 20:01:34 4. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 20:03:42 5. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 20:13:43 6. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 20:14:21 … 17. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 20:59:35
Luciano Benavides has delivered a solid but cautious performance on the much-shortened timed special on day six of the 2022 Dakar Rally, to complete the stage in 11th place. With the planned route following that of the trucks and cars from the day before, the tracks were notably damaged with many new dangers appearing, which weren’t included on the riders’ roadbooks. Realising the situation, Benavides used his experience to carefully navigate his way through the stage, ensuring a safe finish. Originally planned to cover 404 kilometres, stage six was ultimately cut short by the organisers after it was found that the terrain was far more treacherous than first anticipated, due to the passing of the four-wheeled competitors the day before. Reduced to a quarter of its length, stage times were taken from the first refuel point. Showing especially strong form over the previous couple of stages, Luciano Benavides came into day six looking to move further up the overall ranking ahead of Saturday’s rest day. As the 10th rider into the special it was immediately obvious to him that the tracks were heavily damaged, and caution was required in order to minimise any mistakes or crashes on the unpredictable terrain. A solid but safe ride saw the Argentinian arrive at the refuelling point in 11th place, where he learned that the stage would be cut short. Frustrated not to have been able to make up more time on his rivals, but happy to come away from the stage without damaging himself or his bike, Luciano now looks forward to the rest day, and ahead to the second week of racing at this year’s Dakar. Luciano Benavides: “Honestly, I think the organisers made the right decision today. We knew the stage would be cut up quite badly – it always is when we follow the trucks and cars. This one seemed quite bad, and it was very easy to make a mistake, especially as a lot of the dangers weren’t listed in the roadbook. I’m happy with how I rode the stage – I chose not to push too hard, to use my brain and bring the bike home safely. Finishing 11th is ok, and it gives me a good start position for Sunday. Now, I’m looking forward to having some rest tomorrow. I feel pretty good, I think I was definitely very well prepared for this year’s race physically, but the final week is always tough and I want to be as strong as I can be to do my best.” 2022 Dakar Rally – Stage 6 Provisional Classification 1. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 0:51:43 2. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 0:54:09 3. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 0:54:19 4. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 0:54:58 5. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 0:55:02 6. Mason Klein (KTM) 0:55:16 … 11. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 0:56:29 2022 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 6) 1. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 19:55:59 2. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 19:58:38 3. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 20:01:34 4. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 20:03:42 5. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 20:13:43 6. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 20:14:21 … 17. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 20:59:35
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has delivered a strong performance on a demanding stage five of the 2022 Dakar Rally to claim a 10th place finish. Continuing to put in strong, consistent stage results, the young Argentinian moves himself further up the rally standings to sit 18th overall with just one day to go ahead of the mid-race rest day. Showing great speed on the 341-kilometre special, Skyler Howes unfortunately suffered a crash towards the end of the stage. Although able to complete the special as the ninth fastest rider, he was then taken to hospital for medical checks. Sadly, the American rider will take no further part in the race. Stage five of the Dakar challenged riders with 341 kilometres of mixed terrain and some extremely tricky navigation. Setting off fifth into the special, thanks to his solid result on Wednesday’s stage four, Luciano Benavides was immediately able to chase down and pass the two rivals ahead of him. With the pace high, the FR 450 Rally rider continued to push while also focusing on not making any small errors on the rocky tracks that made up the majority of the stage. Improving his position as the stage went on, Luciano was able to successfully navigate through a particularly tricky section that caught out many of the other competitors. From there he entered the final section of rolling dunes and raced on towards the finish. Ultimately claiming 10th place, Benavides moves up to 18th in the provisional overall standings, just over one hour behind the race leader. Skyler Howes had put in a superb performance on stage five, fighting his way through the field to post a time inside the top 10. However, a crash in the closing kilometres resulted in the American requiring medical checks at the local hospital. Although suffering no serious injuries, Skyler will play no further part in this year’s event. Luciano Benavides: “I’ve finished stage five and it was a really tricky day on the whole with some difficult navigation and some small issues towards the end. I started in fifth position and soon managed to catch and pass the two Sherco riders in front. After that there were only two riders left in front of me, and with the sandstorm that blew up halfway through the special, it was difficult to make them out, so I think I did a good job of navigating through the stage. I’m really happy with how the rally is going so far, it is frustrating that I lost an hour on day one, but since then my pace and navigation have been good, so I’m pleased with my progress. I’ll give my best again tomorrow and then I can enjoy the rest day.” 2022 Dakar Rally – Stage 5 Provisional Classification 1. Danilo Petrucci (KTM) 3:23:46 2. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 3:23:48 3. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 3:23:51 4. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 3:25:18 5. Toby Price (KTM) 3:25:32 6. Mason Klein (KTM) 3:27:07 … 10. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:31:11 2022 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 5) 1. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 19:01:50 2. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 19:04:19 3. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 19:07:49 4. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 19:09:51 5. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 19:17:17 6. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 19:18:45 … 18. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 20:06:06
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has put in an exceptionally strong performance on the long, 465-kilometre timed special on day four of the 2022 Dakar Rally to secure a fifth-place stage finish. The Argentinian moves up five places in the event standings to 20th. Teammate Skyler Howes, who set off as the fourth rider into the special due to his result from Tuesday’s stage three, placed 21st, successfully defending his top-10 placing in the overall standings. An early start welcomed the riders for today’s fourth full stage of the rally, and with a long and more technically demanding route ahead of them than on previous days, all competitors had to stay fully focused and committed for the entirety of the special. Accomplishing just that, Luciano Benavides completed the 465 kilometres in just over four hours, making the minimum of mistakes while moving up through the field to ultimately claim fifth place. The number 77 continues to claw back the time he lost on the tough first stage of the rally and now sits 20th in the provisional overall standings. He will set off sixth on Thursday’s 341-kilometre special, looking to make up even more time on those in front. Faced with the task of starting fourth into the longest stage of the event, Skyler Howes knew a consistent day of racing would be necessary to lose the minimum of time to his chasing rivals. The American star was able to not only do that but also maintain a speed that placed him a commendable 21st when he reached the stage finish. Although he dropped four places in the standings, Skyler still sits in an excellent eighth overall heading into stage five. Luciano Benavides: “Stage four was a really long stage – the longest of the rally, so I’m happy to finish well and inside the top 10. I kept focused on my navigation and it paid off, I was able to catch and pass some riders ahead of me, and I was able to keep a good speed for the whole stage without any big mistakes. The result is really encouraging, especially after such a tough day on stage one where a lot of us lost a lot of time. The bike is perfect and now I’m really looking forward to pushing hard for the rest of the race.” Skyler Howes: “Things went well for me today, and I’m pleased with how I rode the stage. After yesterday’s decent result, I started right near the front and the navigation was just tricky enough that we soon ended up in a group riding together. We all took it in turns to open and it meant although we didn’t make up too much time on those around us, we didn’t lose that much time to those behind. I made it to the finish line without having to correct too many mistakes, so I’m happy with that. I lost a bit of time, but that’s understandable, so I’ll regroup and push some more tomorrow.” 2022 Dakar Rally – Stage 4 Provisional Classification 1. Joan Barreda (Honda) 4:06:06 2. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 4:10:43 3. Rui Goncalves (Sherco) 4:14:05 4. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 4:15:02 5. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 4:16:01 6. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 4:16:21 … 21. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 4:27:42 2022 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 4) 1. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 15:30:01 2. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 15:33:01 3. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 15:34:55 4. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 15:37:08 5. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 15:40:29 6. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 15:41:14 … 8. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 15:45:17 20. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 16:31:55
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes continues to put in strong and consistent results at the 2022 Dakar Rally, claiming his second fourth-place stage finish in a row to move himself up to fourth in the provisional overall standings. Skyler now trails the event leader by under four minutes. Teammate Luciano Benavides completed the shortened 255-kilometre special in 15th place. Heavy rain in the area forced the organisers to cut short stage three, and with wet sand covering the tracks and dunes, the special delivered a fast-paced challenge to all competitors. Howes, who found the conditions very much to his liking, pushed hard from his fourth-place start position, making very few errors and catching the three riders ahead of him before the end of the stage. Opening the special from there on, the American was able to maintain his position on the time sheets, despite his rivals chasing him down. Another fourth-place stage result means that Howes now lies fourth in the overall standings and will also enjoy a strong start position for Wednesday’s long 465-kilometre timed special from Al Qaysumah to Riyadh. Continuing to move himself up the overall order, Luciano Benavides put in a solid ride on stage three to claim 15th place, just over six minutes down on the winner. Completing the special without error or incident, Benavides moves up to 25th in the rankings. The young Argentinian is determined to make up for the time lost on stage one, but with nine days still left to race, he knows that a consistent pace without any mistakes is key to fulfilling that goal. Skyler Howes: “Today was really fun – fast like yesterday with plenty of tracks and some technical dunes. I started off fourth and stayed there till around kilometre 250 where there was a tricky-to-find waypoint and I managed to catch up with the three in front. From there to the finish I opened the whole way, which was really fun and good experience. I did ok on my navigation today, not perfect but it all went smoothly, and I was able to stay at a good pace even from the front. Fourth on the stage is really encouraging, so I’m stoked and already looking forward to tomorrow.” Luciano Benavides: “Stage three has definitely been the best day for me so far in the race in terms of my rhythm and navigation. I didn’t make any big mistakes and was able to set my own pace throughout the special. Tomorrow is the longest day of the rally, and it looks like it’s going to include some really tricky navigation, so I think I have a good start position to hopefully make up some time. My position in the overall is still not too great because of the time lost on day one, but there are still many days to go, and I’ll keep on giving my best.” 2022 Dakar Rally – Stage 3 Provisional Classification 1. Joaquim Rodrigues (Hero) 2:34:41 2. Toby Price (KTM) 2:35:44 3. Mason Klein (KTM) 2:35:55 4. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 2:36:07 5. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 2:37:36 … 15. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 2:41:02 2022 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 3) 1. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 11:13:40 2. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 11:13:44 3. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 11:15:10 4. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 11:17:35 5. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 11:22:34 … 25. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 12:15:54
Putting the challenging opening stage of the 2022 Dakar Rally firmly behind him, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes has claimed a solid fourth-place result on the 554-kilometre stage two from Al Ha’il to Artawiyah. The FR 450 Rally rider now lies an impressive fifth overall in the provisional rally standings. Luciano Benavides fought his way back from a 38th place start to claim a solid 17th at the finish of the stage. Starting the special stage as the 10th rider to set off, Skyler was quickly up to speed and chasing down the riders ahead of him, once again pushing hard but not taking any unnecessary risks so early on in the event. Enjoying the fast tracks and wet sandy conditions, the American was soon knocking on the door of a top-three finish, eventually bringing his FR 450 Rally home in fourth and just over six minutes behind the day’s stage winner, Sam Sunderland. One of a number of riders to lose a considerable amount of time during yesterday’s stage one, Luciano Benavides started today’s stage two way back in 38th position. With a large number of competitors ahead of him, the Argentinian worked his way up 20 places before the day’s first checkpoint. Maintaining a strong pace, a small navigational error cost Luciano another few minutes in the latter kilometres of the special, but the young Argentinian was able to hold on to ultimately claim 17th for the day. Skyler Howes: “The stage went well for me – I felt pretty comfortable riding on the wet sand. The dunes and the fast, sandy tracks were a lot of fun to ride, so today was really enjoyable, especially after some of the stresses of yesterday. I felt like I rode at a pretty good pace, and I’m happy with my result. It puts me in a good position for stage three, so I hope I can maximise on that. My focus is just to keep putting in solid rides, and make sure that I stay focused on the navigation. Overall, I’m really happy with how today went.” Luciano Benavides: “Day two is done. I started quite far back and thought I would be able to use that to my advantage to make up as much time as I could on the guys in front. But with the rain making the sand really wet, following the tracks in front became very difficult as the route became quite rutted in places and it was difficult to push. I felt good with my rhythm and was still making good time, but then I made a little mistake towards the end of the stage that cost me some minutes. Overall I feel good, and the bike is great – 10 more stages to go.” 2022 Dakar Rally – Stage 2 Provisional Classification 1. Joan Barreda (Honda) 3:31:20 2. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 3:36:53 3. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 3:37:14 4. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 3:37:36 5. Toby Price (KTM) 3:38:20 … 17. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:52:41 2022 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 2) 1. Sam Sunderland (GASGAS) 8:31:29 2. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 8:34:20 3. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 8:34:58 4. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 8:35:37 5. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 8:41:28 … 27. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 9:34:52
At the end of a demanding opening day of competition at the 2022 Dakar Rally it was Skyler Howes who claimed Husqvarna Factory Racing’s best result, the American completed the 546-kilometre stage as the 10th fastest rider despite a navigational issue hampering his performance. Teammate Luciano Benavides was less fortunate, ending the day in 38th position having been among the first riders to arrive at a troublesome section of the special stage, going on to lose valuable time trying to find the correct route through the stage. Opting to ride cautiously during yesterday’s opening prologue so as to avoid being among the first riders into today’s special stage, Skyler was the 22nd rider to begin the first true special stage of the 2022 Dakar Rally. Steadily working his way forward while settling himself into the stage, the American improved to place just outside the top 10 as he arrived at the day’s most challenging navigational section. Thankfully, trusting his instincts, he lost little time and was able to ride on for an eventual 10th place result, earning a beneficial starting position for tomorrow’s second stage. Unfortunately for Skyler’s teammate Luciano Benavides, the Argentinian saw what began as a positive day’s work come undone mid-way between the refuelling stop and the end of the special stage. One of the first rider to enter the stage, and a lead rider for much of the day, Luciano struggled to find the day’s decisive and all-important waypoint. Dropping more than one hour to the fastest rider by the time he reached the end of the special, Luciano eventually placed 38th. Skyler Howes: “Today’s stage was actually quite fun to ride. It was the first stage of this year’s Dakar so I wasn’t pushing too hard. There were a lot of tracks and a lot of camel grass, so it was easy to get caught out. I just used the stage to feel my way into things early on, but then made a pretty big navigational error and just got things really wrong, like a lot of riders did. Thankfully, I went with my gut instincts and rode over a hill, then another hill, met up with some other riders that were looking for the waypoint and from there managed to find the waypoint before riding together to the finish. Apart from that the day was fun and my bike was great, so onto tomorrow.” Luciano Benavides: “You always hope that when you are one of the first riders to start a special stage that there won’t be any big difficulties, but today there were. I ended up in all the drama with the one note that a lot of riders struggled with. After doing a good job opening the stage, at one point I was one of 10 or 12 riders all lost, which is really frustrating. Not the way I wanted the rally to start, but we will race hard during the remaining 11 stages.” 2022 Dakar Rally – Stage 1 Provisional Classification 1. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 4:38:40 2. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 4:41:47 3. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 4:49:46 4. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 4:51:26 5. Mason Klein (KTM) 4:53:14 … 10. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 5:03:52 38. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 5:42:11
Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides and Skyler Howes are ready to take on the 2022 Dakar Rally, starting with stage 1A, tomorrow, January 1. The FR 450 Rally mounted pairing have successfully completed all shakedown tests and admin tasks and are both keen to get their race campaigns underway. Luciano Benavides will be looking to make amends for his 2021 event where, after showing impressive speed on the Saudi dunes, he crashed out on stage nine. Taking much of the 2021 season to first recover from the injury he sustained, and then build his speed and confidence, the young Argentinian now has his sights set on securing his best ever Dakar result. The 2022 event, and 44th edition of the Dakar, will be the first ridden by Skyler Howes in a factory team. Signing for Husqvarna Factory Racing early in 2021, the American star settled into his new surroundings extremely quickly, and that was reflected in his results, claiming multiple stage wins over the course of the season. Skyler finished the 2021 Dakar in fifth and as top privateer, and now with the added support of the factory Husqvarna team behind him, he’ll be gunning for the win. Covering a total distance of over 8,000 kilometres and spanning two weeks of racing, the 2022 Dakar Rally looks set to be a true test of rider and machine. The 12 full stages will see riders set out from the bivouac in Ha’il, work their way around the east of the country ahead of the rest day in Riyadh on January 8, before looping around to the finish at Jeddah on Friday, January 14. The first test for all competitors will be stage 1A – a long 609-kilometre transfer from Jeddah to Ha’il that includes a short 19-kilometre Prologue ridden against the clock. The top 15 finishers will then be able to choose their start position for the 333-kilometre timed special on stage 1B, when the true tough and technically demanding event really gets underway. Luciano Benavides: “The first feeling on the bike ahead of Dakar is always really important and it was nice to complete a positive shakedown, the bike was really good. I felt smooth, I felt fast, and with good confidence on the bike, so I am really happy with this. The team have already been working very hard to get the bike prepared for the race, so things are looking good. For sure, there is a long way to go, and we never really know exactly what to expect, we just have to take it day by day.” Skyler Howes: “With shakedown tests complete, I’m really happy with the bike. We were able to make some changes to the settings, so I think I have a really good set-up for the race. This is my first Dakar as a factory racer, so I’m really excited about that. Before, it was always a struggle just getting to the race, so this year I have had a lot more time to focus on my fitness and preparation. I’m definitely in a much better position. Looking ahead to the race, I’m aiming for the very best result possible – anything less than a win is simply not what we’re going for. As we know, the Dakar is a huge and unpredictable race – anything can happen. My plan is to give it my all and just have fun with it. Usually when I’m enjoying myself I deliver the best results. Hopefully at the end of the race I can put a Husqvarna on the top step of the podium.”
Blood, sweat, and tears. Watch the best highlights from Husqvarna Factory Racing’s unforgettable year in this captivating video. Showcasing every significant moment from Billy Bolt’s FIM Hard Enduro World Championship win, Romano Fenati toasting Moto3 victory at Silverstone, Kay de Wolf’s fantastic rookie season, all the way through to our fascinating Drop The Gate video series, it’s been a truly memorable 2021 for Husqvarna Motorcycles both on and off the race track. As the season reached its conclusion, we said goodbye to former champions Zach Osborne and Jason Anderson and congratulated them both on their racing achievements. With the duo accumulating five championship wins between them, they made an incredibly valuable contribution to Husqvarna Motorcycles’ 107 world titles and our rich 118-year history. And with a roster of talented young racers onboard for 2022, the future looks incredibly bright. Starting in January with the Dakar Rally, Skyler Howes and Luciano Benavides will fight for the top spots while Malcolm Stewart will make his AMA Supercross debut for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing shortly after on January 8. Then, at the turn of spring, our MXGP, enduro, and Moto3 teams will embark on their new racing seasons with a fresh new look and high hopes for championship success. Enjoy the video and for more 2021 action this festive season, head over to our YouTube channel.
With the opening round of the AMA Supercross Championship just around the corner, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team is excited to announce its rider lineup for the 2022 race season, which includes a seasoned roster in both classes. Returning riders Dean Wilson, RJ Hampshire, Jalek Swoll and Stilez Robertson – along with newcomer Malcolm Stewart – are looking forward to piloting the all-new FC Rockstar Editions this season, beginning on Saturday, January 8 in Anaheim, California. Since the exciting announcement over the summer, fans across the globe have anticipated Malcolm Stewart’s debut aboard the FC 450 Rockstar Edition and the time is finally upon us. Coming off a successful supercross season in 2021, Stewart has proven himself as a contender in the premier 450 class with a podium finish and four top-five finishes last season. Now, with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team behind him, Stewart looks to keep the momentum rolling as he prepares to attack both Supercross and Motocross for the first time since 2014. Malcolm Stewart: “I feel really good. We’ve been doing a lot of training and we’ve got the bike really dialed in, so we’re looking forward to going into A1 and the 2022 season. It’s going to be a good year for me. I know I ended really good last year for the last couple rounds but now obviously we’re on a new team and feeling better, I like the whole vibe here. All we can do is go out there, have fun and do what we can do!” Wilson, who first came to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing in 2017, will enter his sixth season with the team in 2022. Battling through an ongoing illness in 2021, Wilson missed quite a few races but he still managed to stay consistent and finish just outside the top-10 in the AMA Supercross Championship and he looks to build upon that foundation as he heads into 2022 healthy and ready to go. Dean Wilson: “I’m really excited for the new season. I have another great opportunity with the team and I’m feeling really good. I’m looking for some good finishes, everything is kind of falling into place so it should be good.” 250SX The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team boasts an exciting lineup of seasoned 250 cc riders who are all set to contest the championship aboard the new generation FC 250 Rockstar Edition. At the helm for his third year with the team is multi-time race winner, RJ Hampshire. With an endless amount of speed and determination, Hampshire is a fierce competitor on the race track and he looks to refine his skills this season and finally land on top of the box with a number one plate. RJ Hampshire: “I’m feeling good heading into the new season. We’ve had a good off-season so far and the bike is awesome, so we have a lot of things to look forward to. We’re starting fresh and just excited to be with the team for another year and build on what we’ve started the last couple years.” Jalek Swoll, who began his professional supercross career with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing in 2020, now enters his third season in the class. The 21-year-old had a break-out season in 2021, claiming a strong second-place at Arlington SX before rounding out the series with a top-five overall in the championship standings. He also showed flashes of brilliance outdoors, securing his first-career overall win with 1-3 moto finishes at the High Point National. For 2022, Swoll will line up in the 250SX Western division where he looks forward to a new set of challenges on the west coast. Jalek Swoll: “I’m excited to race, going to be on a different coast than usual so that will be a different and fun learning experience. I’m looking forward to that. I think we’re in for a pretty good year. I’m just going to do what I did last year and have fun all the way through and let the results come to me.” With one full year of professional racing under his belt, Stilez Robertson will return for his sophomore season with the team. Despite an up-and-down rookie season due to injury and illness, the 19-year-old came away with a few highlights in 2021, including an impressive second-place finish at Daytona SX. He missed three of the last five rounds but still managed a respectable 13th overall in the standings. Hoping for a strong push outdoors, Robertson got off to a decent start but illness prevented him from finishing out the season. Fully recovered heading into 2022, Robertson is confident that he will stack up when the gate drops in January. Stilez Robertson: “It was a tough off-season with the sickness but I got over it and I’m really looking forward to going racing. I’ve been putting in the work and now I’m ready to go and show everybody what we’ve been working for. I’m excited to have a good season, be up front and try to put together some good results in both supercross and outdoors.” Stephen Westfall – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager: “I feel really good heading into the 2022 season. The team is solid and we have an all-new bike for both the 450 and 250. We have a really solid base and I think we will continue to get better throughout the year. The team is working hard, we’ve got a good group down in Florida all training together and pushing each and every day. We’ll continue to improve and we’re looking forward to the results this year.” The 2022 AMA Supercross Championship kicks off on Saturday, January 8 in Anaheim, California. Follow the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team on Instagram for behind-the-scenes race day action: @rockstarhusky #RockstarHusky #ElevatingTheSport
Luciano Benavides and Skyler Howes will represent Husqvarna Factory Racing at the world’s toughest off-road motorcycle race – the Dakar Rally – with the two-man team set to compete on the new FR 450 Rally. With just over two weeks to go before the biggest rally event of the year, Husqvarna Factory Racing are all set to take on the iconic event, held in Saudi Arabia for the third successive year. Armed with the latest edition of the Husqvarna FR 450 Rally, Benavides and Howes hope to start their 2022 seasons strongly with top results at the Dakar Rally. Crashing out of the 2021 Dakar on stage nine, Luciano Benavides was forced to spend the start of his 2021 season recovering from an injury to his shoulder. Determined to get back on the bike and back racing as soon as possible, the young Argentinian returned to competition at the first round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship in Kazakhstan, where he claimed an impressive sixth place overall. A solid seventh-place result at the Silk Way Rally further increased Benavides’ confidence and he was able to carry that momentum into the Rallye du Maroc where his consistency enabled him to secure another top-six finish. Now, heading into the 2022 Dakar, Luciano is back to full fitness and feels more motivated than ever to secure his best result at the legendary event. Signing for the Husqvarna factory in April, Skyler Howes competed in his first international event for the team just over one month later at Rally Kazakhstan. The likeable American immediately impressed, converting his speed and enthusiasm into two stage wins. Gelling well with the team and with the bike, Howes continued to deliver strong performances for the rest of the world championship season, mixing it with the more established racers while also gaining valuable experience along the way. Securing fifth place and finishing as the top privateer at the 2021 Dakar, Skyler is now looking forward to competing at the event for the first time as a fully supported factory rider and will be hoping to make the best use of his excellent navigational skills on the technical terrain while fighting for a top result. Marking the first round of the 2022 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship and awarding extra points due to its classification as an FIM Marathon Rally, the 44th edition of the Dakar is building up to be more important than ever. Covering 12 stages from January 1 to January 14, and totalling close to 8,000 kilometres, the race promises to provide the ultimate test of endurance, speed, and navigation as it travels through the Saudi desert. Luciano Benavides: “2021 has been a long, tough year for me. It started well with the Dakar where I had good speed, but then my crash forced me out of the event. It took a lot of rest and training to get my shoulder up to strength, but thankfully I was able to get back on the bike quite early on and begin to build my pace again. The first couple of world championship rounds went ok at Kazakhstan and Silk Way, I was able to slowly build my confidence, but I knew I was a little bit off the pace. We spent a lot of time in the middle of the year developing the new bike and then when we rode it in Morocco it was definitely a big step forward for me. Not only did the bike perform really well, but it also helped me and my confidence – I felt comfortable straight away and from that the speed came more easily. The team have done an incredible job – many hours working and testing and I’m pleased with the result. Now, looking ahead to the next Dakar I’m happy with where I am both mentally and physically, and with my speed. The bike and the team are working really good right now, so I believe we have an excellent package for Dakar and will be able to fight for strong results. For sure, it’s going to be tough as always, but this will be my fifth Dakar and I think I’m better prepared than ever.” Skyler Howes: “The year has gone really well for me – it’s been my first season as a factory racer and that has made a huge difference, it’s been great to just focus on my racing, which I feel is reflected in my results. Going into the Dakar in January, I’m definitely more prepared than I ever have been, but at the same time my goals remain the same – give it my all, stay safe, but try to come out the other side with the very best result possible. The Dakar is tough, and you can pretty much guarantee you’re going to have difficult days. The key is to keep looking forward and focus on that final result – that’s what keeps me going and keeps me motivated. The new bike we have been developing throughout the year has been another massive improvement for me. In years past, I’ve just turned up at the Dakar and often ridden a bike for the first time at that event. Now, I’ve been given the chance to not only spend a lot more time on that bike, but also have a massive input into its development. That’s had the effect that I feel really at home on the new FR 450 Rally and I’m looking forward to taking it to Dakar. At the end of the day, I’ll be happy if I give it my all and have fun, hopefully the final result will reflect that too.”
Another strong performance by Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teams's RJ Hampshire The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team concluded part two of an unprecedented two-weekend stay at the Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, where the team rallied together to create a promising start to the 2020 AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Team rider Zach Osborne led the charge as he showcased incredible determination and heart to emerge as the 450MX overall winner at Loretta Lynn’s for a second-straight week, despite the most unfavorable of conditions and circumstances throughout the day. His teammate, RJ Hampshire, put forth a notable performance in 250MX Moto 1 to claim his first race-win of the season amidst the chaos. 450MX For Osborne, the end result turned out to be satisfactory but the path to get there wasn’t easy for the 450MX points leader, who experienced a freak issue with his bike at the start of Saturday’s one and only qualifier, due to immense rainfall and sloppy track conditions. The team worked hard and fast to get Osborne back on-track just in time for him to secure a top-10 qualifying position from the “B” session. In Moto 1, he got off to a bad start and rounded the opening lap in 31st. He made an incredible charge through the muddy chaos to ultimately secure a top-five finish. In Moto 2, he got off to a sixth-place start and worked his way into podium contention just before halfway. Sitting close behind in second heading into the final laps, Osborne eventually capitalized on a mistake from the race leader and overtook the lead with a strong push to the checkers. Finishing 5-1 on the day, Osborne clinched the overall win with a top performance in Tennessee. “It was a lot of turmoil to start off the day but we turned it around with a 5-1 and kept the red plate, which is really a testament to what we have as a group,” Osborne said. “Overall, it was a great salvage and a great day for myself and my team.” It was a tough start to the day for Anderson, last week’s Moto 1 winner, who got caught in the muddy cross-fire with a crash off the start in Moto 1. He re-mounted at the back of the pack and began working his way through the field until another crash set him back once again. He came back strong in Moto 2, rallying his way from a 13th place start all the way up to an impressive fourth-place finish in the moto. With 27-4 scores, Anderson salvaged a top-10 overall with ninth-place for the day. “The weekend was kind of rough but the second moto went much better and I was able to work my way up to fourth,” Anderson said. “I’m ready to move on to the next round and keep pushing.” For Wilson, it proved to be challenging day in the mud. In Moto 1, he got off to a fourth-place start but he went down on the first lap and battled his way up to just outside the top-10. He ran into an issue late in the race, ultimately finishing 20th. In Moto 2, he captured a top-10 start and maintained a comfortable pace to finish 11th in the moto. “It was a very tough weekend with the muddy conditions and really hard on the bikes so I tried to slow the pace down in Moto 2 and save the bike as much as I could,” Wilson said. “I’m looking forward to some dry conditions where I can actually show what I can do. It’s been tough but we’ll keep plugging away.” 250MX In Moto 1, Hampshire got off to a top-three start amidst a muddy mess and he diligently worked his way into the lead by lap four. He went on to lead 12 of the 15 laps to secure his first moto-win of the season by almost 10 seconds. In Moto 2, Hampshire spun off the gate and ended up coming into contact with another rider and went down in the first corner, pushing him back to 30th on the opening lap. He went to work picking his way through the field where he reached as far up as eighth but he was unable to complete the final laps as his bike fell victim to the treacherous conditions. With 1-18 scores for the day, Hampshire salvaged sixth overall to sit fourth overall in the 250MX Championship Standings with one moto-win and a pair of podium finishes behind him. “It was a brutal track today but I was pumped to hold on in Moto 1 to get my first moto-win with the team,” Hampshire said. “After going down in the first turn, I put on a charge and climbed as much as I could but the bike ended up letting go with a lap and a half to go. It’s not the final result we wanted but I’m looking forward to battling up front some more this season.” Rookie Stilez Robertson made the best of the adverse conditions as he raced his way to a career-first top-10 overall in the 250MX class. Robertson got a top-10 start in Moto 1 and he shuffled back-and-forth throughout the moto to secure 12th. In Moto 2, he captured another top-10 start and made progressive moves forward to claim a career-best seventh-place finish to round out the day with eighth overall in only his second professional race. “Overall, it was a pretty good day but it was brutal out there, probably the muddiest track I’ve ever ridden,” Robertson said. “The first moto I made too many mistakes and had too many little tip-overs. The second moto, I rode pretty good – I didn’t make that many mistakes, stayed on two wheels and kept my bike running.” Jalek Swoll missed Round 2 due to a mild concussion sustained during the first 250MX moto last Saturday and he hopes to be back to racing soon. Loretta Lynn’s National II – Results 450MX Results 1. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (5-1) 2. Adam Cianciarulo, Kawasaki (3-5) 3. Marvin Musquin, KTM (8-2) … 9. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (27-4) 18. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (20-11) 250MX Results 1. Jeremy Martin, Honda (3-2) 2. Dylan Ferrandis, Yamaha (2-4) 3. Alex Martin, Suzuki (7-1) … 6. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (1-18) 8. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (12-7) 450MX Rider Point Standings – After 2 of 9 rounds 1. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 88 points 2. Marvin Musquin, 69 points 3. Justin Barcia, 59 points 4. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 58 points … 13. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 32 points 250MX Rider Point Standings – After 2 of 9 rounds 1. Dylan Ferrandis, 90 points 2. Jeremy Martin, 84 points 3. Alex Martin, 71 points 4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 70 points … 14. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 27 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes has claimed a second consecutive runner-up result at the 2021 Silk Way Rally with an impressive performance on stage four. Luciano Benavides also secured another strong finish, just over four minutes adrift of his teammate. Despite setting off second into the well-used tracks of today’s 133km special, Howes, knowing the route, was able to push right from the start. Never falling below third in the order, a final charge to the end saw the American claim second place, just over one-minute behind the eventual winner. The result moves Skyler up into second place in the overall standings with just Tuesday’s final stage to race. Maintaining the consistent pace he’s demonstrated throughout the event, Luciano Benavides rode a solid stage four with very few mistakes to ultimately claim seventh place. Also lying seventh in the provisional overall standings, just seconds from sixth, the Argentinian racer will be aiming to deliver a strong final stage tomorrow to move up the order. Competitors will repeat Saturday’s special on tomorrow’s stage five. Starting and finishing in Gorno-Altaisk, riders will have to attack the final 132km route in order to secure their final finishing positions and the valuable championship points. Skyler Howes: “Today was actually really fun because we were able to up the intensity a lot. Navigation was not so difficult because we knew where we were going, but the stage was still quite tough to get right. The bike felt really good, and I felt comfortable keeping up a really fast pace, so that’s really encouraging. Finishing second today moves me up to second in the standings so my plan now is to get some rest so I can give it my all tomorrow. It’s a special that you can definitely lose a lot of time on, but not gain so much. A good ride to the finish should see my complete the rally in a strong position.” Luciano Benavides: “As today’s stage was the same as yesterday, there wasn’t too much navigation, but despite that I still tried to practice using my notes. My pace today wasn’t quite as good as I had hoped, but I didn’t lose too much time on the leaders, so I’m happy about that. I did have one small crash in the mud right at the beginning of the stage, but apart from that all went well. There’s one more stage left and I’m looking forward to completing that and arriving safely at the finish.” 2021 Silk Way Rally – Stage 4 Provisional Classification 1. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 1:22:47 2. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 1:23:56 3. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 1:24:18 4. Sebastian Buhler (Hero) 1:24:50 5. Franco Caimi (Hero) 1:27:30 6. Andrew Short (Yamaha) 1:28:20 … 7. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 1:28:23 2021 Silk Way Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 4) 1. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 5:13:57 2. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 5:18:44 3. Franco Caimi (Hero) 5:19:33 4. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 5:22:32 5. Sebastian Buhler (Hero) 5:22:42 6. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 5:29:44 … 7. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 5:30:36
The Sterilgarda Max Racing team will charge into the 2021 Moto3 FIM World Championship with the same rider line-up on the Husqvarna FR 250 GPs Husqvarna Motorcycles will start 2021 Moto3 competition with the same strong line-up of experience and promising youth thanks to contract renewals with Romano Fenati and Alonso Lopez. Fenati currently sits on the edge of the top ten in the 2020 series standings from his eighth season in Moto3 and has scored points in eight Grands Prix during his first term on the Husqvarna FR 250 GP. Most memorably the 24-year old Italian rode to the brand’s maiden victory at Misano in September; the twelfth of his career. He has since increased his competitiveness to place the distinctive white and blue motorcycle near the front of the action-packed category in the second half of the 2020 campaign. Lopez has shown a fierce ability for impressive race starts and has improved his qualification performances as 2020 has developed. The 19-year old is nearing the conclusion of his third Grand Prix season and the highlight so far has been 5th position at the Gran Premi de Catalunya. The Spaniard has posted GP points on four occasions. Sterilgarda Max Racing team will be able to count on the continuity of the working relationship throughout the crew and the concentrated effort to refine the Husqvarna Motorcycles machine to again be a force for Moto3 success come 2021. Romano Fenati: “I’m proud to continue for another season with Husqvarna and this team. I’m happy to race and work here. We need to do more, and we know we can. We worked on the bike and made a big step and need to do another one in 2021. We then can start with this base and aim to do our best race-by-race.” Alonso Lopez: “I feel very comfortable in the team and I understand the bike a lot better now. We are working very well and step-by-step we are closing the gap to the first group and this is really important for next year because we’ll be able to make good results and demonstrate our potential. I’m very happy.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “Things have been progressing much better in terms of performances because Romano became more confident and started to race like we expected; the win was of course something that made us very happy. Alonso had some promising races, so it was our priority to confirm these riders and go again next season. Alonso is still young and Romano - together with our group and all the experience - we know is capable of much better results. We haven’t seen the best of the combination yet but I think we will in 2021: that’s my biggest hope.”
Husqvarna Motorcycles reached the halfway marker of the 2021 MotoGP™ series with their second trophy as Romano Fenati classified 3rd around the historic curves of the TT Circuit Assen. Round nine of the world championship took place at the oldest Grand Prix venue on the calendar and the technical layout of the TT Circuit Assen made a welcome return to MotoGP for the first time since 2019. The course had been newly resurfaced for a prime level of grip even if the unstable weather climate saw showers create dry and damp sessions in the build-up to race day. As usual Romano Fenati was among the front-runners in Free Practice on Friday and Saturday, clocking the 5th fastest time on his FR 250 GP after the first combined sessions. Adrian Fernandez was learning the intricacies of Assen for the first time in Grand Prix but was also close to the pace-setters within the highly competitive category. The Italian and the Spaniard filled 2nd and 21st positions on the start grid for the 22-lap race on Sunday morning. Due to an infringement on Friday both Fenati and Fernandez had to complete a double Long Lap penalty during the chase that got underway under bright skies. The situation meant Fenati had to cleverly negotiate the opening laps and install himself among the leaders. His corner speed was devastatingly effective and despite having to register the extra distance he kept in the hunt for podium places. When the chequered flag fell Fenati was able to reach 3rd place – just two tenths of a second from victory - and secure 16 points for his world championship total that keeps him inside the top four of the standings. The former Grand Prix winner is 30 points from Sergio Garcia in 2nd position. Fernandez crashed out at Assen. After four events in the last five weeks MotoGP now enters a summer break and a pause that extends well over a month due to the cancellation of the Grand Prix of Finland. The paddock joins up again at the picturesque and fast Red Bull Ring circuit for the Styrian and Austrian rounds on back-to-back weekends at the beginning of August. Romano Fenati: “It’s amazing to make a podium here at this circuit, and an amazing race. After two Long Laps my feeling was still so strong with the bike. Lap by lap I was making ground. At the end of the race I was on the limit with the rear trye but I’m really happy. We were competitive all weekend and it was a joy to ride the bike.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “A great performance from Romano who started leading the group from the first corner. The long lap penalties were a disadvantage but he could still come back to the front and was pushing like a lion. I saw him really motivated. It was very impressive and we could be in contention for the win. A crash for Adrian, which was too bad, but overall a good GP for the team.” Results – 2021 Moto3 World Championship, Round 9 1. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 37:35.287, 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) +0.078, 3. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +0.207, DNF. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) World Championship standings 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 158pts; 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 110pts; 3. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 86pts; 4. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 80 pts; 24. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) 10 pts.
Jed Beaton has claimed an impressive fourth overall for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing at the fifth round of the FIM MX2 World Championship. Enjoying a highly positive third-place finish in race one, the Australian then backed it up with an eighth in moto two, which rewarded Jed with another well-deserved points haul and moves him up to sixth in the series standings. Jed’s teammate, Kay de Wolf, secured eighth overall in MX2 on his FC 250, while in the MXGP class Arminas Jasikonis’ day was highlighted by a race one 13th. Thomas Kjer Olsen placed 11th in moto two. Round five of the FIM Motocross World Championship took place at the Loket venue in the Czech Republic. The classic circuit featured rolling hills, technical off-camber corners, and a slick racing surface, which created close racing in every moto. Continuing on from his podium results at round four, Jed Beaton claimed an impressive fourth overall in the MX2 class at the MXGP of Czech Republic. After starting well inside the top-10 in race one, the Australian made a number of quick passes to move into third by the end of the opening lap. From here, he put in a monumental effort to catch the leading riders, going on to complete the moto just under five seconds behind the eventual winner, Mattia Guadagnini. For race two, Beaton enjoyed another top-10 start and set about improving upon his moto one performance. Despite his best efforts, the 23-year-old could only advance to eighth by the end of the moto following a race-long battle to maintain his position. Rewarded with fourth overall, the FC 250 rider now moves up one place, to sixth, in the MX2 World Championship standings with the fourth placed rider just seven points ahead. Following on from his breakthrough ride last weekend, Kay de Wolf arrived in Loket with his confidence high and hungry for more success. His day in the Czech Republic started perfectly with the young Dutchman very nearly claiming the race one holeshot. A few small mistakes demoted him back to fifth, where he remained until the very last lap when series leader Maxime Renaux slipped by. Kay would go on to successfully complete the race in a strong sixth place. For moto two, rain was falling, which caused Kay to momentarily lose traction when the gate dropped. Having fought his way past a number of his rivals in the first few turns, the 16-year-old completed the opening lap in 12th, before he began working his way up the leaderboard. By race end, de Wolf had moved up to ninth. Paired with his race one result, Kay claimed eighth overall on the day. In the MXGP class, round five proved to be a frustrating one for Thomas Kjer Olsen and Arminas Jasikonis. With both riders encountering technical issues during the day, Kjer Olsen secured a strong 11th in race two while Jasikonis added more points to his championship tally courtesy of his 13th in moto one. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing will next be in FIM Motocross World Championship action at the MXGP of Flanders-Belgium, round six of the series next weekend on August 1. Jed Beaton: “It was a bit of a mixed day with my results, which I’m not overly happy with, but to finish fourth overall, I’ll take that with a not so good second moto. In the first race I was able to make a lot of quick passes and moved into third early on and everything came really easy to me. Unfortunately, I couldn’t quite make the same passes in race two. The track was a bit slick after the rain, so it was hard to push, and it was just a big battle throughout the top-10. It was frustrating trying to make passes while riding defensive but overall, fourth is pretty decent and I’m leaving here healthy ahead of the next one.” Kay de Wolf: “I really enjoyed my racing today. My results weren’t quite as good as last weekend but I’m ok with this on a hardpack track like we had today. My starts in both races were really good. I nearly took the holeshot in race one but made a few mistakes after that and dropped back a little. I held fifth until the last lap when I got held up behind a backmarker and Maxime Renaux passed me. It was unfortunate, but another lesson learned. In race two I had a little bit of wheelspin off the start and then I had to fight through. I ended up eighth overall so I’m really happy with this and now my focus is on Lommel next weekend.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “Today was a bit of a tough day but my 11th in race two gives me a lot of confidence as my start wasn’t great, but I was able to make a lot of passes. It’s shame that I cased a jump in race one and damaged my rear wheel. I was able to manage it for most of the race and I was in the points, but it got to the point where it was too dangerous to continue. Another learning day for sure and this week I’ll focus on my starts, which will make my life a little bit easier if I can be up front with the top guys from the start.” Arminas Jasikonis: “It was nice to continue with a strong result on the hardpack in race one today. I’m really beginning to feel like my old self and feel comfortable out there on the race track. So, there are plenty of positives to take away from today. For sure the second race was a little disappointing, two crashes, and I hurt my wrist but looking ahead, I feel like the season is just starting for me and we’ll keep improving week by week.” Results – 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 5 MXGP - Overall 1. Jorge Prado (KTM) 45pts; 2. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 40; 3. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 38… 16. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 10; 18. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 8 MXGP - Race 1 1. Jorge Prado (KTM) 35:10:919, 19 laps; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 35:11:448; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 35:32:887… 13. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 36:13:929 MXGP - Race 2 1. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 33:52:869, 18 laps; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 33:57:238; 3. Jorge Prado (KTM) 34:00:584… 11. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 34:36:589 MX2 - Overall 1. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 41pts; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 38; 3. Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 37; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 33… 8. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 27 MX2 - Race 1 1. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 33:59:915, 18 laps; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 34:02:573; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:04:676… 6. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 34:10:789 MX2 - Race 2 1. Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 34:24:942, 18 laps; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 34:30:622; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 34:31:585… 8. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:03:866; 9. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:11:546 Championship Standings – After Round 5 MXGP 1.Tim Gajser (Honda) 194pts; 2. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 183; 3. Jorge Prado (KTM) 177… 13. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 72; 23. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 31 MX2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 179pts; 2. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 177; 3. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 165… 6. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 142; 10. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 114
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides and Skyler Howes are all set to compete at Rally Kazakhstan, round one of the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. For Benavides, the race marks the first competitive outing since his injury at the Dakar in January, while for Howes, it will be his first FIM event since signing for the team earlier this year. Showing impressive speed and consistency at the Dakar Rally in January, Luciano Benavides’ event was frustratingly cut short after he suffered a fall on stage nine. Returning home to Argentina, Benavides soon underwent surgery to repair the damage caused to his shoulder. Luciano successfully completed an intense period of training in Spain recently, where he and the team worked on settings for the FR 450 Rally as well as his road book skills and navigation. Now, having had time to return to full fitness and rebuild his confidence, the 25-year-old is ready to start his 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies campaign with Rally Kazakhstan. Signing for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing towards the end of April, top Dakar privateer Skyler Howes immediately impressed at his first two outings for the team by securing a runner-up result in both the Silver State 330 desert race and the Sonora Rally. Also travelling to Spain to carry out important testing with the team, Howes has enjoyed getting up to speed on his new bike. Now, as the first round of the world championship grows nearer, Skyler is keen to make a strong impression while also conscious of the task ahead of him – continuing to build his speed and skills ahead of his Dakar debut for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team next January. Running from June 9 to June 13, Rally Kazakhstan marks the first round of the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. Hosting motorcycles for the first time, the five-stage event will cover a total distance of 2,270 kilometres. Including one marathon stage, riders will race over 1,465 kilometres against the clock through the desert and rocky tracks to the east of the host city of Aktau. Impressive scenery will greet competitors on each of the five days of racing, but with a large amount of the race held in the tricky-to-navigate dunes of the Mangystau region, accurate navigation will be key throughout the event. With temperatures in the desert also topping 30°C during the day, endurance will also play a major part in securing a strong result. Luciano Benavides: “Thankfully I’m feeling really good right now. It’s been three months since I had surgery on my shoulder after Dakar, and so I feel like new again. A lot of the time since then I have been training hard to get back to 100 percent, and more recently I have been in Spain with the team, back on the rally bike and working on my navigation. I really want to come back to competition even more prepared than ever. For me, when I have a crash or an injury it often motivates me to come back even stronger and that is what I have been working on. The changes we have made to the bike seem to be good – I felt more comfortable straight away and that is important for my confidence going into round one of the world championship. My plan for the race is to get a strong finish, I will take it day by day and try not to make any mistakes. I’m really looking forward to starting racing again now!” Skyler Howes: “Everything has been going really well since joining the team. It’s been a nice, smooth transition from privateer to factory rider and thankfully because of that I’ve had time to not only work on setting up the bike, but also on myself in terms of focus and fitness. I have done a couple of races already in the U.S. and they both went well with me finishing as runner-up twice. Since then, I have come to Spain to do more road book training and get better acquainted with the team. I’m really looking forward to racing my first FIM event for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, but the major goal is to get more time on the bike and try and build my confidence as the year goes on and we get close to Dakar 2022.” Pela Renet – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Rally Team Manager: “We are very happy to be finally starting the championship, even if it is a little later in the year than normal. After the lack of racing in 2020 it feels good to be able to look forward to a solid calendar. I’m excited to be heading to Kazakhstan, it will be the first time for the bikes so it’s new for everyone and it’s always nice to take on a fresh challenge. I think Skyler will do well, he has already had some competition experience this year in the U.S. including one rally, so he should be comfortable straight away. For Luciano it will be important for him to build his confidence after his Dakar crash and take things step-by-step. Overall, it feels great to be going racing again and we’re looking forward to seeing what Rally Kazakhstan delivers.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen has claimed third overall in the MX2 class at the MXGP of Spain, round 12 of the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship. Marking his fourth podium visit in as many races, after a close second-place finish in the opening moto he followed it up with a seventh in race two, confirming another top-three result. MX2 teammate Jed Beaton briefly led the opening race before finishing third, then placed 10th in race two after charging back from a start-straight crash. The Australian claimed sixth overall on the day. Thomas Kjer Olsen continues his impressive streak of overall podium results in the MX2 World Championship, this time placing third at the all-new intu Xanadú – Arroyomolinos venue in Spain. Feeling comfortable on the hardpack circuit, TKO sat in third for much of the opening moto before pushing past teammate Jed Beaton and into second with three laps to go. With the race leader in sight, the FC 250 mounted rider charged hard, closing in on eventual winner Tom Vialle to end the moto just over one-second short of victory. Banging bars with a number of rivals shortly after the gate drop in moto two, Kjer Olsen had no choice but to straighten up and ensure he stayed upright as he entered the first turn. Escaping unscathed and knowing that a solid result would secure another overall podium visit, he quickly moved up to seventh position. Frustratingly unable to advance further up the leaderboard despite his best efforts, his seventh-place finish was enough to confirm his fourth top-three overall finish in as many GPs. TKO’s teammate Jed Beaton enjoyed a positive opening MX2 moto in Spain. A strong start saw Jed challenge for the lead, initially making the pass stick before slipping back into second position. Unable to get close enough to mount another attack on the race leader, Beaton eventually lost second place to his teammate Thomas Kjer Olsen in the closing stages of the moto, ending the race in third. Knowing that he had the pace to run up front in the second moto, Beaton’s race unravelled quickly as he suffered from a sizable crash as the pack headed into the first turn. Lucky to avoid injury, the Australian was quick to remount and began a race long charge that saw him move into 10th place by the halfway stage of the moto. Unable to make any further impression on the top 10, Jed ended the race in 10th – a solid, damage limiting ride to maintain his third-place ranking in the MX2 World Championship. In the EMX250 class, Kay de Wolf rebounded from a challenging previous round with an impressive third overall in Spain. With the hardpack circuit not being the youngsters favoured surface, an opening race second place was followed up with a fifth in moto two. With his strong results he extends his gap over fourth place in the championship standings. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to FIM Motocross World Championship competition on October 18 for the MXGP of Flanders in Belgium, kicking off the first of three consecutive rounds to be held at the infamous Lommel circuit. Thomas Kjer Olsen: “Another great day for me. The first race I felt really good, really relaxed and able to ride my own lines. It actually felt easy and when I moved into second I tried challenging for the win but couldn’t quite make it happen. It’s taking a while to get used to the one-day format and my second motos need to be better. I’m in good shape so I just need better starts. I banged bars down the start straight in race two but quickly got into seventh, but the more I pushed the more mistakes I made so it felt like hard work. Overall, I’m happy. Another podium, four in a row so I’m looking forward to finishing the season strong.” Jed Beaton: “The day started off really well. I felt great in the first moto, track was fast, but it was coming around. I was in second and briefly led the race, which was good but I just wasn’t able to make another pass. I was confident going into race two. My speed and fitness are on point but going into the first turn a few of us came together and I had a pretty big crash. I was lucky to not be injured and it was disappointing, but I came back to 10th for sixth overall so, not bad for the championship. I’m still third so I’m hoping for two strong races next weekend.” Results – 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 12 MX2 – Overall 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 47; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 41; 3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36… 6. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 31; 12. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 24 MX2 - Race 1 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 17 laps, 34:50:753; 2. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 34:52:026; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:54:583… 10. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 35:45:462 MX2 - Race 2 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 35:11:576; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:20:091; 3. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 35:26:971… 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:40:320; 10. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:10:118; 14. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 36:33:269 Championship Standings – After Round 12 MX2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 525pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 473; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 379… 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 347; 13. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 137; 22. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 73; 25. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 62; 33. Gianmarco Cenerelli (Husqvarna) 21; 34. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 21; 38. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 8; 42. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 5
Husqvarna Motorcycles negotiated the first wet weather race of 2021 as Adrian Fernandez defied his relative lack of experience in the world championship to score 6th place at Le Mans for the Shark Grand Prix de France. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team travelled to one of the most famous motorsport venues in Europe for the fifth round of 2021 MotoGP. For twenty-two years Le Mans has staged motorcycle Grand Prix racing and initially welcomed the FIM series back in 1969. The 2020 edition of the French event brought back memories of the only wet race of last season, and the unstable climate for springtime meant 2021 delivered another damp run at Le Mans. Fenati, who has previously shown his skills in the rain, hovered around the top of the time sheets throughout Free Practice as showers created confusing conditions. Teams were trying to judge the limits of grip and adhesion throughout the periodic showers as the track also began to dry in phases. Adrian Fernandez was able to adapt to the challenge in his first visit to the circuit and headed Free Practice 3 on Saturday morning. On Sunday the 22-lap chase began with the track heavily dowsed, but rain clouds had passed and surface was slowly drying in places. Fenati launched away from 10th on the grid and immediately latched onto the leading group but the sodden asphalt began to catch out racers. Fernandez had started from the last row and made excellent ground to find his way to the top six as the leaders slowly and tentatively improved their pace. Unusually for Moto3 the field became quite dispersed and tyre preservation came to the fore. Fernandez ran 6th and was the peak of the third group. Fenati was submerged in a busy fourth and with designs on the top ten. Fernandez held his nerve to score a top six and his very first Grand Prix points as Fenati had to accept 10th by the flag, The Italian had been holding 4th place in the championship standings and keeps the same ranking, just three points from 2nd. Fernandez rises to 22nd thanks to his 10 points. The wide, fast curves and scenic back drop of Mugello now awaits the MotoGP series in two weeks time. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team will venture to the popular circuit for their home Gran Premio D’Italia Oakley on May 29th-30th. Adrian Fernandez: “Warm-up and the start of the race were really difficult with the track being so wet. I could barely do one lap! So, it was hard to understand how the race would go but step-by-step it came to me and I’m very happy to take 6th. I am pleased to take this result and of course for the team as well.” Romano Fenati: “Not too happy with the result but the points were important for the championship. The conditions were tricky between wet and dry and my feeling was not great in the beginning but got better and better. The track was drying a lot and that made it hard to race with the rain tyre. Anyway we will look ahead to Mugello.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “Today’s race was good for the team. Both riders made the points and an impressive ride from Adrian to the penultimate position on the grid to 6th without any mistakes. We’re happy he took his first points. Romano could have finished even better but 10th was all he had today and he’s still 4th in the championship. Hopefully he will have a boost in Mugello for his, and our, home Grand Prix.” Results – 2021 Moto3 World Championship, Round 5 1. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 42:21.172, 2. Filip Salac (Honda) +2.349, 3. Riccardo Rossi (KTM) +5.589. 6. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) +27.279, 10. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +36.616 World Championship standings 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 103pts; 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 49pts; 3. Andrea Migno (Honda) 47pts; 4. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 46 pts; 22. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) 10 pts.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Rider Holds a 24-Point Lead With One Round Remaining Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team’s Zach Osborne took another step closer toward earning his first-career 450MX Championship on Saturday with a solid 4-2 performance for third overall at the penultimate round of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship in Lakewood, Colorado. With two motos remaining, Osborne heads into the final round with a 24-point lead in the highly-competitive 450MX championship battle. In Moto 1, Osborne got off to a great start but his momentum was somewhat hindered from the beginning as he took the brunt of another rider smashing into him from behind in the second turn. He pushed through the pain and discomfort to maintain a top-three position for most of the race, where he ultimately finished fourth in the moto. In Moto 2, Osborne shot off the line to immediately inject himself into the lead battle on lap one. Eventually settling into third in the middle part of the race, Osborne made a late charge to put pressure on the second-place rider of Adam Cianciarulo, his biggest rival in the championship title fight. Osborne’s tenacity paid off when he was able to capitalize on a mistake by Cianciarulo to overtake second with four laps to go, thus picking up two additional points with a second-place finish in the moto. “It was a decent weekend,” Osborne said. “I had some decent riding there in the second moto, I kind of found my feet a little bit and did some points racing today, so I feel good about my chances going into Pala next weekend. Our focus now is on this championship and wrapping it up, so that’s what we’re going to go there and do.” Teammates Jason Anderson and Dean Wilson will miss the remainder of the 2020 AMA Pro Motocross Championship as both riders continue to recover from recent injuries. 250MX It was a tough round for RJ Hampshire, who came into the weekend with a slight disadvantage after suffering a big crash during Moto 1 of the previous round. That, compounded with the effects of a previous injury, ultimately forced him to end his day early after experiencing a couple more crashes in Moto 1. Hampshire confirmed that he has sustained a couple of broken bones in his right hand and will sit out the season finale next weekend. “It’s a disappointing way to end my season,” Hampshire said. “I hit the ground hard the past couple weekends and today finished it off. It’s a pain riding injured and always seems to lead to more. I have a couple broken bones in my right hand but everything is in place so surgery shouldn’t be needed. My body needs a few weeks to recover. I’m bummed for myself and the team but we have a lot more to look forward to!” Team riders Jalek Swoll and Stilez Robertson will miss the remainder of the 2020 AMA Pro Motocross Championship due to injuries sustained at previous rounds of the series. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team continues its journey west to Pala, California for the final round of the 2020 season on Saturday, October 10. Thunder Valley National – Results 450MX Results 1. Eli Tomac, Kawasaki (3-1) 2. Adam Cianciarulo, Kawasaki (1-3) 3. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (4-2) 250MX Results 1. Justin Cooper, Yamaha (2-1) 2. Dylan Ferrandis, Yamaha (1-3) 3. Jeremy Martin, Honda (4-2) … RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (DNF) 450MX Rider Point Standings – After 8 of 9 rounds 1. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 325 points 2. Adam Cianciarulo, 301 points 3. Marvin Musquin, 283 points … 13. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 97 points 19. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 58 points 250MX Rider Point Standings – After 8 of 9 rounds 1. Dylan Ferrandis, 352 points 2. Jeremy Martin, 334 points 3. Shane McElrath, 254 points … 7. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 217 points 16. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 70 points 26. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 19 points
Romano Fenati shines for Husqvarna Motorcycles in a vivid multi rider chase for Moto3™ victory at MotorLand for the Gran Premio Michelin De Aragón and takes his second top-five result of 2020 Round eleven of the 2020 FIM MotoGP series brought the world championship to the MotorLand circuit in Aragón, Spain. The mid-October visit meant cooler conditions compared to the usual late summer slot on the calendar. The layout provided a typical mix of undulations and fast, tight and technical corners. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team brought their Husqvarna FR 250 GPs to the fourth Grand Prix of the year to take place on the Iberian Peninsula. Alonso Lopez and Romano Fenati started Free Practice in fast form. By the end of Q2 on Saturday the team had recorded their best grid positions of the season with Lopez in 4th position and Fenati sitting 6th, ensuring the second row of the Moto3 grid. Fenati quickly burst in the breakaway top-five group disputing victory on Sunday. With half of the 19-lap distance gone the group had swollen to a busy eight riders all chasing podium glory. As per usual in Moto3 the last lap was critical. Fenati was jostling for positions and managed to snatch 4th at the finish; just three tenths of a second separated the top seven. Lopez had originally been as high as 6th but was then forced to take a Long Lap penalty within the first five laps due to his mistake at Le Mans the previous Sunday. The young Spaniard re-joined the field just inside the top twenty and then pushed to take as many points as possible but had some rear tyre fade that limited his lap-times. He ended the race outside the first fifteen and with 17th place for his efforts. Romano Fenati is now 11th in the championship standings with four races remaining in 2020. Lopez holds 22nd. The Gran Premio Liqui Moly de Teruel will occur at MotorLand next weekend for the last event in the latest MotoGP ‘triple header’. Romano Fenati: “A very good race for us. We have to make some adjustments for the next GP because we lost a little with the rear tyre. Overall, it was a pretty good day but we now need to work on the last part of the race for next week.” Alonso Lopez: “I am a little bit sad about today. I feel the result could have been a lot better but the rear tyre was gone by the middle of the race. I couldn’t keep my rhythm. I hope we can solve this problem next week and do a good job with the team to improve.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “Today was a good race for our team. Romano was 4th but we know he can be ever better next week. Alonso couldn’t fight back from that Long Lap penalty. Hopefully he’ll be faster at Aragon again next weekend.” Results – 2020 Moto3 FIM World Championship, Round 11 1. Jaume Masia (Honda) 37:45.009, 2. Darryn Binder (KTM) +0.091, 3. Raul Fernandez (KTM) +0.196, 4th. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +0.327, 17. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) +13.861 Championship standings – After round 11 1. Albert Arenas (KTM) 144pts; 2. Ai Ogura (Honda) 131pts; 3. Celestino Vietti (KTM) 126pts; 11. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 70 pts; 22. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) 16
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Zach Osborne overcame the challenges of a tough night in Indianapolis where he rallied from a last-place start to a top-five finish in the 450SX class with an impressive Main Event charge at Round 4 of the 2021 AMA Supercross World Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium. Osborne put himself in a favorable position heading into the racing program, securing third overall in qualifying. Lining up in 450SX Heat 2, Osborne shot off the line to overtake second early on, where he locked in a second-place transfer into the Main Event. Eager and ready to go for the Main Event, Osborne took off a little too early and hit the gate, leaving him at a standstill as the rest of the field took off down the start-straight. He quickly got himself going and made a charge up to 12th by the end of lap one, latching onto his teammate Anderson to climb through the pack in an intense battle of their own. Osborne eventually got past Anderson on lap 16 and that’s when he ignited a major push to bring himself into podium contention heading into the final laps. Sitting in fifth, Osborne had the third-place battle within his sights but he ran out of time before making a move, ultimately securing an impressive fifth-place. “I had a pretty decent night,” Osborne said. “I got a second place in my heat race and qualified third from the day, so that was solid. In the Main Event, I went a little too early and hit the gate. I pulled it back and set my sights on getting far as I could, and I was able to make it all the way up to fifth. It was a solid night and solid result considering all of the challenges.” Anderson got a seventh-place start in 450SX Heat 2 and he worked his way into sixth on lap five. He went down a few laps later and dropped back to 10th, narrowly missing the Main Event by one transfer spot. In the last chance qualifier, Anderson grabbed a fourth-place start and charged into the lead two laps in. From there, he rode strong to secure the LCQ victory and a spot in the Main Event. Anderson made the most out of a tough gate choice as he put himself into a top-10 position off the start in the Main Event. He held off his teammate Osborne for the first 15 laps as they pushed each other to climb through the pack. Battling between seventh and eighth place, Anderson ultimately finished strong with seventh. “It was better than last weekend, I am trying to get better as the weekends go on,” Anderson said. “I got my first W of the season in the LCQ and just going to try to build off that and keep moving forward.” It was a tough ending to the night for Dean Wilson, who came into Saturday’s race day all banged up after suffering a practice crash during the week. He attempted to practice earlier in the day but ultimately made the tough decision to pull out of the night program due to injuries sustained in his knee, ankle and foot. Team rider RJ Hampshire also didn’t line up at Round 4 due to hand injuries sustained during a crash in last Saturday’s free practice in Houston. Hampshire underwent surgery on Wednesday to repair ligaments in his left hand. Next Event (Round 5): Tuesday, February 2 – Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis, Indiana Round 4 Results: Indianapolis SX 1 450SX Results 1. Ken Roczen (HON) 2. Eli Tomac (KAW) 3. Cooper Webb (KTM) … 5. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 7. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX East Results 1. Colt Nichols (YAM) 2. Michael Mosiman (GAS) 3. Jo Shimoda (KAW) 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Ken Roczen – 86 points 2. Cooper Webb – 80 points 3. Eli Tomac – 77 points ... 10. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 58 points 12. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 50 points 14. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 35 points 250SX East Rider Point Standings 1. Colt Nichols – 96 points 2. Christian Craig – 88 points 3. Jett Lawrence – 83 points … 14. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 32 points
It was a solid day of racing for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team, scoring three top-10 finishes at Saturday’s Budds Creek National in Mechanicsville, Maryland. Nine rounds into the 2021 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, 450MX rider Dean Wilson earned a season-best eighth overall, while teammates RJ Hampshire and Jalek Swoll finished seventh and 10th overall, respectively, in the 250 MX division. RJ Hampshire came into the weekend a little under the weather but the Round 4 overall winner quickly rose to the occasion as the gate dropped for 250MX Moto 1. Hampshire secured a top-five start and quickly charged up to the podium battle in third early on but he went down on lap six and dropped back to seventh. He gained momentum and worked his way up to fifth but another crash on the last lap gave him a ninth-place finish in the first moto. In Moto 2, Hampshire didn’t get the best start so he immediately began charging through the field and went down about three corners in. Starting in 15th at the end of lap one, Hampshire made a valiant charge through the field to ultimately capture an impressive sixth-place finish in the second moto. “Tough day, I kind of struggled all week with energy and just didn’t feel well coming in,” Hampshire said. “I tried to do my best today – I had good speed but a few crashes ended up costing me pretty bad. We battled hard and had a big effort for the results, so I’m kind of bummed on that but I’ll move on and be ready for Indy.” Jalek Swoll had a great start in Moto 1 as he charged into third right away on the opening lap. He battled in podium contention for the first few laps before getting overtaken by teammate Hampshire early on. In the end, Swoll maintained a strong pace to finish fifth. In Moto 2, he got tangled up with another rider off the start and lost substantial time getting back on-track but he was able to rally back for a 15th-place finish. “The day started off pretty good and I felt really good on the bike, so I was pretty pleased heading into the racing portion,” Swoll said. “I was running in second for a while in Moto 1 and that’s obviously where we want to stay but we’re learning every time on the track and we’ll take a top-five. Second moto, I tangled off the start with another rider and that put me really deep in the pack and I was only able to come back to 15th. It’s a bummer, I feel like my riding has been pretty good and I’m ready to fight for these podiums but things just aren’t going my way and that’s racing, so we’ll take what we got and be ready for the next few rounds.” 450MX Dean Wilson got off to a 12th place start in Moto 1 and he fought just outside the top-10 for the first few laps. After breaking into 10th on lap five, he continued to chip away and ultimately secured eighth. In Moto 2, Wilson went down in the first turn and he began the race at the back of the pack. Clawing his way up to 26th by the end of lap one, Wilson managed to put in a solid charge up to ninth. With 8-9 moto scores, Wilson earned his best overall finish of the season in eighth. “My day was pretty good,” Wilson said. “The first moto wasn’t too bad, it was very hot and I kind of struggled with the first half and then I got a decent flow for the second half. Second moto, I fell in the first turn and I came from second-to-last up to ninth, so I was happy with that. I felt like I rode good and came through the pack well so we’ll take it, it’s building blocks and we’ll just try to get better every weekend.” Next Event (Round 10): August 28 – Ironman National – Crawfordsville, Indiana Round 9 Results: Budds Creek National 250MX Results 1. Jeremy Martin (YAM) 3-1 2. Jett Lawrence (HON) 2-2 3. Justin Cooper (YAM) 1-4 … 7. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 9-6 10. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 5-15 450MX Results 1. Dylan Ferrandis (YAM) 2-1 2. Ken Roczen (HON) 1-2 3. Eli Tomac (KAW) 4-3 … 8. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 8-9 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Justin Cooper – 367 points 2. Jett Lawrence – 364 points 3. Jeremy Martin – 307 points … 5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 270 points 7. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 195 points 18. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 90 points 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Dylan Ferrandis – 345 points 2. Ken Roczen – 306 points 3. Eli Tomac – 283 points … 13. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 102 points 21. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 33 points 23. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 29 points
Skyler Howes and Luciano Benavides have successfully completed stage one of the 2021 Silk Way Rally in eighth and 10th place respectively. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing riders faced an opening timed special of just 87km, which presented several challenges including tough navigation, and a mixture of terrain, as it wound its way through the Siberian forests close to the rally start in Omsk. First to enter the timed special due to his final finishing position from round one of the championship, Skyler Howes soon found the stage to be more challenging than he first anticipated. Losing a couple of minutes to his rivals early on as he became accustomed to the event’s road book, Howes then stuck to a solid, but steady pace through the twisting forest tracks to ensure no further time was lost. Maintaining his eighth-place position to the finish, Skyler was pleased with his performance, but aware that he needs to deliver highly accurate navigation during the remaining nine days of racing. Similarly to his teammate, Luciano Benavides lost several minutes early on when a navigational error caused him to choose the wrong route. Getting back on track, the Argentinian star found himself behind several other riders and unable to get past safely. Frustrated, Benavides arrived at the finish in 10th place, just under seven minutes down on the leader. However, although slightly disappointed to have lost time on stage one, Luciano enjoys an advantageous start position for Saturday’s stage two where he hopes to massively reduce the deficit to the leaders. Setting off from the bivouac at Novosibirsk, stage two of the 2021 Silk Way Rally totals 566km and includes a timed special of 132km. Riders will again face the rough, tricky-to-navigate Siberian forest tracks before the route leads them out into the faster open pistes on the final stretch towards Gorno-Altaisk. Skyler Howes: “Overall, the day went well with no crashes, and I rode really well. It’s good to get the rally underway and get the lay of the land here in Russia. I enjoyed the terrain through the forest, but the road book had several confusing notes that were tough to understand at first. I took a little time to make sure I didn’t get lost too badly and so my result isn’t quite where I would want it to be. Nevertheless, it’s good to get these things sorted on the first stage and get a good feel for the navigation at the event. There are still nine days to go, so now, with a little better understanding of the road book, I hope to be able to push on tomorrow and enjoy the rally.” Luciano Benavides: “It was a good warm up on stage one. Not a very long stage, but it’s nice to get a feeling for the terrain and the road book here at Silk Way, and to also get comfortable on the bike in these conditions. Unfortunately, I made a mistake early on and then had to complete the rest of the stage in the dust of a rider in front. I lost some time, but overall, I’m really happy with the feeling on the bike and it was good to get familiar with the style of the road book. With nine days to go, there is not too much pressure yet so I’m looking forward to tomorrow with a good start position.” 2021 Silk Way Rally – Stage 1 Provisional Classification 1. Franco Caimi (Hero) 0:49:52 2. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 0:50:55 3. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 0:51:22 4. Joaquim Rodrigues (Hero) 0:51:46 5. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 0:52:25 6. Sebastian Buhler (Hero) 0:53:07 … 8 Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 0:56:28 10. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 0:56:34
Husqvarna Motorcycles and the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team toasted their best race finish of the fledgling Moto3 world championship to-date when Romano Fenati finished runner-up at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto. The Gran Premio Red Bull de España brought MotoGP™ back to speed for the fourth round of nineteen and the first of four events in Spain in 2021. The Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto has a long and distinguished history in the FIM series and is a popular testing venue. The compact mix of quick and arching corners and tighter prime overtaking spots meant a fine course for competition. For the second year in a row Jerez missed the presence of fans and public but the circuit was a happy hunting ground for the Husqvarna Motorcycles duo on their FR 250 GP motorcycles: in 2020 Romano Fenati was part of the pack going for podium positions and is a previous winner at the site while Adrian Fernandez knows the track thanks to his emergence through contests like the FIM CEV Repsol Junior World Championship. Fenati started from his best qualification ranking of the season so far: 5th and set from the second row. He was already looking to continue the upwards scale of his results to-date in 2021 with 11th, 10th, 7th on the board. The Italian was straight into a close and tense dispute for the lead and didn’t drop out of the top five for the duration of the race. On the final lap he was able to use his experience and held a tight line into the final Turn 13 hairpin and powered the FR 250 GP to 2nd place for his first podium trophy of the year. Adrian Fernandez faced difficult odds. He had to deal with several Long Lap penalties and the loss of time kept him distant from the point-scoring positions. The youngster eventually reached the finish in 24th. Fenati holds 4th in the championship standings while Moto3 rookie Fernandez is getting closer to registering his first Grand Prix points. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team will now aim for further progression at Le Mans in France for round five on May 16th. Romano Fenati: “Today the bike was fantastic. I lost a bit of time at the start of the race just through my style and trying to keep the gap with the others. By the end I was faster but there was quite a bit of wind and it was difficult to be alone at the front. It was easier to manage the race in the pack. The last corner here is always crazy! I’m really happy with the bike and now we have to continue like this with podium results and hopefully soon a win.” Adrian Fernandez: “A difficult race with the long laps but I felt I was able to learn something from this whole weekend. I know what I need to do for France and now we’ll move onto the next challenge.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “A superb race from Romano who had done a really good job already from qualification. He showed he has the skill and the mentality to make it happen over the race distance and be aggressive where he needs to be. The whole team did fantastic work to give him a bike that performed well. We hope to have him on this level for as many races as possible. Adrian had three long lap penalties and that didn’t help him achieve his goal of gaining more experience because he had a lonely race but at least he understands that he cannot make the same mistakes for the next GP.” Results – 2021 Moto3 World Championship, Round 4 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 39:22.266, 2. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +0.417, 3. Jeremy Alcoba (Honda) +0.527, 24. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) +46.228 World Championship standings 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 95pts; 2. Niccolo Antonelli (KTM) 44pts; 3. Andrea Migno (Honda) 42pts; 4. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 40 pts; 25. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) 0 pts.
MotoGP™ moved from Italy to Catalunya for the seventh round of the 2021 season and Husqvarna Motorcycles registered an 11th place finish for Romano Fenati with the FR 250 GP. Cloudy skies and warm temperatures cloaked the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the latest instalment of the Moto3 world championship. Emotions were still tangible after a dramatic weekend at Mugello in Italy seven days previously but the desire and the competition for silverware continued at pace. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team came to the Mediterranean venue, created exactly 30 years ago and running 4.6km in length, confident after Romano Fenati’s strong showing at Mugello where the Italian was in contention for the race win up until the last corners. Fenati immediately got down to work in Free Practice and was consistently near the top of the time sheets. The #55 had previously finished on the Moto3 podium at the circuit and moved the FR 250 GP around in fine form. Rookie teammate Adrian Fernandez also worked his way into Q2 qualification. The duo ended Saturday with 11th and 15th positions on the start grid. The 21-lap Grand Prix opened the race day programme and Fenati was part of a large gaggle at the front of the pack covered by just three seconds. At half distance he briefly led and kept his rhythm as the decisive final two laps approached. At the moment of truth Fenati was caught in the mid-pack crash at Turn 8 that split the group. At the finish line he was three seconds from a podium spot. Fenati’s result allowed the 23-year-old to bank five points and he is 4th in the championship standings. Fernandez was hunting for points until he ran off the track between Turns 1 and 2 and had to take a Long Lap penalty as a result. He retired with rear traction issues. After back-to-back events MotoGP will now pause for a break and ahead of two more consecutive races in Germany and the Netherlands. Romano Fenati: “These races with the crazy big group are never easy and especially here it was really difficult. I was close but after some contact with others I lost a bit of confidence with the front tyre and all the line cutting. The next race will be better.” Adrian Fernandez: “Today was difficult. The first lap was crazy and I didn’t have a good feeling with the rear wheel. Not much else to say and we’ll look ahead to the next race.” Results – 2021 Moto3 World Championship, Round 7 1. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 38:33.760, 2. Jeremy Alcoba (Honda) +0.015, 3. Deniz Öncü (KTM) +0.118. 11. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +3.334, DNF. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) World Championship standings 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 120pts; 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 81pts; 3. Jaume Masia (KTM) 72pts; 4. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 61 pts; 24. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) 10 pts.
On what was another strong day for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, Luciano Benavides has put in his best ride of the 2021 Dakar Rally to date, securing fourth place on the ultra-fast stage four from Wadi Ad-Dawasir to Riyadh. Pablo Quintanilla also delivered a solid result on the 337km special, placing eighth, just over one-minute down on his teammate. Following a long liaison section, Benavides was the 12th rider to enter the day’s timed special. Feeling comfortable onboard his FR 450 Rally, he was able to maintain an extremely fast pace over the stage’s open desert tracks. Enjoying a trouble-free ride, the Argentinian had moved into the top 10 by the halfway point and continued to push. A small mistake in the closing few kilometres of the special cost him a couple of minutes, but Luciano was able to defend his top-five position, ultimately crossing the line as fourth fastest. The result means Benavides will start Thursday’s stage up near the front, requiring both accurate navigation and supreme focus. Making the most of his cross-country rally experience, Pablo Quintanilla rode maturely on stage four, completing the day in eighth to secure 10th overall in the provisional standings. Riding safely through the stage and focusing on his road book notes, Pablo maintained a top-three position through to kilometre 268. Although they didn’t cost him too much time, a couple of small errors towards the end of the special dropped the former world champion down the order. With an encouraging start position for stage five, Quintanilla will be aiming to push and make up valuable minutes on the event leaders. Luciano Benavides: “It’s been a very long day today – over 800 kilometres on the bike and a very fast special to race through. Although the speeds were high, like last year’s race, the navigation was a lot more difficult and so you had to stay focused for the whole stage. I’m definitely happy with my pace and how I rode the stage, the bike has been great as well. Tomorrow I start up near the front and we’re being told that stage five is going to be very technical, so it will be a good test of my skills.” Pablo Quintanilla: “I’m happy with my day today. On a fast stage like this all of the top guys can keep a really similar pace, so it’s important not to push too hard in case you make a mistake that can end up costing you a lot of time. Other than around 10 minutes of dunes, the whole day was almost flat out – there were just some tricky notes towards the end as we raced through some canyons. Finishing the stage in eighth has worked out really well as I didn’t lose too much time on the leaders, but it means I have a good start position for tomorrow, which looks like it will be a lot tougher in terms of navigation. If I can keep up the same pace tomorrow, I’ll be happy.” Completing stage four in fifth place, experienced rally racer Xavier de Soultrait now leads the provisional overall standings. The HT Rally Raid rider has shown incredible pace on his factory-supported Husqvarna FR 450 Rally. Thursday’s stage five of the 2021 Rally takes riders from the country’s capital of Riyadh through to Al Qaisumah. Although shorter than today at a total of 662km, the 456km special promises to be extremely technical, with tough navigation once again. 2021 Dakar Rally – Stage 4 Provisional Classification 1. Joan Barreda (Honda) 2:46:50 2. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 2:52:47 3. Daniel Sanders (KTM) 2:52:59 4. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 2:53:12 5. Xavier de Soultrait (Husqvarna) 2:54:09 6. Joaquim Rodrigues (Hero) 2:54:11 … 8. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 2:54:24 2021 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 4) 1. Xavier de Soultrait (Husqvarna) 15:00:25 2. Joan Barreda (Honda) 15:00:40 3. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 15:03:49 4. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 15:04:49 5. Skyler Howes (KTM) 15:04:51 6. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 15:05:56 … 10. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 15:09:56
A racing collision between Husqvarna Motorcycles teammates Romano Fenati and Alonso Lopez counted both riders out of the Moto3™ Shark Helmets Grand Prix de France The tenth round of 2020 MotoGP meant that the series ventured north through Europe and to the legendary Le Mans circuit with its customary test of hard braking and acceleration. The visit to France took place without the usual busy and noisy atmosphere provided by the French fans but offered a tricky challenge to the riders thanks to the colder conditions and overcast skies. Friday was wet and damp and Saturday was sunny and chilly. Romano Fenati was able to use his FR 250 GP to good effect on both days. The Italian was 2nd fastest through the rain and mixed with the front runners in contention for Pole Position on Saturday, ending up 9th on the grid, only three tenths of a second away from the front row. Alonso Lopez had a slightly tougher time getting acclimatised to the demands of Le Mans and set-off from 23rd place for the 22 laps on Sunday. When the red light vanished Fenati lost ground off the line but soon made up positions to latch onto the fringe of the top ten. Lopez made a fantastic start and attacked the field in the opening laps to make his way up to the rear wheel of his teammate. Both riders were circulating 10th and 11th and as part of the crowded lead group. Entering Turn 13 with 12 laps to go Lopez misjudged his braking point and clipped Fenati’s FR 250 GP. The contact caused both riders to hit the gravel and were counted out. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team and Husqvarna Motorcycles will now face two more back-to-back events with a double header at MotorLand Aragon in Spain. Romano Fenati: “Not much luck! The bike was really good and so was my feeling but in the end we didn’t finish. For sure Alonso was braking too late but this can happen. We’ll look ahead to the next race.” Alonso Lopez: “I’m disappointed about the race. I touched Romano and that was it. I’m sorry to him and for the team. On the positive side we are improving a lot and we are getting faster and faster. It wasn’t a good day but we will try to be better in MotorLand.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “We didn’t start the GP badly and we had chances for good results for both riders. Romano, especially, had confidence here but it was a big shame that Alonso’s mistake ended the day for both of them. We need to turn the page and start again in Aragon. We have to think of the positives: which were having two riders virtually in the top ten and with the potential for even better results.” Results – 2020 Moto3 FIM World Championship, Round 10 1. Celestino Vietti (KTM) 37:37.384, 2. Tony Arbolino (Honda) +0.142, 3. Albert Arenas (KTM) +0.198, DNF. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna), DNF. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) Championship standings – After round 10 1. Albert Arenas (KTM) 135pts; 2. Ai Ogura (Honda) 129pts; 3. Celestino Vietti (KTM) 119pts; 12. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 57; 22. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) 16
HUSQVARNA MOTORCYCLES MAKE UP GROUND BUT JUST MISS OUT ON FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS AT THE SECOND VISIT TO RED BULL RING MotoGP remained in Austria and tackled the high-speed curves and layout of the quick circuit at Spielberg for the second weekend in succession. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team aimed for more competitiveness and improved their grid positions by several rows through a dry and sunny set of Free Practice and Qualification sessions. Sunday dawned dry and cloudy after overnight rain. The 23-lap Moto3 race kicked off the timetable that brought a period of three Grands Prix in three weeks to a close. Throughout a typically relentless and action-packed affair the Moto3 pack was more spread out and dispersed compared to the previous Sunday. Romano Fenati tried his best to move up from the second half of the field and survived a close call with Kaito Toba at Turn 3. The Italian was able to gain positions from outside the top twenty and was just over a second from breaking into the first fifteen and being able to grasp championship points at the chequered flag. Alonso Lopez started from 24th place on the grid and improved his standing to 20th by the end of the race; three positions better than his attempt a week before. MotoGP now moves south, and in three weeks will prepare for another double header: this time around the flat course of the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in San Marino for the Gran Premio Lenovo di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini. The fixture will be the first home event for the team in 2020. Romano Fenati: “We improved the feeling but not the position in the race, so a difficult day. We have to make a big step. A race like this is not our target and we have to improve immediately to gain some more positions in the championship.” Alonso Lopez: “I am not happy about the result but I think we have found the path to work to be competitive and this is really important for the next races. I think we can be on a very good level for the next few GPs and aim for the top ten.” Results – 2020 Moto3 FIM World Championship, Round 6 1. Celestino Vietti (KTM) 37:10.319, 2. Tony Arbolino (Honda) +0.410, 3. Ai Ogura (Honda) +0.938, 17. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +16.084, 20. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) +21.672 Championship standings – After round 6 1. Albert Arenas (KTM) 106pts; 2. Ai Ogura (Honda) 81; 3. John McPhee (Honda) 67; 17. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 14; 23. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) 5
Pablo Quintanilla has ridden to another strong result at the 2021 Dakar Rally, placing 10th on the event’s high-speed stage six. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider completed the timed special without incident just six and a half minutes down on the stage winner. Teammate Luciano Benavides also enjoyed a solid day in the desert, finishing three minutes down on Quintanilla in 16th. With riders making a final push before Saturday’s rest day, the shortened 688km stage six included a fast timed special of 347km, made up almost entirely of sandy tracks and dunes. Aiming to make up time on his rivals with a 10th place start position, Quintanilla planned on pushing hard right from the start of the special to hunt down the riders ahead. Despite not making any mistakes through the course of the stage, the high average speeds of the route, added to the consistency of the top contenders, made it difficult for the FR 450 Rally mounted star to gain any advantage. With the top-17 split by less than 10 minutes, a safe finish without mishap soon became his priority. In finishing 10th, Pablo also moves up to 10th in the provisional standings and will now enjoy a hard-earned rest day before resuming his Dakar campaign on Sunday. Also delivering a mistake-free performance, Benavides rode much of the stage as part of a group and as such, found it tricky to make any meaningful headway on the other riders. Also settling for a safe finish to his first week of racing at the 2021 event, Luciano was happy with his performance, despite the position not being quite what he had aimed for. Trailing teammate Quintanilla by just under two minutes in the overall standings, the young Argentinian is confident of climbing the leaderboard during the second half of the race. Pablo Quintanilla: “Today was the last day before the rest day. It was quite a tough one, mostly ridden in between the dunes and valleys. As the whole day was really fast it was difficult to make up a lot of time on the leaders. I’m pleased with how I rode and happy that we have the rest day now. The first week has been good, thankfully it has gone without any problems – I feel good and have not had any big crashes. We still have six days to go, so there is a lot of riding left to do.” Luciano Benavides: “That’s the first week done and another tough day. The whole stage was made up of sand, with some dunes and some broken pistes. I struggled a little bit to find a good rhythm today, but at the end it was not so bad because we’re still in the fight, and not too far behind the top guys. I’ve got a good start position for the marathon stage, so after the rest day I’ll try my best again and hopefully make up a few more positions.” All competitors will now enjoy a rest day at the Ha’il bivouac before returning to action on stage seven – the 737km first half of the event’s marathon stage. 2021 Dakar Rally – Stage 6 Provisional Classification 1. Joan Barreda (Honda) 3:45:27 2. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 3:45:40 + 0:00:13 3. Daniel Sanders (KTM) 3:46:20 + 0:00:53 4. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 3:47:51 + 0:02:24 5. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 3:48:41 + 0:03:14 6. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 3:49:00 + 0:03:33 … 10. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 3:51:55 16. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:54:56 2021 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 6) 1. Toby Price (KTM) 24:08:43 2. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 24:10:59 + 0:02:16 3. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 24:11:40 + 0:02:57 4. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 24:12:24 + 0:03:41 5. Xavier de Soultrait (Husqvarna) 24:12:24 + 0:03:41 6. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 24:13:06 + 0:04:23 … 10. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 24:23:56 11. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 24:25:44
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla has successfully completed stage 10 of the 2021 Dakar Rally. On another tough day that challenged competitors with some very fast terrain and tricky navigation throughout, Quintanilla brought his FR 450 Rally home in 15th position and now lies eighth in the provisional overall standings. In what was an uneventful stage for Quintanilla, the Chilean left the bivouac early this morning to head for AlUla. Following just over three and a half hours of racing against the clock, he completed the technically demanding special in 15th. Continuing to place consistently despite the ultra-tough stages, Pablo now sits comfortably inside the top 10 of the provisional standings. With Thursday’s stage 11 combining the longest timed special of the event with some extremely difficult navigation through a huge area of dunes, it looks set to be one of the most challenging of the rally. Quintanilla hopes his knowledge and experience will come to the fore and aid him in securing a top result while closing down the riders ahead of him in the general rankings. Pablo Quintanilla: “Another stage done and I’m happy to get to the finish. I’m still struggling to find a good rhythm on the different types of terrain, but I’m trying my best and happy with my overall result. We have two days left now and tomorrow looks like it will be a very long, tough stage. I will get some rest tonight and then set off tomorrow and hopefully put in a good ride for a strong result.” Day 11 of the Dakar Rally, the penultimate of the event, contains the longest timed special of the race. At 511km, the special will challenge all competitors with varied terrain including a 100km section of dunes in the middle of the stage that heads from AlUla to Yanbu. 2021 Dakar Rally – Stage 10 Provisional Classification 1. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 3:12:33 2. Joan Barreda (Honda) 3:15:48 3. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 3:17:44 4. Skyler Howes (KTM) 3:18:21 5. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 3:18:29 6. Daniel Sanders (KTM) 3:21:40 … 15. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 3:32:33 2021 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 10) 1. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 40:20:08 2. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 40:20:59 3. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 40:30:44 4. Joan Barreda (Honda) 40:35:48 5. Skyler Howes (KTM) 40:49:46 6. Daniel Sanders (KTM) 40:51:03 … 8. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 41:24:10
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen has claimed a runner-up finish in the MX2 class at the MXGP of Trentino, round 16 of the FIM Motocross World Championship. Charging to victory in race one at the picturesque Italian circuit, a solid fourth-place finish in moto two saw TKO secure second overall. MX2 teammate Jed Beaton also had a strong showing in Italy, claiming fourth overall following 3-9 results. Following three rounds at the deep sand track of Lommel, Belgium, round 16 of the FIM Motocross World Championship in Italy saw a much firmer riding surface. The Pietramurata circuit provided a drastic change from the previous Grand Prix, which clearly suited the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team’s MX2 riders. Kjer Olsen was immediately comfortable on the Italian soil, claiming pole position and taking to the line first for both races at the MXGP of Trentino. A strong start in race one saw him hold down third until early race leader Jago Geerts stalled his machine, gifting TKO an easy pass into second. With new race leader Tom Vialle in sight, TKO mounted an attack for the lead aboard his FC 250, making the crucial pass with five laps remaining. Never looking back, Thomas went on to claim his second moto win of the season. Another positive start in race two saw Kjer Olsen placed third early in the moto before a small crash relegated him to fifth. Regrouping quickly and moving forwards into fourth, he was then faced with a sizable gap to the leading riders. Despite his best efforts, the 23-year-old made no further progress and raced to a solid fourth-place finish, claiming second overall having tied on points with the GP winner. Another podium result for the Dane sees him advance to fourth in the MX2 World Championship standings with two rounds to go. Following a strong start in race one, Jed Beaton showed impressive pace as he went from sixth to third in just a handful of laps, recording the fastest lap of the race as he carved his way through the leading riders. Continuing his charge, he began to make a challenge for second before back markers frustratingly held the Australian up. Denied a potential runner-up finish, Beaton held strong to claim a solid third place in moto one. Coming together with another rider in the first turn resulted in a poor start for Beaton in race two. Progressing to 10th by the end of lap two, he then advanced to eighth by the halfway stage of the race. Unfortunate to lose a position in the closing stages of the moto, Jed’s ninth-place finish rewarded him with an impressive fourth overall. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to the Pietramurata circuit on November 4 for the penultimate round of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the MXGP of Pietramurata. Thomas Kjer Olsen: “It feels great to be back on the podium and win another moto. The team did a great job with bike set-up today. Coming from Lommel to here, as soon as I went out for practice I felt super-comfortable on my bike and qualified fastest. I was stoked to get the win in the first moto. I felt good and had some really good lines so when I moved into second I knew I could do it. Race two was frustrating, only because I had a small crash while in good position to win the overall. I’m really motivated to finish the season strong. I’m confident and my bike is awesome so the next two rounds should be really good.” Jed Beaton: “It’s been a decent day for me. Overall, I feel really good on the bike, it was just a shame that I clipped someone at the start of race two. I felt great in race one, really comfortable and was on the pace, but third was the best that I could do in that one. I was looking forward to another good result in race two but it wasn’t to be. Two more rounds here though and I’m ready to get in the battle again.” Results – 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 16 MX2 – Overall 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 43; 2. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 43; 3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 42; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 32… 16. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 11 MX2 - Race 1 1. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 33:39:847; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 33:41:877; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 33:43:156… 16. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 34:57:307; 27. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 18 laps, 34:18:730 MX2 - Race 2 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 19 laps, 33:54:442; 2. Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 33:56:540; 3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 34:02:259; 4. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 34:07:332… 9. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:38:769; 15. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 35:10:798; 25. Johannes Norman (Husqvarna) 18 laps, 34:42:343 Championship Standings – After Round 16 MX2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 693pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 520; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 505; 4. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 489; 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 488… 14. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 156; 21. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 87; 27. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 62; 35. Gianmarco Cenerelli (Husqvarna) 21; 36. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 21; 37. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 16; 43. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 5; 45. Maximilian Spies (Husqvarna) 2
The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team concluded a solid season in the 2021 AMA Supercross World Championship on Saturday with the final round of racing at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. Team rider Jalek Swoll finished eighth in the stacked 250SX East/West Showdown Main Event, where he came away from the 250SX West Championship season with a top-five in points. For the 250SX class, the season finale brought together the best of both divisions for a stacked Main Event in Salt Lake City. Jalek Swoll represented the Western division, where he qualified seventh earlier in the day. He lined up in the 250SX West heat race and he shot to the front immediately off the start. Leading the first six laps of the race, Swoll found himself in a heated battle through the final laps where he came away with a third-place finish in the heat. In the Main Event, Swoll grabbed a sixth-place start and he battled up front for the first four laps. Shuffling back to eighth around mid-race, he did his best to move forward but the dense field of riders made it difficult to pass and he ultimately finished eighth for the night. Consistently finishing inside the top-10 with one podium and a pair of top-fives, Swoll solidified fifth in the 250SX West Championship standings. “My heat race was solid but the Main Event was iffy, I couldn’t find a flow out there,” Swoll said. “No excuses though, we finished out the season fifth in points, so I’m happy to come away with a lot of progression and experience after two years of SX and I’m happy to be healthy at the end of the day and continue this momentum into outdoors. Next year is really time to buckle up and battle from start to finish.” Wilson got off to a 10th place start in 450SX Heat 2 and he quickly climbed his way up to seventh by lap three. He remained steady for the rest of the race to secure a seventh-place transfer finish. In the Main Event, Wilson grabbed a ninth-place start and he battled around 10th for most of the race, ultimately finishing 11th. “It wasn’t the greatest night, to be honest,” Wilson said. “For the Main Event, I was in a decent position but I struggled at the beginning. On a positive note, at the end of the main, I felt like I got into a decent flow out there. I’m happy to be healthy and now we can focus on outdoors.” After battling altitude sickness last weekend in Utah, Jason Anderson bounced back with vengeance on Saturday beginning with third overall in qualifying. He lined up in 450SX Heat 2, powering his way into the holeshot and early lead in the race. He fended off a hard-charging group of riders for all 10 laps to secure a dominant heat race victory. In the main, Anderson had an eighth-place start and he began working his way forward in the early laps. Another rider came together with him on lap seven, dropping him back to 10th and from there he ran into an issue that would hinder the rest of his race. “The night was going pretty good – practice was alright, the heat race was a good result even though I didn’t feel like I rode the best and then the Main Event didn’t go so well,” Anderson said. “I think I ended the season in eighth overall but we’ll work on it for next year.” With the conclusion of the 2021 AMA Supercross Championship, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team will take a break from racing for the next few weeks before jumping into the AMA Pro Motocross Championship on Saturday, May 29 in Pala, California. Round 17 Results: Salt Lake City 2 SX 450SX Results 1. Cooper Webb (KTM) 2. Marvin Musquin (KTM) 3. Chase Sexton (HON) … 11. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 22. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX E/W Showdown Results 1. Jett Lawrence (HON) 2. Colt Nichols (YAM) 3. Hunter Lawrence (HON) ... 8. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Cooper Webb – 388 points 2. Ken Roczen – 353 points 3. Eli Tomac – 326 points ... 8. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 237 points 11. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 165 points 15. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 123 points 250SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Justin Cooper – 194 points 2. Hunter Lawrence – 181 points 3. Cameron Mcadoo – 177 points … 5. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 153 points 13. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 58 points
Skyler Howes has finished third fastest on the 581km stage two at the Silk Way Rally. Clocking in less than one minute behind the provisional leader, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider now lies sixth overall in the standings heading into day three. Luciano Benavides enjoyed a solid ride on the mixed-terrain stage, claiming eighth, just three minutes down on his teammate. Once again showing his class in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, Skyler Howes has delivered another top-three stage finish. This time on a hugely varied route at the Silk Way Rally, which challenged all riders with a mixture of fast, open sections, and far more technically demanding forest tracks. Setting off eighth into the special, Howes was able to chase down his rivals ahead, but as navigation proved straight forward for all, it was his pure skill and pace that enabled him to move up the timesheet. Completing the 132.74km special just 57 seconds down on the winner, the American demonstrated both his speed and versatility in the testing conditions. Enjoying the fast-paced opening to today’s stage, Luciano Benavides was well in touch with the leaders through to the waypoint at kilometre 66. With the special then leading riders into the tighter, rough forest tracks, Benavides eased his pace a little to reduce the chance of a mistake, which cost him some time. Completing the day in a solid eighth place, just over four minutes down on the stage winner, the FR 450 Rally rider now hopes to deliver another strong result on Sunday’s short 133km special and put himself into a good position going into the longer Mongolian stages towards the end of the event. Leaving Gorno-Altaisk on Sunday, riders will cover a total of 666km on the way to the bivouac at Ulgiy for stage three. The timed special will again feature a mixture of terrain as the race climbs over the mountains on its way to Mongolia. Skyler Howes: “Stage two was really good fun, and it was great to see some fans out there cheering us on. There wasn’t much in the way of navigation today, it was a pretty fast stage on pretty fast roads. Through the trees there were a lot of big mud holes and ruts, as well as a lot of vegetation. It made the special quite interesting to go from a really fast pace early on to picking your lines through the more technical stuff. I enjoyed the whole stage and it’s been really cool to rip through Russia like this – my result was good too. Only eight more days left!” Luciano Benavides: “It was a good stage for me today. I felt good in the faster open pistes near the start. The bike performed really well there too, which is very encouraging. Then we headed into the forest, which is the sort of terrain I struggle with the most, over a lot of bumps and through the ruts. I decided it was best to stay safe and not risk having any crashes, so maybe lost a little time on the leaders towards the end, but on such a short stage it wasn’t too bad. We have stage three tomorrow, where we then head across the border and then the longer stages start, so I’m really looking forward to that.” 2021 Silk Way Rally – Stage 2 Provisional Classification 1. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 1:22:44 2. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 1:22:50 3. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 1:23:41 4. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 1:24:38 5. Joaquim Rodrigues (Hero) 1:25:02 6. Sebastian Buhler (Hero) 1:25:41 … 8. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 1:26:59 2021 Silk Way Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 2) 1. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 2:13:45 2. Franco Caimi (Hero) 2:16:11 3. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 2:17:03 4. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 2:18:42 5. Sebastian Buhler (Hero) 2:18:48 6. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 2:20:09 … 9. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 2:23:33
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton has claimed third overall in the MX2 class at MXGP round 17, the MXGP of Pietramurata. A second-place finish in race one was followed up with a solid fourth in moto two, earning the Australian a well-deserved place on the final step of the podium, just one-point away from the eventual GP winner Jago Geerts. Jed’s MX2 teammate and last weekend’s runner-up Thomas Kjer Olsen fought back from opening-lap incidents in both races to claim seventh overall. Following a successful first visit to the Pietramurata circuit for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s MX2 riders last weekend, the picturesque Italian venue hosted its second of three rounds, this time with slightly drier conditions. Jed Beaton enjoyed the hardpack riding surface, making a great start in moto one to emerge from the first turn inside the top five. Setting a blistering pace on the opening lap, the FC 250 rider quickly moved into second before giving chase to race leader Tom Vialle. Recording similar lap times to the soon-to-be-crowned 2020 MX2 World Champion, Jed went on to claim a solid runner-up finish. Race two saw the Australian battling hard through the early laps. Knowing that a maiden MX2 GP win was a strong possibility, he charged from eighth to fourth within two laps. Desperately needing to make just one more pass for the overall win, Beaton gave his all, coming close to making a move for third on multiple occasions. Frustratingly, he ended the race in fourth to earn third overall. With one round remaining, Jed narrows the gap to third place in the championship standings to just 13 points. Thomas Kjer Olsen put in a determined ride in the opening moto at the MXGP of Pietramurata. Forced to avoid a fallen rider in the second turn, his subsequent charge saw him break into the top 10 just before the halfway stage of the race. With little to separate the leading riders ahead of him, TKO worked his way into seventh before inheriting sixth when Thibault Benistant crashed on the penultimate lap. A strong start in race two put Kjer Olsen in contention for a second consecutive overall podium finish. Frustratingly, he crashed out of fourth place on the opening lap, remounting just outside of the top 20. An inspired charge through the field saw him cross the finish line in eighth place to claim seventh overall. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to the Pietramurata circuit on November 8 for the final round of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the season-ending MXGP of Garda Trentino. Jed Beaton: “I gave everything I had in that second moto. I knew the overall was there and I just rode as hard as I could, but it wasn’t to be. It’s disappointing that I couldn’t get it done but at the same time I’m happy to be back on the podium. It’s great for the team too. They’ve been working really hard and it’s nice to pay them back with a solid result. One more round to go so I’m looking to end the season with another podium.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “A disappointing day after finishing second overall last weekend. I felt great on my bike and I really enjoy riding this track, so the results are really not what I wanted. My crash in race two was just from being too aggressive, so I’m mad with myself about that one. I was just a little impatient. One more GP to go on the 250 so I’m looking to go out in style on Sunday.” Results – 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 17 MX2 – Overall 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 41; 2. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 40; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 40… 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 28; 22. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 4 MX2 - Race 1 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 20 laps, 34:52:254; 2. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:58:139; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:01:821… 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:15:860; 17. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 35:58:022; 25. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 19 laps, 35:00:275 MX2 - Race 2 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 20 laps, 35:10:371; 2. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 35:12:309; 3. Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 35:15:903; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:16:985… 8. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:41:867; 22. Johannes Norman (Husqvarna) 19 laps, 35:51:072 Championship Standings – After Round 17 MX2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 718pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 661; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 541; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 528; 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 517… 15. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 156; 20. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 87; 28. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 62; 35. Gianmarco Cenerelli (Husqvarna) 21; 36. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 21; 37. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 16; 43. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 5; 45. Maximilian Spies (Husqvarna) 2
The opening round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship was a memorable one for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing as Billy Bolt took the win at Extreme XL Lagares. In what proved to be a shortened version of the event following eleventh-hour Covid restrictions forced sweeping changes to the original event schedule, Bolt took a convincing Endurocross victory with teammates Graham Jarvis and Alfredo Gomez placing third and fifth respectively. Due to heavy overnight rain, officials took the decision not to award championship points. Setting the pace around the Endurocross track, Bolt came out swinging during Saturday’s qualification to top the time sheets. Frustratingly, heavy overnight rain saw track conditions severely deteriorate come Sunday’s racing, but Bolt continued to shine. Winning the opening two races in style, the Brit overcame a crash on the first lap of the final race to recover to second. In doing so, his three combined results were more than good enough for him to claim the overall event win. Despite initially not favouring the Endurocross format, Graham Jarvis proved exceptionally consistent on his Husqvarna TE 300i, using all of his experience to skilfully race his way around the slippery track. Securing a trio of fourth place results, Jarvis secured a well-deserved third overall. Also delivering a consistent ride, highlighted by fifth in race one, Alfredo Gomez raced his way to a solid fifth overall, wrapping up a solid performance from Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing at Extreme XL Lagares. Billy Bolt: “It’s been an eventful start to the season, but to get a win here in Portugal is still a good feeling. I felt ready for the original format of Extreme XL Lagares - I’d put in the ground work and wanted a good result. But after the news late on Thursday that the format was changing, I just wanted to make the best of the situation we were all in. Anytime you get on track you want to be the fastest and I managed that almost all weekend. I topped the Saturday qualification and got two wins from three starts today. Overall, I’m feeling good on the bike and looking forward to getting this championship started properly now.” Graham Jarvis: “I think I surprised myself and a few others with third overall today - not bad for an old guy! To be honest I wasn’t expecting too much with the change to Endurocross only but wanted to test my fitness during those long races. My winter prep seems to be good and I felt strong all day. I’d love to have got into the mountains here, but it is what it is - hats off to the organisers for making something happen.” Alfredo Gomez: “Not getting to race like we originally intended was tough for ourselves and the organisers. I know how much work they put into this race, and judging by the sections we walked, it would have been amazing. Finishing top five overall today was good.” Results - 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, Round One Race 1 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 8 laps, 24:42.416; 2. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 25:31.549; 3. Wade Young (Sherco) 25:42.698; 4. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 26:11.515; 5. Mario Roman (Sherco) 26:27.732; 6. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 26:43.059… Race 2 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 24:25.707; 2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 24:34.618; 3. Dominik Olszowy (KTM) 25:26.162; 4. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 25:28.667; 5. Wade Young (Sherco) 25:37.090; 6. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 25:46.548… Race 3 1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 8 laps, 25:15.010; 2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 25:30.575; 3. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 25:38.212; 4. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 26:19.611; 5. Wade Young (Sherco) 27:07.924… Overall 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 57pts, 2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 45pts; 3. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 39pts; 4. Wade Young (Sherco) 37pts; 5. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 35pts…
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt, Alfredo Gomez and Graham Jarvis have travelled to Portugal to contest Extreme XL Lagares – round one of the newly formed FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. The event, which runs from May 7-9, follows a revised schedule to previous years with one large lap for the Main Event, held among the steep hills east of the coastal city of Porto. Prior to that, Billy, Alfredo and Graham will face an Endurocross and a Prologue. With the postponement of this year’s SuperEnduro series, Billy Bolt immediately turned his training to the more extreme, outdoor terrain seen at many of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship events. Winner of the 2018 WESS Championship, Bolt is now looking forward to a season of all hard enduro races. Coming from a trials background, the new format should suit the Brit perfectly. And heading into the season fully fit, Billy is focused on fighting for the win at every event while proving a point to some of his more experienced rivals. Finishing a close runner-up at the 2019 WESS Championship, where the title fight went right down to the final event, Alfredo Gomez is also a rider looking forward to the new FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. Mixing up his training in the off-season, Alfredo has been working on his outright speed, using motocross and even a snow bike to hone his skills. With Gomez planning on riding his favoured 2-stroke TE 300i for the entire championship, the events scheduled for the 2021 season all look to suit him perfectly. In top form and hungry to claim the world title, the Spaniard will be going all-out for a strong result at round one in Portugal. With more experience than any other rider in his class, Graham Jarvis is undoubtedly a favourite to claim the first ever FIM Hard Enduro World Championship crown. The mixed-discipline format of the outgoing WESS Championship didn’t always favour the 46-year-old British rider, with him losing out on the faster events. Now, with the switch to an all-extreme series, Graham is quietly confident of being in with a shout of the title when the series comes to a close at GetzenRodeo, in late October. An evolution of the WESS Championship, the 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship will challenge riders with a gruelling series consisting entirely of hard enduro events. Following round one in Portugal, competitors will contest races across Europe and even travel to North America for the Tennessee Knock Out. All eyes will be on Germany for the final round, GetzenRodeo in late October, where the inaugural FIM Hard Enduro World Championship will come to an exciting close. Billy Bolt: “After such a disrupted season last year, I’m really looking forward to getting back to more of a regular schedule in 2021. Obviously, I was disappointed that the SuperEnduro championship was postponed, but that’s given me more time to prepare for the new FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. Overall, I’m feeling good physically and I’m really happy with the progress we’ve made with my bike. I’ll be riding the 2-stroke for all the events and I’ve been able to get out and get a lot of hours in on the TE 300i. I think the move to all hard enduro is the right one – I definitely enjoy racing the other disciplines, but for the sport to grow as a whole, we’re definitely going in the right direction. It’s going to be important to finish strongly at every round this year. In 2019 I missed a couple of races after breaking my leg, but this year the goal is to definitely win the championship. I did it in 2018, and with the change to 100 percent extreme this year, I’ll give it my all again and hopefully be somewhere near at the end of the series." Alfredo Gomez: “I’m feeling good. I’ve been training as much as I can as always before the start of a championship. I’m healthy and thankfully haven’t had any pre-season crashes so I can go into round one of the series fully fit. I’ve been mixing up my training a little – concentrating on the extreme side of course, but also doing more speed work on the motocross bike, too. I’m so happy that we’re going racing again and I can’t wait to line up at Lagares. With the championship being all extreme races, it should suit me very well and so I’m really looking forward to fighting for the title. If I can get through the season without any mistakes or crashes and be on or near the podium at every round, I should be in with a good chance.” Graham Jarvis: “I’m looking forward to the season. I’ve been training hard and have had a good winter in Spain testing in great conditions, so I think that will help. Hopefully, this new format world championship will really suit me, I’m another year older but the championship is looking good to me, with some tough races – the classics and some new ones. The team is good as usual, Damo is working well, so now the plan is to just go out there and enjoy it. I’m looking forward to getting started.”
2020 MotoGP reached the fourteenth of fifteen rounds with the second outing in a week at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia. For the second time in seven days gentle Spanish sunshine graced race day and the 23-lap sprint. Friday and Saturday produced varied weather conditions with showers and a damp track for qualification. Romano Fenati and Alonso Lopez filled 14th and 21st positions respectively on the grid after Q1 and Q2 sessions yesterday. On Sunday morning Lopez made a typically rapid start and gathered places to circulate on the fringe of the top ten. The young Spaniard was then hit by bad luck as he crashed on the final corner with Gabriel Rodrigo. Fenati filled part of the fourth group. The Italian had a busy race trying to keep at the front of the tussle for 12th and finally emerged triumphant for those 4 points. He is 11th in the championship standings and can still mathematically rise to 9th spot with a maximum of 25 points left to win. The 2020 series comes to a conclusion with the very first visit to the undulating and technical circuit of Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal next weekend. Romano Fenati: “I couldn’t find the same speed as I did in Free Practice and Qualifying and we don’t know why at the moment. It is something we need to look at because the set-up was good but we missed something on the start straight and it was hard to overtake. We have to be focused on Portimao now and give our best there.” Alonso Lopez: “I was stronger today than I was on Friday or Saturday. That’s encouraging because we improved and we were looking at the top ten until I had some contact with Rodrigo on the last turn. I’m sorry for the team. We could have taken some points today but it wasn’t to be.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “We lost some potential because of the qualification and we knew it would be difficult to come back to the front group. We had an issue with Romano and although he got some points we were expecting a bit more while Alonso had a crash. We have one more chance to finish 2020 in a positive way.” Results – 2020 Moto3 FIM World Championship, Round 14 1. Tony Arbolino (Honda) 38:17.462, 2. Sergio Garcia (Honda) +1.142, 3. Raul Fernandez (KTM)+1.297, 12. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +14.513, DNF. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) Championship standings – After round 14 1. Albert Arenas (KTM) 170pts; 2. Ai Ogura (Honda) 162pts; 3. Tony Arbolino (Honda) 159pts; 11. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 77 pts; 23. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) 21
Husqvarna Motorcycles is pleased to announce an extension to its highly successful partnership with renowned exhaust manufacturer FMF Racing. The renewed agreement will see Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing continue to benefit from the American company’s high-performance products through to the end of 2023. Established in 1973, FMF Racing has been synonymous with dirt bike racing success. The California-based manufacturer uses top-level competition to test and develop its aftermarket exhaust range with the knowledge gained then utilised throughout the brand’s line-up of high-quality products. The partnership has enjoyed many triumphs in recent years. Notably, Zach Osborne claimed two AMA 250 Supercross championships (2017 & 2018), together with the AMA Pro Motocross 250 crown in 2017. Jason Anderson clinched Husqvarna’s first AMA 450 Supercross title in 2018 with Osborne securing the coveted AMA Pro Motocross 450 title in 2020. Standout success has also been achieved in enduro where Colton Haaker won the 2019 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship and Billy Bolt secured the World Enduro Super Series title in 2018, followed by the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship in 2020. Extending the technical partnership between Husqvarna Motorcycles and FMF Racing ensures that Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing will continue to use the US manufacturer’s latest 2-stroke and 4-stroke high-performance exhaust systems in all US and global motocross, supercross, and enduro racing activities. Robert Jonas – Vice President Motorsports Offroad: “We are really pleased to continue our partnership with FMF Racing for the next two years. With FMF Racing we have enjoyed many successes together in recent years across motocross, supercross, and enduro. To continue to partner with them makes the bond even stronger. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing compete at the highest level across many disciplines, relying on the performance and quality of FMF Racing products. We are really happy to continue this partnership and we look forward to more success during the years ahead.” Don Emler Jr. – Marketing Director FMF Racing: “FMF Racing prides itself on the many long-standing partnerships that we have created throughout the years. Husqvarna Motorcycles is a legendary brand, and we look forward to continuing to partner with their global racing team and continue to push the boundaries of performance. Husqvarna Motorcycles is a key ingredient to FMF’s success! We have won multiple championships together and now set our sights on the next chapter. FMF will continue to provide American made performance to power the brand into the future and chase more championship wins together.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides and Pablo Quintanilla have safely concluded day three of the 2021 Dakar Rally. With the stage featuring a technically demanding mixture of soft sand dunes and faster, rocky tracks, the Husqvarna FR 450 Rally mounted riders finished in 12th and 23rd places respectively. Benavides delivered another mature ride, completing day three in a solid 12th place. Despite riding much of the stage alone, the young Argentinian was able to accurately navigate through the challenging special, ultimately losing the minimum of time to the chasing riders behind. After his three consistent rides so far, Luciano lies in an excellent seventh in the provisional overall standings, just eight minutes from the lead. Following on from his third-place finish on Monday’s stage two, Pablo Quintanilla was one of the first riders to enter today’s 403km timed special. Soon catching and passing the two riders ahead of him, the Chilean star found himself with the difficult task of opening the stage through the dunes that featured predominantly in the first half of the special. Taking care to minimise any mistakes, the former FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Champion initially took a steady approach before increasing his pace during the second half of the day. Reaching the finish as 23rd fastest, Pablo now sits in a strong 12th overall, just over 10 minutes down on the event leader. Stage four of the 2021 Dakar Rally will challenge riders with a 337km timed special consisting mostly of rough sandy tracks with some added technical sections along the way. Totalling 813km – the longest of the event – the day will lead riders from Wadi Ad-Dawasir to Riyadh. Luciano Benavides: “I’m happy to finish stage three. It was another long day, and one that for much of the stage I spent alone after passing the guy in front. I rode a good stage, not so fast but I didn’t make too many mistakes and stayed in the middle of the pack, which will give me a good start position for tomorrow. The day had a good mixture of terrain, from sand dunes to fast tracks and even some really rocky sections that were more like trial. My pace so far has been good, and the plan is to stay in touch and then push harder in the second week. Overall, I’m happy with how things are going.” Pablo Quintanilla: “Today was a long day, just like yesterday. I set off well and by kilometre 40 I had caught the two guys ahead of me. Navigation was quite tough early on through the valleys and canyons and I think we lost some time there. After that I took the lead through the dunes before we rode together as a group in the big plateaus and faster tracks. Overall, I had a good day – we knew this would be one where we’d lose a little time, and we’d have to try and minimise our mistakes. I think I did a good job and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.” 2021 Dakar Rally – Stage 3 Provisional Classification 1. Toby Price (KTM) 3:33:23 2. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 3:36:39 3. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 3:37:59 4. Skyler Howes (KTM) 3:40:39 5. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 3:41:47 6. Xavier de Soultrait (Husqvarna) 3:42:13 … 12. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:47:59 23. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 3:52:38 2021 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 3) 1. Skyler Howes (KTM) 12:05:48 2. Xavier de Soultrait (Husqvarna) 12:06:16 3. Toby Price (KTM) 12:06:40 4. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 12:07:21 5. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 12:10:15 6. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 12:12:02 … 7. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 12:12:44 12. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 12:15:32
Making a solid start to the 2021 Dakar Rally, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides and Pablo Quintanilla have both successfully completed the technically demanding opening stage, finishing in ninth and 21st respectively. Following over three hours of racing across the rock-strewn tracks between Jeddah to Bisha in the west of the country, Benavides marked his debut Dakar stage for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team by finishing inside the top 10. Feeling comfortable on his FR 450 Rally right from the off, the young Argentinian was able to stick to a fast, consistent pace, despite the technical terrain and tricky navigation causing issues for many riders. In finishing ninth on the stage, Luciano sits ninth in the provisional overall standings and will enjoy an advantageous start position for Monday’s stage two. Posting the eighth fastest time on Saturday’s short 11km Prologue, Pablo Quintanilla was awarded a strong start position going into the 277km timed special on day one. The Chilean was immediately able to chase down his rivals ahead and by kilometre 71 had moved up to sixth. A couple of small mistakes in the challenging rocky pistes cost Pablo some minutes, but the experienced racer was able to regroup and hold a solid pace to the finish. Ultimately completing the stage in a provisional 20th position to hold 21st overall, Quintanilla is well placed to make up lost time during the long 457km special of stage two. Monday’s stage two of the 2021 Dakar Rally totals 685km and includes a timed special of 457km. The route will take riders from Bisha to Wadi Ad-Dawasir and deliver a mixture of conditions, including sand dunes for the first time this year. Luciano Benavides: “It’s been a good day for me today, my plan was to start quite steady and build my confidence on the bike, but as the stage went on, I was feeling good and able to push a little more. I really focused on my navigation and at the refuelling I found out my times were good and that was really encouraging. On the second half of the special I made a little mistake and a group of riders I had passed earlier got past me again, so I had to ride through there dust for a while. Other than a very small, low-speed crash later on, the rest of the stage went well. The bike feels great in these conditions and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.” Pablo Quintanilla: “Well the first stage of the rally has not been the best for me. I struggled to find a good rhythm early on and with the special being made up of some very technical, rocky terrain, I wasn’t able to find the pace that I wanted. It’s only day one though and there is a long way to go, I plan on making the most of my start position tomorrow and hopefully make up some time on the leaders.” 2021 Dakar Rally – Stage 1 Provisional Classification 1. Toby Price (KTM) 3:18:26 2. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 3:18:57 3. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 3:18:58 4. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 3:20:29 5. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 3:22:49 6. Xavier de Soultrait (Husqvarna) 3:23:01 … 9. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:26:03 20. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 3:33:56 2021 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 1) 1. Toby Price (KTM) 3:43:58 2. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 3:44:21 3. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 3:45:10 4. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 3:48:09 5. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 3:48:57 6. Franco Caimi (Yamaha) 3:49:14 … 9. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:52:03 21. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 3:59:28
The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team returned to action on Saturday with the opening round of the 2021 AMA Pro Motocross Championship in Pala, California. RJ Hampshire made his first racing appearance back since injury, earning a solid third-place moto finish en route to a fifth overall in the 250MX class. Jason Anderson highlighted the team’s 450MX effort with a strong finish to the day, claiming fourth in Moto 2 and sixth overall on the day. Coming into the Fox Raceway National opener, all eyes were focused on the deeply stacked lineup in the 450MX class. Defending champion Zach Osborne proudly displayed the #1 plate aboard his FC 450 Rockstar Edition but he knew he would have his work cut out for him as he eased his way back into a two-racing format following a back injury. As the gate dropped for Moto 1, it was Anderson who jumped into a top-five position early on but a tip-over caused him to drop outside the top-20 on lap one. He worked his way into a top-10 position by lap 11 and he finished strong in 10th. In the second moto, Anderson grabbed a top-10 start and he immediately put his head down to charge up to sixth about halfway through. With three laps to go, he put on a last-minute charge to ultimately end up fourth in the moto. With combined scores of 10-4, Anderson came away with sixth overall. “It was not terrible day but we definitely need to keep building,” Anderson said. “In the first moto, I had a good start and tipped over while running fifth but I was able to make it back to 10th. In the second moto, I charged up the whole moto and was able to end up fourth, which was a good ride for me.” Osborne got a ninth-place start in Moto 1 and he struggled to make moves throughout the race, finishing 13th. In Moto 2, he powered his FC 450 Rockstar Edition off the line to grab a fourth-place position off the start. He held strong up front for the first five laps before settling into fifth and from there he maintained a solid pace to end the day with a top-five moto finish. With moto scores of 13-5, Osborne earned 10th overall at the opening round. “My day definitely could have been better but I’m still healthy and looking to get more,” Osborne said. “The first moto was a little disappointing and not what we were looking for but I turned it around and I’m happy to leave in a better spot than I was when I got here. This is the first time I’ve done two motos in a day since I started riding again so we didn’t have any expectations and to get a top-five in the second moto was a step in the right direction.” Wilson got off to a 15th place start in Moto 1. He fought hard to work his way through the pack but he ultimately finished just behind Osborne in 14th. In Moto 2, he started just outside the top-10, settling into 13th for the first three laps. He experienced a crash on lap four that would ultimately end his day early as a result of a banged up bike and body. “It was a little bit rough for me today,” Wilson said. “I had a little better start in Moto 2 and around the third lap I was hitting this jump exiting the corner and my rear wheel slid out off the face and I got a handlebar to the gut really bad and knocked the wind out of me and I couldn’t breathe. By the time I got up and going I was pretty far back and my bike wasn’t good enough to race. I went back and got checked out, all okay. It’s a disappointing first round but all we can do is keep trying to improve and get better.” 250MX Hampshire got off to a seventh-place start in Moto 1 and he worked his way through the field in the first half of racing. Around halfway, he ignited a charge that would bring him just outside the podium battle. While running fourth, Hampshire was gifted the third-place spot, which he capitalized on to secure a third-place finish in the first moto. In Moto 2, he got a top-10 start and worked his way up to fifth by lap seven. Within striking distance of fourth, Hampshire went for the pass late in the race but unfortunately his line came together with the rider ahead of him and both riders went down. As a result, Hampshire dropped back several spots to finish ninth in the moto and fifth overall for the day. “I’m happy to be back at the races,” Hampshire said. “I felt good all day. The first moto, I didn’t get a great start but we made some good passes and held onto third, which was sweet coming off injury and getting back racing. Looking at our speed and comfort this weekend, I know we have a lot to build on and we will be better.” Jalek Swoll didn’t get off to the best start in Moto 1, where he rounded the opening lap in 18th place. He put his head down and charged throughout the moto, ultimately finishing 12th. In Moto 2, Swoll got an eighth-place start and maintained a solid pace inside the top-10 for the first eight laps. However, he ran into an issue with a lapped rider and went down, ultimately battling back to finish 13th in the race and 11th overall. “It was an up and down day, practice was rough but I felt like we changed it a little bit in the races,” Swoll said. “Obviously, the first moto didn’t go as planned but I felt like second moto I was really grooving and being myself out there. All-in-all, I’m content with the day and I know we have some stuff to work on but I think the speed is pretty good for finally getting through a whole day of outdoors. We’ll regroup and be ready for Thunder Valley.” Stilez Robertson came out swinging in Moto 1, settling into second off the start. He battled just outside the lead for the first six laps, before getting passed by two-time series champion Jeremy Martin and moving to third. Robertson held his own up front for half the race but ultimately dropped back to finish 10th. In Moto 2, he got off to a top-five start but he struggled to maintain the intensity as he continues to rebound from injury. With 10-18 finishes on the day, Robertson came away with 14th overall at the opening round. “Just from not riding, my arms are not really in shape and my knee is a little sore but for not planning on racing, I’ll take it,” Robertson said. “We’ll keep building and the main goal this season is to make all 12 rounds, so thanks to everybody and let’s keep it going.” Next Event (Round 2): June 5 – Thunder Valley National – Lakewood, Colorado Round 1 Results: Fox Raceway National 450MX Results 1. Dylan Ferrandis (YAM) 1-3 2. Ken Roczen (HON) 6-1 3. Aaron Plessinger (YAM) 4-2 … 6. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 10-4 10. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 13-5 17. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 14-40 250MX Results 1. Jett Lawrence (HON) 2-1 2. Jeremy Martin (YAM) 1-2 3. Justin Cooper (YAM) 5-3 … 5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 3-9 11. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 12-13 14. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 10-18 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Dylan Ferrandis – 45 points 2. Ken Roczen – 40 points 3. Aaron Plessinger – 40 points … 6. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 29 points 10. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 24 points 17. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 7 points 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 47 points 2. Jeremy Martin – 47 points 3. Justin Cooper – 36 points … 5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 32 points 11. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 17 points 14. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 14 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen has enjoyed a highly-successful start to his 2021 season, claiming a pair of podium results at the opening round of the Internazionali d’Italia series in Riola Sardo, Sardinia. Making his much looked forward to competitive debut aboard FC 450 machinery, the sandy and demanding Italian circuit provided the perfect setting for TKO to experience race conditions for the first time in 2021 ahead of the upcoming MXGP World Championship. Following the gate drop in the sole MX1 race, Kjer Olsen rounded the first turn in sixth, well placed for a strong finish. Avoiding the opening lap chaos and quickly finding his flow, the Dane then used a number of fast, sweeping lines to great effect as he picked off a number of his rivals and gave chase to the leading riders. As the moto reached half distance, the 23-year-old moved into third place where he remained to the finish, recording a truly-impressive debut 450 race result. Confident following his opening moto performance, Thomas made an even better start in the Supercampione race, which saw the top 20 450cc and top 20 250cc riders line up together for the final moto of day. Emerging from the first turn in fourth, the FC 450 mounted rider moved forwards and slotted into second place on lap 11. With the race leader well within reach, Kjer Olsen never relented and crossed the finish line as runner-up, right behind eventual winner Romain Febvre and having completed a highly positive 450 debut. With a strong maiden 450 performance now under his belt, Thomas Kjer Olsen looks forward to lining up for round two of the Internazionali d’Italia series in Alghero on Sunday March 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen: “Today was really good and I couldn’t really ask for more on my 450 debut. The winter has been really positive with the team, testing and training, but there is nothing like getting some gate drops and races in before the season starts. Overall, it has been a great day. Two great starts, solid riding and I felt strong at the end of each race as well so today was really positive for me and the team. We have worked really hard over the winter and I think that really showed today.” Results – 2021 Internazionali d’Italia, Round 1 MX1 1. Jorge Prado (KTM) 16 laps, 29:23:556; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 29:25:990; 3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 29:26:988 Supercampione 1. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 16 laps, 29:44:053; 2. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 29:45:367; 3. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 30:01:234
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has successfully completed stage three of the 2021 Rally Kazakhstan in sixth place, to lie sixth overall in the provisional rally standings. Opening the day’s special, Skyler Howes frustratingly suffered an issue with his rear mousse, which caused him to slow and then retire from the stage. As the second half of the marathon stage, day three in Kazakhstan proved to be a huge challenge for both the riders and their machines. With over 600km raced over the course of the two days, machine preservation would prove key to a safe return to the bivouac at Aktau. Continuing to build his confidence and find his speed on the tough tracks of the rally, Luciano Benavides impressed once again with a sixth-place result that sees him move two places higher in the overall standings to sixth. Riding a calculated special, the Argentinian was able to manage his pace to complete the stage just less than seven minutes down on the winner after over three and a half hours of racing. Following his win on stage two, Skyler Howes had the unenviable task of opening today’s special. Pushing hard as he has done all rally, the American looked in great shape at the halfway point. Unfortunately, an issue with his rear mousse, likely caused by damage to his rear tyre, forced Howes to first slow, and then stop and try to repair the damage. Despite continuing as best he could, the damage would eventually prove too much, leaving Skyler with no other choice but to withdraw from the stage. Returning to the bivouac, having been awarded a seven-hour penalty, the 29-year-old will continue with his event over the final two days of racing to gain experience and race time on his FR 450 Rally. Pleased with how his race has gone so far, Howes’ performance at the event has been highly impressive, fighting for the overall rally lead as well as taking his first FIM Cross-Country Rallies stage win. Luciano Benavides: “Today’s stage went well for me today. I was able to ride quite consistently and although I made a couple of small mistakes with the navigation, I didn’t lose too much time. It was a really fast stage again and so I tried to pull higher gears to conserve the tyre a little. The area of dunes near the finish were very tough to race through as it was so hot, but I’m happy to arrive at the finish safely after two hard stages. It feels good to build my confidence each day and I’m looking forward to tomorrow.” Skyler Howes: “It’s been a frustrating day today, especially as the rally was going so well for me up to this point. Everything looked good at the start of the stage after yesterday and I was riding really well and making good time. Around kilometre 200 I blew out a couple of corners and was wondering why I had no rear traction. I looked down to see the tyre was damaged and so I knew I would have to slow my pace a little. I tried my best to fix it and keep the tyre on the rim, but eventually it shredded and came off the rim. I got to within about 20km of the finish just riding on the rim, but after travelling so far, I had to stop. It’s racing and although thankfully rare, these things can happen. I’ll regroup now and get the bike fixed up and continue riding tomorrow to keep working and get more saddle time.” Pela Renet – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Rally Team Manager: “Although it’s a massive disappointment for Skyler not to finish today’s stage, we can definitely take some huge positives from the rally so far. Including his stage win yesterday, Skyler has shown he has the pace to both challenge and beat the world championship regulars, and this is highly encouraging for both him and the team in what is only his first FIM appearance with us. We need to look into what caused the issue as these kind of failures are very rare, but with an extremely fast stage yesterday and a mixture of rocky, technical sections today, it could be that a rock has damaged the tyre and in turn caused the mousse to fail. Skyler will continue with the race, although carrying a large penalty, but of course getting as much time on the bike and increasing his experience is very important.” Saturday’s stage four of the 2021 Rally Kazakhstan, the penultimate of the event, will see riders face two long liaison sections and a timed special of 308.8km. As well as the familiar fast, rocky pistes, the stage will feature 40km of dunes and undulating sand tracks where navigation will prove especially challenging. 2021 Rally Kazakhstan – Stage 3 Provisional Classification 1. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 3:38:18 2. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 3:40:26 3. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 3:41:48 4. Franco Caimi (Hero) 3:42:45 5. Andrew Short (Yamaha) 3:44:47 6. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:44:56 … 13. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 8:00:00 2021 Rally Kazakhstan – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 3) 1. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 9:45:46 2. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 9:52:13 3. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 9:53:08 4. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 9:54:01 5. Andrew Short (Yamaha) 10:04:25 6. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 10:17:24 … 13. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 21:03:21
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team members Billy Bolt, Alfredo Gomez and Graham Jarvis have safely arrived in Romania and are ready to contest the 2020 Romaniacs Hard Enduro Rallye. The event, having been rescheduled to a late October date, will see riders complete a time trial qualification, followed by four days of racing in the Romanian hills, close to the host town of Sibiu. One man undoubtedly looking to claim his first Romaniacs victory is Billy Bolt. The reigning Superenduro World Champion has shown impressive form over the season, despite the pandemic-induced lack of events. Bolt won the first three races of the recent Sea to Sky extreme enduro in Turkey, only to lose out on the final day when a navigation error saw him lose valuable minutes to his rivals. The young Brit finished sixth at the 2019 running of Romaniacs, despite being less than 100% fit. Runner-up at the 2019 Romaniacs Hard Enduro Rallye, Alfredo Gomez will be looking to go one better in 2020 and claim his first ever win at the event. Showing incredible pace and stamina last year, Gomez became stronger as the enduro evolved to take his fight for the win right down to the final section – the infamous Gusterita Hillclimb. Frustratingly, losing out by just minutes, the experienced Spaniard knows what is required this year as he chases success at the world’s toughest hard enduro rallye. Graham Jarvis comes into the 17th running of Romaniacs as a six-time winner of the race, hoping to make it seven victories in 2020. With the event moved to the autumn, the climate in the mountains will be tougher than ever – the early morning starts will be cold for all riders and with the possibility of extended rain, the steep tracks could prove to be hugely challenging. Jarvis hopes the demanding conditions will be in his favour as the Brit aims to climb onto the top step of the podium once again next Saturday. Andi Hölzl - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager: "Expectations for Romaniacs are always high and we're really excited to be able to attend the event considering the situation this year. The conditions have changed obviously with the race being held in the autumn, but our riders are well prepared and ready for the challenge. With less daylight available, for sure each day will be shorter. But I think with the cold, wet mornings and an all-new route, this year will be very, very tough. We did a lot of testing over the last few months, even without much racing, and Billy, Alfredo and Graham are fully motivated. A lot of the top riders are here, so it will be interesting to see who comes out on top."
Round 11 of the 2021 AMA Supercross World Championship took place in Arlington, Texas on Tuesday serving as the second of three races to take place inside AT&T Stadium this week. It was a memorable day for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team, who witnessed a break-through performance by Jalek Swoll as he earned his first-career podium with a strong second-place finish in the 250SX West Main Event. 250SX West It was a superior day all around for Swoll, who placed a season-best sixth in qualifying before setting out to a strong start in 250SX Heat 1. With a top-three start, Swoll ran up front throughout the entire race to ultimately capture third, his best heat race finish of the season. In the Main Event, Swoll kept the momentum rolling with another great start, sitting second right away on the opening lap. He diced back-and-forth inside the top-three in the first few laps but he eventually set claim to the number two spot. Maintaining his composure through the pressure up front, Swoll went on to secure his first career podium with an impressive second-place finish. “I’m so happy right now, I can’t even put the words together,” Swoll said. “It was such a long road but I kept my head down and I knew I was going to get here. First podium – I’m pumped and just happy to reward the people who have stuck behind me. I definitely want to carry the momentum into Saturday.” It was an unfortunate ending to the day for Daytona SX runner-up Stilez Robertson, who made it through qualifying and his heat race before ending his night early due to a foot injury. In 250SX Heat 1, Robertson grabbed a sixth-place start and he raced in that position until two laps to go, when he overtook fifth. Although he secured a fifth-place transfer position, Robertson was unable to line up for the Main Event due to a foot injury sustained earlier in the day. 450SX Coming off a season-best podium finish just a few days ago, Anderson returned to Arlington on Tuesday with high hopes of a repeat performance. Qualifying fifth, Anderson was on-track heading into 450SX Heat 2, but he got pinched off the start and began the opening lap in 15th. He was able to quickly charge through the field, scooping up 10 spots to secure an eighth-place transfer into the Main Event. In the main, Anderson once again found himself at the back of the pack after getting tangled up and going down in the first turn. As he was working his way forward, Anderson got stopped up behind a few downed riders and lost a lot of momentum but he did his best to continue climbing. With an impressive charge, Anderson worked his way up to just outside the top-five battle, ultimately finishing seventh. “My riding was actually really good once I figured out some issues we were having,” Anderson said. “I had a little mishap in the heat race and ended up eighth. In Main Event, I had a not-so-good of a gate pick and had a first corner fall, starting in dead last, but I was able to get back up to sixth. I’m looking forward to the next round, I think we can do some damage.” Wilson got a seventh-place start in 450SX Heat 1 and he put himself into a favorable sixth-place position early on. With consistent laps, Wilson held onto sixth for a majority of the race until encountering a race-ending issue with the rear wheel on the final lap. In the LCQ, Wilson secured a fifth-place start and he charged his way up to second late in the race, ultimately passing for the lead and securing the win. In the Main Event, Wilson started in ninth and he battled around the top-10 for most of the race. He locked in 10th heading into the final laps, where he finished 10th on the night. “It’s not an amazing ride for me but I’ll definitely build from it,” Wilson said. “I need to keep being in the top-10 and then to the top-five and eventually on that podium. It’s been a tough season so far with injuries but I’m working through it and trying my best. Thank you to the team, my bike was awesome!” Next Event (Round 12): Saturday, March 20 – AT&T Stadium – Arlington, Texas Round 11 Results: Arlington SX 2 450SX Results 1. Cooper Webb (KTM) 2. Eli Tomac (KAW) 3. Ken Roczen (HON) … 7. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 10. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX West Results 1. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 2. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 3. Kyle Peters (HON) … DNS Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Cooper Webb – 249 points 2. Ken Roczen – 237 points 3. Eli Tomac – 213 points ... 7. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 153 points 10. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 123 points 13. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 97 points 250SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Hunter Lawrence – 84 points 2. Cameron Mcadoo – 83 points 3. Justin Cooper – 82 points … 5. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 74 points 10. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 45 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes has delivered another impressive performance at the 2021 Rally Kazakhstan, finishing stage five in fourth overall. Teammate Luciano Benavides also enjoyed a strong showing, placing seventh on the stage to earn sixth overall in the provisional rally standings. Taking his second stage win of the event on Saturday’s penultimate day four, Skyler Howes earned himself the task of opening Sunday’s fifth and final stage, which turned out to be a relative sprint to the finish. Shortened to just under 160km due to an issue with the event’s refuelling truck, the timed special challenged competitors with another day of high-speed racing over the fast rocky pistes and tracks often seen at this year’s event. Despite leading the field and making a small error midway through the day, Howes maintained an extremely fast pace over the hardpack ground to ultimately complete the stage as fourth fastest – less than two minutes down on the eventual winner. After the large time penalty awarded following his technical issue on stage three, Skyler placed 14th overall in the rally standings. However, the American, riding his first FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship event for the team, was extremely happy with both his riding and the performance of his Husqvarna FR 450 Rally, and is confident of carrying his momentum through to the next event. Finishing Rally Kazakhstan strongly with seventh on the final stage, for sixth overall in the standings, Luciano Benavides achieved his goal of building his confidence and safely completing the event. As the first world championship event of 2021, it was important for the young Argentinian to finish, and be able to work on both his feeling on the bike and his road book navigation. Now, with his fitness at 100%, Luciano can look ahead to the rest of the season, and Dakar 2022. Skyler Howes: “Stage five felt a bit short, which is a shame because I was having a good day leading out. Other than one small area early on where the road book didn’t quite match the cap heading, I didn’t make any mistakes and felt really good on the fast tracks with a really nice flow. On the whole I had a lot of fun here, the terrain was more exciting that I thought it was going to be. The result isn’t what I wanted, but I have to take the positives from the race – two stage wins and some good team building time is very important. I’m really looking forward to the next one.” Luciano Benavides: “It feels great to finish the race, it was really important for me and my confidence on the bike. Today was a really fast stage and near the beginning I saw that Sam Sunderland had crashed and so I stayed with him until the helicopter arrived. Thankfully he was ok, but it meant I had to ride the rest of the stage in the dust of some of the quads that came past me. I think I did a good job, especially on such a fast stage, I just tried to keep a good rhythm and not make any mistakes. It’s a shame the day was shortened, but the most important thing is I’m here at the finish.” Pela Renet – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Rally Team Manager: “It’s been an encouraging rally on the whole, and good to get both riders safely to the finish. Skyler did another good job today, leading out and not losing too much time over 160km. His performance has been excellent, and he’s shown very good pace combined with accurate navigation, so this is very positive and looks good for the remainder of the season. It’s great that Luciano has successfully completed the race. He struggled a little early on with his speed and was finding it difficult to get comfortable on the bike. But as the race has gone on I think he has been able to build his confidence and we hope this can continue at Silk Way and beyond, with him moving up the leaderboard.” The next round of the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship to be contested by the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna factory Racing team will be the Silk Way Rally in Russia from July 1-11. 2021 Rally Kazakhstan – Stage 5 Provisional Classification 1. Joaquim Rodrigues (Hero) 1:19:51 2. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 1:20:58 3. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 1:21:22 4. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 1:21:28 5. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 1:22:17 6. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 1:22:17 … 7. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 1:22:17 2021 Rally Kazakhstan – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 5) 1. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 14:39:02 2. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 14:44:09 3. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 14:49:18 4. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 15:10:36 5. Andrew Short (Yamaha) 15:11:23 6. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 15:21:30 ... 14. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 25:51:37
The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team came away from Saturday’s Salt Lake City SX with a pair of top-10 finishes in the 450SX class as teammates Jason Anderson and Dean Wilson finished seventh and ninth, respectively, at the penultimate round of the 2021 AMA Supercross World Championship. Qualifying fourth overall in the 450SX class, Anderson got off to a sixth-place start in his heat race, working his way into the top-five by lap two. He continued to charge through the field to reach a podium position on the final lap, where he finished strong in third. Anderson had a great start in the Main Event as he powered his way into the top-three on the opening lap. He battled up front for the first half of the race but he soon encountered altitude sickness, which caused him to fall back a few spots and ultimately finished seventh. Wilson got off to a top-10 start in 450SX Heat 2, quickly working his way up to sixth on the opening lap. He maintained a solid pace to secure a sixth-place transfer into the Main Event. Wilson got off to an 11th-place start in the main and he quickly climbed into ninth before the end of lap one. He battled inside the top-10 for the remainder of the race, finishing strong in ninth. “I was in the mix pretty good but unfortunately a lapper washed out in front of me and I had to roll the triple and just lost touch with the guys in front of me,” Wilson said. “It wasn’t an amazing Main Event for me but I think if I can get that start and push to be at the front, I’ll have a good result.” The 250SX Eastern Regional Championship returned to action on Saturday. Team rider RJ Hampshire remains sidelined for supercross as he prepares to line up for the start of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship next month. Next Event (Round 17 – finale): Saturday, May 1 – Rice Eccles Stadium – Salt Lake City, Utah Round 16 Results: Salt Lake City SX 450SX Results 1. Marvin Musquin (KTM) 2. Cooper Webb (KTM) 3. Malcolm Stewart (Yamaha) … 7. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 9. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Cooper Webb – 362 points 2. Ken Roczen – 340 points 3. Eli Tomac – 312 points ... 6. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 236 points 11. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 153 points 14. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 123 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt, Alfredo Gomez and Graham Jarvis have arrived in Italy to race the Abestone Hard Enduro. Round three, and the effective restart of the FIM Hard Enduro series, will challenge all riders throughout the three-day event with some of the best, most technical terrain the Tuscan mountains have to offer. With the series opening Extreme XL Lagares event severely disrupted, and Erzbergrodeo cancelled, points from the newly formed 2021 Hard Enduro World Championship have yet to be awarded. As such, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team head into this third round looking to benefit from the situation, fight for the podium positions, and get ahead in the championship standings. Fresh from his stand-out ride at the EnduroGP of Italy, Billy Bolt is on form and hungry to get started on his FIM Hard Enduro World Championship campaign. Winner of the inaugural WESS Championship back in 2018, Bolt will be looking to add his name to the history books once again and take top honours at the HEWC. Another rider putting in a lot of training recently is Alfredo Gomez. The revised SuperEnduro format of Extreme XL Lagares didn’t suit the Spaniards extreme enduro style, but he pulled out all the stops on his TE 300i, delivering an overall top-five result. Now heading into an event that looks to fall well within his comfort zone, Gomez will undoubtedly be looking to fight for the podium on Sunday afternoon. Despite easily being the most experienced member of the team, Graham Jarvis is still excited to try out a new event, and has his sights set on victory at Abestone Hard Enduro. With much of the extreme terrain suited to the Brit’s smooth, meticulous riding style, and with Jarvis feeling fresh and up for the challenge, he will definitely be one to watch in the closing, extra-tough stages of Sunday’s Super Final. Held over three days, Abestone Hard Enduro will have a timed extreme test on Friday evening to decide the start order for Saturday’s Time Trial qualification. From there, only the 50 fastest riders will make it through to the Super Final on Sunday afternoon – an extremely tough, three-hour race over intense, technically demanding terrain. Billy Bolt: “I’ve had some really good bike-time coming into this event. Since I raced at the EnduroGP here in Italy, I’ve stayed around and rode in the mountains in preparation for this one. I've ridden at a lot of riding spots similar to what we’ll see this weekend, so I’m feeling confident for this one. It’s going to be a new race for everyone, which I think levels the playing field a little and it looks like it’s going to be a really technical and difficult event that I think will favour me. It’s three days of racing so my focus will be on not making mistakes and then by Sunday evening we’ll hopefully be near the sharp end of the field.” Alfredo Gomez: “I feel really good ahead of this race and I’m really looking forward to it. In a way it’s like round one because of how the season started, so for myself and I think everyone, it’s going to be a really exciting event. It’s new for everyone and I think that if I can ride like I have been riding during training then I think I can be competitive. I’m looking for a good result to begin the season and I can’t wait to get started on Friday.” Graham Jarvis: “This weekend will be a brand-new event added to the calendar, which is a great thing for the sport and the series. With it being new, no one can really know how it’s going to turn out, which adds a little excitement to it. I think it’ll be really good. I’ve been riding a lot recently, not specifically in preparation for this event, but it looks technical and certainly features a lot of terrain and sections that will suit me. Overall, it’s great to be back racing and to finally get the Hard Enduro season underway.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen has placed fifth overall in the MX2 class at round 13 of the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship. Racing at Lommel, the MXGP of Flanders, the Dane scored a fifth-place finish in the opening moto before claiming a strong fourth in race two. Kjer Olsen’s MX2 teammate Jed Beaton put together two consistent results, claiming seventh in both races for seventh overall. Thomas Kjer Olsen arrived in Lommel in confident form following four consecutive MX2 overall podium finishes in recent GPs. No stranger to the infamously deep sand of the Belgian circuit, TKO battled with the track in the opening moto as he fought to find a comfortable rhythm. Despite this, he held a strong fourth position for much of the race before being passed with three laps to go and finished in fifth place. Race two was much more enjoyable for Kjer Olsen. Running third until the halfway stage of the moto, he dropped just one position and slipped back to fourth. Quickly regrouping, he latched on to the rider ahead of him and rode well on the ever-changing track surface to finish fourth. TKO placed fifth overall and is optimistic of better results at the next two Grands Prix set to take place at Lommel. Jed Beaton enjoyed his racing at the MXGP of Flanders. Not making the best of starts in race one, the Australian placed just inside the top 10 and maintained his position during the early stages of the moto. Finding his flow 20 minutes into the race, he pushed hard and advanced forwards to finish seventh. A calculated ride in the second moto saw Beaton again claim a seventh-place finish. Well aware of how brutal the track was, and with two more rounds of the MX2 World Championship set to take place at Lommel in the coming days, he avoided unnecessary risks and claimed seventh overall on the day. In the EMX250 class, Kay de Wolf recorded a strong fourth-place overall result, narrowly missing out on a trip to the podium. Showing impressive speed in both races, the 16-year-old’s results ensure that he maintains his comfortable third-place ranking in the championship standings with one round remaining. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to FIM Motocross World Championship competition on October 21, for the second of three visits to take place at the Lommel circuit. Thomas Kjer Olsen: “The track was so rough today. I practice here a lot but it’s nothing like it is for a GP. It’s the same for everyone and I actually think it made for better racing as you had to be precise and really think about your lines. I leave here with a good feeling for the next two rounds and I’m positive for better results. For sure the track will be difficult and super-rough, but I feel good and race two was good, I was able to play on the bike with the bumps and had fun out there.” Jed Beaton: “Not the greatest day but we’re here for two more rounds so it’s a solid start to the week. My starts weren’t great in both races, which didn’t help but we’ll be better on Wednesday. It took me a while to get going in race one, by around 20 minutes into the race I found my flow and felt really good, but it was too late to move forwards. Race two I felt good from the start and rode a smart race. I know what to expect for the next two, so we’ll be ready for them and I look forward to Wednesday.” Results – 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 13 MX2 – Overall 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 44; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 43; 3. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 41… 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 34; 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 28; 14. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 13; 15. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 10 MX2 - Race 1 1. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 16 laps, 36:16:844; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 36:38:867; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 36:45:047… 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:59:390; 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 37:35:361; 16. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 15 laps, 36:34:457; 17. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 36:35:800; 22. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 37:13:874 MX2 - Race 2 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 16 laps, 36:22:920; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 36:32:431; 3. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 36:50:471; 4. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:53:902… 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 37:21:762; 12. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 38:25:709; 16. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 15 laps, 36:46:202; 21. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 38:16:560 Championship Standings – After Round 13 MX2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 569pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 516; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 407; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 407; 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 381… 13. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 150; 20. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 83; 26. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 62; 33. Gianmarco Cenerelli (Husqvarna) 21; 34. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 21; 38. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 8; 42. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 5
Husqvarna Motorcycles is pleased to announce the signing of Skyler Howes to the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team. Signing a three-year contract, the 29-year-old will first compete on Husqvarna machinery at the Sonora Rally in Mexico in early May, before lining up at round one of the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship – the Rally Kazakhstan – in June. Born in California, Howes grew up competing offroad, specifically desert racing, before turning his hand to rally in 2018. Contesting the Dakar Rally for the first time in 2019, the American admits he underestimated the iconic event, and despite showing great pace on the tough terrain he was forced to retire after dislocating his shoulder. Exceptional rides in both the 2020 and 2021 races saw the Utah resident finish inside the top 10 and as leading privateer – the highlight being an impressive fifth overall at this year’s event. Now, looking ahead to the 2021 season, Howes will compete in a number of local North American races before focusing on the full FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. Although he has some experience racing world championship events having previously competed in Morocco, Skyler plans on using the 2021 season to build his pace and experience on the varied terrain he’ll experience at each of the six championship races, while getting up to speed on his FR 450 Rally machine. Howes and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team’s first FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship outing will be the Rally Kazakhstan on June 7-13. Skyler Howes: “I am so excited to have signed for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team – it is something I have worked hard my whole life for. I started riding when I was just three years old and have raced offroad my entire life. I have only been racing rally for the past three years, and in order to be able to compete in the Dakar this year I had to sell everything I owned. I raced the Dakar for the first time in 2019, in Peru, and I have to be honest, it was a huge wake-up call. In 2020, I was able to sort a ride and, despite losing some time through the event, I was able to finish inside the top-10 and as top privateer. For this year it was a struggle financially to get to the start, but I knew I was capable of a really good result – I finished fifth, and as top privateer once again. Thankfully, my result got the attention of the factory teams and now it’s a dream come true to sign for Husqvarna Motorcycles – they have one of the best structures and set-ups in the paddock. One of the biggest things for me is the fact that I can now concentrate on my training 100 percent and hopefully take my riding and results to the next level. The goal for this year is to take in the world championship rounds and get as much experience as possible before January next year where the aim is to go on to challenge for the Dakar podium.” Pela Renet – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Rally Team Manager: “We’re really happy to welcome Skyler Howes into the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team. He is a rider with so much potential and his level of riding is improving all of the time. We have been watching him closely for a while and at the 2021 Dakar he rode really well to finish fifth overall in only his third attempt. Skyler is a fast, smart rider and a really nice guy as well – we believe that we can take him to the next level. He has been in Dubai recently to test the bike with the team, and everything is looking really positive already. Where he lives is a great area to train for rally so he will be able to get up to speed on the FR 450 Rally machine quite quickly. He will then compete in some local rallies in preparation for the upcoming FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. We are really confident in his ability and we can’t wait to see what he can do when the racing season begins in June.”
Husqvarna Motorcycles is set to begin a second year in the fiercely competitive Moto3 class with back-to-back races in Qatar. A double header around the Losail International Circuit lies in store for the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team and the FR 250 GP-mounted rider line-up of Romano Fenati and Adrian Fernandez to launch the 2021 FIM Grand Prix World Championship Moto3. The back-to-back stop in Qatar is the first of nineteen rounds and the opening chapter in the fantastically close racing category. Husqvarna Motorcycles is eying more spoils in its second year as part of the Moto3 field. In 2020 Romano Fenati delivered a maiden victory for the brand at the ‘Gran Premio Dell’Emilia Romagna E Della Riviera Di Rimini’ on home turf. The 25-year old Italian is the most experienced and successful racer in the Moto3 field with a total of 12 wins and 25 podiums. He is now chasing more statistics in his second term with Husqvarna Motorcycles. Adrian Fernandez is a Moto3 rookie for 2021 but carries experience of the FR 250 GP after having steered the motorcycle in the 2020 FIM CEV Junior World Championship. The Spaniard has been signed by the team for his bright potential and will be looking to learn and show signs of progression as he deals with a much broader range of international circuits in the coming months. The team recently took their first laps of 2021 at the Circuit de Jerez – Angel Nieto in southern Spain for the initial pre-season test. Like the rest of their Moto3 rivals they will benefit from three extra days of free practice at the Losail International Circuit in another outing lasting from Friday 19th March to Sunday 21st. The first day of the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar then takes place on Friday 26th. Romano Fenati: “One year after starting our Husqvarna Motorcycles debut in Qatar we are back for the second season and I’m very excited to be racing again. Losail is a good circuit for me, and I really like the layout. I’m ready to work hard with the team to meet our goals. We had a good test at Jerez and can now look ahead to a strong 2021.” Adrian Fernandez: “It’s a big year for me where I want to learn as much as possible. I’m looking forward to starting the year at Losail, which will be a new track for me and happy we’ll have a few days of Free Practice to get more feeling with the bike and also the circuit. I’m happy on the bike so far and with the connection I have with the team. I think we’ll be able to work pretty good towards our goals this season.” Peter Öttl, Team Manager: “Our team is almost ready to go and again we can count on a stable mix of experience and knowledge and a good team atmosphere. The Husqvarna FR 250 GP hasn’t changed much for 2021 because engine development is frozen but, where the rules allow us, we have been able to make some alterations, and these are important in Moto3 where every tiny advantage can make a difference. We worked on suspension and a few other details at the recent test at Jerez and we’ll check these again once we are in Qatar.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “We’re very excited to start this 2021 season and our second year of partnership with Husqvarna Motorcycles. In terms of riders we have Romano again and not only did he bring Husqvarna their first ever win in Moto3 but every single person inside the team knows he has the potential to win many more. We know we have a lot of possibilities with him and one more full season means we hope we can go for the championship. On the other side of the box we welcome Adrian. He is very young and was racing the Husqvarna machine in the FIM CEV Junior World Championship last year. We want him to get as much experience as possible and also aim for some good results. The first year is not so easy and he has a lot of new tracks to deal with. We hope he can learn fast and show us what he can do. He will have the whole team behind him and supporting him. We’ll be in Qatar in a few days, so, let’s start! Engine on!” Pit Beirer, Husqvarna Motorcycles Motorsport Director: “We saw in 2020 that the Husqvarna Motorcycles name has the potential to be right at the front of the Moto3 pack and we’re happy and hopeful that Max, Peter and the guys will be even more competitive this year. With Romano and Adrian there is again an interesting combination of the right experience and potential in the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team on the FR 250 GP. We can expect some exciting times for the season ahead.” FIM Grand Prix World Championship Moto3™ Calendar 2021 Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar (QAT) - 28.03.2021 Grand Prix of Doha (QAT) - 04.04.2021 Grande Prémio de Portugal (POR) - 18.04.2021 Gran Premio Red Bull de España (ESP) - 02.05.2021 SHARK Helmets Grand Prix de France (FRA) - 16.05.2021 Gran Premio d´Italia Oakley (ITA) - 30.05.2021 Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya (ESP) - 06.06.2021 Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland (GER) - 20.06.2021 Motul TT Assen (NED) - 27.06.2021 Grand Prix of Finland (FIN) - 11.07.2021 Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich (AUT) - 15.08.2021 British Grand Prix (GBR) - 29.08.2021 Gran Premio de Aragón (ESP) - 12.09.2021 Gran Premio Octo di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini (ITA) - 19.09.2021 Motul Grand Prix of Japan (JPN) - 03.10.2021 OR Thailand Grand Prix (THAI) - 10.10.2021 Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix (AUS) - 24.10.2021 Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix (MYS) - 31.10.2021 Gran Premio Motul de la Cumunitat Valenciana (ESP) - 14.11.2021 Gran Premio de la República Argentina (ARG) - Postponed Grand Prix of the Americas (USA) - Postponed
More Moto3 points for Husqvarna Motorcycles as Alonso Lopez charges to 11th place in the second consecutive race at MotorLand Aragón MotoGP remained in Spain and tackled the challenging trajectory of the MotorLand Aragón circuit for the second time in a week. After missing the podium by fractions of a second the previous weekend the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team were eager to have another attempt at the Teruel Grand Prix. The climate during Free Practice and Qualification was more favourable to the riders and it was a little easier to find grip thanks to the higher temperatures compared to the Grand Prix of Aragón a few days earlier. Romano Fenati began the meeting brightly with 2nd and 4th positions in two of the Free Practice sessions and took 13th in Q2, just 0.8 of a second from Pole. Alonso Lopez could not stitch together an effective lap and rolled into the grid in 21st place. Moto3 began with a large group setting the pace and multiple position changes throughout most of the hectic 19 lap-distance. Fenati was circulating in mid-pack with a technical issue while Lopez had made one of his now-customary recoveries to be further forward in the second group. The youngster was impeded by a Long Lap penalty but, by the finish line, it was the Spaniard’s FR 250 GP who took the superior ranking. His 11th place and second-best result of the year was made less than 2.5 seconds away from the winner. Fenati came home 19th and could not add to his world championship points tally. After three weekends of racing in a row MotoGP will now have a one-week break before the final triple header of the season. The championship will visit the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia in the first two weekends of November before travelling to the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimao, Portugal. Alonso Lopez: “I’m very happy about the rhythm I could do in the race today but it was a shame about the Long Lap penalty otherwise we could have made a better result. We lost a lot of time. In Valencia we know exactly what we have to do and where we have to work to keep improving our weak points. So, thanks to the team.” Romano Fenati: “We had a small issue with the front end today, I felt it under braking. It was hard to stay with the front group and I caused me to lose pace and positions. We’ll look into it and get competitive again for the next race.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “We’ll check everything to see what the issue was for Romano because with the speed he showed throughout the weekend then it should have been an easy top ten result in the race. A good result by Alonso considering where he started. We’ll put our heads down, work and do the best possible in Valencia.” Results – 2020 Moto3 FIM World Championship, Round 12 1. Jaume Masia (Honda) 37:44.602, 2. Ayumu Sasaki (KTM) +0.051, 3. Kaito Toba (KTM) +0.152, 11. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) +2.489, 19th. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +5.448 Championship standings – After round 12 1. Albert Arenas (KTM) 157pts; 2. Ai Ogura (Honda) 138pts; 3. Celestino Vietti (KTM) 137pts; 11. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 70 pts; 22. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) 21
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire put all the pieces together to claim second overall at Saturday’s Washougal National, scoring impressive 2-3 finishes at Round 7 of the 2021 AMA Pro Motocross Championship in Washougal, Washington. Hampshire, who has been a season-long front-runner in the class, came out swinging in Moto 1 as he positioned himself in the podium battle right away on the opening lap. He fought his way into second about four laps in and he challenged the leader all race long to finish in a close second. In Moto 2, he got off to another great start and battled up front early on but he made a small mistake and stalled the bike halfway through the race. Losing a couple positions, Hampshire rallied back to finish third in the moto and second overall for the day. “I felt good in practice even though I wasn’t that fast, but I knew we’d turn it around for the motos,” Hampshire said. “I felt good, I had two good starts and battled hard all day. In the second moto, I was in contention again, pushing for the win, and it could have been there but I stalled it about halfway into the moto. I got passed a couple times and it took the sails out of me but I can’t complain, I’m stoked on second overall.” Round 3 winner, Jalek Swoll, experienced a rough go at the start of Moto 1 when he got caught up in a first-turn pileup that ultimately resulted in him getting run over. As a precaution, Swoll remained sidelined for the rest of the day’s racing. “It honestly felt like today was going to be one of those days where I thought it was going to be a good finish,” Swoll said. “Unfortunately, in the first moto I got in a little first-turn pileup and got ran over. I think I came away with a little ding to the head but it’s all good, we’ll take the break to recover and get back to it at Unadilla.” Teammate Stilez Robertson did not line up for Saturday’s racing due to feeling under the weather after the morning’s qualifying sessions. In the 450MX class, Dean Wilson continues to battle through some health challenges this season but he was able to dig deep and put forth a consistent day with 11-11 finishes at Round 7. “I’m just kind of running on fumes, dealing with what I’m dealing with and I feel like I have nothing left in the tank,” Wilson said. “That was the best I had today but I’m out of here safe and have two weeks off to hopefully recover and try to get some energy back and be ready for Unadilla.” Next Event (Round 8): August 14 – Unadilla National – New Berlin, New York Round 7 Results: Washougal National 250MX Results 1. Jeremy Martin (YAM) 3-1 2. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 2-3 3. Justin Cooper (YAM) 1-8 450MX Results 1. Chase Sexton (HON) 1-3 2. Eli Tomac (KAW) 2-2 3. Dylan Ferrandis (YAM) 5-1 … 12. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 11-11 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Justin Cooper – 281 points 2. Jett Lawrence – 273 points 3. Hunter Lawrence – 237 points … 5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 205 points 9. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 148 points 16. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 86 points 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Dylan Ferrandis – 303 points 2. Ken Roczen – 256 points 3. Eli Tomac – 249 points … 12. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 102 points 18. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 33 points 20. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 29 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen has finished in a strong fourth place overall at the round 15 of the MX2 World Championship, just two points adrift of the podium. Racing at the MXGP of Lommel, an opening-moto fifth was improved upon with an impressive ride to third in race two. MX2 teammate Jed Beaton again had a consistent GP at the sandy Belgian circuit, placing eighth overall following 7-8 result. Round 15 of the FIM Motocross World Championship marked the third and last MXGP round to be held at Lommel. A slightly revised track layout was made all the more difficult following heavy overnight rain. Thomas Kjer Olsen was undeterred by the conditions, fully intent on ending the trio of visits to the Lommel venue on a positive note. A strong start in race one saw the Dane go on to maintain seventh position until 10 minutes to go, finding his flow as the race wore on and moving ahead of Conrad Mewse for sixth. Continuing his charge, TKO made a pass for fifth with three laps to go, holding the position to the finish and setting himself up for a strong overall result. Race two saw Kjer Olsen involved in a frantic battle during the opening laps before settling into fourth as the moto reached half distance. Under relentless pressure from eventual overall winner Ben Watson, the FC 250 rider then broke free from an attack from behind, reeling in Tom Vialle over the next few laps. Making a pass on the championship leader for third place on lap 10, TKO went on to finish third and place fourth overall. Just two points away from another visit to the podium, he pulls himself to within 10 points of fourth place in the MX2 championship standings. Jed Beaton had a consistent day at the MXGP of Lommel. Not getting the best jump from the start in race one, the Australian sat just outside the top 10 before moving up to ninth five laps later. As the race entered its second half, he moved into eighth and continued to push forwards. Making the pass for seventh on lap 13, Jed then chased Roan Van De Moosdijk to the chequered flag to end his race in seventh. Moto two saw a much better start for the FC 250 rider. Moving into ninth early in the race, Jed progressed into seventh at the halfway stage of the race as he found his rhythm around the demanding Lommel track. Losing just one position as the moto neared the end, he finished eighth and claimed eighth overall. With three rounds to go, Beaton maintains his fourth-place ranking in the MX2 World Championship. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to FIM Motocross World Championship competition on November 1 for the MXGP of Trentino, taking place at the Pietramurata circuit in northern Italy. Thomas Kjer Olsen: “A positive day for me and a good end to the week after a couple of challenging rounds at Lommel. The changes made to the track made it flow better for me and with the team we made some changes to the bike, which made me really comfortable out there. I was able to battle today and I’m happy with my result, so it’s been a good GP for me. Thanks to the team for the work they’ve put in this week and we go to Italy next weekend aiming for the podium.” Jed Beaton: “A disappointing day today. Not my greatest day of racing but I’m healthy, which is important with three rounds to go. I found my flow in both races but not until towards the end, which was frustrating. By then there was a big gap ahead of me in each race. Overall, I felt like my riding was good, it just took me a little while to get going. Looking forward to some hardpack next weekend in Italy.” Results – 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 15 MX2 – Overall 1. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 43; 2. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 40; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 38; 4. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36… 8. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 27; 20. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 5 MX2 - Race 1 1. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 16 laps, 36:15:672; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 36:23:630; 3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 36:34:934… 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:48:671… 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 37:55:292; 18. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 15 laps, 37:10:642 MX2 - Race 2 1. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 16 laps, 36:37:993; 2. Isak Gifting (GASGAS) 36:45:801; 3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:47:043… 8. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 37:43:554; 19. Johannes Norman (Husqvarna) 15 laps, 37:33:293; 21. James Carpenter (Husqvarna) 37:49:855 Championship Standings – After Round 15 MX2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 651pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 577; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 476; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 456; 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 446… 14. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 156; 23. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 87; 27. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 62; 35. Gianmarco Cenerelli (Husqvarna) 21; 36. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 21; 37. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 16; 43. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 5; 45. Maximilian Spies (Husqvarna) 2
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Celebrates a Pioneering Moment to Round Out 2020 Season It was a monumental day for Zach Osborne and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team, who wrapped up their first-ever AMA 450MX Championship on Saturday at the season finale in Pala, California. Despite the challenges presented in 2020, Osborne persisted with poise and laser-sharp focus in his relentless pursuit of a career-first title in the premier class and his tenacity paid off as he concluded the season with the highest honors aboard his FC 450 Rockstar Edition. With a 24-point lead heading into the weekend, Osborne managed his championship status throughout the course of the day putting forth conservative 5-7 moto finishes to claim sixth overall. In Moto 1, he shot off the line to secure the holeshot before settling into a top-three position early on. He battled up front with a hard-charging group of riders but he didn’t push the envelope, coming through with a solid top-five finish in the first moto. In Moto 2, Osborne grabbed a top-five start and once again managed the race to ultimately come away with a championship-winning seventh-place finish. In only his second season in the 450 cc division, Osborne began generating momentum at the end of the AMA Supercross Championship where he closed out the season with a career-first 450SX win ahead of teammates Jason Anderson and Dean Wilson, who contributed to a notable 450 podium sweep for Husqvarna. From there, the 31-year-old Virginia native continued to grind through the most uncertain of times and he’s proven to be unstoppable ever since racing resumed in August. Concluding the season with an impressive four overall wins, two of which were achieved by virtue of 1-1 sweeps, Osborne was able to command the red number plate from start to finish. As a two-time 250SX Eastern Regional Champion (2017 and ’18), as well as 2017 250MX Champion, Osborne has now successfully added another title to his arsenal as he looks to surmount all four major championships over the course of his career. Zach Osborne: “I considered actually retiring in March after I broke my back and my wife gave me a pep talk and we decided against it, went to Salt Lake and that went well and it just carried into this outdoor season. I came out swinging and was able to take home a national championship which is something I never ever dreamed of doing, I felt it was way out of my league – so dream big is the moral of the story and don’t ever give up. Find people that believe in you even when you don’t and keep pressing on. It’s such a relief to win this today. What an incredible day. Thank you to everyone who has been behind me.” Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager, Steve Westfall: “We couldn't be more proud of Zach and everything he’s accomplished this season despite the ups and downs we’ve been dealt in 2020. He has shown a tremendous amount of heart, determination and grit to get to where he is today. Congratulations to Zach, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team and everyone behind this program, there isn’t a more deserving group.” Saturday’s Fox Raceway National concludes the 2020 race season for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team. Next up will be the 2021 AMA Supercross Championship in early 2021. Fox Raceway National – Results 450MX Results 1. Chase Sexton, Honda (3-1) 2. Eli Tomac, Kawasaki (1-4) 3. Adam Cianciarulo, Kawasaki (2-3) … 6. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (5-7) 2020 450MX Championship Standings 1. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 355 points 2. Adam Cianciarulo, 343 points 3. Eli Tomac, 321 points … 15. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 97 points 19. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 58 points
Husqvarna Motorcycles would like to thank Pablo Quintanilla for his commitment, enthusiasm and successes throughout his five seasons with the team, racing both the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship and the Dakar Rally. Husqvarna Motorcycles wishes him well in his future career. Signing with Husqvarna Motorcycles prior to the 2016 Dakar Rally, Quintanilla immediately made his mark by claiming a stage win on his way to third overall. Later that year, the Chilean rider went on to top the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, clinching podium results in all four rounds. Forced to retire from the 2017 Dakar, Pablo made up for his disappointment by successfully defending his world title, including a win at the challenging Atacama Rally on home soil – a race he has won no fewer than four times. Runner-up in the world championship in 2018, Quintanilla went on to narrowly miss the podium at the 2019 Dakar by just seven minutes following over 42 hours of racing through the deserts of South America. With the remainder of his 2019 season plagued with injury, the 34-year-old came back fighting at the 2020 Dakar, claiming a runner-up finish – both his and Husqvarna Motorcycles’ best result at the tough event. Husqvarna Motorcycles and all at Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing would like to thank Pablo for all his hard work and contribution to the team and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours. Pela Renet – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Rally Team Manager: “It’s never easy to part company with a rider that has been such an important part of our team for so many years, but in motorsport this happens. Pablo is a great rider and has contributed so much to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. Before working with Pablo as Team Manager we were teammates, so to have raced alongside him and then worked and supported him, it’s been very special. Personally, and on behalf of the team and everyone involved, I want to thank Pablo for his hard work and commitment and wish him all the best for the future.”
Husqvarna Motorcycles would like to report positive news regarding Arminas Jasikonis’ condition following his crash at the MXGP of Lombardia. Admitted to hospital in Cremona, Italy, on Sunday, September 27, Arminas woke from his medically induced coma on Wednesday, September 30 and was quickly able to recognise and talk with his family and the exceptional medical staff around him, both in Lithuanian and English. AJ can also move his body unaided, is in no pain and despite being understandably tired is thankfully over the worst of his injury and can soon start his rehabilitation. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing extend their thanks to all of the medical staff that have cared for AJ, and to those from around the world that expressed overwhelming support for him during the last few days. Antti Pyrhönen - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MXGP Team Manager: “Honestly, I have never been so happy to comment on one of my riders. To be able to say that AJ is ok, that he is going to be ok, it’s a kind of miracle. These last few days since his accident have been so, so emotionally draining for everyone close to AJ, and just the worst of times. When he woke, when we realised that he could talk, that he could move all of his arms and legs, that he was in no pain and had no other injuries, it’s still almost impossible to put into words how incredible that feeling was. Of course, AJ still has some way to go before he is fully recovered, and understandably he is still very tired, but the worst is now behind him and he can soon start his recovery. Again, I want to say a sincere thank you to every single person who had AJ in their thoughts during the last few days, to the overwhelming support and positivity we received from the MXGP paddock and the global motocross community. But especially I want to thank everyone at Husqvarna Motorcycles in Austria and the entire motorsports family there, to Robert Jonas and Heinz Kinigadner and also to our team owner Kimi, who immediately started organising many things behind the scenes. Everyone in the team is hugely thankful for this positive outcome and so, so relieved that AJ will be ok.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton has claimed a highly impressive second place overall result at the MXGP of The Netherlands. Jed delivered two strong and consistent MX2 class rides to secure well-earned 2-3 results, while teammate Kay de Wolf enjoyed the GP of his young career, joining Jed on the podium in third. In the MXGP class, Arminas Jasikonis collected his first points of the season with a strong 10th overall, with Thomas Kjer Olsen close behind in 13th. The fourth round of FIM Motocross World Championship took place in Oss, The Netherlands – a new circuit to the MXGP calendar and the first race of the season to be held on sandy terrain. With all the action taking place under warm and sunny skies, the physically demanding track ensured a challenging day of racing for all competitors. Despite being pinched off by his rivals heading into turn one in the opening MX2 race, Jed Beaton safely completed the first lap in 12th before working his way towards the front of the field. Using a number of creative lines to move past the riders ahead, the Australian advanced into second position with five laps to go. Continuing to push hard and use his impressive forward momentum, Beaton was unable to catch eventual race winner Jago Geerts but nevertheless claimed a well-deserved runner-up result. Enjoying a much better start in race two, Jed moved from seventh to third on lap one to find himself right behind his teammate Kay de Wolf. The 23-year-old then gave chase in search of taking control of the moto but just lost sight of the leading riders. Managing a comfortable gap over the riders behind him, Beaton maintained a strong pace to claim third in the moto to secure an impressive second-place overall result. Racing in only his fourth ever MX2 GP, Kay de Wolf stood on the overall podium in third following highly impressive 5-2 results. In moto one, Kay crashed while challenging for fifth place and quickly remounted just inside the top-10 in ninth. Retaining his focus as the race continued, Kay charged from ninth to fifth in the final three laps to end the moto just behind Rene Hofer in fourth. After the gate dropped for the second moto, Kay came close to claiming the holeshot and emerged from the first turn in second place. The young Dutchman then moved into the lead at the end of the opening lap and began to work on increasing his advantage. Frustratingly, a small crash relegated him to second and despite making a couple of charges to reclaim the lead throughout the race, Kay brought home his FC 250 in an impressive runner-up position. In the MXGP class, Arminas Jasikonis enjoyed notable progress from the previous rounds of the series, claiming an impressive 10th overall at the MXGP of The Netherlands. Consistent starts in both races contributed enormously to the Lithuanian recording a strong 11-8 result on his FC 450 to secure his first points of the season. For Arminas’ teammate, Thomas Kjer Olsen, the Dane also delivered consistent results with a 13th in race one before finishing 12th in moto two. Competing in the EMX250 class, Maxime Grau overcame a challenging opening moto to claim 14th in race two, rewarding the youngster with seven points to add to his championship tally. Grau now lies 12th in the series standings. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to FIM Motocross World Championship action next weekend for the MXGP of Czech Republic on July 25. Jed Beaton: “It was a big confidence boost today and just what I needed to get my season going. It’s been a tough start and deep down I knew I could do it. Sand isn’t really my strongest surface to race on but I’ve been putting in the work in practice and it showed today. The team has been awesome and it’s great to reward them with a podium today.” Kay de Wolf: “It’s been an unbelievable day and to stand on the podium and lead a race at my first ever home GP is just amazing. I’m so happy and proud of myself and what I’ve achieved. For sure it was a shame to have a small crash in race two but it’s another learning experience to be up front and once I got back on my bike I could ride freely with no pressure. My team have been so supportive, and my bike is just amazing. Today has been a day that I’ll never forget. Incredible.” Arminas Jasikonis: “I’m really happy with today and there are many positives for me to take away from here. It’s nice for me to be back near the front and also for the team as well. They have supported and believed in me so to repay them with a strong result like this is great. With the team we have been working on starts but I would say today my reactions weren’t quite where they needed to be. In race one I was able to make a lot of passes in the first few corners, which is also another positive step. From here the goal is to continue to be consistent and keep pushing and working towards the front of the field.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “Today wasn’t exactly what I wanted but there are plenty of positives to take away. The main one being my speed in race two. There was a crash in the first turn that I avoided, but I was caught up behind it so I started near the back. After that though my speed was really good and I made a lot of passes despite the track being a little difficult to pass on. Having the speed is important and I feel that I have that, I just need to start as close to the front like I did in Russia and then I’ll be back inside the top-10 again.” Results – 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 4 MXGP - Overall 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 42pts; 2. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 38; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 36… 10. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 23; 13. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 17 MXGP - Race 1 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 36:28:182, 17 laps; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 36:30:745; 3. Tim Gajser (Honda) 36:33:741… 11. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 37:31:584; 13. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 37:36:352 MXGP - Race 2 1. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 34:37:324, 16 laps; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 34:41:106; 3. Jorge Prado (KTM) 34:42:897; 8. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 35:20:245; 12. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:47:141 MX2 - Overall 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 50; 2. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 42; 3. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 38 MX2 - Race 1 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 35:07:172, 16 laps; 2. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:13:451; 3. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 35:17:684… 5. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:32:042 MX2 - Race 2 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 34:37:597, 16 laps; 2. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 34:42:771; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:51:870 Championship Standings – After Round 4 MXGP 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 166pts; 2. Jeffery Herlings (KTM) 143; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 143… 12. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 62; 21. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 23 MX2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 141pts; 2. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 136pts; 3. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 133… 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 109; 10. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 87
Romano Fenati fights for Husqvarna Motorcycles among the leading group in the first Italian Motogp™ double header and is less than one second from the win The flat and curvy Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli welcomed MotoGP for the first of two consecutive races and this week. The track had been resurfaced for the Gran Premio Lenovo di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini but still featured some bumpy sections that caused teams to work diligently on race set-up. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team headed to their home event and the seventh round of fifteen in 2020 MotoGP with expectations of challenging for the top ten and hopeful of a decent haul of FIM World Championship points. On Saturday Romano Fenati, a previous race winner at Misano in Moto3, used his FR 250 GP to obtain 5th place on the grid and occupy a slot in the middle of the second row. Alonso Lopez pushed his bike onto the sixth row. The warm sunshine that had graced two days of the Grand Prix so far continued into Sunday. Moto3 consisted of 23 laps and the leading group was formed of a dozen riders as the pack circulated in close quarters. Fenati bounced around the top ten and kept jostling for room. Through a hectic last lap he managed to elbow his way to 8th and was less than a second away from winner John McPhee at the line. Lopez was hunting for positions in the top fifteen when he tangled with Ayumu Sasaki at Turn 8 and crashed, putting the Spaniard out of action with 16 laps still remaining. The team will have to wait only a matter of days before their second attempt to conquer Misano. The Gran Premio TISSOT dell'Emilia Romagna e della Riviera di Rimini will begin this coming Friday. MotoGP will then quickly move to Barcelona and the Circuit de Barcelona-Cataluyna for the third Grand Prix in a row. Romano Fenati: “A very good race for us, even if the start was not great. In the end the race was decent. We need to improve a little bit on the straights because we lose a little there but overall I’m happy with the feeling on the bike. We have a clear idea for the next race.” Alonso Lopez: “I’m sad about what happened in the race because we’d worked very well this weekend. We made a good step but we still have a few small things to work on to be competitive. I have to say sorry to Sasaki because I clipped him accidentally. We’ll have another opportunity here next weekend.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “Overall we saw an improvement this weekend. Both riders performed better during practice on Friday and Saturday. Alonso crashed today but he was fighting in the points and looked a lot more confident. Romano was always fighting around the top five-seven and finished close to the winner. For us this is a more positive message and a more positive feeling. We can be optimistic for the next races. This is like a ‘restart’ for us and let’s hope we can collect more results like this and better.” Results – 2020 Moto3 FIM World Championship, Round 7 1. John McPhee (Honda) 39:48.952, 2. Ai Ogura (Honda) +0.037, 3. Tatsuki Suzuki (Honda) +0.232, 8. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +0.928, DNF. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) Championship standings – After round 7 1. Albert Arenas (KTM) 106pts; 2. Ai Ogura (Honda) 101; 3. John McPhee (Honda) 92; 15. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 22; 23. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) 5
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team carries the red plate into rd 4 The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team travelled to Crawfordsville, Indiana for Round 3 of the 2020 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, where 450MX points leader Zach Osborne scored a Moto 2 podium finish on his way to earning fifth overall at the Ironman National. 450MX Osborne, the day’s second-place qualifier, got off to a third-place start in 450MX Moto 1. He battled in a podium position for most of the race until he hit a lapped rider and went down, dropping him back a few positions. He was able to re-mount and ultimately finish seventh in the first moto. In Moto 2, Osborne shot off the line to capture the holeshot and battle for the early lead. He settled into second early on and battled with the front-runners all race long to finish strong with a third-place in Moto 2, rounding out the day with fifth overall. “It was a decent weekend,” Osborne said. “The first moto was a bit of a struggle for me, I just couldn’t find a rhythm from halfway on. The second moto, I was able to rebound and come out with a holeshot and get a third place. In the end, it was a decent salvage and I’ll keep plugging away.” Wilson came into the first moto a little bruised up after having a big get-off during the first practice session. He grabbed a top-10 start in Moto 1 and battled around there for most of the race. With five laps to go, Wilson made two big passes to ultimately secure eighth. In Moto 2, Wilson started off in seventh and he maintained that position throughout the 17-lap race to secure another eighth-place finish and claim eighth overall for the day. “The third lap of the first practice I had a big crash and went over the bars, so it was a little rough heading into the motos,” Wilson said. “You have your good days and your bad days, but we never gave up and kept pushing through it. I’m looking forward to just improving every weekend.” Jason Anderson had a premature ending to his day after experiencing an uncomfortable pain in his arm during the first moto. Anderson pushed through for a few more laps but ultimately made the decision to pull off as he believed it to be a re-aggravation of a previous injury. “The day didn’t end up the best for me,” Anderson said. “I ended up having a decent practice and then went into the first moto and had a little mishap injury-wise and wasn’t able to finish out the motos.” 250MX It was a tough start to the day for Hampshire, who experienced a big crash during practice that ultimately set the tone for the rest of the day. In Moto 1, he got off to a top-10 start and he worked his way up to sixth by lap five. He went down mid-way through the race but he battled his way back to ultimately finish fifth. In Moto 2, Hampshire didn’t get the most favorable start as he rounded the opening lap in 14th. He went down a few laps in and as he was fighting back through the field, he found himself on the ground again, ultimately finishing 17th in the moto and 12th overall for the day. “My day started off with a big crash in practice and kind of spiraled from there,” Hampshire said. “I crashed mid-way through the first moto but I felt pretty good on the bike and was able to come back to fifth. I’m looking to have good starts at RedBud and stay on the bike.” Rookie Stilez Robertson got off to a ninth-place start in Moto 1 but he came together with another rider and went down, dropping back to 27th early on. From there, he put his head down and climbed through the field to finish 16th. In Moto 2, Robertson didn’t get the best start but he climbed from around 34th up to a 13th place finish, where he secured 14th overall for the day. Jalek Swoll missed Round 3 due to a mild concussion sustained during the opening round and he hopes to be back to racing soon. Ironman National – Results 450MX Results 1. Eli Tomac, Kawasaki (2-1) 2. Marvin Musquin, KTM (1-6) 3. Adam Cianciarulo, Kawasaki (3-4) … 5. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (7-3) 8. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (8-8) 250MX Results 1. Jeremy Martin, Honda (2-1) 2. Dylan Ferrandis, Yamaha (1-3) 3. Brandon Hartranft, KTM (3-4) … 12. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (5-17) 14. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (16-13) 450MX Rider Point Standings – After 3 of 9 rounds 1. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 122 points 2. Marvin Musquin, 109 points 3. Justin Barcia, 96 points … 10. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 58 points 11. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 58 points 250MX Rider Point Standings – After 3 of 9 rounds 1. Dylan Ferrandis, 135 points 2. Jeremy Martin, 131 points 3. Alex Martin, 100 points … 5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 90 points 14. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 40 points
An eventful day for Husqvarna Motorcycles at the thirteen round of 2020 Moto3 as Romano Fenati circulates Valencia for three championship points. MotoGP assembled for rounds 13 and 14 of 2020 at the Circuito Ricardo Tormo in Valencia. The latest ‘back-to-back’ episode of the world championship is part of the final triple header that will take the series up to 15 races and end with a debut outing at the demanding Autodromo Internacional do Algarve circuit in Portimao, Portugal. The combination of tight, closed and sweeping corners in Spain was the first test for the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team as Husqvarna Motorcycles chased its second set of silverware this season. The weekend began on a challenging note. Rain and heavy showers meant the majority of Moto3 sessions were wet. Romano Fenati was able to use his skill and sensitivity with the FR 250 GP in the damp to qualify in 5th position and for a spot on the second row of the grid. The Italian had been a regular at the top of the time sheets throughout both days. Teammate Alonso Lopez entered the Q2 chrono and the young Spaniard managed 16th. Sunshine and a dry asphalt on Sunday meant the team and both riders had to use Warm-Up to dial-in the race settings for the 23 laps. Moto3 then began in distinctive style with a large pack exchanging positions at the front. Fenati hovered in mid-pack contention, bouncing around the periphery of a top ten position. Lopez started excellently and was vying for the lead on the opening two laps until Celestino Vietti fell in front of him exiting Turn 4. He had nowhere to go and crashed out of the race. Fenati moved up to the head of the third group and despite needing to make a Long Lap penalty for exceeding track limits was able to finish 13th. The Grand Prix paddock will remain near the Spanish city this week. The Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana represents the second date at the complex. Romano Fenati: “Not our best results today. The bike was really fast but at the start of the race we got stuck behind the first group. I had a great feeling and our pace was similar to the leaders but we have to be further forward from the start. We have to fix this for the race next week. Our position should be further forward.” Alonso Lopez: “I’m pretty sad about today because I started very fast in the Warm-Up and also in the race. I felt great with the bike. We’d changed the set-up a little and it worked really well because I felt so comfortable. Bad luck to have Vietti crashing in Turn 4. I couldn’t do anything. We’ll aim to do our best in the next race and I want to thank the team for their great work. We’ll try again!” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “The weekend started well, especially for Alonso this time and the race as well. He was very unlucky. Romano had to recover positions but then the Long Lap penalty was a problem. I’m more optimistic about the GP than our results show. We should have got much more but we need to keep positive.” Results – 2020 Moto3 FIM World Championship, Round 13 1. Raul Fernandez (KTM) 38:29.140, 2. Sergio Garcia (Honda) +0.703, 3. Ai Ogura (Honda) +1.005, 13. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +17.589, DNF. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) Championship standings – After round 13 1. Albert Arenas (KTM) 157pts; 2. Ai Ogura (Honda) 154pts; 3. Celestino Vietti (KTM) 137pts; 11. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 73 pts; 23. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) 21
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Graham Jarvis is recovering well following knee surgery, required after he injured himself on day two at Romaniacs, round four of the 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. Breaking the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in his left leg, Jarvis travelled to Madrid in Spain where he underwent an ACL reconstruction and is now resting at home awaiting a green light so he can proceed with his rehabilitation. Topping the first full day of offroad competition in Romania, Jarvis looked set to battle it out for the overall win as he chased an incredible seventh Romaniacs victory. With just 40 minutes of racing to go before the finish of the second day, and having successfully navigated through the toughest part of the course, Graham twisted his knee on a high-speed section, forcing him out of the event and requiring him to undergo the needed surgery. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing wish Graham all the best with his recovery and thank everyone who has expressed their best wishes. Graham Jarvis: “I guess there are always positives and negatives with injuries like this, but I’m doing all I can do at this time. I managed to get surgery pretty quickly – in Madrid, Spain, on the Tuesday after Romaniacs – so that’s a real positive. Thankfully, there wasn’t much swelling, so I didn’t have to wait for things to settle down before visiting the surgeon. Now I’m just resting and keeping my leg elevated as much as possible. It’s a little uncomfortable, but as soon as I can I’ll start the rehab. It’s going to be a long time before I’m back racing – but it is what it is. I’ll be doing all I can to make sure when I do return, I’m as strong and fit as I can be. Right now I’m just taking things day-by-day. It goes without saying that I’m hugely disappointed, it was one of those silly little accidents. The support I’ve received has been incredible. From the team, from Husqvarna, and from fans all around the world – it’s been amazing. Thanks to everyone, and I look forward to being back racing as soon as I can.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes has claimed second overall at the 2021 Silk Way Rally, thanks in part to a strong performance on the fifth and final stage. The result moves the American up to second in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship standings. Luciano Benavides completed stage five in eighth place, taking seventh in the overall rally standings. Coming into the final day of racing at the Silk Way Rally in second overall, Skyler Howes held a narrow 49-second advantage over the third-placed rider. With the timed special being a repeat of day two, and navigation therefore being less of a challenge, times across the leading riders were extremely close with the top five split by less than three minutes. Aiming to defend his position, yet not wanting to make a costly mistake on the fast tracks of the special, Howes chose the perfect pace over the 110km timed section to ultimately finish fourth on the stage and claim second overall in the final rally standings. Despite having a technical issue on the previous round of the series that knocked him down the order, his second-place result from the Silk Way Rally elevates Skyler to second overall in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. With the team contesting two further races in the series – Morocco and Abu Dhabi – the American star is still very much in the running for the championship title. Bringing his FR 450 Rally home safely in eighth place on today’s stage five, Luciano Benavides secured seventh overall in the rally standings. Continuing to find his pace and rhythm after the crash that forced him to withdraw from this year’s Dakar Rally, the young Argentinian can take several positives from the Silk Way Rally, having ridden to five consistently fast stage results, well inside the top 10. Now, with a three-month break until the team contest the Rallye du Maroc, Luciano hopes to further improve his feeling on the bike, and work on his navigation skills on the run up to the final two rounds of the world championship. Skyler Howes: “To get second place and my first podium at a world championship round is amazing. I was hoping for a slightly longer race, and maybe another step higher on the podium, but I can’t tell you how stoked I am to finish as runner-up. Things went well over the whole race and in the end, it came down to just seconds on the final stage. Thankfully, I had a really good ride and was able to defend my position in the standings. The result here moves me up to second in the championship standings, which after my issues in the first round feels amazing. We’ve got a bit of a break now until the next race, but to be in the fight for the championship only gives me more motivation. I definitely can’t wait to get racing again.” Luciano Benavides: “I’m happy to finish the final stage and complete another rally. Today’s special was really fast with virtually no navigation at all – you didn’t really have to check the road book. I aimed for another solid result today to guarantee a safe finish to the race. I know my pace and result isn’t quite where I want it to be, but this rally has been great for building my confidence up and to get another finish is really important. I know what I need to work on now, so hopefully I can come back stronger at the next round.” Pela Renet – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Rally Team Manager: “I’m really happy for Skyler claiming second place. He had some bad luck in Rally Kazakhstan and because of that he had to open the first day here at Silk Way. It wouldn’t have been too bad if the rally had run to the full 10 days, but after it was cut, he did a really good job to take back the time lost. Second in the race and second in the championship is really exciting, especially as Skyler has become comfortable very quickly on the new bike and that puts us in a really good situation for the rest of the championship. Luciano has secured another rally finish, which is hugely important for him after several crashes, including the one at Dakar. His pace is improving, as is his confidence, so I believe with some more work he can return to the form he expects at the next round of the championship.” 2021 Silk Way Rally – Stage 5Provisional Classification 1. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 1:04:05 2. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 1:05:21 3. Franco Caimi (Hero) 1:06:11 4. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 1:06:54 5. Sebastian Buhler (Hero) 1:06:54 6. Joaquim Rodrigues (Hero) 1:07:08 … 8. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 1:07:32 2021 Silk Way Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 5) 1. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 6:19:18 2. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 6:25:38 3. Franco Caimi (Hero) 6:25:44 4. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 6:26:37 5. Sebastian Buhler (Hero) 6:29:36 6. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 6:36:57 … 7. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 6:38:08 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship – Provisional Standings (after round 2) 1. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 57.5 points 2. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 36 pts 3. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 32.5 pts 4. Franco Caimi (Hero) 32 pts 5. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 31 pts 6. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 23.5 pts
Following two weeks off from racing, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team returned to the AMA Supercross World Championship paddock on Saturday for the first of three rounds taking place inside Georgia’s Atlanta Motor Speedway this week. Despite a chaotic start to the day with inclement weather conditions, Jason Anderson rose to the occasion as the fastest 450SX qualifier and heat-race winner before concluding the night just off the podium with a positive finish in fourth. He lined up in 450SX Heat 2 where he got off to a sixth-place start. He quickly charged into third on the opening lap and he made his move into second with one lap to go. Keeping the momentum rolling on the final lap, Anderson overtook the lead just before the checkers to claim his third heat-race of the season. In the Main Event, Anderson got tangled up in the first corner and started just outside the top-10 but he charged early on to bring himself into seventh by lap two. He continued to fight despite losing his shifter earlier in the race and he found himself just outside the podium battle heading into the final laps. He finished strong at the end to claim his second-best finish of the season with fourth. “Atlanta one was a good day for the most part,” Anderson said. “I qualified P1 in practice and went into the heat race and got first. In the Main Event, I got a little tangled up in the first corner and ripped my shifter off but I was able to get into third, manage my race and still get fourth so it was pretty good.” It was a tough ending to the night for Dean Wilson, who started off on a positive note with a fifth-place qualifying position in the 450SX division. In 450SX Heat 2, Wilson got a 10th place start and he experienced vision issues that made it difficult to make passes in the muddy conditions. Ultimately finishing 11th, Wilson lined up for the LCQ, where he found himself in 14th off the start. After a series of crashes throughout the race, Wilson ultimately missed the Main Event by two positions. “The day started off good, I qualified fifth and I really liked the track and felt good on it,” Wilson said. “First heat, I ran out of tear offs and I was really struggling with finishing because I couldn’t see. I put myself in a bad position for the LCQ and then I came together with another rider, went down, got up, went down again and that was it really. It’s a big disappointment but all I can do is come back on Tuesday fired up and ready to do well.” 250SX West Track conditions were slick and muddy as the 250SX divisions kicked off the heat races and team riders Stilez Robertson and Jalek Swoll were right in the mix of the chaos in Heat 1. Swoll got off to a good start in the heat and he quickly moved into second after two riders went down in front of him. However, Swoll soon fell victim to the unfavorable conditions when he slid out going up the face of a jump. He re-mounted and charged his way up to a sixth-place transfer. In the Main Event, Swoll got pinched off on the start and began in 11th on the opening lap. He moved into 10th for the first couple laps before making a late-race charge to secure two more spots for eighth. “It was survival out there today with the muddy and tough conditions,” Swoll said. “The heat race was going decent but then I went down and it left me with a not-so-great gate pick for the Main Event and I got pinched off in the start. We’ll be back for the next Atlanta round and try to land on the box.” Stilez Robertson returned to racing in Atlanta after missing the last two races due to a foot injury. In 250 SX Heat 1, he got off to a great second-place start but due to the muddy conditions he tangled with another rider and went down shortly after the start. Rounding the opening lap in 12th, Robertson climbed up to ninth right away and ultimately salvaged a seventh-place transfer. In the Main Event, Robertson didn’t have the best start as he came together with another rider in the second corner and went down once again. Beginning well outside the top-15 on lap one, Robertson had his work cut out for him as he battled through the entire nine-lap race to ultimately finish 11th on the night. “The day started off pretty good with qualifying and the heat race got off to a pretty good start but then I ended up going down in the mud,” Robertson said. “With 14th gate pick, I messed my start up in the main and in the second turn I ran into someone and went down. I think I started 18th and finished 11th, which isn’t great by me but we’ve got another one on Tuesday and I can try and redeem myself.” Next Event (Round 14): Tuesday, April 13 – Atlanta Motor Speedway – Atlanta, Georgia Round 13 Results: Atlanta SX 1 450SX Results 1. Eli Tomac (KAW) 2. Chase Sexton (HON) 3. Cooper Webb (KTM) 4. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX West Results 1. Nate Thrasher (YAM) 2. Justin Cooper (YAM) 3. Cameron Mcadoo (KAW) ... 8. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 11. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Cooper Webb – 296 points 2. Ken Roczen – 274 points 3. Eli Tomac – 260 points ... 7. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 190 points 11. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 123 points 13. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 110 points 250SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Justin Cooper – 131 points 2. Cameron Mcadoo – 127 points 3. Hunter Lawrence – 118 points 4. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 108 points … 12. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 57 points
Danish MX2 star set for MXGP World Championship debut in 2021 onboard Husqvarna FC 450 machinery Husqvarna Motorcycles is pleased to confirm the signing of Thomas Kjer Olsen to a two-year contract that will see the 2019 MX2 World Championship runner-up move into the MXGP division in 2021 onboard FC 450 machinery. Thomas will compete for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing in the IceOne Racing team managed by Finn Antti Pyrhönen. A well-established MX2 World Championship competitor, 23-year-old Kjer Olsen will continue what is now a four-year association with Husqvarna Motorcycles as he takes his first step into MXGP class competition. Producing numerous stand out performances over recent years including three MX2 GP wins, the Dane has unquestionably proven himself as one of the World Championship’s leading MX2 class riders. Finishing as runner-up in the 2019 MX2 World Championship, Thomas previously finished third in both 2017 and 2018. Thomas Kjer Olsen: “I’m really happy to continue with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, to be staying with the Husqvarna family and moving to the MXGP class with IceOne Racing. I really admire the team, I know they do a great job and I believe that it’s the best team in the MXGP class. I’ve been with Husqvarna for my whole MX2 career and we’ve shared a lot of success and I have a lot to be thankful for. But I’m excited about this new chapter of my career and to be moving to MXGP. I’ve tried the IceOne FC 450 bike and it’s unbelievable. So light and powerful and as I’m a bigger guy I think it’ll really suit to my riding style. The MXGP class is so competitive and an exciting prospect. It’s full of established racers, many that have moved up from MX2 in recent years. I hope to quickly find my feet and settle into the class. I’m really looking forward to it all. For now, I am fully focussed on the MX2 World Championship. We still have a lot of races to go and then I can look forward to moving over to the new team and begin testing with the FC 450 over the winter months. I’m really excited for 2021 and racing in the MXGP class.” Antti Pyrhönen - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MXGP Team Manager: “Of course, we have been following Thomas since he joined the Husqvarna brand in 2017 and we know that he will be a great fit for our team, alongside Arminas Jasikonis. It’s a nice and natural progression to move from the Husqvarna MX2 team into MXGP with us. Thomas is hugely professional, his approach to racing and his results speak for themselves - placing top three in the MX2 World Championship over the last three seasons says a lot about his ability and focus. He is clearly fit, fast and strong and will ride the FC 450 to its full capacity. We have the 2020 season to complete but we are already looking forward to a great 2021 with our young team line-up.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has arrived in Italy to contest round two of the 2021 FIM Enduro World Championship on June 25-27. The Brit will be riding his FE 450 as he takes on the classic enduro regulars in the hotly contested Enduro2 category. Bolt will initially face the Super Test on Friday evening – a short special test that should suit the reigning SuperEnduro World Champion. Both Saturday and Sunday then deliver four laps of a 30-kilometre course that includes an enduro test, a cross test, and an extreme test. Although the hard enduro terrain of the extreme test should suit Billy’s skill set, the cross test and enduro test will present a fresh challenge, as will the classic enduro format of the event. Coming into the weekend looking to enjoy some valuable race time, Bolt is under no illusion of the task ahead. With his only plan being to do his best, enjoy the event, and safely complete both days of competition, Billy will no doubt be hoping to impress the local fans and put on a good show. The race will also give Bolt the chance to stay focused and up to speed ahead of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship restart in just over two weeks’ time. Billy Bolt: “I’m really looking forward to this weekend, it’s great to be able to take on another style of racing and do something different. It feels good because I’m coming into the event without too much pressure on my shoulders and no huge expectations. The goal is just to get comfortable, have fun, and finish the two days without making too many mistakes. I’ll be riding the 450 again, which I really enjoy. I’ve done a couple of races on the bike back in the UK recently and I’m really happy with how it feels, so hopefully it will work well in Italy too. I’m really excited to get started now.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla has successfully completed stage nine of the 2021 Dakar Rally as the 10th quickest rider. On a day that many have commented was the toughest of this year’s event so far, Luciano Benavides crashed after kilometre 242 and was unfortunately unable to continue the race. Starting on the shore close to the bivouac city of Neom, the 579km stage nine first led riders north, along the beach before heading inland to the sandy valleys in the north of the country. As well as the complicated navigation seen on most days this year, the long 465km timed special also tested riders with fast, rocky pistes and riverbeds, later on in the stage. Pablo Quintanilla enjoyed a strong start to today’s stage, making light work of the navigation through the earlier parts of the special. The FR 450 Rally rider had moved up to sixth place by the sixth checkpoint and was making up good ground on his rivals ahead. A few kilometres after checkpoint seven, Quintanilla came across teammate Benavides who had crashed in an especially rocky section. Finding it hard to maintain a decent rhythm after that, the Chilean settled for a safe ride to the finish and now looks forward to Wednesday’s stage 10. Putting in a superb performance through the first half of the day, Luciano Benavides had climbed to third place on stage nine and was looking set to deliver his best result of the rally so far. Caught out by one of the many rocks that littered today’s special, the young Argentinian fell heavily, dislocating his shoulder. Unable to continue, Luciano was taken to the nearby hospital for further checks and unfortunately will play no further part in this year’s event. Pablo Quintanilla: “It was definitely the toughest stage of the rally. In the morning, I saw Toby lying on the ground but the helicopter was already with him and so I carried on, even though it was difficult to focus after seeing something like that. After the refuelling, I started to feel better and was able to increase my pace a little bit, but then I found Luciano on the ground and I stopped for him. It was difficult to see because he was in a lot of pain, but thankfully not too badly injured. I stayed with him until the helicopter arrived. From there to the end, I just wanted to get back safely and finish the day. I’m really sorry for Toby and Luciano and wish them well.” Day 10 of the rally leaves Neom and initially heads south along the Red Sea coast. Totalling 583km, the stage then heads inland and comprises a mixture of terrain in the deep, rocky valleys. Riders will face a tough 342-kilometre timed special against the clock. 2021 Dakar Rally – Stage 9 Provisional Classification 1. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 4:49:15 2. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 4:50:33 3. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 4:50:49 4. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 4:59:26 5. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 5:03:34 6. Joan Barreda (Honda) 5:03:44 … 10. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 5:12:45 2021 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 9) 1. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 36:51:00 2. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 37:02:24 3. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 37:05:34 4. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 37:08:26 5. Joan Barreda (Honda) 37:20:00 6. Daniel Sanders (KTM) 37:29:23 … 9. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 37:51:37
Battling his way through a tough stage seven of the 2021 Dakar Rally to finish eighth fastest, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides now holds 10th in the provisional overall standings. Joining his teammate at this evening’s marathon stage bivouac, Pablo Quintanilla claimed 15th on the stage and lies 12th overall. Marking the first half of the event’s marathon stage, and including a 453km timed special, day seven at the Dakar proved a tough one for all competitors. While focusing on their navigation, riders also had to preserve their machines as no outside mechanical assistance was allowed at the bivouac overnight. Setting off as the 14th rider to enter the stage, Luciano Benavides found himself having to pass a number of riders to make up time on his rivals. Putting in a strong ride, the Argentinian increased his position to sixth by kilometre 398. A small error after the final checkpoint resulted in him losing a couple of minutes, but Benavides was able to defend his top-10 position to the line, finally finishing the day in eighth and moving up to 10th in the provisional overall standings. Highly experienced rally racer Pablo Quintanilla took a steady approach to the day’s special, minimising any possible mistakes and conserving his FR 450 Rally machine. In finishing the stage in 15th, the Chilean rider now sits 12th in the general rankings. Luciano Benavides: “Everything went well today – I feel good, the bike is good – I did get lost a bit at the end but thankfully didn’t lose too much time. I had a much better feeling on the bike, so enjoyed the stage a lot more. I was caught by my brother so was able to ride with him for a little bit, which was nice. Overall, it was a solid day for me, the terrain was mostly sandy and fast but there were some rocks hidden in places. My tyres look good, but tomorrow will be another long day, we’re still in the fight so I will try my best again.” Pablo Quintanilla: “Today was the first half of the marathon stage and it was quite a tough special. With the early part being wet, sandy tracks it was difficult to keep the bike straight in some places. Because of that it was hard to get into a fast rhythm and so bearing in mind we have no assistance today, I decided to just get to the finish safely and save the bike. I focused on my navigation and in the end, finished without problems.” Stage eight of the rally – the second half of the marathon stage – will see riders cover a total of 709km, of which, 375km will be timed special, ridden against the clock. The route to Neom will consist of a mixture of sandy tracks and rocky pistes, with tricky navigation testing riders’ road book skills. 2021 Dakar Rally – Stage 7 Provisional Classification 1. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 4:37:44 2. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 4:39:51 3. Skyler Howes (KTM) 4:40:03 4. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 4:40:36 5. Daniel Sanders (KTM) 4:40:58 6. Xavier de Soultrait (Husqvarna) 4:41:41 … 8. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 4:43:33 15. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 4:47:36 2021 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 7) 1. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 28:51:31 2. Toby Price (KTM) 28:51:32 3. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 28:53:42 4. Xavier de Soultrait (Husqvarna) 28:54:05 5. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 28:59:00 6. Joan Barreda (Honda) 29:01:49 … 10. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 29:08:38 12. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 29:11:32
The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team wrapped up another jam-packed week of racing in Indianapolis with Round 6 of the 2021 AMA Supercross World Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium. Jason Anderson, who missed the last round due to a finger injury, returned to the 450SX lineup on Saturday where he claimed a season-best finish of sixth in the premier class. With only four days off between rounds, Anderson immediately went to work on rehabbing his dislocated finger so he could join teammate Zach Osborne for the final round in Indy. Anderson got off to a great start in 450SX Heat 2 and he battled for the lead early on lap one. He held onto second for the first three laps before ultimately securing a third-place transfer. In the Main Event, Anderson got a ninth-place start and he worked his way up to eighth just after the halfway point. The 2018 450SX Champion maintained a steady pace in the final laps to pick up two additional spots for a sixth-place finish. “My night went decent, I was just pumped to be able to do enough therapy on my finger to be able to race tonight,” Anderson said. “I had a better heat, which made myself feel a little bit better and we did some suspension work. In the main, I didn’t get that great of a start but I was able to get better and move through the pack. I’m slowly getting better but not where we want to be, so we’ll get there.” Osborne had a strong start to the night in 450SX Heat 1, grabbing a third-place start and mixing it up with the front-runners. He rode a sturdy pace to maintain that position all the way through the checkers, carrying a third-place transfer into the Main Event. He didn’t get the best start in the main, battling around the top-10 throughout the entire 26-lap race. In the end, Osborne secured 10th for the night. “It was a little bit of a tough night,” Osborne said. “I didn’t get a start in the main and it wasn’t one of my best rides of the season. Back to the drawing board this week, I have a few things I would like to really work on and focus on to be better for next weekend in Orlando.” Team riders Dean Wilson and RJ Hampshire were absent from Round 6 as they continue to recover from injuries sustained early in the season. Next Event (Round 7): Saturday, February 13 – Camping World Stadium – Orlando, Florida Round 6 Results: Indianapolis SX 3 450SX Results 1. Ken Roczen (HON) 2. Cooper Webb (KTM) 3. Marvin Musquin (KTM) … 6. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 10. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Ken Roczen – 138 points 2. Cooper Webb – 122 points 3. Eli Tomac – 114 points ... 9. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 87 points 12. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 67 points 16. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 35 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has delivered two hugely impressive rides at round two of the 2021 FIM Enduro World Championship. Following a dominant performance on the event’s Friday evening Super Test, the Brit then continued to shake things up in the Enduro2 category, ultimately placing third on day one and backing up his performance with fifth on day two. Riding an FE 450 in the hotly contested E2 class, Bolt initially went into the second round of the EnduroGP series simply looking to gain some valuable race time and experience, as well as putting on a show for the passionate Italian fans at the Edolo venue. The FIM SuperEnduro World Champion certainly won the crowd’s support on Friday, topping the overall Super Test times by a sizeable four-second margin. Going into the first of the two full days of competition, Bolt remained competitive alongside the EnduroGP regulars. Posting several top extreme test results, Billy was able to stay in contention for the podium places. And at the end of the four laps, he secured an impressive third place in Enduro2 and fifth in the overall EnduroGP category. Sunday proved tougher for Bolt. With the rougher, more challenging riding conditions to his liking, he was able to deliver a number of leading results in both the extreme and enduro tests. However, a couple of small mistakes cost the 23-year-old, with him then having to push hard to make up the time lost. A small issue towards the close of racing resulted in Billy ultimately securing a fifth-place finish in Enduro2, missing out on a second podium by just over 30 seconds. Bolt now looks ahead to the restart of the 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, and the Abestone Hard Enduro, held on July 9-11. Billy Bolt: “I’ve really enjoyed my time here in Italy. It’s great to ride different events and I’m pleased with how things have gone here in EnduroGP. I didn’t really know what to expect coming into the event – a top-10 result was my goal, so to finish on the E2 podium on Saturday was great. I made a few mistakes on a few of the enduro and cross tests, but thankfully, I was able to claw some of that back with a couple of strong extreme tests. Day two didn’t go so well unfortunately, I found it hard to get into a rhythm early on and settle into a good pace, then towards the end, in the extreme test, my chain came off and I had to push to the finish, so obviously I lost a fair bit of time there. Overall, I’ve enjoyed it, and if all goes well, I hope to be able to come back to race a couple more sometime.” Results – 2021 FIM Enduro World Championship – Round 2, Italy Day 1 Enduro 2 1. Wil Ruprecht (TM) 57:59.69 2. Josep Garcia (KTM) 59:47.93 3. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 1:00:17.89 4. Hamish MacDonald (Sherco) 1:00:21.78 5. Steve Holcombe (Beta) 1:00:43.56 6. Hugo Blanjoue (FRA), KTM, 1:02:18.76 EnduroGP 1. Brad Freeman (GBR), Beta, 57:57.37 2. Wil Ruprecht (AUS), TM, 57:59.69 3. Josep Garcia (ESP), KTM, 59:47.93 4. Andrea Verona (ITA), GASGAS, 59:50.60 5. Billy Bolt (GBR), Husqvarna, 1:00:17.89 6. Hamish MacDonald (Sherco) 1:00:21.78 Day 2 Enduro 2 1. Wil Ruprecht (TM) 58:52.41 2. Steve Holcombe (Beta) 59:49.52 3. Josep Garcia (KTM) 1:00:03.85 4. Hamish MacDonald (Sherco) 1:00:20.82 5. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 1:00:38.37 6. Hugo Blanjoue (KTM) 1:01:53.07 EnduroGP 1. Brad Freeman (Beta) 58:24.94 2. Wil Ruprecht (TM) 58:52.41 3. Steve Holcombe (Beta) 59:49.52 4. Andrea Verona (GASGAS) 59:51.54 5. Josep Garcia (KTM) 1:00:03.85 6. Davide Guarneri (Fantic) 1:00:13.45 … 10. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 1:00:38.37
The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team concluded its week-long stay in Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday with Round 15 of the AMA Supercross World Championship. Jason Anderson picked up where he left off with great momentum in Atlanta, acing pole position and a heat race win, but bad luck in the Main Event saw him finish just outside the top-10 for the night. Teammate Jalek Swoll had a solid performance in the 250SX West division as he battled inside the top-five to come away with a sixth-place finish in the class. With his third-straight pole position, Anderson carried a lot of momentum into the heat races. With a fourth-place start, he charged his way up to second on the opening lap, closing in on the leader heading into the final laps. He vaulted himself into the lead with two laps to go and raced his way to a nearly two-second victory in the heat race. In the Main Event, Anderson got off to a fourth-place start and mixed it up early on the opening lap before getting tangled with another rider and going down. Re-mounting back in 14th, Anderson immediately put on a charge and ultimately made his way up to an 11th-place finish. However, Anderson received an infraction that would drop him three positions back to 14th in the race results. “My day was good all the way up to the Main Event,” Anderson said. “I was P1 in qualifying, won my heat race and in the Main Event I got a good start but someone got into me on the first lap and I ended up getting shuffled back. All-in-all, it was a positive day and I’m just going to work on it next week.” Dean Wilson had another great qualifying session, coming away with a top-five position heading into the evening’s racing program. In 450SX Heat 2, Wilson started off in eighth and he diligently worked his way into a top-five spot with two laps to go. With a hard-fought climb, Wilson ultimately secured a solid fifth in the heat. In the Main Event, Wilson started off in 12th and he worked his way up to seventh just after the halfway point. While running seventh, Wilson got into a back-and-forth battle that dropped him back to eighth and he maintained that position to ultimately finish eighth. “My day wasn’t too bad, I ended up with my best finish of the season,” Wilson said. “In the main, I didn’t execute the start like I should have but I made a few passes, got into seventh and Ferrandis got me with five laps to go, so I ended up eighth. It’s not a great finish but it was nice to be in the battle. I’m looking forward to Salt Lake and I’m ready to keep improving.” 250SX West Swoll put himself into a favorable fourth-place position off the start of 250SX Heat 2, where he battled inside the top-five throughout the five-lap race to ultimately finish fifth in the heat. In the Main Event, Swoll powered his way off the line and into third early on lap one. He dropped to fourth on lap three and he fought hard inside the top-five for most of the race. On the final lap, Swoll engaged in a last minute battle to ultimately secure a sixth-place finish. “It was a mediocre day but it showed flashes,” Swoll said. “I feel good and healthy going into the last round – leaps and bounds better than last season – so I’m just going to keep my head down, get good training in and end the season on a solid note in Salt Lake. I’m ready to keep moving forward and hopefully get that good last race and full send into outdoors.” Stilez Robertson lined up on Saturday after missing out Tuesday’s racing due to a crash in practice. He got off to a top-five start in 250SX Heat 1, where he battled his way up to a podium position heading into the final two laps of racing. He held strong to secure a third-place transfer. In the Main Event, Robertson went down on the opening lap and wasn’t able to race. “The Main Event was chaos in the first the couple of turns,” Robertson said. “I got into the whoops and just missed my mark, went down and felt my knee pop. I tried to give it a go again and I just didn’t feel strong or stable, so I went to the medical unit and they said I dislocated my fibial head, so hopefully we’ll be back soon.” Next Event (Round 16): Saturday, April 24 –Rice Eccles Stadium – Salt Lake City, Utah Round 15 Results: Atlanta 3 SX 450SX Results 1. Cooper Webb (KTM) 2. Ken Roczen (HON) 3. Eli Tomac (KAW) … 8. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 14. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX West Results 1. Nate Thrasher (YAM) 2. Justin Cooper (YAM) 3. Seth Hammaker (KAW) ... 6. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Cooper Webb – 339 points 2. Ken Roczen – 323 points 3. Eli Tomac – 299 points ... 6. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 223 points 11. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 139 points 13. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 123 points 250SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Justin Cooper – 180 points 2. Hunter Lawrence – 160 points 3. Cameron Mcadoo – 158 points … 5. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 138 points 13. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 58 points
The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team had all the ingredients for a successful night in Houston, where Round 2 of the 2021 AMA Supercross World Championship took place inside NRG Stadium for the second time this week as part of its three-race stretch in the Lonestar state. In the 450SX class, Zach Osborne delivered an exceptional performance throughout the day but an unfortunate mistake at the end of the night cost him a well-deserved podium finish. Teammate RJ Hampshire experienced a similar story, battling for the 250SX Main Event victory before a race incident with another rider took him out of contention midway through the race. Osborne came out swinging as he claimed the fastest time in the first 450SX qualifying session, carrying a third-overall into the night’s racing program. He kept the momentum rolling into 450SX Heat 2, where he settled into second early on. After applying pressure to the leader for a solid 10 laps, Osborne secured a close second-place. As the gate dropped for the Main Event, Osborne found himself just outside the top-five and he quickly began a forward charge, overtaking the second-place position early on. He set his sights on chipping away at the lead gap but he pushed the front end and went down with two laps to go, ultimately finishing 10th in the Main Event. “Overall, it was a really positive day for me,” Osborne said. “I just felt really supreme all day and things were easy for me. I had a good heat race, felt really good gelling with the track, and in the Main Event the same thing. With two to go, I just pushed the front in a rut and there she went. It’s a big mistake that veterans like myself typically shouldn’t and wouldn’t make so it’s disappointing and frustrating but I’m healthy and safe and my bike is really on point right now so I’m happy to come back and give it another go on Saturday.” Anderson bested his Round 1 performance all-around, finishing inside the top-10 on Tuesday. In 450SX Heat 1, he had a great start rounding the corner inside the top-three but a first-turn crash forced a red flag restart. Anderson was able to get another great jump but he got caught up behind another rider and shuffled him just outside the top-five. Riding a consistent race, Anderson secured sixth. In the Main Event, he didn’t get the most favorable start as he rounded the opening lap in 15th. He passed his way into the top-10 early on and battled with a deep field of riders to advance his position. With two laps to go, he overtook eighth and he held on to secure that position through the checkers. “Practice probably didn’t look so good on paper but it went better and my heat race went better than last week, so those are definitely positives,” Anderson said. “In the Main Event, I kind of rode into eighth place and that’s what I ended up with tonight. It’s not the way we wanted to start but hopefully we’ll keep progressing and we’ll just keep going.” Wilson got off to a top-10 start in 450SX Heat 2 and he engaged in an intense battle for the final transfer position early on. With three laps to go, Wilson kicked it up a notch and made two more passes to ultimately secure sixth. In the Main Event, Wilson got off to another top-10 start and he battled with his teammate Anderson early on. He raced just outside the 10th-place battle all race long, ultimately finishing 11th in the Main Event. “Tonight, was a little bit better but 11th is not the result we are looking for,” Wilson said. “I just needed to start up front and get in that fight a little more but I was right there. I mean, I am surrounded by guys who are winning races so I feel like I am strong enough to be in the mix, I just need to put myself in that position every time. I am getting better and more comfortable, now I just need to believe in myself a little bit more and I’ll be there.” 250SX East Hampshire, the fifth-place qualifier, secured a top-five start in 250SX Heat 2 and he quickly moved into fourth. Late in the race, Hampshire made a move into third where he secured a top-three transfer spot. In the Main Event, he put himself in a favorable position off the start where he mixed it up inside the top-three early on. While making a charge in second, Hampshire went high in a corner and another rider came into contact with him, sending both riders to the ground. Hampshire, dropping back to 20th, worked hard to charge his way back through the field, ultimately finishing 17th. “It was another rough night, I started off with a pretty big practice crash and then did what I could to salvage the heat,” Hampshire said. “I got a good start in the main, the bike is awesome out of the gate, it was just an unfortunate situation with Forkner because I had the speed and was just clicking off my laps. I’ll give it a couple of days to recover and knock off a win here soon.” Next Event (Round 3): Saturday, January 23 – NRG Stadium – Houston, Texas Round 2 Results: Houston II 450SX Results 1. Eli Tomac (KAW) 2. Dylan Ferrandis (YAM) 3. Justin Brayton (HON) … 8. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 10. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 11. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX East Results 1. Jett Lawrence (HON) 2. Colt Nichols (YAM) 3. Christian Craig (YAM) … 17. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings – *Round 2 currently unavailable 250SX East Rider Point Standings 1. Christian Craig – 47 points 2. Colt Nichols – 44 points 3. Jett Lawrence – 43 points … 11. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 24 points
It was a monumental day for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team as Jalek Swoll claimed his first-career win in the 250MX class following an impressive pair of 1-3 moto finishes at the High Point National. Held in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania, the third round of the 2021 AMA Pro Motocross Championship delivered an exciting day of racing with a strong performance from teammate RJ Hampshire as well. Swoll had great momentum from the start of the day as he carried a sixth-place qualifying position into the start of Saturday’s motos. In Moto 1, Swoll shot off the line to assume the lead on lap one with his teammate Hampshire settling in behind him a few laps in. Swoll eventually got overtaken by Hampshire on lap four and he battled close behind for the next nine laps. When bad luck struck for Hampshire late in the race, Swoll was in a favorable position to reclaim the lead heading into the final laps and he finished strong to capture his first moto-win of the season. In Moto 2, Swoll put himself in a great position once again off the start as he battled for the lead early on. Eventually settling into third, Swoll kept a steady pace for the remainder of the race to ultimately land on the podium in race two. With season-best finishes of 1-3 on the day, Swoll earned his first overall win in Pennsylvania. “To get my first outdoor podium and kick it off with a win is amazing,” Swoll said. “Right now, I just want to build off this, keep it going and try to do it again next weekend. I was actually so tired but I just dug deep – I knew I could do it; I’ve put in the hours and training for this. It wouldn’t be possible without all the people around me putting in the hard work. I’m at a loss for words right now.” It was an up-and-down day for RJ Hampshire, who led nine of the 16 laps in Moto 1 before experiencing a bike issue that ended his race prematurely. With an almost last-place gate pick in Moto 2, Hampshire wasn’t able to get the best jump off the start and he got tangled up and went down in the first-corner chaos. Re-mounting at the back of the pack, Hampshire put on an early charge to get inside the top 20 by lap three and he continued to claw his way through the field. With an impressive climb, Hampshire was able to make his way up to an eighth-place finish in the second moto, salvaging 15th overall for the day. “Man, what a day,” Hampshire said. “Moto 1 was honestly the best I’ve ever felt, just clicking them off, and it was cool to have Jalek up there with me going 1-2. Unfortunately, things happen and it’s tough but you kind of have to take it and try to build off it. I felt like today should have been a 1-1 day and we were onto something but I know we’re in a good spot, just need to keep our head up and looking forward to RedBud.” Stilez Robertson got off to a 13th place start in Moto 1 and battled just outside the top-10 throughout the race. He made a move late in the race to overtake 12th, finishing there in Moto 1. In the second moto, he got off to a great start as he battled inside the top-five early on. However, shortly after passing into fourth, he went down in a corner and got stuck in the berm. It took him some time to get back going and he ultimately finished 16th in the race ad 14th overall for the day. “The day had its ups and downs,” Robertson said. “In the first moto, I got a bad start and just didn’t ride very well. In the second moto, I got a good start and I was good for two laps and then went down and kind of got stuck on a berm. All-in-all, kind of a rough day but we’ll come out swinging for RedBud, it’s one of my favorite tracks so I’m excited.” 450MX With both of his 450 cc teammates sidelined due to injury, Dean Wilson flew the flag solo in the premier class on Saturday. He didn’t get the best starts all day but he was able to make several passes in both motos to end the day with 12-12 moto scores, claiming 12th overall on the day. “I felt that I had a little bit of improvement with my riding in the second moto and felt a little better,” Wilson said. “It’s not good to be outside the top-10 but we’re going to shoot to be there for the rest of this season and I’ve really got to work on my starts to make that a little bit easier. In the second moto, I came from 24th on the first lap, so I need to be better than that. Overall, not the best finishes but we’re healthy and moving onto the next race.” Next Event (Round 4): July 3 – RedBud National – Buchanan, Michigan Round 3 Results: High Point National 250MX Results 1. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 1-3 2. Jett Lawrence (HON) 3-2 3. Justin Cooper (YAM) 5-1 … 14. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 12-16 15. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 38-8 450MX Results 1. Dylan Ferrandis (YAM) 2-2 2. Adam Cianciarulo (KAW) 1-4 3. Eli Tomac (KAW) 6-1 … 12. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 12-12 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 132 points 2. Justin Cooper – 121 points 3. Hunter Lawrence – 90 points 4. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 88 points … 10. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 67 points 19. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 28 points 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Dylan Ferrandis – 133 points 2. Ken Roczen – 130 points 3. Aaron Plessinger – 103 points … 12. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 39 points 15. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 33 points 17. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 29 points
Jarvis Husqvarna Racing Team launched Continuing their successful partnership with hard enduro legend Graham Jarvis, Husqvarna Motorcycles is pleased to announce that Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing have agreed a one-year contract extension with the British star, which will see him compete in the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship alongside teammates Alfredo Gomez and Billy Bolt. In addition, Husqvarna Motorcycles will support Graham’s newly set-up five-rider Jarvis Husqvarna Racing team, as Jarvis fulfils a long-standing ambition of launching his own race team and developing talented future Hard Enduro champions. As well as challenging for race wins and regular podium results himself, Jarvis is hoping the new eight round FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, together with the British Extreme Championship, will be the perfect series to showcase his new team and its roster of young stars. Passing his experience on to his team riders, Graham hopes to develop future world champions. Jarvis Husqvarna Racing has secured some of the most exciting and promising young riders – Bulgaria’s Teodor Kabakchiev, English trio of Jono Richardson, Will Hoare and Sam Winterburn, and experienced Welsh rider Grant Churchward. All riders will compete aboard Husqvarna TE 300i machinery. Graham Jarvis: “I’m often asked when I might stop racing, but as long as I can be competitive and my fitness allows it, I’m going to continue doing what I love. So, I’m thrilled to continue racing for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing in 2021. In addition, starting my own race team gives me another opportunity to remain active in the sport I love and hopefully play a part in developing the champions of the future. This would give me a great sense of achievement, as much as anything I’ve done to date. Husqvarna Motorcycles has been incredibly supportive in this venture and we hope to repay that support with some great performances. Like everyone, I’m hoping that life, and racing, will return to normal very soon, and I look forward to getting back to competition.” Andi Hölzl - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager: “Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing have enjoyed so much success together with Graham, continuing to support him for another year as a racer, and as he takes his first steps into team management, is something we’re more than pleased to do. Obviously, Graham’s situation is unique – there aren’t many motorcycle athletes able to consistently perform like he does at nearly 46 years of age – and that’s why Graham makes decisions regarding his career one year at a time. Knowing that he has the fitness and motivation to compete for at least one more season, we couldn’t be happier to have him race alongside Alfredo Gomez and Billy Bolt in the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla and Luciano Benavides have successfully reached the finish of stage five of the 2021 Dakar Rally, claiming 10th and 13th place results respectively. On what riders are describing as the toughest day of racing so far this year, the two FR 450 Rally mounted stars made errors early on but were both able to recoup some of their losses by increasing their pace in the latter stages of the 456km special. With the first section of the timed special, before the checkpoint at kilometre 43, proving to be the most challenging, many competitors fell foul of the tricky-to-navigate terrain. Quintanilla was one of those who found himself going off-track through the area, but using his experience, he was able to get himself back to the official route before pushing onwards. Finding the second half of the stage with its sandy tracks and desert dunes more to his liking, Pablo immediately began catching the stage leaders. Enjoying a mistake-free final 200km the Chilean rider ultimately reached the finish as 10th fastest, to secure 11th in the provisional overall standings. Following his third-place finish on Wednesday’s stage four, Benavides soon found himself up near the front today, opening the special. Like teammate Quintanilla, Luciano suffered from a couple of mistakes, including a small crash, and was then caught by a number of riders behind. With the group completing the stage together, it was difficult for the young Argentinian to make any of his own progress, and so he settled for a safe finish in 13th. Pablo Quintanilla: “Well, today turned out to be a really tough stage. At the beginning, on a big plateau, I chose to take one piste about 200 metres earlier than I should have. It meant that I travelled about five kilometres in the wrong direction. When I realised, I tried to cut across to get back to where I should be but it was too stony, so I had to travel all the way back again. Obviously, I lost a lot of time there. I knew I had to push a lot from there to the end of the stage and so I really tried my best and managed to make up some time on the guys in front. In the end, it’s not so bad as we know there is still a long way to go. I’m lying just outside the top 10, but only 15 minutes or so behind the leader and that can change in just one stage.” Luciano Benavides: “We’ve finished day five, which was easily the toughest day we’ve had all week. It wasn’t the best stage for me, I had a crash quite early on, near kilometre 20, and after that there were a couple of us riding together and we got lost a little bit, which cost even more time. From about halfway through the stage the terrain changed a little as we hit the dunes. By then there was a group of us riding together to the finish, so it was difficult to make up time on any of them. It was a long, tiring day, but at the end my result was not so bad.” On completing stage six of the 2021 Dakar Rally tomorrow, riders will have reached the halfway point of the event. First however, they must face another tough day in the dunes, with the 618km stage including a long 448km timed special. 2021 Dakar Rally – Stage 5 Provisional Classification 1. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 5:09:50 2. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 5:10:50 3. Toby Price (KTM) 5:11:10 4. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 5:12:19 5. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 5:14:07 6. Xavier de Soultrait (Husqvarna) 5:17:45 … 10. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 5:22:05 13. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 5:24:13 2021 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 5) 1. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 20:15:39 2. Xavier de Soultrait (Husqvarna) 20:18:10 3. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 20:19:21 4. Toby Price (KTM) 20:19:22 5. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 20:21:45 6. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 20:25:10 … 10. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 20:30:09 11. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 20:32:01
Luciano Benavides has arrived in Europe ahead of his first official competition for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, the 2020 Andalucía Rally held in and around the town of Villamartin in the south of the Spain. Running from October 6 to 10, the event comprises a short Super Special Stage followed by four days of tough rally racing and will be Luciano’s first international rally competition since the Dakar Rally in January. Signing to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing earlier in 2020, with the global pandemic affecting events all over the world, Luciano has had to wait longer than anticipated to make his first competitive outing on the Husqvarna FR 450 Rally. As it stands, the Andalucía Rally will be the team’s only race before the 2021 Dakar Rally, which takes place in Saudi Arabia next January. Following technical and administrative checks, riders at the Andalucía Rally will first face a short, 10-kilometre Super Special Stage that will decide the start order for the first full day of racing on Thursday October 8. Three more days of looped specials will test competitors’ speed and navigation to the maximum before the event comes to a close on Saturday October 10. In total, riders will cover over 1,300 kilometres, 1,030 of which are timed special stages. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla will not be competing at the Andalucía Rally due to undergoing further surgery on the leg he broke at the 2019 Dakar Rally. The Chilean rider hopes to be back at full fitness in time for the 2021 Dakar Rally. Luciano Benavides: “It was a little difficult to travel to Europe but now that I’m here I can look forward and focus on the rally. I’m really excited to be racing again and my preparation has gone really well. The Andalucía Rally will be my debut race for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna so it’s great to be a part of the team and I look forward to an exciting future together. I’m a little nervous as I’ve not raced for a long time but as soon as we start, I’m sure that will go. I’m 100% fit and ready and this race will be a good test ahead of Dakar.” Pela Renet – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Rally Team Manager: “The team is really looking forward to going racing again and we’re very lucky to have the Andalucía Rally after all the other cancellations this year. We’re really well prepared and feeling very confident ahead of the race here in Spain as well as for the Dakar next January. It has been very tricky to arrange for Luciano to travel over to Europe, but thankfully he is here now and ready for the race. Unfortunately, Pablo cannot be with us due to the recent surgery he had on his leg – hopefully with a little extra time to heal he will be fully fit for Dakar. Nobody knows exactly what to expect here in Andalucía, but the team will give 100% as always.”
Strong performances at MXGP of Città di Faenza see MX2 star claim first podium result of 2020 Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen has claimed his first MX2 overall podium of the season at the MXGP of Città di Faenza. At a second consecutive fast and furious GP held at the Faenza circuit, solid 4-3 results placed the Dane on the third step of the podium. MX2 teammate Jed Beaton bounced back from a frustrating opening moto to charge to a runner-up finish in the second race. Arminas Jasikonis posted consistent results to claim eighth overall in the MXGP class. Thomas Kjer Olsen returned to form at round seven of the FIM Motocross World Championship to put injury behind him and demonstrate the kind of performance that took him to runner-up in the 2019 MX2 championship. Showing aggression in his charge to the first turn in race one, Kjer Olsen dived to the inside and made a number of passes in the process. Exiting the first turn in seventh place, the 23-year-old then moved up to sixth on the first lap before shadowing the top five until five minutes to go. Kjer Olsen then made full use of his powerful FC 250 to gain another two places and claim a well-deserved fourth-place finish. Kjer Olsen’s second moto truly signalled his full recovery from injury. Another impressive start saw the FC 250 mounted rider battle for position on the heavily watered Faenza circuit before breaking free and settling into fourth place. Moving up to third on lap 13, TKO went on to chase home his teammate Beaton and earn third overall. With his strong results, Thomas moves up to eighth in the MX2 World Championship standings. It was another frustrating opening moto for Jed Beaton in Faenza. After tangling with another rider while landing from a jump just two corners into the race, the 22-year-old was forced off track. Quickly back to racing, but down in last position, the Australian was left with a lot of work to do. Relentless in his quest for a strong result, he charged up the leaderboard to claim an impressive 12th place finish. A fifth-place start in race two saw Beaton quickly move up to fourth on lap one, before passing last weekend’s GP winner Maxime Renaux for third on lap two. With a clear track ahead of him, the Australian rode a strong race despite his exertions during his opening moto charge. Advancing into second place in the closing stages of the race, it was a solid effort by Beaton who held strong to end the race as runner-up and claim fifth overall. In the MXGP class, Arminas Jasikonis came together and crashed with a number of rivals in the first turn of the opening race. Remounting last, the Lithuanian found a number of smooth lines on the edges of the hillside circuit to continually set top five lap times while making passes through traffic. Jasikonis’ impressive pace was rewarded with a strong 10th place finish. The start of race two was thankfully a lot less chaotic for Jasikonis. Starting just outside the top 10, the FC 450 mounted rider progressed to eighth within three laps. In what was to be a largely trouble-free moto, AJ rode a controlled race to claim eighth for eighth overall. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to FIM Motocross World Championship action on September 13, for the third of three MXGP events to take place at the Faenza circuit. Thomas Kjer Olsen: “I’m really happy to be back on the podium. I’m happy for my team too as they’ve supported me through my injuries and it’s great to be able to pay them back with a podium result. I’d been missing a little bit of aggression since we started racing again but I found it again today and I think that’s what helped me get these results. We also made some slight changes to the bike before race one to help me get more comfy on the track and they really paid off. Race two was a little sketchy with the watering but I just bided my time and let the race come to me and I pushed through to third at the finish. Third overall. Yeah, I’ll take that. I was looking to just improve on last weekend so third place overall is awesome.” Jed Beaton: “It was a decent day overall and to get second in the second race was a solid. It’s been a little while since I was on the podium. First moto wasn’t great but considering that I was hit by a bike and taken off track I’m lucky to not be injured. When I got going my arm was really sore and I rode steady for a couple of laps to feel it out. The adrenaline kicked in then I put my head down. Got back to 12th despite another crash so that wasn’t too bad. Race two was way better. The track was watered quite heavily so it was a little icy for a few laps. I pretty much rode my own race. Good start, stayed upright and clicked off laps and second place is awesome. I’m looking forward to carry this momentum in to the next round on Sunday.” Arminas Jasikonis: “A consistent day for me. Qualifying second was great and I was looking forward to the races. I came together with another rider in the first turn so I knew it was going to be hard work but I reached 10th so that wasn’t so bad. Race two was a little better. A good start and then I struggled a little to find my rhythm. I had a decent pace despite that though but overall I’m not happy with the results today. One more race to go in Faenza and I look to improve my results on Sunday.” Results – 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 7 MXGP - Overall 1. Jorge Prado (KTM) 44pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 41; 3. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 39… 8. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 24; 18. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 6; 21. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 3 MXGP - Race 1 1. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 17 laps, 35:00:143; 2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 35:15:824; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 35:34:594… 10. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 36:00:485; 22. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 36:47:830; 25. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 37:16:162 MXGP - Race 2 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 17 laps, 35:30:119; 2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 35:34:408; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 35:35:233… 8. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 36:10:118; 15. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 37:06:476; 18. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 37:18:299 MX2 – Overall 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 50pts; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 40; 3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 38… 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 31; 7. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 28; 14. Gianmarco Cenerelli (Husqvarna) 13; 15. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 11; 23. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 2 MX2 - Race 1 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 17 laps, 35:25:198; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:27:525; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 35:29:768; 4. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:46:857… 6. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 35:53:866; 12. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:26:209; 13. Gianmarco Cenerelli (Husqvarna) 37:27:477; 19. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 37:05:038; 24. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 37:23:559; 26. Maximilian Spies (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 35:49:198; 27. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 36:20:740 MX2 - Race 2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 16 laps, 34:23:246; 2. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:29:716; 3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 34:32:666… 8. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 35:05:412; 12. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 35:20:818; 16. Gianmarco Cenerelli (Husqvarna) 35:49:306; 19. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 35:54:094; 22. Maximilian Spies (Husqvarna) 36:17:210; 26. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 15 laps, 35:17:748 Championship Standings – After Round 7 MXGP 1. Jeffery Herlings (KTM) 263pts; 2. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 241; 3. Tim Gajser (Honda) 237… 5. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 210; 23. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 26; 24. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 20; 29. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 12; 32. Lars van Berkel (Husqvarna) 9; 35. Brent Van doninck (Husqvarna) 5 MX2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 307pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 286; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 236; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 209… 8. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 153; 16. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 66; 17. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 62; 19. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 54; 29. Gianmarco Cenerelli (Husqvarna) 21; 35. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 6; 36. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 5; 38. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 3
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Zach Osborne raced his way to a podium finish on Saturday with a tenacious performance at Round 7 of the 2021 AMA Supercross World Championship in Orlando, Florida. Osborne kept his eyes on the prize all day long, despite battling through some challenges during qualifying. In 450SX Heat 2, Osborne got off to a seventh-place start and he battled between seventh and eighth throughout the race, ultimately securing seventh. In the Main Event, he completely changed the trajectory of his day as he shot off the line to capture the holeshot and early lead. While out front, Osborne made a mistake coming out of the whoops and he dropped back to fourth early on. He fought back into podium contention late in the race and put in a strong finish to claim his first podium of the season with third. “It feels so good to get back on the podium and kind of find some mojo tonight,” Osborne said. “It felt good to get a start, that’s where I have really been struggling. It felt so good to get out there out front, getting in some clean air and breathe a little bit. I am super grateful to be up here.” Anderson, the seventh-place qualifier, had a great start to the night as he put himself up front early in 450SX Heat 2. He rode most of the race in third but he made his move into second late in the race to earn a season-best heat-race finish of second. In the Main Event, Anderson got off to a mid-pack start and he battled his way up to sixth later in the race. With the top-five battle within reach, Anderson made a mistake and came together with another rider which dropped him back a few spots to finish eighth. “It was an improvement all around for me today,” Anderson said. “My practices were better and my racing was quite a bit better, so If I could get a start it would help my results. In the Main Event, I got up there after a not-so-good start and got behind Tomac in sixth but I came together with someone, it was more my fault than anything, and dropped back but we’ll move on to next week and keep progressing.”= Dean Wilson lined up for Round 7 after missing the last three rounds due to a broken toe. Wilson found his speed early in the day with a season high qualifying position of eighth but he eased his way back into racing after being off the bike. In 450SX Heat 1, he started around 13th and he made a nice charge up to 10th but it wasn’t enough to secure a direct transfer into the Main Event. Wilson lined up for the LCQ where he grabbed a second-place start and quickly overtook the lead on lap two. With a steady ride, Wilson won the LCQ and secured a spot in the Main Event. He put together 25 solid laps in the main, fighting his way back from a rough start to ultimately finish just outside the top-10 with 12th. “My night was very difficult but it feels really good to be back at the races,” Wilson said. “I think the hardest part for me was not being on the bike for almost three weeks, I felt like a fish out of water. I’m happy to get through the night, I know 12th isn't really what we want but I could see ninth right there and with a good start, I think I'll be pretty good.” Next Event (Round 8): Saturday, February 20 – Camping World Stadium – Orlando, Florida Round 7 Results: Orlando SX 1 450SX Results 1. Cooper Webb (KTM) 2. Ken Roczen (HON) 3. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing … 8. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 12. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Ken Roczen – 161 points 2. Cooper Webb – 148 points 3. Eli Tomac – 132 points ... 8. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 108 points 12. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 82 points 15. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 46 points
The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team arrived on home soil and in splendid late spring weather for the sixth round of nineteen in the 2021 world championship. The Gran Premio D’Italia Oakley was welcomed back to the calendar after missing the 2020 season and although the picturesque surroundings of Mugello missed the presence of the usually boisterous and noisy public, the same fast, sweeping and challenging track layout remained. Mugello staged its 35th FIM event and the 5.2km course contained fifteen inviting turns of varying cambers. Romano Fenati and Adrian Fernandez got to business with their Husqvarna Motorcycles FR 250 GP machinery in the warm and sunny Free Practice sessions through Friday and Saturday and the Italian eventually earned 7th on the grid – at the top of the third row – and the Spaniard had to accept 26th. 20 laps of typically unpredictable racing began at 11.00 Sunday morning and Fenati was immediately reactive to his place in the 12-strong pack. Fernandez was unfortunate not to complete the first lap after falling so the onus fell on Fenati’s progress as he twice led the Grand Prix through the action-packed dispute for the win. The decisive last lap saw Fenati spearheading the group as they rushed to the first corner but the veteran could not find an effective slot on the final charge to the finish line and ended-up with 6th place; 0.7 of a second from 1st. With 56 points Fenati is stationed 5th in the Moto3 championship table. Fernandez is 22nd. The Gran Premio D’Italia Oakley is the first of four Grands Prix in five weeks and a busy stint for MotoGP. The next date on the calendar comes next week at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya. Romano Fenati: “I’m not happy with the last lap because I made a small mistake that cost me a few positions but we had a strong race today and need to keep this competitiveness. Overall it was a difficult day because we lost a fellow rider this weekend and our thoughts are with him.” Adrian Fernandez: “A difficult day. Warm-up went well and I had a good feeling on the bike but I just couldn’t avoid a few riders on the first lap and the race was over. One to forget. We think about Barcelona now.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “Not so many words about the race; P6 for Romano and a crash for Adrian. As a team we are very sad to learn the news about Jason Dupasquier and our thoughts are with his family.” Results – 2021 Moto3 World Championship, Round 6 1. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 39:37.497, 2. Jaume Masia (KTM) +0.036, 3. Gabriel Rodrigo (Honda) +0.145. 6. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +0.711, DNF. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) World Championship standings 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 111pts; 2. Jaume Masia (KTM) 59pts; 3. Ayumu Sasaki (KTM) 57pts; 5. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 56 pts; 22. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) 10 pts.
One of the hardest and most technical circuits on the MotoGP™ calendar was the scene for the Grande Premio 888 de Portugal and a sterling performance by Husqvarna Motorcycles’ Romano Fenati who scored 7th place in Portimao. After the extended stay in Qatar for the opening two races of the season, MotoGP travelled to the picturesque climes of Portugal and the Algarve region for the third round of nineteen in 2021. The Algarve International Circuit in Portimao hosted only its second Grand Prix event and after its MotoGP inauguration last November. The layout winds around the local topography of the area, meaning a delicious twist of hills and descents and a wide variety of corners. Portugal also provided the Moto3 field with stable weather conditions; only the opening Free Practice on Friday was damp after overnight rainfall. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team opened their race trucks on European soil for the first time this year and wheeled the FR 250 GPs straight into set-up duties on Friday and Saturday. By the end of the Q2 session Romano Fenati and Adrian Fernandez sat in 14th and 16th positions respectively and with the target of latching immediately onto the front running pack for the 21 laps on Sunday. When the lights went out the experienced Italian placed the white FR 250 GP in the heart of the breakaway top ten with his teammate for company. He exchanged overtaking moves with his rivals repeatedly and was finally 0.7 of a second away from the winner at the chequered flag. Fernandez was also right in middle of the group and looking strong for his best result of 2021 until he misjudged entry to the tight right-handed Turn 3 with six laps to go. He clipped the rear wheel of Tatsuki Suzuki and both riders fell. Fenati holds 10th in the formative Moto3 world championship standings and with a host of promising circuits ahead for the most decorated racer in the category. Fernandez is still pursuing his first set of Grand Prix points but his speed indicates a fast adaption to Moto3 and big potential in the coming events. Husqvarna Motorcycles head next to more familiar asphalt: the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto was the scene of a 2021 pre-season test and is one of the most renowned Grand Prix tracks in the world. The Gran Premio de España is slated for May 2nd. Romano Fenati: “I’m happy with this race because I had a really good feeling with the bike but we were missing a little bit on the straight. We will work on this for the next race. I’m feeling confident and strong at the moment.” Adrian Fernandez: “The start of the race was difficult but step-by-step I passed the riders and our strategy and speed was good. Then six laps before the end I crashed and I’m really sorry for the team and also Suzuki. It was another race and more experience for me.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “It was good to see both riders in the first group; this was the positive thing from the Portuguese Grand Prix. Of course, we are a bit disappointed with Adrian’s crash but it was a pure mistake and these happen. It was important that we remember he was in the top group with good pace. We’re looking forward to seeing more from this young kid. Romano was 7th and he couldn’t finish higher so we now have to focus on Jerez.” Results – 2021 Moto3 FIM World Championship, Round 3 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 38:01.773, 2. Dennis Foggia (Honda) +0.051, 3. Andrea Migno (Honda) +0.584 7. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +0.773, DNF. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) World Championship standings 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 70pts; 2. Jaume Masia (KTM) 39pts; 3. Darryn Binder (Honda) 36pts; 10. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 20 pts; 23. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) 0 pts.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen has claimed impressive back-to-back MX2 Grand Prix wins following overall victory at the MXGP of Città di Mantova. Continuing his succession of strong results, TKO took the win in the opening MX2 moto at round 10 of the FIM Motocross World Championship, before a runner-up finish in race two confirmed his second trip to the top step of the podium in as many GPs. Thomas’ MX2 teammate Jed Beaton couldn’t quite replicate his race-winning speed from round nine, racing to a consistent 6-6 result for sixth overall. Fresh from his overall MX2 victory at round nine of the 2020 series, Thomas Kjer Olsen has secured a second consecutive overall MX2 class win, this time at the MXGP of Città di Mantova. Charging to his first moto win of 2020 in the opening race of the day, Kjer Olsen was clearly comfortable around the sandy Mantova circuit. A solid start resulted in the Dane charging forwards and moving into third place before a dramatic end to the race saw him firstly make the pass for second with three laps to go, before going on to make an all-important pass for the lead on the final lap, taking a well-deserved victory. The second moto saw a race-long charge from TKO after he completed the opening lap in eighth place. Knowing that another overall GP win was a strong possibility, every pass made gained him vital points and following another impressive ride he finished in the runner-up position. In doing so, Thomas claimed his second consecutive overall MX2 class victory aboard his FC 250 as he further closed the gap to the top five in the MX2 World Championship. Jed Beaton delivered another strong result in Mantova. Lining up with his confidence high following his maiden MX2 race win last weekend, a sixth-place finish in the opening moto set the Australian up for solid overall finish. After drifting through the first turn of moto two side-by-side with his teammate TKO, Jed quickly made a number of passes during the opening laps and slotted into second place. As the race neared its conclusion, a couple of mistakes saw the Australian slip back to sixth at the finish. Rewarded with sixth overall, Jed remains fourth in the MX2 World Championship with third place well within reach. In the EMX250 class, a challenging pair of motos for Kay de Wolf saw the youngster claim ninth overall. More importantly, the recently turned 16-year-old maintains his third-place ranking in the championship and looks for improved results in three days’ time, at round seven of the EMX250 series. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to Mantova for the third and final time on October 4, round 11 of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the MXGP of Europe. Thomas Kjer Olsen: “It’s amazing. I just feel like my old self now, which is a great feeling. I’m able to attack the track and my bike is so good so I just feel awesome now. The first moto took a little bit out of me, but I dug deep in that second moto. Last weekend helped me with my confidence massively and I believe in myself again. It’s unfortunate that we had a tough start to the year but it’s great to be back on the podium and winning again.” Jed Beaton: “For sure it wasn’t the day I wanted after winning the second moto last weekend, but I’ll take 6-6 on a bad day. I crashed in both motos which wasn’t really ideal and made a few mistakes in the second race. No complaints, my bike’s great, it just wasn’t my day today, so we’ll look forward to Sunday and hope to get back on the box.” Results – 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 10 MX2 – Overall 1. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 47; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 45; 3. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 36… 6. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 30; 16. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 10; 19. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 5; 22. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 3; 24. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 1 MX2 - Race 1 1. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 17 laps, 35:56:454; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:57:944; 3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:59:733… 6. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:09:504; 11. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 36:35:392; 22. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 37:39:336; 24. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 37:48:456; 25. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 37:50:956 MX2 - Race 2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:28:261; 2. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:31:661; 3. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 35:38:328… 6. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:54:332; 16. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 37:00:380; 18. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 37:04:751; 20. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 37:01:720 Championship Standings – After Round 10 MX2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 431pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 385; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 329; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 316… 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 272; 14. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 95; 17. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 73; 20. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 62; 32. Gianmarco Cenerelli (Husqvarna) 21; 34. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 14; 37. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 8; 39. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 5
With the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship starting in Russia this weekend, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 team manager Rasmus Jorgensen opens up about the long season ahead, the team’s preparations, and his expectations for each of the riders. Rasmus, round one of the new season is just days away now. It’s been a long, long time since the final GP of 2020, how did the team adjust its preparation for 2021? Rasmus: “The biggest thing for us was the uncertainty around when round one would be and knowing when to turn up the intensity with everything. The riders have still been riding a lot, a normal schedule really, but more for maintenance instead of any other focused training, just to keep loose on the bike and maintain their bike fitness. When the current calendar was announced we adapted accordingly and now we’re ready to go racing at round one." The team enjoyed a strong end to last season with race wins and plenty of podium results. Did the positivity surrounding that success keep the team’s motivation up through the long off season? “The motivation within the team is always high and those results certainly gave the team a boost at the time as the hard work had paid off. But the racing never stops and we’re always looking forward to the next race. If we had results that were not where we’d like them to be, the atmosphere in the team was still really good and that’s still the same to this day. Last year was my first time as a team manager and probably the hardest one for anyone to start with because of the pandemic but myself and the team adapted, and overall we had a positive season with lots of great results.” You mentioned last year was your first as MX2 team manager, what was the most important thing that you learned? “I think the biggest thing was to not take on too much work. I’ve always been hands on with everything and want everything to be super-perfect, which isn’t always possible if you have a mud race for example. I like to be busy, but I’ve learned to spread the work across the team more, and this is working really well ahead of the season starting.” Things look to be back as a more traditional style calendar for MXGP this year. Is this something that you welcome, or did you enjoy having multiple races at individual circuits? “It’s a tough one to say. For example, in Mantova, Thomas and Jed went 1-2 overall at the first round there and that started the ball rolling with their confidence and that carried them through the next two GPs there and more great results followed. But on the other hand, at the first one in Lommel they couldn’t quite get settled and that set the tone for the remaining two rounds there. Their results were good, but it was a tough week. Then they both rebounded in Trentino and the results came back. But overall, Infront did a great job to deliver a racing season last year and we’re excited to be racing all over the world again in 2021.” For 2021 you have one rider approaching the end of his MX2 career because of the age rule, and one entering his first season in the MX2 World Championship. It must be a challenging dynamic for you? “Yes, it’s completely different situations with them. Last year, Jed met his goals. He did exactly what he wanted to achieve in having an injury free year, getting on the podium, and finishing the series in the top five. He ticked all the boxes. As 2021 is his final season in MX2, he does have a little more pressure to do well and secure a place on an MXGP team but he’s clearly capable and deserving of one. With Kay, he was strong in EMX250 but MX2 will be a big learning curve for him. He just needs to not overthink things and just ride like he knows he can ride. We believe in him 100%. As it’s his first year, we don’t have any huge expectations for him to perform, which is the complete opposite to Jed.” Going by what’s shared on social media by your riders, they clearly have a strong bond as they’re often training, cycling, and practicing together. Surely, this creates a really good atmosphere within the whole team? “What you see is exactly how it is among them. None of it is staged, they’re all great friends. They all support each other and want the best for each other. They push each other in training and keep the mood light. I’m super-lucky to have three riders that get along so well.” What will it take for Jed to win the MX2 title in 2021? He has the bike, the speed, the talent, and the team behind him. Have you found the final piece of the puzzle during the pre-season that will take him to the top? “There’s been a couple of things but nothing major. We focused on a couple of specific things with his physical side, and Husqvarna also worked on some bike changes. As we saw last year, the depth of talent in MX2 is deep and starts are so important. When Jed started in the top five he could podium, or win, so he has the speed. He just needs to start up front and be able to race with those guys. There’s been a lot of small changes which we believe will improve Jed as a racer and he’s happy with the direction that we’ve gone, so it’s looking good for an even better season than last year for him.” What are your expectations for Kay this year? Will it be a year for him to find his feet and see what works and what doesn’t, or do you plan to try and harness his raw speed to ensure consistent results? “Firstly, it’s important that he just focuses on himself. Then he needs to break down the season race by race, including the qualifying sessions, and if things don’t go well in one moto, to move on immediately and focus on the next race. It will certainly be a learning year for him like it is for any rookie in the MX2 class. He is physically ready, but it’s the mental side that you can only master by competing. Once he has a string of solid results put together, he’ll have momentum on his side and that’s when his results will improve as well as his consistency.” When the season ends, what would determine a successful year for the team? “I think both riders finishing top five in the season is certainly possible. Obviously, we want to win, everyone wants to win, but we have to be realistic. But we have the bike and we have talented riders that can achieve great things. For Jed, top three overall in the championship is easily achievable after his success last year and I think Kay can slot in somewhere between fifth and 10th overall should he prove to be consistent. For both Kay and Maxime, 2021 is very much a learning year and there is so much to learn in racing. They both have plenty of time on their side and they will use this season as a building year ahead of 2022. As we enter the season, we have three riders that are all healthy, happy, and ready to go racing. It’s a long season and I strongly believe in all of them. The homework has been done and I know that they will give their best effort in every moto. A new season is always exciting and I can’t wait to see what they can do this year.”
Romano Fenati performed an admirable fightback to take his FR 250 GP to 10th position in the second round of 2021 MotoGP™. The Tissot Grand Prix of Doha saw the series circulate the Losail International Circuit for the second weekend in a row. A hot and windy climate and dusty track conditions continued to plague the MotoGP paddock as the world championship remained in the Middle East and registered a second consecutive Grand Prix at the Losail facility. The circumstances throughout Free Practice, Qualification and then the 18-lap race itself on Sunday evening presented problems for the Moto3 field due to the tyre abrasion from the asphalt and the physical difficulties of coping with the relentless gusts. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team went into the second event of nineteen with optimism after the fast pace shown by both Fenati and Grand Prix rookie Fernandez the previous Sunday. Only Long Lap penalties held the Italian and the Spaniard back from being higher than 11th and 17th in the classification. Fenati managed to log top-ten lap-times in three of the Free Practice sessions but was then hit with a sanction for slow riding in FP2 from Friday and forced to start the Grand Prix from pitlane with six other riders. His 14th position from Q2 was discarded and the fifth row grid slot was actually occupied by Fernandez who subsequently moved up the order. Both racers had to regain ground and find positions in the first phase of the GP early Sunday evening. Fenati pushed hard to close a seven-second gap and latch into the second half of the lead group. Fernandez had already been fighting intensely in the top ten and in search of his first Grand Prix points until he crashed out with four laps to go. Fenati continued and was able to improve on his classification from the previous Sunday by finding his way to 10th, less than two seconds from the race winner. After the extended period in Qatar, MotoGP returns to Europe and will travel to the Algarve International circuit in Portimao for the Grande Premio 888 de Portugal in two weeks time. Romano Fenati: “I’m happy about the race and to come from the pitlane to 10th was really good. We lost a bit near the end because we had to short-shift. It was important to finish like this and go to Portimao knowing we are strong and we can continue this form.” Adrian Fernandez: “For being just my second race I was happy and we worked well with the team. It’s just a shame we were only four laps away from the end when another rider hit me and I crashed. I was competitive though and we have to be pleased about this.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “The race was very exciting to watch and I was very impressed by Adrian who did a great job in just his second race of the year. He was right inside the top group. I’m quite optimistic about him and his potential and he was unlucky to be put off the track. Romano came back strong but he struggled to overtake riders and be more aggressive to pass. We have some points but the result might have been better today.” Results – 2021 Moto3 FIM World Championship, Round 2 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 38:22.430, 2. Darryn Binder (Honda) +0.039, 3. Niccolo Antonelli (KTM) +0.482 10. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +1.967, DNF. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) World Championship standings 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 45pts; 2. Darryn Binder (Honda) 36pts; 3. Jaume Masia (KTM) 32pts; 11. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 11 pts; 20. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) 0 pts.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton and Kay de Wolf have successfully completed their pre-season testing and are continuing their preparations ahead of the 2021 MX2 World Championship start. Following a productive winter spent sharpening their skills and further developing their FC 250 machinery, both riders are now looking forward to an exciting season of racing, starting with round one on May 23. Travelling to the warmer, drier climate of Spain to ride and train during the off-season proved to be highly productive for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna MX2 class riders. With Jed and Kay enjoying ample riding time while testing a number of new factory parts, both racers have now finalised the base settings of their FC 250 machines ahead of the highly anticipated season opener in the Netherlands. Jed Beaton will lead the team into the MX2 World Championship following a strong 2020 season in which the Australian narrowly missed out on third place in the final overall standings. Ultimately placing fourth, Beaton’s season was headlined with his maiden MX2 moto win at round nine, together with him claiming three overall podium finishes and nine moto podiums. The recently turned 23-year-old has enjoyed two years of progressive development with the team to establish himself as a regular contender for race wins and podium finishes. As such, Jed enters the 2021 season well-placed to challenge for the MX2 World Championship title. Progressing into the MX2 division for 2021 is Kay de Wolf. One of the most exciting young talents to emerge from the youth ranks in recent years, the 16-year-old Dutchman is ready to begin his third term with the squad after two highly successful years racing in the EMX125 and EMX250 categories. With the familiar surroundings of his supportive team around him, and with a world-class teammate to draw knowledge from, Kay is understandably excited about the prospect of gaining experience and finding his place among the best MX2 racers in the world. Joining the team for 2021 is young French racer Maxime Grau. The 15-year-old will compete in the 10-round EMX250 championship on FC 250 machinery, his debut season in the class. The 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship is scheduled to start in Oss, the Netherlands, on May 23. Jed Beaton – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing: “My winter training has been really good, really productive and I’m very happy with my bike. It was nice to get to Spain and ride in dry conditions. I tested a few new parts and I made a few small changes but nothing major because I was already really comfortable with my set up. My focus was just on riding and training for the most part. It’s a shame that the start of this season has been postponed a little but when the gate drops I’ll be ready. My goal is to build on what I achieved last year with more consistency and more podium results so that when we reach the end of the season I hope to be in contention for a strong result in the championship. Winning the championship would be the ultimate goal obviously but it’s a long season and the field is full of talented riders. If I can stay at the sharp end every moto, perform consistently, then it would be a great year for me.” Kay de Wolf – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing: “It’s really exciting for me to move up to MX2 with the same team after two great seasons in the EMX classes. The atmosphere is great in the team and I believe I have everything I need for a strong start to my MX2 career. I’m really hopeful that we have a full season including the flyaway GPs, but I understand that with the pandemic it may not be possible. For the season, my goal is to score points in every race, be consistent and then aim to finish the season in the top 10. It’s not going to be easy, but I have the speed and stamina having trained with Jed and Thomas Kjer Olsen during the last two seasons. I trained with them all the time, riding longer motos while practicing, so I didn’t really need to change any part of my training program for this season. I just spent more time fine tuning my set up, testing new parts and enjoying my time with the team in Spain. My bike is really good and I can’t wait for round one. It will be my first ever world championship race and it’s also in my home country too, so it’s going to be a big day but something that I’m really excited for.” Maxime Grau – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing: “I’m really happy to have joined Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. It’s a super-professional team and I’m very excited for the future. Moving up to EMX250 with the team gives me a really good feeling and my goal is to feel good on the bike, improve day-by-day, and secure some very good results in the EMX250 championship.” Calendar - 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship Round 1: 23 May MXGP of The Netherlands - Oss Round 2: 13 Jun MXGP of Russia - Orlyonok Round 3: 20 Jun MXGP of Latvia – Kegums Round 4: 4 Jul MXGP of Asia - Borobudur Round 5: 11 Jul MXGP of Indonesia - Bali Round 6: 25 Jul MXGP of Czech Republic - Loket Round 7: 1 Aug MXGP of Flander-Belgium – Lommel Round 8: 8 Aug MXGP of Sweden - Uddevalla Round 9: 22 Aug MXGP of Finland – Iitti-KymiRing Round 10: 29 Aug MXGP of Igora Drive – Igora Drive Round 11: 12 Sep MXGP of Turkey - Afyonkarahisar Round 12: TBA Round 13: 3 Oct MXGP of Germany - Teutschenthal Round 14: 10 Oct MXGP of France – Saint Jean d’Angely Round 15: 17 Oct MXGP of Spain – intu Xanadu - Arroyomolinos Round 16: 24 Oct MXGP of Portugal - Agueda Round 17: 31 Oct MXGP of Italy - TBA Round 18: 7 Nov MXGP of China - TBA Round 19: 21 Nov MXGP of Argentina - TBA
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla has safely completed the 12th stage of the 2021 Dakar Rally, securing a seventh-place overall event result after almost 49 hours of racing. In what was an incredibly testing 43rd edition of the Dakar, covering over 7,500km through the varied terrain of the middle eastern desert, Quintanilla stayed strong to put in solid results day after day, which ultimately paid off and enabled him to secure his top-10 finish. Despite struggling to feel comfortable during the early stages of the event, the Chilean worked hard with his team to find a good set-up and was ultimately able to settle into a fast rhythm later in the race, claiming a runner-up result on stage 11. The 12th and final stage of the rally didn’t go Pablo’s way. Setting off second and pushing for another strong result, he lost time after struggling to find one waypoint. Settling for a safe finish to his race, the former FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Champion carried on to the end of the timed special, claiming 21st fastest. Although not securing the result he had hoped for coming into the race, Quintanilla was positive about his performance and the event as a whole. Luciano Benavides, who sadly crashed out of the race on stage nine had also shown encouraging pace, with the young Argentinian sitting safely inside the top 10 overall at the point of his withdrawal. Benavides will now take some time to rest and heal the shoulder he injured in his crash and hopes to be back onboard his FR 450 Rally as soon as possible. Pablo Quintanilla: “Finally the race is over and I’m happy to finish another Dakar. For sure, we didn’t receive the result we had hoped for but over the whole race we worked really hard as a team and were able to identify a few things we can improve. I’m happy with my riding, especially on what was such a tough event, and my fitness has been good too. To finish inside the top 10 is always good and seventh is still an extremely good result, I just know I should be fighting for the podium. We’ll go away and work hard now this year and we’ll definitely be back stronger in 2022.” Pela Renet – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Rally Team Manager: “So, Dakar is over for another year. Pablo finished in seventh position, which is a strong result, but definitely a little disappointing for him and the team. After his second-place finish last year, we know he is capable of fighting for the win, but as it happened, this year it was just not possible. But this is Dakar, and he will come back stronger. For Luciano, it’s a great shame he got injured and had to retire, but his injury is not too bad. He will require some surgery and some time off the bike, but he will be back soon I’m sure. He definitely showed some good speed over the race and was doing a very good job on the day he crashed. Finally, a big thank you to the whole Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team. They did an incredible job and worked very hard and even when things were not going so well, everyone held their heads up and did their best, so thank you again to all.” 2021 Dakar Rally – Stage 12 Provisional Classification 1. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 2:17:02 2. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 2:19:19 3. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 2:21:15 4. Skyler Howes (KTM) 2:22:51 5. Daniel Sanders (KTM) 2:24:13 6. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 2:27:33 … 21. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 2:44:50 2021 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 12) 1. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 47:18:14 2. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 47:23:10 3. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 47:34:11 4. Daniel Sanders (KTM) 47:57:06 5. Skyler Howes (KTM) 48:10:47 6. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 48:16:44 … 7. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 48:44:53
Husqvarna Motorcycles is pleased to announce the signings of Kay de Wolf and Maxime Grau for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Continuing with the Nestaan MX run Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 team following two positive years together, de Wolf will make the transition from the EMX250 class up into the ultra-competitive MX2 World Championship while Grau will line up for his first season of EMX250 competition. Both talented youngsters will race on FC 250 machinery. In what will be his third year of racing with Husqvarna Motorcycles, Kay de Wolf will make the sizeable step up to the MX2 class for 2021. Racing to a strong sixth overall in the 2019 EMX125 series on a TC 125, the 16-year-old progressed to the EMX250 class for 2020 where he currently holds third position in the championship standings. Claiming second overall at the latest round of the series, the Dutch racer underlined his talents as he progresses through the classes. Stepping in to fill the seat vacated by de Wolf, Maxime Grau joins the Nestaan MX run Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 team for 2021 in what will be his debut season of EMX250 competition. Set to compete aboard FC 250 machinery, the 14-year-old French rider aims to establish himself as a top-10 contender as the season progresses. Currently second in the Championnats De France Junior series, Grau will receive the required equipment and support needed to compete at the sharp end of the EMX250 championship in 2021. Armed with the proven FC 250 for the next two years, both Kay and Maxime will soon embark on winter testing in preparation for 2021 and the exciting new challenges that lie ahead. Kay de Wolf: “It’s amazing. I’ve had a great two years with the team already and signing for two more, and moving into the MX2 class with them, is a great feeling. I’ve been with them for EMX125 and at the moment EMX250, so staying with the same team as I move up to MX2 means I can fully focus on my racing. It’s just unbelievable and a dream come true for me. Knowing that the team believes in me gives me confidence and I hope to repay them with great results over the next two seasons.” Maxime Grau: “I am delighted about this new chapter in my young career. I now have a clear plan for the years to come with Husqvarna Motorcycles. This is definitely the best opportunity to make the next step up in the professional motocross world. I will work hard, and I am extremely motivated to achieve great performances. I would like to thank all the people who have made this project possible, particularly TECH32 for their unconditional support during the past years. I can’t wait to move to Belgium and start working with Rasmus and the whole team. I will give my best and we will see what the future holds.” Rasmus Jorgensen - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 Team Manager: “We’re super-excited with our new signings, Kay and Maxime. With Kay it’s more of an extension as he’s been with us for two seasons already. We have a huge belief in him, so we have signed him for two more years and look forward to continuing to work together as he moves up into MX2. Obviously, he is really young, he’ll only be 16 next season. Year one in MX2 will be a learning year without any huge expectations. We just want to see him have a strong year, improve and for him to experience what it takes to be up front in the MX2 class for the following season. For now, with Kay, we focus on the EMX250 series, but we are already looking forward to 2021. Maxime Grau is a young and talented rider that we welcome to the team. It will be his first-year racing on a 4-stroke, so again, it will be a learning year for him. He is only 14 years old, but we believe in him and know that he will be competitive next year as he develops as a rider. As a team we look ahead to a solid winter of training and look forward to a great 2021 season.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes has won stage four at the 2021 Rally Kazakhstan. Unable to complete the previous day’s racing due to a technical issue, the American was able to push right from the start of today’s special to make up time on his rivals and ultimately claim his second stage win of the event. Teammate Luciano Benavides rode a solid stage, completing the 308.8km ridden against the clock in 10th place. Putting his stage three frustration behind him, Skyler Howes came into today’s stage keen to learn in what is only his first FIM Cross-Country Rallies event for the team. With much of the special run on the fast open tracks on which Skyler excels, over the first half of the day the American was able to immediately make up time on his rivals. As rocky tracks turned to sand and dunes, Skyler had to ease his pace a little, and although falling when the bike was fully loaded after the refuelling stop, he was thankfully able to continue unhurt to the stage finish. Managing his pace in the latter kilometres of the special, Howes brought his FR 450 Rally home over two minutes ahead of the second-placed rider. A couple of mistakes early on cost Luciano Benavides some time, but the Argentinian was able to regroup and continue to put in a solid performance on the stage. Enjoying the rain and the difference it made to the terrain in the Kazakhstani desert, Luciano excelled in the second half of the special to finish in 10th place. Lying seventh in the provisional overall standings, Benavides aims to complete Sunday’s stage five strongly and secure his position in the top 10. Skyler Howes: “Day four was really interesting because it rained for the whole stage. It was weird because some places would have lots of traction, and others would be really slippery. It was full gas at the beginning over nice twisting, turning tracks. I caught up with a couple of other riders and then I think we spurred each other on a little because we pushed hard through the rest of the stage. After refuelling, I struggled in the soft dunes a little and had one crash that took me over the bars. After that I eased off a little until we were back on the fast tracks again. It feels great to get another stage win, obviously it would be nice if I was still up there in the overall, but it’s definitely good training, so looking forward to the final day tomorrow.” Luciano Benavides: “It was a tough stage for me today. It started off very fast over some rocky pistes and I unfortunately lost a little time there thanks to a couple of mistakes. The conditions were very different to the rest of the race as it was raining for the whole stage, so riding in the mud was quite good fun. After refuelling it opened out onto some much more sandy tacks, but the speed there was still very fast and so I tried not to take any huge risks. My position isn’t quite where I wanted it to be, but for my confidence I know I need to aim for a good safe finish to the rally, and so will do my best tomorrow, hopefully for a solid final result.” Sunday’s stage five of the 2021 Rally Kazakhstan, the last of the event, will see competitors cover a total of 352.34km, of which 267.02km are timed special stage. Covering a loop north of the city of Aktau, the stage will challenge riders with an intense mix of fast, rocky tracks and more technical terrain on the way to the finish. 2021 Rally Kazakhstan – Stage 4 Provisional Classification 1. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 3:26:48 2. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 3:29:01 3. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 3:30:54 4. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 3:32:18 5. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 3:35:15 6. Joaquim Rodrigues (Hero) 3:35:23 … 10. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:41:49 2021 Rally Kazakhstan – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 4) 1. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 13:18:04 2. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 13:22:09 3. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 13:27:28 4. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 13:32:47 5. Andrew Short (Yamaha) 13:47:12 6. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 13:49:14 … 7. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 13:59:13 15. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 24:30:09
The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team closed out a successful week of racing in Arlington, Texas on Saturday with a pair of top-five finishes at Round 12 of the 2021 AMA Supercross World Championship. Jason Anderson secured a fifth-place finish in the premier 450SX class, while teammate Jalek Swoll landed just outside the 250SX West podium with a solid fourth-place finish. Anderson got off to an eighth-place start in his heat but he put on an early charge to reach a top-five spot by lap five. With two laps to go, Anderson upped the intensity to claim two more positions for third. In the Main Event, he got a seventh-place start and quickly moved into fifth by lap four. He maintained a solid pace in fifth for the remainder of the race, coming away with his third top-five finish of the season. “It was kind of a mediocre night for me, nothing too crazy,” Anderson said. “I feel like today was my ‘slower’ day on the track, so I’m hoping that we can get a little bit better so we can be on the podium.” Dean Wilson had a positive start to the day, earning a season-best qualifying position of fourth earlier in the day. In 450SX Heat 1, he got off to a top-10 start and passed into eighth early on. He continued to charge into the final laps, securing a sixth-place transfer straight to the Main Event. In the main, Wilson found himself back in 14th on the opening lap but he fought his way into the top-10 by lap six. With a smooth and consistent performance, Wilson raced his way to a fourth-straight top-10 finish. “My qualifier was pretty good and I felt really good on the bike,” Wilson said. “My end result is a little disappointing because I feel like I rode good earlier in the day but I just need to have better race craft. We’ll try again at Atlanta and just keep pushing to be better.” 250SX West Coming off a runner-up finish just a few days ago, Swoll looked to keep the momentum going in Arlington. In 250SX Heat 2, he got off to a good start as he battled in second early on. He dropped back to third a few laps in and from there he maintained a strong pace to finish third in the heat. In the Main Event, Swoll grabbed a top-10 start and he worked his way into the top-five on lap six. He rode his own pace in fifth for most of the race but he capitalized on the fourth-place spot late in the race to ultimately finish just off the podium in fourth. After five rounds, Swoll now sits fourth overall in the championship standings. “I felt like the riding was good but the lapped riders didn’t play out in my favor tonight,” Swoll said. “I’m looking forward to the two-week break and we’ll come out swinging in Atlanta.” Team rider Stilez Robertson wasn’t able to line up on Saturday due to a foot injury that he sustained on Tuesday at the previous round. Next Event (Round 13): Saturday, April 10 – Mercedes Benz Stadium – Atlanta, Georgia Round 12 Results: Arlington SX 3 450SX Results 1. Cooper Webb (KTM) 2. Ken Roczen (HON) 3. Eli Tomac (KAW) … 5. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 10. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX West Results 1. Justin Cooper (YAM) 2. Cameron Mcadoo (KAW) 3. Seth Hammaker (KAW) 4. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Cooper Webb – 275 points 2. Ken Roczen – 260 points 3. Eli Tomac – 234 points ... 7. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 171 points 11. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 123 points 13. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 110 points 250SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Justin Cooper – 108 points 2. Cameron Mcadoo – 106 points 3. Hunter Lawrence – 102 points 4. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 93 points … 11. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 45 points
The tight and twisty Sachsenring brought MotoGP™ back to Germany for the first time since the summer of 2019 and the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team were in the battle for Moto3 points. The latest double-header episode of MotoGP saw the series visit the unique climes of the Sachsenring: a historic, winding counter clockwise circuit forged from 10 left handed corners and 3 to the right. Featuring some of the lowest average speeds of the season but an acute technical challenge, the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team needed to tweak the set-up of the FR 250 GP to find the best potential for the course and the 27 lap race distance. Romano Fenati was hunting positions near the top of the time sheets during Free Practice and notched 10th, 5th and 10th until confirming 8th position and the middle of the third row on the grid after Q2. Adrian Fernandez was attempting the Sachsenring for the first time in Moto3 and took the start in 23rd. Sunday dawned with the same warm temperatures as seen throughout the week in Germany but the extra cloud cover offered a bit more respite from the sunshine. Moto3 quickly formed into a close 18-rider group disputing the lead and Fenati floated up and down the pack. The tight Turn 1 was a difficult spot for the team. Fernandez’s race lasted less than two circulations as the rookie was caught out by the off-cambered curve and he crashed out. At mid-race distance the Italian suffered contact in the same place and then with 13 laps to do was forced to exit the track at the same corner to avoid a falling rider. Fenati rode through the gravel and was able to re-join the fray but was far adrift of the leaders. He then had to complete a Long Lap penalty. He crossed the finish line in 13th. The paddock quickly packed up to make the relatively short trip to the north of the Netherlands and the famous TT Circuit Assen. Fenati left the Sachsenring with 3 points meaning 5th in the world championship table. Romano Fenati: “Not our target today but we had an issue at the start and then that affected our race rhythm. I was lucky not to crash on two occasions and the last one was scary as another rider went down on the straight while I was in the last part of braking for Turn 1. The bike touched me, and I had to run wide. It was a shame. Assen next week and we need to work well in Free Practice to look for a better result.” Adrian Fernandez: “A difficult day, and the whole weekend we had worked towards the race. My times and rhythm in warm-up was very good but from the start of the race many riders were touching and making contact. I had a good feeling on the first lap and I was passing a few guys. I ran a bit wide on braking and it was impossible to stop the bike and I went down. I’m really sorry for the team because we worked so well here in Germany. I will be better in Assen!” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “After Friday and Saturday the race didn’t quite go how we were expecting. We were optimistic but Romano couldn’t really get with the head of the group and then there was a lot going on and he finished 13th. Not a great result but still some points. Adrian improved from Friday to Sunday and although he crashed, he was able to increase his pace and showed that he was able to learn.” Results – 2021 Moto3 World Championship, Round 8 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 39:38.791, 2. Kaito Toba (KTM) +0.130, 3. Dennis Foggia (Honda) +0.259, 13. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +20.902, DNF. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) World Championship standings 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 145pts; 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 90pts; 3. Jaume Masia (KTM) 72pts; 5. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 64 pts; 24. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) 10 pts.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen has claimed an impressive sixth overall in his MXGP class debut at round one of the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship. Competing for the first time in the premier division after many years of success in MX2, Kjer Olsen rode two calculated races to deliver strong results in both motos. In the MX2 division, Jed Beaton opened his campaign with a solid seventh overall with MX2 rookie Kay de Wolf claiming 16th. With a stunning backdrop of the Black Sea, the Orlyonok circuit in Russia played host to the opening round of the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship. The fast, hardpack track provided challenging conditions for all riders with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing securing what was ultimately a positive start to their 2021 season. Making his MXGP class debut in Russia was former MX2 ace Thomas Kjer Olsen. Following a strong start in race one, Kjer Olsen advanced to eighth on lap nine and then delivered consistent laps for the remainder of the moto to maintain his position and claim a comfortable top-10 finish. Lining up for moto two, the Dane again completed lap one well-placed among the leading riders, in seventh. Despite a small crash on lap three, which relegating the 24-year-old to 12th, Thomas regrouped quickly and put together a race-long charge that resulted in a well-deserved seventh-place finish. Together with his opening race result of eighth, TKO claimed sixth overall for a truly impressive MXGP class debut. In the MX2 class, Jed Beaton arrived at round one with high expectations following his fourth-place finish in last year’s championship. The Australian was on the pace from the moment he took to the Orlyonok circuit, posting the third fastest time in the timed qualification session to ensure a favourable gate pick for the point-scoring races. In race one, opening lap chaos ensued with Beaton shuffled back a few positions after a strong start. Following a hard charge through the field, the FC 250 mounted rider claimed a well-earned seventh in the opening moto. The second race started with Jed again inside the top-10 until a heavy fall on lap three demoted him to 17th. Fortunate to escape injury, the 23-year-old muscled his way forwards to claim 11th in the moto, good enough for seventh overall and vital, hard-fought championship points. Kay de Wolf began his MX2 career with an impressive 10th place finish in the opening moto at the MXGP of Russia. Following many months during the off-season focused on improving his hardpack riding skills, Kay’s hard work paid dividends with his top-10 race result on his MX2 World Championship debut. Frustratingly, race two wasn’t quite so fruitful for the young Dutchman. A sizable crash resulted in a damaged machine and a 21st place finish. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing will next be in action at round two of the FIM Motocross World Championship, on June 27, for the MXGP of Great Britain where Arminas Jasikonis makes his return to racing in the MXGP class. Thomas Kjer Olsen: “I’m super-happy with today. Coming into this race it was all a little bit of an unknown because I’ve not raced in this class before and there are so many good riders. My goal was to be in the top 10, so to finish sixth overall is really amazing. It took a little while to find my flow in race one but for race two I felt great on the bike, and I just felt physically strong all day. I made a couple of mistakes in race two but still came back to finish seventh. This result is a nice confidence boost early in the season and we’ll go back to work next week, keep doing what we’re doing and I’m really looking forward to round two.” Jed Beaton: “The day started really good with third in qualifying. From there it wasn’t my greatest day, at least it wasn’t where I wanted to be anyway. It’s the first of 19 rounds so there’s still a long way to go and many races so it’s not over by any means. The class is so stacked that it was hard to make passes today but we’ll move forward from here. I’ll be working on my starts during the next couple of weeks and I’ll be back for more at Matterley Basin in two weeks’ time.” Kay de Wolf: “It feels amazing to have finally competed in my first MX2 GP. The team has been amazing, and they’ve built such a great bike for me. Obviously the second race wasn‘t great with a big crash but it’s all part of the learning curve. Before that I had a good race going and crashing out of sixth place wasn’t part of the plan, but I’m really happy with how I felt on the bike today. I’ve spent a lot of time improving my riding skills on hardpack and this gives me confidence for the rest of the season.” Results – 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 1 MXGP - Overall 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 50pts; 2. Jeffery Herlings (KTM) 40; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 37… 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 27 MXGP - Race 1 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 35:19:814, 19 laps; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 35:36:608; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 35:41:047... 8. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:07:990 MXGP - Race 2 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 35:49:848, 19 laps; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 35:54:713; 3. Pauls Jonass (GASGAS) 36:13:407... 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:28:042 MX2 - Overall 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 50pts; 2. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 42; 3. Mathys Boisrame (Kawasaki) 40… 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 24; 16. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 11 MX2 - Race 1 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 34:27:923, 18 laps; 2. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 34:38:445; 3. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 34:43:278… 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:57:547; 10. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:30:871 MX2 - Race 2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 34:43:963, 18 laps; 2. Mathys Boisrame (Kawasaki) 34:46:532; 3. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 34:50:566… 11. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:32:909; 21. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 36:53:704 Championship Standings – After Round 1 MXGP 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 50pts; 2. Jeffery Herlings (KTM) 40; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 37… 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 27 MX2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 50pts; 2. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 42; 3. Mathys Boisrame (Kawasaki) 40… 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 24; 16. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 11
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing have completed a difficult day of racing at round two of the FIM Motocross World Championship. Following a strong start to the season in Russia, Thomas Kjer Olsen placed 12th in Great Britain, with a race one crash hindering his overall result. In the MX2 class, Jed Beaton fared best with 12th overall while Kay de Wolf charged through the pack in both motos to finish just behind his teammate in 13th. Round two of the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship took place at the popular Matterley Basin circuit in the UK. For Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, the venue provided many frustrations with the results not telling the full story of the team's weekend. Despite this, all riders took positives from the British GP and look ahead to round three in Italy next weekend. Thomas Kjer Olsen was hoping the Matterley event would see a continuation of his positive early season form. Moving into 11th early in race one, TKO then made a mistake, which resulted in his front wheel losing grip, and he fell. Kjer Olsen was quick to remount, only losing three positions, and went on to end the moto in 14th place. Race two began with rain falling on the Matterley Basin circuit. Despite a strong start, passing opportunities were limited due to the slick riding surface. And with Kjer Olsen’s rivals circulating at a similar pace to the Dane, passing certainly proved to be difficult. Completing lap one in 16th, Thomas advanced to 12th by the race end, claiming 12th overall. He now lies ninth in the MXGP standings. Arminas Jasikonis made a very welcome return to the paddock at the MXGP of Great Britain. The Lithuanian enjoyed being back with his team and is positive of building as the season continues, and is already looking forward to the upcoming GPs. The opening MX2 race of the day was shaping up for Jed Beaton to deliver a strong result on his FC 250. A great start saw the Australian in fourth place for the opening five laps, well on pace with the leading riders. Frustratingly, Jed caught the edge of a braking bump while closing in on Thibault Benistant in third, which resulted in a sizable crash and a damaged motorcycle. Lining up for race two, Beaton was shuffled back in the early stages of the moto before a race-long charge saw him cross the finish line in eighth place. Kay de Wolf continues to find his feet in the MX2 World Championship. As an unfortunate victim of the slippery racing surface in the opening moto, Kay fell on lap one and remounted down in 26th place and with a lot of work to do. The young Dutchman then charged for the full moto, passing riders on all parts of the track to cross the finish line in a well-deserved 15th. Kay would match this result in race two to claim 13th overall and maintain his 16th place position in the championship standings. In the EMX250 class, Maxime Grau made his debut for the team and immediately impressed. Charging to an incredible fourth place finish in race one, a first turn crash led to a 31st place finish in moto two. Nevertheless, Grau showed remarkable speed and maturity in both races to claim 12th overall. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing will next be in FIM Motocross World Championship action at the MXGP of Italy, round three of the series on July 4. Thomas Kjer Olsen: “I have mixed feelings about today. It wasn’t a disaster by any means, but I wanted more, for sure. I didn’t put myself in the best positions really and this is what cost me. My crash in race one cost me a top-10 result I believe, so that one was disappointing. The pace was really high today and everyone was similar in speed so it was hard to make passes. It’s only my second GP in this class so it was definitely a learning day and we’ll improve for next weekend.” Arminas Jasikonis: “It’s really nice to be back in the paddock and racing again. Obviously, the results aren’t where I’d like them to be but it’s a good starting point. With the team we have goals and getting the first GP done was the first goal and the first step back to where I once was. Already I’m looking forward to next weekend and building from today. I feel great on the bike and my speed was pretty good so I can’t wait to line up and race again.” Jed Beaton: “As soon as I went out for the first lap in practice I felt great on my bike. I loved the track and then in race one things were going really good. I got into fourth and was just biding my time, finding some good lines and letting the track dry out before making a charge. Unfortunately, I caught a bump wrong and had a pretty big crash. I hit my head and my bike was too bent up to continue. It’s a real shame as up until that point I felt awesome out there. In race two I lined up to give it a good go and finished eighth. Not where we want to be but it’s early in the season and there’s a long way to go. My starts were good so despite the crash there are some positives to take away from this weekend.” Kay de Wolf: “It’s good to get another GP done and under my belt. I was happy with my riding but a crash on the first lap of race one was really frustrating. After that though I just put my head down, kept charging and finished 15th so I was quite happy with that result. In race two I clashed with someone just after getting over the start gate and had to shut off. It was another long race, battling through everybody and another 15th place finish, so that was a pretty decent result. My results were definitely better than expected so this gives me a lot of confidence going into next weekend.” Results – 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 2 MXGP - Overall 1. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 45pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 43; 3. Jeffery Herlings (KTM) 38… 12. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 16 MXGP - Race 1 1. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 36:02:691, 14 laps; 2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 36:10:613; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 36:13:193... 14. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:49:593 MXGP - Race 2 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 36:18:266, 14 laps; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 36:19:734; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 36:33:755... 12. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 37:09:712; 24. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 37:48:072 MX2 - Overall 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 47pts; 2. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 43; 3. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 37… 12. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 13; 13. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 12 MX2 - Race 1 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 37:05:389, 14 laps; 2. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 37:07:979; 3. Mathys Boisrame (Kawasaki) 37:08:126… 15. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 38:06:385 MX2 - Race 2 1. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 36:34:006, 14 laps; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 36:36:413; 3. Rene Hofer (KTM) 36:38:403… 8. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:59:220; 15. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 37:28:430 Championship Standings – After Round 2 MXGP 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 93pts; 2. Jeffery Herlings (KTM) 78; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 73… 9. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 43 MX2 1. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 79pts; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 74; 3. Mathys Boisrame (Kawasaki) 74… 10. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 37; 16. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 23
Team fights through a challenging day in Minnesota It was a nerve-racking day for 450MX points leader Zach Osborne and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team, who came away from Round 6 of the 2020 AMA Pro Motocross Championship with 4-16 moto scores for 10th overall after valiantly fighting through a front-tire flat during Moto 2 of Saturday’s Spring Creek National. Coming into the second moto, Osborne held a solid fourth-place finish from Moto 1 and he had high hopes of finishing the day off on the podium but Moto 2 brought a major obstacle his way. He got off to a great start in third, battling for a podium position through the first half of the race. However, the points leader felt things begin to change mid-way through the race and he spent the last nine laps in pure survival mode, adapting to his unfortunate situation. Despite a flat front tire, Osborne was able to continue on and salvage valuable points with 16th place in the second moto, where he still maintains a 15-point lead in the 450X Championship with three rounds remaining. “It’s not the day we had hoped for but I still have the points lead and I’m still in a good spot,” Osborne said. “If someone would’ve said you’ll have a 15-point lead with three rounds to go I would’ve said sign me up! So now it’s time to fight for the goal.” Teammates Jason Anderson and Dean Wilson will miss the remainder of the 2020 AMA Pro Motocross Championship as both riders continue to recover from recent injuries. 250MX Coming off a big victory at the previous round, team rider RJ Hampshire carried that momentum into the opening moto as he shot off the line to capture the holeshot and early lead. He led the first seven laps of the race before getting passed by Dylan Ferrandis and he held strong to finish second. In Moto 2, Hampshire got a seventh-place start and he battled from that position for the first half of the race but he began feeling the effects of a practice crash that took place earlier in the day with a jammed hip. He made another mid-race charge in an attempt to land on the overall podium but he re-aggravated the hip, putting him into race-management mode for the remainder of the day. He finished sixth overall with 2-11 moto scores, where he sits third overall in the 250MX Championship standings. “The weekend started off rough, I had a practice crash in the second session and it actually upset my hip a little more than I thought,” Hampshire said. “I led half of the first moto and was feeling good but I kind of jammed it again and it was just tough after that. We managed to still get 11th in the second moto, which isn’t great, but we had a lot of speed today and I’m stoked on my riding.” It was a tough start to the day for Jalek Swoll, who encountered a freak issue with his forks in Moto 1 that would ultimately end his race early. In Moto 2, Swoll came back with a 17th place start and he battled his way to an 18th place finish after experiencing an issue with his shoulder. “It was kind of one thing after another today,” Swoll said. “I went into the first moto with a good start and a decent pace but I had a freak accident and broke my forks. I came into the second moto with 38th gate pick and I had a decent start but I ended up pulling my shoulder out on the second lap. It’s frustrating but we’ll get healed up and be ready to fight on home base.” Stilez Robertson was forced to sit out for the day after hitting his head during qualifying earlier in the day. His condition will be re-evaluated before the next round. Next Race: September 26 – WW Ranch National – Jacksonville, Florida Spring Creek National – Results 450MX Results 1. Adam Cianciarulo, Kawasaki (1-1) 2. Blake Baggett, KTM (2-2) 3. Justin Barcia, Yamaha (5-4) … 10. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (4-16) 250MX Results 1. Dylan Ferrandis, Yamaha (1-1) 2. Jeremy Martin, Honda (5-2) 3. Alex Martin, Suzuki (4-4) … 6. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (2-11) 20. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (39-18) 450MX Rider Point Standings – After 6 of 9 rounds 1. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 235 points 2. Adam Cianciarulo, 220 points 3. Marvin Musquin, 215 points … 12. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 97 points 15. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 58 points 250MX Rider Point Standings – After 6 of 9 rounds 1. Dylan Ferrandis, 257 points 2. Jeremy Martin, 254 points 3. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 202 points … 16. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 70 points 24. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 15 points
With just three days to go until the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship fires into life in Russia, MXGP team manager Antti Pyrhönen discusses Arminas Jasikonis’ incredible return from injury, his new rider Thomas Kjer Olsen, and offers his thoughts on the upcoming season. Antti, it’s exciting to be going back racing again. The delay to the start of this year’s championship was inevitable, what kind of impact has it had on the team’s approach to the new season? Antti: “Yes, it changed our preparations quite a lot. For the riders especially. The extended time has been positive though as it’s given Thomas more time to adapt to the 450, and time for Arminas to continue with his recovery from his serious accident. So, the time has been used wisely, it was just difficult to know when to be ready, but we’re in a good place now and excited to start the season.” Do you think the opening round will feel like a normal opening round, or are there perhaps some additional nerves after being away for quite some time? “It was unfortunate to miss some of the final rounds from last year because of rider injuries, so it’s been a while since we were in the paddock. I would say that there are no extra nerves within the team. The start of every season is always exciting and it’s great to be back racing again." What’s the general feeling within the team regards the calendar, the return to a more normal series? “For the team it is better to race in more countries and on more tracks with different terrains, to make a true world championship. The calendar is almost back to a traditional one, just with more races in a smaller amount of time being the only big change. It will be a busy year, racing week after week sometimes, but our riders and team is prepared for the long season. Being consistent will be really important in 2021.” How well has Thomas adapted to the FC 450? At the early season races in Italy he looked very impressive. “He’s adapted very well to the FC 450. In the beginning we just let him ride to feel out the bike and get comfortable. He then raced some of the Italian races where he did very well, and then we’ve worked on developing the bike for him a little further. He has the perfect riding style and technique for the 450 so this made the transition a little easier. He is looking really promising at the moment. He has put in the work, and I can’t wait to see what he does this season.” So, what are the expectations for Thomas? “Together with Thomas we’re quite open minded. MXGP is really stacked with talent, but Thomas is a really talented rider also, as we have seen from his MX2 career. You never know for sure how it will go. The plan will be to get comfortable in the class, build up his experience and then the speed will come and so will the better results. He’s put in the work, so I have no doubt he’ll be very successful in MXGP.” And finally, Arminas. You’ve been beside him every step of his recovery. How do you feel about his whole journey and his return to riding? “The journey since Arminas’ accident has been a long one, but I’m pleased to say that it’s one with a positive ending. It took quite some time for him to recover, and he took things step-by-step, beginning with light training and working towards where he is now. It’s only been positive progress, no steps backwards. Arminas is all-in as far as his effort to return to top-level racing goes. His motivation is incredible, and he’s done everything that he can to speed up the process. At the moment he looks great and as long as things stay on track, he’ll return to MXGP for round two at Matterley Basin. It will take him some time to get comfortable racing with his competitors again, but with time his confidence will return and then he can focus on returning to his old level.”
After a weekend off from racing, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team made their way to Daytona International Speedway on Saturday for Round 9 of the 2021 AMA Supercross World Championship. It was a monumental day for rookie Stilez Robertson, who earned a career-first podium finish in the 250SX West Main Event with an explosive performance in Daytona, Florida. Leading more than half of the physically demanding Daytona Supercross race isn’t an easy feat, especially for the young rookie who just made his professional supercross debut at the last round. Robertson, the seventh-place qualifier, put himself into a sixth-place position off the start of 250SX Heat 2 and he worked his way into fifth by the second lap. He continued charging up to podium contention, ultimately securing a solid third in the heat. In the Main Event, he shot off the line to overtake the lead position right away on the opening lap. He held off a hard-charging group of riders for the first eight laps before getting passed on lap nine. He held strong in the final six laps to claim an impressive runner-up finish at one of the most iconic tracks on the supercross circuit. “My first qualifying was not that great but the second one came around and I was feeling good,” Robertson said. “In the heat race, I actually felt pretty good and made the decision to go back to the knobby for the Main Event and I ripped a start! I put down a good eight minutes out front and started thinking about it too much and that’s when Mcadoo got around me. I didn’t want to make any rookie mistakes so I decided to settle into second and learn.” Teammate Jalek Swoll had a great start in 250SX Heat 1 as he settled into third on the opening lap. He made a mistake and dropped to fifth on lap two and from there he battled in a pack of riders to ultimately secure a seventh-place transfer spot. In the Main Event, Swoll got a top-10 start and charged his way up to fifth early on. He maintained a solid top-five position for the first half of the race but a mistake into the haybales caused him to drop a few spots mid-race. He worked hard to salvage positions late in the race, making a last-lap pass to secure eighth on the night. “It was kind of a poor performance on my end, to be honest,” Swoll said. “I had to line up really far on the outside, which was not the best start. I worked my way up to fifth for a while but I got into some haybales, which lost me three positions and couldn’t find a flow after that. I’m going to take the steam from this race and use it next weekend to hopefully get on the box.” 450SX Jason Anderson had an unfortunate start to 450SX Heat 2 as he got pushed wide into the slick grass, causing him to go down in the first turn. He quickly got up and pushed forward to secure an eighth-place transfer position. In the Main Event, Anderson started off ninth and he battled around eighth for most of the race. With a few laps to go, Anderson upped the pace to overtake the seventh spot, where he ultimately finished for the nigh “My night was pretty mediocre all around,” Anderson said. “I was P7 in qualifying today and in the heat race, I fell in the first turn and got up to eighth. That gate position didn’t put me in a good spot for the main but I made it up to seventh and that’s where I ended up.” It was another long night for Dean Wilson, who took a detour to the last chance qualifier (LCQ) after suffering a late-race crash in the heat. He was able to secure his third-straight LQC win to claim a spot on the 450SX Main Event starting line. With a not-so-favorable gate pick in the Main Event, Wilson didn’t get the best start as he rounded the opening lap in 15th but he pushed himself into a top-10 battle within the first few laps. Battling a tough Daytona track, Wilson ultimately secured a season-best finish of 10th. “My night was a bit eventful,” Wilson said. “I was in qualifying position in the heat race and I tried to make a pass in the last corner and crashed in the rhythm section before the finish, so I had to go to the LCQ. I was far outside gate in the main and didn’t get a good start at all but I just plugged away and ended up with a top-10. It’s not great but it’s a starting point and we’ll just try to build and get better from there.” Team rider Zach Osborne missed the Daytona Supercross due to a back injury sustained during the week leading up to the last round. After racing through the pain in Orlando, Osborne made the tough decision to sit out as he continues to recover and strengthen his body. “I’ve undergone some treatment this week and I feel that I’m on a good path to recovery as well as eliminating this from happening in the future,” Osborne said. “I look forward to being back with my team as soon as I’m fully fit and ready to race again.” Next Event (Round 10): Saturday, March 13 – AT&T Stadium – Arlington, Texas Round 9 Results: Daytona SX 450SX Results 1. Eli Tomac (KAW) 2. Cooper Webb (KTM) 3. Aaron Plessinger (YAM) … 7. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 10. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX West Results 1. Cameron Mcadoo (KAW) 2. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 3. Pierce Brown (GAS) … 8. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Ken Roczen – 199 points 2. Cooper Webb – 197 points 3. Eli Tomac – 75 points ... 8. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 123 points 11. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 116 points 14. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 70 points 250SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Cameron Mcadoo – 49 points 2. Justin Cooper – 45 points 3. Garrett Marchbanks – 39 points … 5. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 34 points 7. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 28 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton has placed fourth overall at the final round of the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, the MXGP of Garda Trentino. Battling to an opening moto seventh place finish, the Australian came agonisingly close to snatching victory in race two. Thomas Kjer Olsen claimed seventh overall in his final outing in the MX2 class. Jed Beaton arrived at the MXGP of Garda Trentino looking to maintain his fourth-place ranking in the MX2 World Championship. After placing seventh in the opening moto, Beaton was quick from the start line in race two, slotting into third place on the second lap. With Jago Geerts crashing out just ahead of him, the FC 250 rider put on a charge that brought him onto the back wheel of the race leader, Ben Watson. Frustratingly, Jed was unable to find his way into the lead, crossing the finish line less than one-second away from victory. Beaton’s 7-2 results secured fourth overall. In placing fourth in the MX2 World Championship, Beaton enjoyed a highly positive year in 2020. Showing race-winning speed throughout the season, he came agonisingly close to a maiden overall win at the penultimate round. Proving to be a capable racer on any surface, the 22-year-old claimed three overall podium finishes, along with nine moto podiums and was the first rider in the standings to score points in every race. A memorable season with many career milestones reached. Thomas Kjer Olsen’s final MX2 Grand Prix delivered mixed results. Looking to end the season strongly, a first-turn crash in race one ruled out one last trip to the podium for the Dane. Ending moto one in 13th place, race two saw him battle hard to secure sixth at the finish for seventh overall. The 2020 MX2 World Championship proved to be challenging for TKO. Hampered by two early-season injuries and missing one GP entirely, two overall GP wins and six overall podium results in the latter stages of the series marked a constructive end to the Dane’s MX2 career. Clinching sixth overall in the championship standings, TKO brings his MX2 career to a close as he heads to the MXGP class for 2021 with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. Both of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s MXGP class entrants, Pauls Jonass and Arminas Jasikonis, saw their seasons brought to premature ends following crashes and subsequent injuries. Former MX2 World Champion Jonass suffered from a heavy fall while training for the series restart in August, ruling him out of action until 2021. Jasikonis impressed prior to his injury in September, placing third overall at the second round, before going one better with a runner-up finish at round five. The Lithuanian also claimed his maiden MXGP moto win aboard his FC 450 in 2020. With the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship now complete, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing will soon embark on an off-season of testing and preparation ahead of the 2021 campaign. Jed Beaton: “It’s been great to end the year with a runner-up finish in the last moto of the season. I had a great start and challenged for the win, so it’s positive to end the season like this. It’s a shame about the first moto but moto two proved I can be up there with a good start. It’s been a long season. Many ups and downs but all in all it’s been a positive year for me and the team. Having completed a full season I know what it takes now and I know what I need to work on over the winter ahead of 2021. I’m actually really glad that we got a season in as at one point it looked like we weren’t going racing at all. The three GPs in a week, that was different, racing so frequently was different, but it was always a good time and it’s been a lot of work for the team as well as myself. The team has done a phenomenal job with such a tight schedule. It can’t have been easy so credit to them, they’ve done an awesome job.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “Today was a bit of a struggle and not quite the way I wanted to end my 250 career. This is how racing goes though sometimes, and with how the season started with two injuries, I can’t complain. Despite riding in pain for many races, I showed up, confident and just ready to battle. I moved past the tough days early in the season and then showed what I could do as the season went on. Winning two GPs was nice in my final season in the class. I can’t dwell on this year – sure it wasn’t where I wanted to be in the final standings but I’m moving to MXGP and I’m still young, so I have a lot of years of racing to go. I’m excited for the future on the 450. I’ve been part of a great team, the Nestaan MX2 team, for four years and we’ve enjoyed a lot of success together. They’ve supported me the whole time and I couldn’t have been on a better team, so I’m really thankful for that.” Results – 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 18 MX2 – Overall 1. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 45; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 41; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 40; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36… 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 23; 17. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 10; 24. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 1 MX2 - Race 1 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 19 laps, 34:05:231; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 34:11:364; 3. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 34:12:349… 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:20:931; 13. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:01:814; 20. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 18 laps, 34:07:699; 24. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 34:47:370 MX2 - Race 2 1. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 19 laps, 34:17:030; 2. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:17:918; 3. Isak Gifting (GASGAS) 34:31:996… 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 34:42:208; 12. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 35:29:293; 20. Johannes Norman (Husqvarna) 18 laps, 34:43:770 Championship Standings – After Round 18 MX2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 759pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 679; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 581; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 564; 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 540… 16. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 156; 21. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 112; 29. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 62; 36. Gianmarco Cenerelli (Husqvarna) 21; 37. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 21; 38. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 17; 43. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 5; 45. Maximilian Spies (Husqvarna) 2
With little time to rest following round four of the 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt and Alfredo Gomez return to hard enduro action this coming weekend as they head to the USA to take on the Tennessee Knockout Extreme Enduro (TKO). Competing in the event for the first time, racing at TKO will be a completely new experience for both Billy and Alfredo. Confident of podium results and despite a tough week in Romania, both are ready for the fast and furious racing at the North American event. Focused on getting back to his winning ways, Billy Bolt is looking to repeat the form that took him to victory at Abestone Hard Enduro. With the racing against the clock and racing head-to-head nature of TKO in many ways similar to SuperEnduro, Billy knows that the event should suit him well. Wanting to close in on Hard Enduro World Championship leader Mani Lettenbichler, Billy is ready to give his all and fight for the event win. Determined to put his challenging outing at Romaniacs behind him, despite having not raced at TKO before, Alfredo Gomez knows the venue well – something he hopes will aid his chances of battling for a top-three result. Carrying a small rib injury into the event, Alfredo is nevertheless ready to take on the fifth round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. Following his recent injury and subsequent knee surgery, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s third hard enduro racer Graham Jarvis will not be competing at TKO. Now in its 11th year, TKO features a multi-round knockout format. Each round is different with riders racing both against the clock and head-to-head. Known for its highly technical terrain, both short and long courses are used during the event as competitors are eliminated down to a final of 15 riders. Round five of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship takes place in Sequatchie, Tennessee, USA on August 13-15. Ahead of this weekend’s TKO, check out more FIM Hard Enduro action with the Rockstar Husky Vlog. Episode 1: Abestone Hard Enduro Episode 2: Romaniacs Hard Enduro Rallye Billy Bolt: “I’m really looking forward to TKO this weekend. It’s going to be my first time at the event, and I can’t wait for it. It’ll actually be the first time I’ve raced in the States – the only other time I’ve been there was for a holiday when I was four years old. I’ve seen and heard a lot of positive stuff about TKO, so all-in-all I’m really excited to get over there and get racing. It looks very, very different to Romaniacs – super short, really intense, and very technical – so I’m hoping that it will really suit me. There’s going to be some strong competition, and it’ll be cool to race against the US riders on their home soil. I have a few points I need to earn to catch Mani in the championship after Romaniacs, so I’m ready to do that. I’m feeling good and looking forward to it all.” Alfredo Gomez: “I’m certainly hoping that things will go better for me in in the USA than they did in Romania. Things really didn’t go the way I hoped they would there, but I’m ready and looking forward to TKO. In Romania I hit my ribs hard, which aren’t 100%, but no excuses, I will be ready to fight for the podium in Tennessee. It will be my first time at TKO, but I have very happy memories from that place because it’s where I took my first podium in world trial, in 2005, I think. I hope I can have a good race and be on the podium.”
MotoGP remained in the speedy confines of the Red Bull Ring for round eleven of the 2021 world championship and encountered a bright and warm climate for the second Grand Prix at the spectacular Austrian site. Compared to the damp conditions for Moto3 found the previous Sunday at the Michelin Grand Prix of Styria, the Bitci Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich provided a dry and fast stage for another enthralling Moto3 contest. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team had remained in the Spielberg region during the week and were full of optimism for the second taste of the Red Bull Ring after Romano Fenati had captured his third trophy of the season with 3rd place at round ten. Their hopes increased further after the Italian used his FR 250 GP motorcycle to seize the company’s first Pole Position in Grand Prix racing since the Japanese GP in 2014. Adrian Fernandez was further back and started from the seventh row of the grid. Fenati’s achievement helped the 25-year-old slot the motorcycle into the leading group in the formative laps. He took the holeshot and was part of a six-rider tussle for first place with multi changes. Approaching the crucial final circulations, Fenati lost the tow of Deniz Öncü and Sergio Garcia for the race win and just missed enough metres in the slipstream to break into the top three. He crossed the line in 5th and less than half a second from Garcia. Fernandez tried to make another fighting comeback to hunt more Grand Prix points but the Spaniard was forced to retire at mid-race distance. The results mean that Fenati now has a total of 107 points. He is still 3rd in the world championship standings and has a 48-point gap to Sergio Garcia. Fernandez is 23rd. The team and the MotoGP series will now have a brief respite before moving to the UK and another fast circuit. Silverstone will host the Monster Energy British Grand Prix on August 28-29. Romano Fenati: “I’m not 100% happy but it’s been two weekends of consistently being at the front. So, I’m satisfied. We need to keep working and it will come but we will continue to take all the points possible in the next GPs.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “A solid race for Romano who finished 5th but fought for the win until the last lap. I’m happy with our performance in qualifying. We’re still missing a bit in braking but we are quite OK with his speed. We’re looking forward to getting to another track and one that suits his style a bit better. We’re looking into what happened with Adrian but, anyway, he was improving through the weekend.” Results – 2021 Moto3 World Championship, Round 11 1. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 37:10.345, 2. Deniz Öncü (KTM) +0.027, 3. Dennis Foggia (Honda) +0.346, 5. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +0.462, DNF. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) World Championship standings 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 196pts; 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 155pts; 3. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 107 pts; 23. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) 16 pts.
2021 Moto3 began with Romano Fenati making an effective recovery performance for Husqvarna Motorcycles as he took his FR 250 GP to 11th position at a windy Losail International Circuit for the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar and the first of nineteen fixtures. 18 action-packed Moto3 laps of the flat, fast and dusty Losail International Circuit ensured that the new MotoGP season was launched in captivating fashion in Qatar today. Husqvarna Motorcycles was in the heart of the dispute for the first points of the campaign with the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team fielding Romano Fenati and rookie Adrian Fernandez on the fetching white FR 250 GPs machinery. During practice and qualification both the Italian and the Spaniard showed impressive competitiveness; Fenati missed out on a qualification lap attempt that would have placed the #55 high on the starting grid for Sunday’s by just one second. The former GP winner just couldn’t get across the line fast enough on Saturday evening to make the time count. Starting the race from 18th – and Fernandez in 22nd on his full-time world championship debut – the riders headed into windy and difficult conditions. The breeze not only affected the handling of all the Moto3 motorcycles but also blew sandy and dust across the track surface. Fenati latched onto the busy front-running cluster in the first minutes of the race but was adjudged to have jumped the start and was penalised with a double long lap penalty. Despite having to claw back from the time deficit twice, Fenati fought his way back into touch with the leaders on the final lap and bustled his way to 11th. Fernandez completed an encouraging Grand Prix amidst the group that Fenati spent most of the race trying to catch. He also had to make a long lap penalty for exceeding track limits which cost valuable time. The youngster finally crossed the finish line just outside of the points in 17th. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team will have only a matter of days before they can attempt Losail once more: the Tissot Grand Prix of Doha takes place next Sunday. Romano Fenati: “I’m happy with the speed of the bike: the FR 250 GP was incredible. I was not happy about the long lap penalty because, for me, I did not make the jump start. We have to check. Next weekend I think we will be very fast and we will try to work on this direction.” Adrian Fernandez: “The start of the race was difficult but my feeling on the bike was really good. The conditions were tough and I couldn’t understand why the track felt so slippery sometimes. It was hard to get on the gas by the end. We improved from the test and step-by-step we will get closer to the first group.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “The first race of the year was not where we hoped to start in terms of positions but in racing anything can happen. For Adrian Moto3 was a new experience. He is very young and we have just started to work with him and to get the best out of him. He has shown a good attitude and potential. With Romano we paid for that mistake during the quali but that cost us a better position in the race. Other than that, he made a very good comeback and was able to finish in the points which made us happy. Without the penalty it could have been much better but now we’ll work hard to make improvements, cut down the mistakes and hope for more in race two here.” Results – 2021 Moto3 FIM World Championship, Round 1 1. Jaume Masia (KTM) 38:29.620, 2. Pedro Acosta (KTM) +0.042, 3. Darryn Binder (Honda) +0.094, 11. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +2.316, 17. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) +22.187 World Championship standings 1. Jaume Masia (KTM) 25pts; 2. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 20pts; 3. Darryn Binder (Honda) 16pts; 11. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 5 pts; 17. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) 0 pts.
Tuesday proved to be an eventful day of racing for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jason Anderson, who came away with a third-place podium finish at Round 14 of the AMA Supercross World Championship after being forced to battle his way through the last chance qualifier due to a bad luck situation in his heat race. For the second straight round, Anderson claimed the fastest qualifier position at Atlanta Motor Speedway but he found himself in an unfavorable position off the start of 450SX Heat 2 after stalling the bike on the gate drop. Forced to overcome a dead last start, Anderson got up to 12th on lap one but he encountered another setback when a rider landed on him mid-air and caused them both to go down hard and he ultimately missed the Main Event transfer by one spot. Lining up in the LCQ, he wasted no time getting out front where he charged his way to a 30-second victory. In the Main Event, Anderson proved to be a man on a mission as he swiftly climbed from an eighth-place start up to fourth early on, positioning himself to overtake a podium spot halfway through the race. With a hard-fought effort, he locked in third to secure his second podium finish of the season. “Today was pretty stressful,” Anderson said. “It started out amazing and I felt like everything was going smooth, and then I stalled it on the gate for the start but I was able to come back and ride good. I was lacking a little bit of energy at the end but I feel like my speed is good and my riding is really well so I’m excited.” Dean Wilson, the fourth-place qualifier, powered his way off the line in 450SX Heat 1 to grab an impressive second-place start. He maintained a fast pace behind the leader to secure a runner-up finish and a clean transfer into the Main Event. In the main, Wilson shot off the line to capture a top-five start and he hung with the front-runners early on. He dropped a few positions later in the race but he was able to hold strong for a top-10 finish. “I was riding really good today, definitely a step up from the last round,” Wilson said. “I was happy with second in the heat race and in the Main Event, I got a pretty good start and was really in the mix of the battle until about halfway and unfortunately just struggled to the end. If we can figure out the second half and just get in the top five, I’d be happy with that.” 250SX West Swoll got off to a great start in 250SX Heat 1, leading the opening lap before settling into second early on. He rode a solid pace to ultimately secure a second-place finish in the heat. In the Main Event, there was a red flag early in the race, which sent the riders back to the starting gate for a second drop. Swoll put himself into a top-10 position off the re-start but a mistake dropped him back a couple spots early on. He spent the remainder of the laps trying to fight his way back through the pack, ultimately finishing 10th. “It was not the result we wanted but riding-wise I feel like it was really good,” Swoll said. “I made a lot of progression from the first round but I found myself on the ground early and that was unfortunate. I feel like the speed was there, so at least we can take the positives and come back in three days to have another go at it.” Stilez Robertson missed the night program due to a crash during the first qualifying session of the day. He plans to recover over the next few days with hopes of lining up for the next round this Saturday. “Definitely not the night I was hoping for,” Robertson said. “In the first qualifier, I had a big get-off through the whoops and wasn’t feeling too good. I went out for the last qualifying session and ended up seventh but the team and I made the decision to sit it out but we should be good to go for Saturday.” Next Event (Round 15): Saturday, April 17 – Atlanta Motor Speedway – Atlanta, Georgia Round 14 Results: Atlanta 2 SX 450SX Results 1. Ken Roczen (HON) 2. Chase Sexton (HON) 3. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX West Results 1. Justin Cooper (YAM) 2. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 3. Cameron Mcadoo (KAW) ... 10. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Cooper Webb – 313 points 2. Ken Roczen – 300 points 3. Eli Tomac – 278 points ... 6. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 211 points 11. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 124 points 12. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 123 points 250SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Justin Cooper – 157 points 2. Cameron Mcadoo – 148 points 3. Hunter Lawrence – 141 points … 5. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 121 points 12. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 57 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes has made an excellent FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship debut for the team by placing third on stage one of the 2021 Rally Kazakhstan. Fifth-fastest on the event's opening Prologue, Howes impressed further on his FR 450 Rally with a strong performance on the 280km timed special of day one. He now sits third overall in the provisional overall rally standings. Teammate Luciano Benavides completed the day in 11th place after opening much of the stage. Making his first competitive appearance for the team outside of his native United States, Skyler Howes immediately showed he was comfortable on his bike at the Kazakhstan Rally. Aiming to open the event safely and with a solid stage result, Howes was able to maintain a good pace through the changing terrain to complete the stage in third place. Now, with four demanding days to go, the American is feeling confident and looking forward to carrying his positive momentum to the finish. Opening stage one, thanks to his 10th place result in the Prologue, Luciano Benavides was able to hold off his rivals for the first half of the special. A small navigation error cost him dearly however, with the young Argentinian losing several minutes before being forced to complete the remainder of the stage behind a number of riders ahead. With a strong start position for Thursday’s stage two, Benavides hopes to claw back time on the event leaders. Skyler Howes: “Today went really well for me. I started off eighth, so I had a lot of bikes to chase down, but actually the colour of the dirt here in Kazakhstan makes it really difficult to see the tracks, so you have to stay on your navigation really well. I made a couple of really small mistakes early on – I didn’t get lost, just blowing corners. The terrain was quite fun, even though it was open, the tracks were really twisty and with a lot of sand, you could really rail the corners, so that felt good. I had a lot of fun. The dunes today were a little weird because they had a wet layer on top, but you blew through that to the dusty layer underneath and that made it hard to keep a steady rhythm. With some big camel grass as well, it was tough to maintain a good pace there and I did lose a few minutes after getting lost. Overall, I had a really good day, had a lot of fun, and I’m excited for the rest of the week.” Luciano Benavides: “It was a really fast day today. There were lots of tracks and some tricky dunes later on. After my result in the Prologue, I started off opening the stage, which is always a challenge. I led out for the first 125km but then made a mistake and was caught by the guys behind. Annoyingly I lost some minutes there, but after that the rest of the stage was ok, even though most of it was riding in the dust from the guys in front. I decided to just finish the stage safely and look ahead to tomorrow.” Thursday’s stage two of the 2021 Rally Kazakhstan marks the first half of the event’s marathon stage. Riders will head out from the bivouac at Aktau and cover a total distance of 310km, 280km of which are special stage. Staying in a temporary bivouac, the riders are allowed no outside assistance overnight. 2021 Rally Kazakhstan – Stage 1 Provisional Classification 1. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 3:14:07 2. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 3:16:15 3. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 3:17:44 4. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 3:21:23 5. Andrew Short (Yamaha) 3:21:46 6. Joaquim Rodrigues (Hero) 3:24:19 … 11. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:35:50 2021 Rally Kazakhstan – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 1) 1. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 3:19:53 2. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 3:22:04 3. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 3:23:36 4. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 3:27:20 5. Andrew Short (Yamaha) 3:27:38 6. Joaquim Rodrigues (Hero) 3:30:13 … 11. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:42:12
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton has earned a strong fifth-place overall MX2 class result after claiming a pair of sixth-place moto finishes at the MXGP of Italy. Riding two calculated races at what was the first of three visits to the hardpack Faenza circuit, Beaton’s performances move him up to fourth place in the MX2 World Championship standings. MX2 teammate Thomas Kjer Olsen dug deep on his return to action, earning sixth overall. In the MXGP class, Arminas Jasikonis claimed 10th overall. It was a tough opening MX2 moto for Beaton at the MXGP of Italy, round six of the MX2 World Championship. An unavoidable fallen rider caused the Australian to crash on the opening lap. Undeterred, he went on to set competitive lap times while carving his way forwards through the field. Using the power of his FC 250 machine, he was able to make multiple passes on Faenza’s long uphill sections. Never giving up, he was rewarded with a sixth-place finish. A strong start in race two set Beaton up for an improved result with the 22-year-old moving up into sixth place on the third lap. On the move, he quickly found his way onto the rear fender of Roan Van De Moosdijk but was unable to find a way through on the tight Italian circuit. Claiming another sixth-place finish, Jed finished fifth overall and moves up to fourth in the MX2 World Championship. Thomas Kjer Olsen returned from injury in Italy, pleased to be back racing his FC 250 machine. Claiming a mid-pack start in the opening moto, the 23-year-old maintained his composure during the frantic early laps and avoided the mistakes that saw several of his rivals crash out due to the challenging riding surface. Charging hard for the duration of the moto, Kjer Olsen moved forwards from 15th on the opening lap to claim a strong ninth-place finish. A great start in race two saw Kjer Olsen maintain a strong sixth place through the opening laps of the moto. After being passed by teammate Jed Beaton and slipping back to seventh on the third lap, he regrouped and latched on to Beaton for the remainder of the 30-minute-plus-two-lap race. Claiming a close seventh-place finish, Thomas finished a hard-fought sixth overall on his return to world championship action. Arminas Jasikonis arrived in Italy with his confidence high following a series of strong results during the previous three rounds in Latvia. A great jump from the start in moto one unravelled quickly when the Lithuanian was forced wide around the opening corner, pushing the 22-year-old down the running order. A 10th place finish after a race-long charge was a tough result for Arminas. An improved start in race two saw Jasikonis avoid any first-turn issues and emerged just outside the top 10. With only one fast line developing around the gruelling Faenza circuit, Jasikonis found his rhythm and moved forwards as the race progressed, ultimately finishing in ninth place. In claiming 10th overall, Jasikonis slips back one position to fourth in the MXGP World Championship standings, just a handful of points down on third. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to FIM Motocross World Championship competition on September 9, for the second of three successive events to be held at the Faenza circuit. Jed Beaton: “It was a good day all in all. It could have been better but in the first moto Mattia Guadagnini crashed right in front of me on the opening lap and I had nowhere to go, so to come back to sixth from that was pretty decent really. Race two, I had a better start and just wanted to make it through the opening lap before going to work. I moved into sixth place on lap three and then caught up to Roan but just couldn’t get by and settled into his pace. It was a little frustrating, but I didn’t want to force the issue with the next round in a few days’ time. Overall, good points on the board and I’m looking forward to Wednesday.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “It was great to be back racing again after a tough time in Latvia. I can now ride fully focussed and without pain so today was really enjoyable. The results may not reflect that but overall I’m really happy and it’s a good place to start with two more GPs here in Faenza. It took a while to find my rhythm in race one and everyone around me seemed to be on a similar pace, so it was difficult to move forwards. In the second race, Jed came by me and I was able to hold onto him and this kept me focussed. It was a good, solid ride. I really like the track here and I’m looking forward to Wednesday.” Arminas Jasikonis: “It was a difficult day for me after the success that we had in Latvia. It’s a really hard and fast track here at Faenza and everyone is riding at a similar pace. I had a great jump in the opening race, but then I was pushed wide in the opening corner and lost a lot of positions. I managed to pull through to 10th which was ok. The second race I has a slightly better start but could only reach ninth place. For sure not where my team or myself expect me to be but we’ll regroup and line up again on Wednesday.” Results – 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 6 MXGP - Overall 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 50pts; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 44; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 40… 10. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 23 MXGP - Race 1 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 17 laps, 35:19:086; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 35:23:535; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 35:24:895… 10. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 35:59:409; 26. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 35:44:736 MXGP - Race 2 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 17 laps, 35:18:731; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 35:20:704; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 35:26:192… 9. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 36:10:024; 22. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 37:20:697 MX2 – Overall 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 47pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 45; 3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 40… 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 30; 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 26; 10. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 19; 17. Gianmarco Cenerelli (Husqvarna) 8 MX2 - Race 1 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 17 laps, 36:03:347; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 36:10:639; 3. Mathys Boisrame (Kawasaki) 36:12:651… 6. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:29:218; 9. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:38:590; 14. Gianmarco Cenerelli (Husqvarna) 37:21:371; 15. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 37:22:132; 21. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 38:02:115; 23. Maximilian Spies (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 36:04:747; 26. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 36:34:284; 27. Maxime Charlier (Husqvarna) 37:36:043 MX2 - Race 2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 17 laps, 35:45:835; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:49:194; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 35:54:164… 6. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:15:336; 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:16:286; 8. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 36:18:677; 20. Gianmarco Cenerelli (Husqvarna) 37:54:712; 21. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 36:10:656; 22. Maximilian Spies (Husqvarna) 36:19:846; 24. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 36:37:960; 27. Maxime Charlier (Husqvarna) 37:57:631 Championship Standings – After Round 6 MXGP 1. Jeffery Herlings (KTM) 263pts; 2. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 203; 3. Tim Gajser (Honda) 196; 4. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 186… 22. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 26; 24. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 17; 29. Lars van Berkel (Husqvarna) 9; 32. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 6; 33. Brent Van doninck (Husqvarna) 5 MX2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 257pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 254; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 196; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 178; 9. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 115; 14. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 66; 18. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 43; 23. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 34; 33. Gianmarco Cenerelli (Husqvarna) 8; 35. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 5; 36. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 4; 38. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 3
ENTRIES NOW OPEN FOR INAUGURAL FIVE-ROUND SERIES Husqvarna Motorcycles is proud to be partnering with an exciting new motocross series in 2021 - the FIM Europe Junior e-Motocross Championship. Created in conjunction with InFront Moto Racing, this ground-breaking five-round series will endorse e-powered motorsport and showcase the capabilities of e-technology to a global audience. As pioneers of electric mobility, Husqvarna Motorcycles’ EE 5 represents the brand’s vision for the future. First unveiled to the public in late 2018 following many years of testing and development, the revolutionary EE 5 was added to the motocross line-up for MY20, changing the face of junior motocross and marking the first step into e-mobility for Husqvarna Motorcycles. The FIM Europe Junior e-Motocross Championship creates a truly unique opportunity for aspiring young racers to develop their talents. Competing on the same circuits as their MXGP heroes with a racing format that mirrors the FIM Motocross World Championship, up to 40 competitors will contest two motos at each round with the series. Should the championship winner be a Husqvarna rider, the lucky individual will get the chance to spend time with one of our Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teams, at the end of the season. Additionally, all Husqvarna EE 5 mounted competitors will receive branded wear including a t-shirt, cap, umbrella, drink bottle and pit board. As one of the first motorcycle manufacturers to develop true-performance, electric-powered motocross models, Husqvarna Motorcycles remains fully committed to e-mobility development and supports the introduction of this new FIM Europe Junior e-Motocross Championship series. Open to competitors aged 6-8 years old who ride EE 5 machinery, the championship allows for the innovative machine to be used within an FIM recognised series for the very first time. Kicking off in Italy in September at the biggest motocross race in the world, the FIM Motocross of Nations, the remaining events will take place alongside four FIM Motocross World Championship rounds across Europe with the champion set to be crowned in Portugal on October 24. To compete for the FIM Europe Junior e-Motocross Championship title riders must compete in a minimum of three rounds. Riders interested in the FIM Europe Junior e-Motocross Championship can learn more and secure their place by visiting the series official website - www.junioremotocross.com Federico Valentini – Husqvarna Motorcycles Head of Global Marketing: “There is no questioning the fact that electric mobility is becoming an ever-present reality. And that motorcycle sport as we know it is starting to evolve. This electric-powered future is hugely important to Husqvarna Motorcycles. The FIM Europe Junior e-Motocross Championship is a key step towards highlighting that a cleaner, all-electric future is an exciting one, and we truly believe this series will shine a very positive light on the capabilities of our Husqvarna EE 5.” Calendar – 2021 FIM Europe Junior e-Motocross Championship Round 1: 26 Sep Motocross of Nations - Mantova, Italy Round 2: 3 Oct MXGP of Germany - Teutschenthal Round 3: 10 Oct MXGP of France - Lacapelle Marival Round 4: 17 Oct MXGP of Spain – intu Xanadu - Arroyomolinos Round 5: 24 Oct MXGP of Portugal - Agueda
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla has delivered his best result of the 2021 Dakar Rally to date with an excellent second-place finish on a highly challenging day 11. Never dropping below the top three for the entire 464km special, Quintanilla ultimately brought his FR 450 Rally home as runner-up, less than three minutes down on the eventual stage winner. Presenting riders with varied terrain throughout the stage, the penultimate day at Dakar lived up to its reputation as one of the toughest. Technically demanding navigation and a huge area of soft dunes, covering almost 100km, were the highlights of the route that led south from AlUla to Yanbu. Struggling to find his rhythm over the last few stages, Pablo Quintanilla came into form where it mattered most with the experienced Chilean racer putting in an impressive performance, coming from a 15th place start to claim second at the finish. Overtaking a considerable number of competitors, Pablo was the leading rider on time at the third checkpoint. Losing a few minutes to the eventual stage winner over the dunes, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing star dropped down to second – a place he held right to the line. His excellent showing on the challenging stage resulted in Quintanilla moving one-place higher in the provisional rally standings to seventh. Pablo Quintanilla: “It has been a great stage for me today. We made some changes to the bike overnight and today things felt really good and I was comfortable enough to push. In the morning it was really dusty because I started quite far behind and it was difficult to pass some riders. But after the first neutralisation I started to find my rhythm, I was happy with the navigation and I was able to start making up some time. The stage was a tricky one with mixed terrain such as some rocky sections, some dunes, but it was quite tiring, especially when I was pushing all day. I ran out of water and started to feel a little dizzy towards the end and made a little mistake with my navigation. Overall, I really enjoyed the stage. It’s nice to be able to ride at the pace I know I’m capable of and we’ll keep pushing for a good result.” Stage 12 of the Dakar, the final outing for all riders at this year’s race, leads from Yanbu to Jeddah. Covering a total of 452km, 225km of which will be timed special, the stage will once again take in a mixture of fast tracks and soft, desert dunes on the way to the final chequered flag of the event. 2021 Dakar Rally – Stage 11 Provisional Classification 1. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 4:35:12 2. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 4:37:52 3. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 4:41:36 4. Daniel Sanders (KTM) 4:43:46 5. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 4:44:39 6. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 4:47:58 2021 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 11) 1. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 45:01:44 2. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 45:05:56 3. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 45:08:57 4. Daniel Sanders (KTM) 45:34:49 5. Skyler Howes (KTM) 45:50:51 6. Lorenzo Santolino (Sherco) 45:51:10 … 7. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 46:02:02
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing claimed mixed results at the MXGP of Italy, round three of the FIM Motocross World Championship. The team’s best finishes came from MX2 class racers Jed Beaton and Kay de Wolf, as both racers enjoyed great starts and solid results with Jed claiming seventh overall with Kay close behind in ninth. In the MXGP class, Thomas Kjer Olsen placed 23rd overall following a 19th in race two. The third round of the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship took place at the spectacular Maggiora circuit in northern Italy where Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing posted a mixed set of results at the hillside venue. Rebounding from a challenging couple of rounds of MX2 competition, Jed Beaton enjoyed a notable upturn in his results at the MXGP of Italy with a solid seventh-place overall finish. In moto one, Jed started up front and remained among the leading riders for the whole race and was rewarded with a strong fifth-place finish. For moto two, Beaton had another great start, slotting into fourth and again placed himself among the leaders. Frustratingly, while setting up a pass to move into fifth, the Australian went off line and slipped back to seventh where he would remain for the rest of the moto. In claiming seventh overall, Jed takes the positives from his day of racing in Italy and now looks ahead to round four in two weeks’ time. Throughout a frantic battle with many of the established stars in the MX2 class, Kay de Wolf remained composed during the whole of race one to secure a career-best finish of seventh. In race two, de Wolf again started inside the top 10 and following a race-long charge crossed the finish line in ninth. In doing so, he secured a confidence boosting ninth-overall. The impressive result from the young Dutchman moves the 16-year-old up to 12th in the MX2 World Championship standings with Kay’s home GP in Oss, The Netherlands, up next on the calendar. In the MXGP class, both Thomas Kjer Olsen and Arminas Jasikonis endured a difficult day in Italy. Thomas just missed out on points in race one and placed 19th in race two. For Arminas, the 23-year-old continues to build his race fitness and confidence and successfully completed both motos. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to FIM Motocross World Championship action on July 18 at the MXGP of The Netherlands. Jed Beaton: “Finally I had two good starts but I let myself down a little with the end results. The results were pretty decent but having started near the front it would have been nice to have perhaps been on the podium today. The second race was a bit more frustrating as while I was setting up a pass, I then got passed as the line I took was no good. Overall I’m happy. A step in the right direction for sure.” Kay de Wolf: “I’m really happy with my results today and also how my career in MX2 has started. I feel like I’m settling into the class nicely and I feel great on the bike so everything is really positive. In race one I had a great start and battled with some great riders the whole time so it was a crazy race for me and I’m really happy to have finished seventh in that one. The second one was a little bit tougher. I went wide in turn two to try and make a few passes but it back fired on me. I then just charged the whole moto and ended up ninth, so that wasn’t too bad. Now I’m looking forward to Oss and my home GP in a couple of weeks’ time.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “It was a tough one today and not where I should be. I didn’t get great starts and I collided with someone in the first race, which put me way down the field. In the MXGP class the field is so deep so it’s hard to come through. I was hoping to turn it around in race two but it rained really heavily and my start was not the best. I need to put myself in better positions and then I’ll be back to where I was at the first round.” Results – 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 3 MXGP - Overall 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 40pts; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 40; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 40… 23. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 2 MXGP - Race 1 1. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 34:00:711, 18 laps; 2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 34:03:659; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 34:05:951... 22. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:08:859; 23. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 35:13:850 MXGP - Race 2 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 35:58:417, 17 laps; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 36:05:328; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 36:27:438... 19. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:20:642, 16 laps; 26. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 37:31:434 MX2 - Overall 1. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 47pts; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 37; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 34… 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 30; 9. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 26 MX2 - Race 1 1. Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 34:16:807, 18 laps; 2. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 34:26:984; 3. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 34:33:984... 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:37:399; 7. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 34:40:081 MX2 - Race 2 1. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 34:43:918, 18 laps; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 34:47:351; 3. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 34:49:609… 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:57:598; 9. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:12:028 Championship Standings – After Round 3 MXGP 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 124pts; 2. Jeffery Herlings (KTM) 118; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 107… 11. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 45 MX2 1. Mattia Guadagnini 113pts; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 111; 3. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 108… 10. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 67; 12. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 49
Alonso Lopez races his Husqvarna Motorcycles FR 250 GP to a top-five finish around the fast, sweeping Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the ninth round of 2020 Moto3 as Fenati takes 6th. The thrill of Romano Fenati’s victory in Italy lasted a few days before Husqvarna Motorcycles and the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team had to focus on the ninth race of the season around the challenging Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The MotoGP series arrived in northern Spain to be greeted by cooler temperatures and some strong winds. Romano Fenati showed his buoyed confidence through Free Practice and his 2nd place in the third session ensured a high-profile entry to Q2. Alonso Lopez also made the cut thanks to being 1st in Q1. Qualification was close and the pair took positions on the fifth and sixth row on the grid for Sunday’s 21-lap sprint. Fenati pushed straight onto the edge of the leading group from the first few circulations. He hovered around the top-ten and moved up from 15th to eventually put his motorcycle into positions outside the first five. The Italian was passed by a flying Lopez late-on. The young Spaniard delivered his best race on the FR 250 GP yet. At one stage Lopez was down in 22nd place but focussed on his braking markers, sector times and carefully picked his overtaking opportunities to rise through the field. Lopez gained enough ground to latch onto the dispute for the podium and crossed the finish line with a well-earned and confidence-boosting 5th; only three tenths of a second behind the winner. Fenati passed the chequered flag in 8th but was promoted to 6th place after penalties for other riders and the team were satisfied with their first double top-ten run of the year. After three back-to-back weekends MotoGP will take a small hiatus before assembling again at the historic circuit of Le Mans for the Shark Helmets Grand Prix de France on October 11th. Alonso Lopez: “I’m very happy about today because we’re working well and improving, and this is important as we attempt the second part of the season. I am very confident with the bike and we can still make a few steps. I want to dedicate this race to the team for all their effort and for all the sponsors who have supported me so far.” Romano Fenati: “We had a few problems at the start but stayed near the front. Towards the end of the race there were some close moves that disturbed me a bit, but I pushed and I’m quite happy in the end. Now we have to focus on Le Mans and do our best there.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “This was the best team result for us so far and it was especially good for Alonso and his confidence. Romano tried his best could not make a better pace. Step-by-step still, and hopefully in France we can repeat these kinds results or hope for better.” Results – 2020 Moto3 FIM World Championship, Round 9 1. Darryn Binder (KTM) 38:32.507, 2. Tony Arbolino (Honda) +0.103, 3. Dennis Foggia (Honda) +0.157, 5. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) +0.386, 6. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +1.436 Championship standings – After round 9 1. Ai Ogura (Honda) 122pts; 2. Albert Arenas (KTM) 119pts; 3. John McPhee (Honda) 98; 12. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 57; 20. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) 16
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team kicks off a double-header weekend in Michigan Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team’s Zach Osborne made a sweeping statement in the 450MX Championship on Friday with an incredibly dominant 1-1 performance at the RedBud I National, serving as Round 4 of the 2020 AMA Pro Motocross Championship in Buchanan, Michigan. His teammate, RJ Hampshire, scored a solid second overall in the 250MX class with 2-5 finishes for the day. 450MX Osborne came into Friday’s first-ever Pro Motocross double-header with two overall victories under his belt but the 450MX points leader achieved a career milestone when he made it a 1-1 sweep on the way to earning overall-win No. three this season. Osborne maximized all efforts on the racetrack as he claimed the holeshot in both motos before going on to lead all 35 laps of the day. Heading into the mid-way point of the series on Monday, he extends his championship points lead to 26 with five rounds remaining. “It was pretty much a perfect day for me,” Osborne said. “Two holeshots and wire-to-wire race wins for the overall. I’m really happy with my riding and my fitness, and my bike is working perfectly so I’m looking forward to Monday and the rest of the series.” Dean Wilson grabbed a top-10 start in Moto 1 and a mistake dropped him back to 14th early on. He fought his way back up to ultimately finish 12th in the first moto. In Moto 2, Wilson got off to a decent start and he battled just outside the top-10 early on. He maintained a solid pace to finish 11th in the moto, taking home 11th overall for the day. “I came in a little battered and bruised from last week’s crash and the effects afterwards were definitely a lot worse than I thought,” Wilson said. “I pushed through the day and ended up 11th, which is not great but all we can do is heal up a bit and come in on Monday better.” Team rider Jason Anderson is expected to miss at least the next few rounds as he underwent surgery on Thursday morning to remove previous hardware in his arm following a re-aggravation of it at the last round. 250MX In Moto 1, Hampshire got off to a 10th place start and he climbed his way into the top-five by the halfway point. Sitting in fourth, Hampshire stalked the podium battle ahead and he charged into third by lap 11. With another valiant push in the final laps, Hampshire overtook second with three laps to go and he finished strong in second with a great come-from-behind performance. In Moto 2, he started off in seventh and worked his way up to fourth about six laps in. He chased after the podium battle for a few laps before getting passed to ultimately finish fifth in the moto. Consistency paid off for Hampshire as he was able to secure second overall with 2-5 finishes. “I didn’t have great starts in either moto but I had good speed and the bike was working good,” Hampshire said. “We made the right call first moto with the tire and I had probably one of my better motos I think I’ve ever had. I’m stoked on a 2-5 for second overall. The team and I seem to be doing pretty well together so we’ll keep chipping away and take it race by race.” Rookie Stilez Robertson finished just outside the top-10 in 13th overall following a consistent pair of 13-14 finishes in only his fourth pro class appearance. “In the first moto, I got a good start and went way too wide in the second turn and just rode super tight all moto,” Robertson said. “In the second moto, I got a bad start and was about 24th around the first turn but I worked my way up to 14th. I rode better but we’re still not where we should be, so we’re going to keep working and try again on Monday.” Jalek Swoll returned to racing on Friday after missing the last two rounds due to a mild concussion. With combined moto scores of 21-15, Swoll came away with 19th overall for the day. “Today had its ups and downs,” Swoll said. “The first moto I wasn’t really feeling like myself and then I had a tip-over and finished outside the top-20. I put that moto behind me and the second moto was a lot better. I hung around 10th for about 10-15 minutes and unfortunately got a little bit tired and went back a few positions. I’m looking forward to the next round and getting some positives in there.” RedBud I National – Results 450MX Results 1. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (1-1) 2. Chase Sexton, Honda (3-4) 3. Justin Barcia, Yamaha (6-2) … 11. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (12-11) 250MX Results 1. Jeremy Martin, Honda (1-1) 2. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (2-5) 3. Shane McElrath, Yamaha (8-2) … 13. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (13-14) 19. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (21-15) 450MX Rider Point Standings – After 4 of 9 rounds 1. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 172 points 2. Marvin Musquin, 146 points 3. Justin Barcia, 133 points … 10. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 77 points 13. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 58 points 250MX Rider Point Standings – After 4 of 9 rounds 1. Jeremy Martin, 181 points 2. Dylan Ferrandis, 169 points 3. Alex Martin, 133 points … 5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 128 points 13. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 55 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes and Luciano Benavides are all set to compete at the 2021 Silk Way Rally. Starting in Russia and concluding 10 days later in Mongolia, the ultra-demanding event marks the second round of the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. Just weeks after successfully completing Rally Kazakhstan, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team have arrived in Omsk, Russia, to contest the Silk Ray Rally. Totalling 10 stages and a distance of over 5,400km, the event spends three days in Russia before travelling over the border to Mongolia for the remaining seven days. Facing many new challenges since signing for the team, Skyler Howes comes into the Silk Way Rally in top form after winning two of the five stages at Rally Kazakhstan. Immediately finding himself comfortable on his FR 450 Rally, Howes was able to push right from the start at round one of the championship and hopes to be able to maintain that impressive form at Silk Way. The race will still pose a huge test of physical and mental strength however, with no rest day to split the 10 days of rallying. A marathon stage towards the end of the event will prove especially taxing to the already exhausted riders. Coming into Silk Way having raced to a top-five result there in 2019, Luciano Benavides has a better idea than many of what to expect. However, with the organisers delivering a different route each year, his experience from two years ago will only help him so much and the young Argentinian still faces a massive test as he continues his return to form following his crash at this year’s Dakar. Fully fit and keen to impress at the demanding event, Benavides will be looking to maximise on the championship points on offer, secure a strong result and move himself up the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies Championship standings. Starting in Omsk on July 2, the Silk Way Rally covers 10 stages of racing, including one marathon stage, before the finish in Ulaanbaatar on July 11. Skyler Howes: “I’m really excited for the Silk Way Rally, it’s not only my first time at the event, but it will be my first time in Russia and Mongolia. I’m looking forward to exploring two new countries and from what I’ve seen before, the event is really nice, and they seem to set out some fun stages with Russia in the trees and mud, and then more open tracks through Mongolia for the last seven days. It’s going to be tough – a lot of the stages are quite long with some big liaison sections. There’s also a marathon stage where we cover a lot of distance and after the issue I had in Kazakhstan, I know I have to be a little more wary of looking after the bike on that one. I rally like the longer stages, the more time on the bike, the better for me. I’ve been in Europe training the whole time since Kazakhstan and so I’ve been able to do some useful training and hopefully I’m as prepared as I can be for this next event. I’m feeling comfortable on the bike, and so the goal, as always is to win.” Luciano Benavides: “It’s almost race time again and I’m feeling good ahead of the Silk Way Rally. My motivation is really high right now because this is the most important race of the year after Dakar. In 2019 I had a good result and so my plan is to equal that or do even better. The event is especially important for the championship because of the points system, so my goal is definitely to make it safely to the finish with a solid result. My pace improved nicely over the course of Rally Kazakhstan and since then I’ve been doing a lot more training and working on the set-up of the bike. I am in a good place right now, both mentally and physically and can’t wait to get started.” Pela Renet – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Rally Team Manager: “This is the second race for the world championship and definitely an important one. As a marathon rally, the event is very long but also has a different coefficient with the points, so it’s definitely one we want to get right and come out with two strong results. After Kazakhstan we can see Skyler is on the same level as the top guys over any of the terrain we saw there. This is really positive and a good sign for a varied race like Silk Way. Luciano continues to build his speed and confidence after his Dakar crash. I think if he can find a good rhythm early on, he should do very well at Silk Way. It’s going to be a long one with tough stages and a lot of liaisons, but I think the team are in good shape and we’re expecting some good performances.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire didn’t lack speed or aspiration at Saturday’s AMA Pro Motocross National in Southwick, Massachusetts where he finished just shy of the 250MX overall podium after leading a handful of laps across both motos. With 2-6 finishes, Hampshire claimed fourth overall with another impressive charge at Round 5. Coming off a big victory at the previous round, Hampshire came in hot once again with the fastest qualifying time in the 250MX division. In Moto 1, he got a great start and powered his way to the front by lap three. A couple mistakes early on cost him the lead spot but he bounced back to finish a strong second in moto one. He came back to Moto 2 with vengeance, capturing the holeshot and the early lead. He remained at the helm for the first four laps but he went down early on and dropped a few spots to fourth. Igniting another charge midway through, he soon found himself back on the ground and he re-mounted as quickly as possible to salvage valuable points in sixth. “I had good speed again today and I was fastest in qualifying, which was a first with the team,” Hampshire said. “I felt awesome out there and my bike was really good, I just had a couple mistakes that cost me. It’s not a bad points day but I’m looking forward to Millville and going up from here.” Jalek Swoll also claimed his best qualifying finish of the season with fourth, which set him up for a positive start to the racing. Swoll came out of the gate on fire in Moto 1 as he assumed the holeshot and lead on the opening lap. He maintained his position out front for the first two laps before shuffling into a top-five battle and he finished strong in fifth. In Moto 2, Swoll got off to another good start but he got caught up in another rider’s crash and went down at the end of the first lap, dropping outside the top-20 early on. He dug deep and fought his way back to finish 17th in the second moto, managing ninth overall on the day. “Qualifying was good, I was up there and pumped to get a good gate pick,” Swoll said. “I got a good start in the first moto and led some laps but I kind of fell out of the flow for a little bit. The second moto was shaping up to be a good one but at the end of the first lap, Martin had flipped and I went down with him, which was a bummer. All-in-all, I think I showed some good speed today and we’ll carry that momentum into the next race.” For Stilez Robertson, it was a steady day of racing at Southwick. Robertson qualified second overall behind his teammate Hampshire and he put himself into a top-10 position off the start of Moto 1. He slowly worked his way up to secure an eighth-place finish. In Moto 2, he started in 13th and charged inside the top-10 by lap four. He battled back-and-forth into the final laps, making a late charge up to eighth with two laps to go and from there he held strong to secure eighth in the moto and eighth overall for the day. “The day was pretty good,” Robertson said. “My starts weren’t up to par and I came from the back to finish eighth in both motos. My speed was still pretty good, I just need to get a start so I can see the pace up front and try to get on the box. We’re just going to chip away at it every weekend and try to get a little better each week.” 450MX Dean Wilson had a great start in Moto 1 as he rounded the opening lap in ninth-place. He went down early on and dropped back to 14th but he was able to charge his way back up to finish 12th. In Moto 2, Wilson put himself in another good position off the start as he battled for 10th early on. He maintained 10th for most of the race but as the white flag came out, Wilson made a strong charge to overtake ninth just before the checkers. With 12-9 finishes, Wilson claimed a season-best ninth overall at the fifth round. “In the first moto, unfortunately I had a fall and ended up 12th but the second moto was better, I rode pretty solid and passed for ninth on the last lap,” Wilson said. “It was my best effort and that’s all I had for today. It was a much better day after the crash I had last weekend and I’m very grateful to be here.” Next Event (Round 6): July 17 – Spring Creek National – Millville, Minnesota Round 5 Results: The Wick 338 National 250MX Results 1. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 1-1 2. Jo Shimoda (KAW) 3-4 3. Justin Cooper (YAM) 6-2 4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 2-6 … 8. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 8-8 9. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 5-17 450MX Results 1. Dylan Ferrandis (YAM) 1-3 2. Ken Roczen (HON) 4-2 3. Justin Barcia (GAS) 2-4 … 9. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 12-9 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 204 points 2. Justin Cooper – 201 points 3. Hunter Lawrence – 178 points 4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 148 points … 7. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 128 points 14. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 76 points 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Dylan Ferrandis – 224 points 2. Ken Roczen – 205 points 3. Eli Tomac – 167 points … 12. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 60 points 18. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 33 points 19. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 29 points
Following Arminas Jasikonis’ admittance to hospital on Sunday afternoon, September 27, during the second MXGP race at the MXGP of Lombardia, Mantova, Italy, Husqvarna Motorcycles would like to issue the following update on AJ’s condition. Taken to hospital in Cremona, Italy, Arminas was diagnosed as having a traumatic brain injury and, as is routine procedure with injuries of this type, placed in a medically induced coma in order to stabilise his situation. Due to the serious nature of injuries of this kind, AJ remains in a coma and is receiving ongoing specialist care. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing would like to thank all medical staff that have assisted Arminas as well as the numerous well-wishers both from within the MXGP paddock and the wider motorcycle community. Antti Pyrhönen - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MXGP Team Manager: “This is a very serious situation for Arminas and a very difficult time for his family and all involved in the team. After AJ was flown to hospital on Sunday night, he was placed in a medically induced coma because of the trauma he suffered to his brain. Really, there is not much else to say at this time – this is the situation, a situation that is very serious and difficult for everyone, and now we have to wait and stay positive. He has the best medical care around him, and we are in close contact with both the specialists at the hospital here in Italy but also in Innsbruck, Austria. Thank you to everyone who has expressed their concerns and wishes AJ all the best.”
Fighting all the way to the finish, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Graham Jarvis has put in a heroic week-long ride to narrowly finish as runner-up at Romaniacs 2020. Joining him on the podium, teammate Alfredo Gomez charged ahead on the final day of racing to secure third overall. Despite the uncertainty of a pandemic-hit year, the world’s toughest hard enduro rallye finally got underway in late October. Ready to deliver his best, Jarvis had his sights set on a record-breaking seventh Romaniacs crown. From the off, the British rider was on top form on his TE 300i. Winning Offroad Day 1 set the tone for what was to come as he embraced a lengthy battle with 2019 event winner Manuel Lettenbichler. Continually swapping positions each day, Graham held a slender 25-second advantage entering the final day of racing. But faced with the unenviable task of opening the 107-kilometre-long course, the final event outcome didn’t quite work out as he hoped it would. An early crash saw his lead evaporate as Lettenbichler drew level. Unable to respond, Graham had to put his dream of a seventh victory on hold, ending the demanding event second overall after more than 20 hours of close racing. For Gomez, Romaniacs 2020 was eventful from the off as numerous crashes on the opening day put him on the back foot. But by digging deep and refusing to allow the event to get the better of him the Spaniard meticulously rode his way back into contention. With just one minute separating him from a potential podium result at the end of the penultimate day, he put all his remaining energy into action, securing third overall by just 13 seconds. A strong start saw Billy Bolt end Offroad Day 1 in third as he chased a debut Romaniacs podium. However, a series of mistakes and crashes midweek frustratingly slipped him down the running order. Determined to show his true worth, Bolt put in a masterclass of riding to win Offroad Day 4 and with it claim a solid fifth overall. Graham Jarvis: “It’s been different to race here in October, but it’s worked good. I felt like I was riding really strong all week, but today Mani just had the edge. Starting out the week with a win was perfect and put me into a strong position. I knew the other guys would be pushing hard too, so I tried to play the long game and wait for another attack. I won the penultimate day but only by enough to give me a 25-second lead. With one crash early on, that advantage was quickly gone. Overall, I’ve a lot to be happy about, but I guess I’ll have to wait a little bit longer for a seventh win.” Alfredo Gomez: “I’m delighted to come back strong for third. After a bad start to my week I rode each day never giving up. Experience has taught me that everything can happen in this race and the most important thing you can do is be patient. I stuck to that and chipped away. I had a great ride yesterday and knew it was all-or-nothing today. I gave it my best and got third. I’m happy with that.” Billy Bolt: “Overall, I’m pretty happy. It’s not the result I wanted, but I feel like I made good progress with this race, was more consistent, and closer to the leading guys. Certainly, winning the final day has been a real boost of confidence and already has got me thinking about next year. Finally, a big thank you to the team, they worked so hard this week too. Romaniacs really is a team effort because it’s such a long and tough race.” Results – Romaniacs Hard Enduro Rallye 2020 1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 20:27:11 2. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 20:29:37 +2:26 3. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 20:41:20 +14:09 4. Wade Young (Sherco) 20:41:33 +14:22 5. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 20:58:29 +31:18 6. Mario Roman (Sherco) 22:11:39 +1:44:28 7. Michael Walkner (Husqvarna) 23:15:01 +2:47:50 8. Teodor Kabakchiev (KTM) 24:57:25 +4:30:14 9. Michele Bosi (KTM) 29:22:42 +8:55:31 10. Sonny Goggia (Beta) 30:04:05 +9:36:54
Husqvarna Motorcycles is pleased to announce its continued partnership with Rekluse, the motorcycle industry’s leading manufacturer of clutch components. The contract extension ensures Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing benefit from the improved performance and reliability of the US manufacturer’s products through to the end of 2021. Founded in 2002, Rekluse is a brand known for its quality and innovation. Using world-class racing as a rigorous testing platform to develop and refine its clutch products, the Idaho-based company continues to be a pioneer for offroad motorcycle clutch technology. Rekluse products are developed to give teams and riders unmatched performance and reliability improvements with the close working relationship between Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing and Rekluse resulting in several global successes since the partnership was formed. Most recently, Zach Osborne claimed the 2020 450 Class Pro Motocross title, a first for both Zach and Husqvarna Motorcycles, while Billy Bolt secured the SuperEnduro World Championship. In extending this successful technical partnership, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing will continue to utilise Rekluse products across all forms of racing activities, further enhancing the capabilities of their Husqvarna racing machines. Robert Jonas – Vice President Motorsports Offroad: “We are very pleased to continue our working relationship with Rekluse. Our partnership together has been incredibly successful, and across motocross, enduro and rally, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing have benefited from the quality of Rekluse products, which have proved themselves time and time again at the very highest levels of international motorsport. As we prepare for 2021, we’re looking forward to continued racing successes together.” Sean Brown – President Rekluse Motor Sports: “It’s great to be continuing our partnership with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing through the 2021 season. 2020 has been a great year for us both, highlighted by Zach Osborne winning the 450 Pro Motocross title, so we go into a new year together confident and committed to providing Rockstar Energy Husqvarna with the best products and the support they need to win.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has claimed victory at the first points-paying round of the 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, the Abestone Hard Enduro in Italy. Marking round three of the series, Bolt was joined on the podium by his teammate Graham Jarvis as the ever-green hard enduro racer secured a well-deserved third place finish. Eager to once again show the speed that took him to the win at round one of the series, and fresh off his recent EnduroGP podium result, Bolt immediately put his TE 300i at the top of the time sheets by topping Friday’s timed training. Faced with a special test that was repeated three times on Saturday, with each rider’s best time counting, Bolt again proved fastest. Quickest in all three runs, Billy took pole position heading into Sunday’s all-important final. A 15-kilometre-long course laid out across the Abetone mountains and ridden twice, the Abestone Hard Enduro’s main event proved to be as spectacular as it was challenging. Leading the field away, Bolt looked comfortable out front as he negotiated the steep rocky climbs and technical forestry descents. Facing a battle with closet rival Manuel Lettenbichler, the duo swapped the lead numerous times during the two laps as they pulled away from the rest of the pack. Knowing he held an advantage on the final descents, Bolt waited for his moment to attack, making his pass for the lead stick during the closing stages of the race and taking a well-deserved victory as well as an early lead in the championship standings. Behind Bolt, Jarvis too had eyes on a podium result. However, a late starting position of ninth hampered his early progress as he struggled to settle into the rhythm of the course. A calculated fuel stop strategy paid off and moved him further up the leaderboard. Hitting his stride midway through lap two, the 46-year-old worked his way into third and remained there until the finish. Starting with Jarvis, Alfredo Gomez made good progress in the early stages as the pair worked together to move up the running order. But admitting to not feeling as good on the descents as he was on the climbs, he lost touch with Jarvis and had to settle for fifth. The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship continues with Romaniacs on July 27-31. Billy Bolt: “I’m made up to stand on the top step of the podium. It’s been a perfect weekend - winning every time I went out on track. I wanted to prove to myself that I’ve matured as a rider outdoors and I feel like I’ve showed that. I feel like I’ve proven myself in tough Hard Enduro riding. Starting first today meant I had Mani chasing me and when he caught me on lap one, the race was really on. We battled back and forth, constantly changing positions. But we were pushing so hard it meant we had a big gap over everyone else. I knew I was stronger on the descents. On the final lap I just went for the pass, made it stick and hung it out for the win!” Graham Jarvis: “I’m really happy to get on the podium with third, but I made it hard for myself in qualifying. Starting ninth wasn’t ideal and it was hard to get through the traffic early on. Also, I wasn’t too settled on lap one. We decided not to refuel starting lap two and it paid off for sure. I found my flow, grabbed a few more positions and really made that final lap count. Overall, both my speed and fitness was good today, so I’m looking forward now to Romaniacs.” Alfredo Gomez: “The first part of the race was good. Riding with Graham I was feeling good. We managed to catch and pass a lot of the other guys on the way up the mountain, but on the descents I wasn’t so comfortable. I’m happy to go top five and finally get the season underway, but today wasn’t my best day.” FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Round 3 - Abestone Hard Enduro 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 1:44:36 2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) +41.686 3. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) +13:37.827 4. Jonny Walker (Beta) +14:35.019 5. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) +15:03.058 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship standings - after round 3 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 20 points 2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 17 pts 3. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 15 pts 4. Jonny Walker (Beta) 13 pts 5. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 11 pts
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire delivered another strong performance to come away with sixth overall at Round 10 of the 2021 AMA Pro Motocross Championship in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Highlighting his day with a strong second in Moto 2, Hampshire had an impressive comeback ride to claim 13th in Moto 1 after fighting through a first-turn pileup. Beginning in a not-so-desirable 32nd position on the opening lap of Moto 1, Hampshire put his head down and charged to bring himself up to a respectable 13th. In Moto 2, he got off to a fifth-place start and quickly made his move into fourth two laps in. He made a mid-race charge to catch the podium battle ahead and after making the initial pass for third, he engaged in a back-and-forth battle for the next few laps before solidifying the position. He continued to charge in the final stretch to eventually overtake second, where he finished out the moto on the second step of the podium. “It was quite the day and week but we showed up and gave it everything we had,” Hampshire said. “I’m a little bit bummed on the first moto but happy to get second in the second moto. We keep digging and we show up every weekend, so you know what you’re going to get from me. I’m going to recover this week and be back to my form at Pala.” Jalek Swoll was unable to race on Saturday after injuring his shoulder during a practice crash earlier in the day. The Round 3 overall winner attempted the first-moto sight lap but his shoulder popped out of socket, causing him to make the tough decision to sit out the rest of the day. “I was feeling really good and on the last lap, I had the bike sideways over one of the big triples and on the way down there was this weird freak incident and my feet came off the pegs and I just slid through the whole bike. I was trying to grab with my legs but it didn’t happen and I came down on the landing and had a big one,” Swoll said. “I tried to give the shoulder a go but it was just too weak from the impact on the first crash and kept popping out in the second qualifying. I tried to go out there for the first moto but it wasn’t worth the risk/reward for the day. We’re going to get it evaluated on Monday – I’m going to take my health seriously now and hopefully come back strong next year.” Next Event (Round 11): September 4 – Pala National – Pala, California Round 10 Results: Ironman National 250MX Results 1. Jett Lawrence (HON) 1-1 2. Jo Shimoda (KAW) 2-3 3. Justin Cooper (YAM) 4-4 … 6. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 13-2 450MX Results 1. Eli Tomac (KAW) 2-1 2. Dylan Ferrandis (YAM) 1-2 3. Cooper Webb (KTM) 4-3 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 414 points 2. Justin Cooper – 403 points 3. Hunter Lawrence – 319 points … 5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 300 points 8. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 195 points 19. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 90 points 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Dylan Ferrandis – 439 points 2. Ken Roczen – 389 points 3. Eli Tomac – 368 points … 13. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 146 points 24. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 33 points 25. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 29 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Zach Osborne rode to a top-10 finish on Tuesday at Round 5 of the 2021 AMA Supercross World Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium. Finishing seventh in the 450SX Main Event, Osborne put forth a hard-fought performance despite battling through some aches and pains throughout the night. Osborne had a rocky start to the day as he busted his chin on the handlebars during a hard landing while attempting a big leap in the first practice. He was able to push through, qualifying ninth for the day. In 450SX Heat 2, Osborne got off to a top-five start and he battled his way to a top-five transfer into the main. In the Main Event, Osborne started off in 10th and he shuffled back for a few laps before climbing into ninth early on. He quickly moved into eighth and battled from there for most of the race. With five laps to go, Osborne made another move to overtake seventh and from there, he maintained a strong pace to secure seventh for the night. “I had a pretty rough day actually,” Osborne said. “I blew my chin/tongue out on the bars in the first practice and that kind of set the tone for the day. I really was not that comfortable on the track and I kind of pressured myself out so looking for more moving forward. I’m riding well, just not putting myself in good positions. My starts need some work and I’ll be back on Saturday with a better game plan and we’ll be moving forward.” Coming off his best finish of the season last Saturday, Jason Anderson came into Tuesday’s racing with an optimistic attitude. However, Anderson sustained a dislocated finger during a hard landing in practice, which ultimately sidelined him for the remainder of the night. “I didn’t crash or anything, I just landed and my hand slipped and I dislocated my finger,” Anderson said. “I’m going to heal up and be back out there trying hard ASAP!” Team riders Dean Wilson (450SX) and RJ Hampshire (250SX East) did not line up for Round 5 as they both continue to recover from injuries sustained early in the season. Next Event (Round 6): Saturday, February 6 – Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis, Indiana Round 5 Results: Indianapolis SX 2 450SX Results 1. Ken Roczen (HON) 2. Justin Barcia (GAS) 3. Eli Tomac (KAW) … 7. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Ken Roczen – 112 points 2. Cooper Webb – 99 points 3. Eli Tomac – 98 points ... 8. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 74 points 13. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 50 points 15. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 35 points
ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA FACTORY RACING TEAM’S JASON ANDERSON AND RJ HAMPSHIRE EARN SECOND-PLACE FINISHES Coming off a 450-class podium sweep at the AMA Supercross World Championship finale in June, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team kept their momentum rolling into the 2020 AMA Pro Motocross Championship opener as Zach Osborne earned a career-first 450MX overall victory, while teammate Jason Anderson scored a moto-win and second overall for the day. Additionally, RJ Hampshire rode strong to claim a second-place podium finish in a highly-competitive battle for the 250MX title. Following a lengthy delay in the 2020 race schedule, the nine-race championship finally got underway on Saturday at the legendary Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, home to the largest AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship in the U.S. and a familiar place for many of the team’s riders and crew. Heavy rainfall on Friday made for sloppy track conditions in the morning but the sun came out and dried things up to create a rough battleground for the season opener. 450MX Osborne, the third-place qualifier, got off to a top-10 start in Moto 1 and he worked his way into the top-five early on. He continued to put on a charge through the first half of the race, where he eventually made the move for second on lap 12. With six laps to go, Osborne chased after his teammate, Anderson, where he finished 4.9 seconds back for second-place. In Moto 2, Osborne shot off the line to capture the holeshot and settled into second for the first two laps before powering his way into the lead on lap three. After flawlessly leading 16 of the 18 laps in Moto 2, Osborne went on to take the moto win and put a stamp on the overall victory with 2-1 finishes. “I’ve worked really hard to come back from my injury and to be here on this podium I’m blessed and so grateful to the people that have put this together to let us go racing in a very uncertain time,” Osborne said. “I knew we had a racehorse when we came here today because it’s the bike I finished with at Indiana last year and when a team brings you a bike like that, it’s hard to not do it justice.” Anderson came out swinging in Moto 1 as he quickly turned a third-place start into the race lead on the opening lap. He pushed hard to create a comfortable gap over the rest of the field as he went on to lead all 18 laps for a clean sweep in the first moto. In Moto 2, he once again put himself in a favorable position off the start as he battled inside the top-four early on. He charged into second by lap three and battled inside podium contention for the better part of the race. With about five laps to go, Anderson got caught up in lapped traffic and lost a few positions to ultimately finish sixth in the moto. With 1-6 moto scores, he was able to secure an overall podium with second-place on the day. “I feel like my pace was good in the second moto but my arms pumped up and I was headed back with four to go,” Anderson said. “All-in-all, I’m out here and I’m on the podium so I can’t be too bummed. I’m excited to get out here next weekend and try to redeem myself.” In Moto 1, Wilson started around 15th and he battled his way up to finish 12th. In Moto 2, he got off to a better start but he collided with another rider on the opening lap and he was forced to come from behind to ultimately finish ninth. With 12-9 finishes, Wilson secured a top-10 overall at the season opener. “I’m obviously not very happy with the overall result but that was a good little wake-up call to keep pushing,” Wilson said. “The conditions were very tough and rutty today and the class is stacked right now so I’m just going to have to keep pushing and it will all happen.” 250MX In his first race back from knee surgery, RJ Hampshire let his presence be known as he battled up front all day long. In Moto 1, he got off to a third-place start and quickly worked his way into second by the end of lap four. He dropped back to fourth for a few laps before climbing his way back to finish on the podium in third. In Moto 2, Hampshire got a second-place start and he charged his way into the lead on lap five. After leading for two laps, Hampshire got overtaken by another rider and from there, he maintained a solid pace to ultimately finish second in the moto and second overall for the day with 3-2 finishes. “I wish we could have gotten a win but that felt good,” Hampshire said. “I tried to hang on but Dylan was riding really good and I just had to settle in otherwise I would have been on my head. I’m happy to be up here, thankful to be here and ready to go for next weekend!” It was a tough start for 250MX class rookie, Stilez Robertson, who emerged from his professional debut with 22nd overall after succumbing to a race-ending pileup in Moto 1. In Moto 2, Robertson began just outside the top-20 and he battled all race long to ultimately finish 17th, scoring his first points in the pro division. Jalek Swoll also experienced issues in Moto 1 after getting landed on by another rider in the “Ten Commandments” section during the opening lap. He eventually re-mounted and rode his way through the field to finish 21st. However, Swoll and his team made the decision for him to sit out for the rest of the day due to injuries sustained in Moto 1.
Making it two wins in this year’s FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has delivered the goods at round five, picking up victory at the Tennessee Knockout Extreme Enduro. Dominating proceedings from start to finish, Bolt put his Husqvarna TE300i up on the top step of the podium while a strong ride from his teammate Alfredo Gomez saw him claim sixth in the highly competitive Final Knockout race. Racing his way back into FIM Hard Enduro World Championship contention, Billy firmly made his mark at the fifth stop of the series in the USA. Despite it being his first appearance at the Tennessee Knockout Extreme Enduro, he instantly set the pace, claiming a spectacular win in the Saturday evening Straight Rhythm prologue. From there he controlled the proceedings, going on to win both of the TKO qualifier races, securing a front row start for the all-important 45-minute Final Knockout race. A solid start saw him trail rival Manuel Lettenbichler on the opening lap, before working his way to the front. A mistake in the closing stages dropped him back to second with just one lap to go. Giving his absolute all, Bolt dug deep to retake the lead and with it the race victory. His win moves him to second in the standings, with just one point separating him from the championship lead. For Billy’s teammate Alfredo Gomez, TKO was one of mixed fortunes. Looking forward to the rocky boulder gardens, Alfredo quietly set about setting himself up for a strong performance in the final race. Comfortably making it through the qualifiers, he then got to work in the 45-minute final race. In contention for a top three, multiple crashes in the closing stages ultimately hampered his progress and he dropped back to sixth. The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship continues with round six, Poland’s Hero Challenge on September 11/12. Billy Bolt: “After winning the two qualifiers, I got out to a good lead in the final and felt in control until I messed up the hill climb in the closing stages. Then it got intense! At that stage I didn’t have much left in the tank to charge back at Mani. I got back up to him and just managed to get it done on the final lap. It’s been tough in this heat too, something I’m not that used to. But the crowd didn’t disappoint, the noise and atmosphere was wild for the final. Overall, this win has been great for my championship and now I’m sitting just one point behind Mani.” Alfredo Gomez: “It’s been a hard day. After good rides in the TKO qualifying races I was pretty confident about what I could do in the final. I started on row two but made good progress on the first laps and had a nice pace going. But then, while getting close to the guys in third and fourth I crashed, then I crashed some more and I was physically done at that stage. It’s a little frustrating, I felt my speed was there, but my luck was not.” Results - FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, Round 5: Tennessee Knockout 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 6 laps, 37:30.546 2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 6 laps, 37:32.895 3. Trystan Hart (KTM) 6 laps, 38:30.120 4. Wade Young (Sherco) 6 laps, 38:46.299 5. Mario Roman (Sherco) 6 laps, 39:18.418 6. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 6 laps, 39:33.066 Provisional standings - FIM Hard Enduro World Championship (after 5 of 8 rounds) 1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 54pts 2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 53pts 3. Wade Young (Sherco) 40pts 4. Mario Roman (Sherco) 37pts 5. Jonny Walker (Beta) 34pts 6. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 26pts ... 7. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 24pts 10. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 15pts
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes has won stage two of Rally Kazakhstan. Showing huge skill and speed on his FR 450 Rally, the American rider now lies second overall in the provisional rally standings, just 22 seconds down on the event leader. Luciano Benavides enjoyed a more promising day in the Kazakhstani desert. With his confidence improving, the Argentinian claimed seventh place, six and a half minutes down on his teammate. Continuing to impress on his FIM Cross-Country Rallies debut for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, Howes was the third rider to enter stage two and immediately set about chasing down the two riders ahead of him. Covering the fast 280km timed special in just less than two hours and 40 minutes, the American was able to minimise any mistakes and maintain a fast, calculated pace on the open pistes of the route. Reaching the finish with a one-minute-and-ten-second advantage over the second-placed rider was enough for Howes to elevate himself to second overall in the standings. He will now be the first rider to face the second half of the event’s marathon stage on day three but hopes to continue right at the sharp end of the results and not lose too much time to the chasing pack. Rally Kazakhstan marks Luciano Benavides’ return to competitive competition following the race-ending crash he suffered at the Dakar Rally, earlier this year. As such the young Argentinian continues to build back his confidence and pace as the event progresses. Placing seventh on stage two, Benavides moves up from 11th overall to eighth, and with three long days of racing ahead of him, he hopes to make up even more time over the next few stages. Skyler Howes: “That was a fast stage today – really, really fast. Before the refuelling I had a couple of scary moments in some rain ruts, but after that I was able to gather myself together and put the hammer back down. I actually had a lot of fun racing through the fast trails, and everything went good – the navigation went ok, I only made a few tiny mistakes like going past a corner too far, but otherwise, no major errors at all. The day went well, and I was able to go fastest on the special, which only puts me 22 seconds off the rally lead so that feels good. Now I must lead out tomorrow, so we’ll see how that goes, but otherwise I’m having a lot of fun.” Luciano Benavides: “Stage two went well for me today. It was a really fast stage, and I am happy with my pace and my rhythm because I was able to maintain my focus for the whole stage. I made a couple of small navigation errors, and the result isn’t quite where I would want to be, but overall, I’m pleased with how things are going so far. On the very fastest sections today I struggled with the wind a bit so eased off just a little to make sure I didn’t make a mistake. I can feel my confidence coming back and so I will keep trying my best every day and hopefully move myself up the leaderboard.” Friday’s stage three of the 2021 Rally Kazakhstan makes up the second half of the event’s marathon stage. Riders will leave the bivouac at Kenderly and head further east before looping back on a long liaison section to Aktau. Totalling 533km, the stage includes a tough timed special of 331km. 2021 Rally Kazakhstan – Stage 2 Provisional Classification 1. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 2:39:45 2. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 2:40:55 3. Andrew Short (Yamaha) 2:43:00 4. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 2:44:05 5. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 2:44:27 6. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 2:44:59 … 7. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 2:46:16 2021 Rally Kazakhstan – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 2) 1. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 6:02:59 2. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 6:03:21 3. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 6:03:58 4. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 6:11:47 5. Andrew Short (Yamaha) 6:15:38 6. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 6:15:43 … 8. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 6:32:28
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jason Anderson made big strides on Saturday for Round 8 of the 2021 AMA Supercross World Championship, earning pole position, a heat-race win and a season-best fifth-place finish in the 450SX Main Event. Additionally, team rider Jalek Swoll secured an impressive fourth-place finish at the opening round of the 250SX Regional Championship in Orlando, Florida. Anderson was strong all day, beginning with an impressive run in qualifying to top the highly talented 450SX division. He got off to a good start in Heat 2, assuming the second-place position early on. Working his way up to the lead battle, Anderson made his move on the final lap to overtake the lead and capture his first heat-race win of the season. In the Main Event, he started off in 13th and diligently worked his way through the field. Sitting in a solid sixth, Anderson came on strong in the final laps to secure a top-five finish at Round 8. “My night was a lot better,” Anderson said. “I had a good practice and ended up P1, had a good battle in the heat race and got first in that. In the Main Event, I kind of had a bad start and worked my way up to fifth. I’m getting better and feeling better, so hopefully we’ll have an even better weekend in Daytona. Coming off an impressive podium finish at the last round, Osborne had high hopes of keeping his momentum rolling in Orlando. However, he suffered a slight back injury during the final practice session of the day and he struggled with it throughout the night. In 450SX Heat 2, he got off to a sixth-place start and passed into the top-five early on. He kept a steady pace for the remaining laps to secure a fifth-place transfer into the Main Event. In the main, Osborne didn’t have the best start as he came through the opening lap in 11th place but he put his head down and charged up to eighth, where he finished for the night. “It was a little bit of a tough night for me,” Osborne said. “I kind of tweaked my back in the last practice and I really struggled with it tonight. I had a mediocre start and an eighth-place finish, which is not really anything to write home about but I’ll get it sorted and be ready for Daytona.” Team rider Dean Wilson continues to battle his way back from a toe injury this season. Wilson didn’t get the best start in 450SX Heat 1 as he rounded the opening lap in 14th. He fought his way up to 10th and put on a strong charge in the final laps but he missed the final transfer by only one spot. He redeemed himself in the LCQ, securing his second-straight LCQ win and a spot in the Main Event. He got shuffled back off the start in the main, where he was forced to come back from 18th on the opening lap. Making a valiant charge up to 11th late in the race, Wilson had a top-10 finish within grasp before it slipped away in the chaos of the final laps and he ultimately finished 12th. “In the Main Event, I was all over 10th and I got a little bit traumatized from the blue flags and I thought the guy behind me was the leader so I let him by, which put me back to 12th,” Wilson said. “It’s disappointing but I’m looking forward to these next couple weeks to really heal up and get my body healthy. It’s tough to try and race injured but we’ll be back at Daytona.” The 250SX Western Regional Championship got underway on Saturday with two fresh faces on the starting line. Jalek Swoll qualified ninth in the opening round, where he lined up alongside his teammate Stilez Robertson in 250SX Heat 2. Swoll settled into a top-five position early on before getting passed by a class front-runner and dropping back to sixth. He continued to battle in the mix for the rest of the race, ultimately finishing sixth in the heat. In the Main Event, Swoll began just outside the top-10 but the race was red flagged due to a pileup off the start. Upon the restart, Swoll shot off the line to capture a third-place start and he raced inside the top-three for the first seven laps before getting passed for fourth. From there, he kept a strong pace to ultimately earn a career-best fourth-place finish. “It was a pretty decent night,” Swoll said. “The heat race was a little hectic and I got shuffled back a bit and finished sixth. That didn’t set me up for a very good gate pick in the Main Event but I made the best of it. I felt like toward the end of the moto I started coming around but by that point it was kind of too late. I’m a little disappointed but we’ll be back next weekend.” Rookie Stilez Robertson made his supercross debut on Saturday with a solid performance throughout the day. In 250SX Heat 2, Robertson got off to a fourth-place start and he maintained a steady pace to carry an impressive fourth-place transfer into his first-ever 250SX Main Event. In the main, Robertson got tangled up in a multi-rider pileup off the start and the race ultimately got red-flagged. Robertson, despite having a banged up bike and body, lined up for the restart but he didn’t fare so well as he came through the first lap in the last-place position. He did his best to move through the pack but it proved to be difficult following the carnage he sustained early on, ultimately finishing 18th in his debut. “We had a smooth start to the day with seventh in qualifying and fourth in the heat race,” Robertson said. “In the main, I got a decent start about 10th through the first jump but Jeremy Martin rolled and I thought he was going to jump and I ended up landing on him. I crashed and bent my bike up but I still gave it a go in the main and just tried to salvage what we could, so not too bad thanks to the team.” Next Event (Round 9): Saturday, March 6 – Daytona International Speedway – Daytona, Florida Round 8 Results: Orlando SX 2 450SX Results 1. Cooper Webb (KTM) 2. Marvin Musquin (KTM) 3. Justin Barcia (GAS) … 5. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 8. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 12. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX West Results 1. Justin Cooper (YAM) 2. Cameron Mcadoo (KAW) 3. Garrett Marchbanks (YAM) 4. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing … 18. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Ken Roczen – 180 points 2. Cooper Webb – 174 points 3. Eli Tomac – 149 points ... 7. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 123 points 11. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 100 points 15. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 57 points 250SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Justin Cooper – 26 points 2. Cameron Mcadoo – 23 points 3. Garrett Marchbanks – 21 points 4. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 19 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen has raced to another overall MX2 class podium result, this time at the MXGP of Europe, round 11 of the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship. Claiming two fourth-place finishes at Mantova today, the Dane was rewarded with a strong third overall, marking a positive end to his trio of visits to the Mantova venue. Kjer Olsen’s MX2 teammate Jed Beaton also performed well, racing to a strong 5-5 result for sixth overall and moving into third in the MX2 championship standings. With momentum on his side following two overall wins during the week prior to the MXGP of Europe, Thomas Kjer Olsen has made it three consecutive podium visits in as many attempts. A strong, top-10 start in race one saw TKO let the early race chaos settle before charging forwards and into fifth place at the halfway stage of the moto. Moving into fourth on lap nine while making the most of a clear track ahead of him and recording his fastest laps of the race, the FC 250 rider was unable to make an impression on the top three and claimed fourth in the opening moto of the day. Olsen then made a good start to race two. Attacking the track in a similar fashion to the previous GPs, he challenged Roan Van De Moosdijk for fourth place from the opening lap until well into the second half of the moto. Making the crucial pass on lap 12 of 17 and racing on to another fourth-place finish, TKO claimed third overall, with his podium result elevating him to fifth in the MX2 World Championship. Two fifth-place finishes saw Jed Beaton maintain his recent run of consistent form while also slightly improving upon his 6-6 results from the previous round of the series. A great start translated into racing in a strong fourth place in moto one before losing one position to his teammate Kjer Olsen on lap eight. Undeterred, he was able to chase TKO home for a solid fifth-place finish. Beaton’s second moto saw him chase his teammate around the sandy Mantova circuit, just as he had in moto one, while holding down fifth. Posting lap times similar to the riders in front of him, the Australian was frustratingly unable to advance forwards and raced to another fifth-place finish. In doing so, Jed claimed sixth overall and reclaimed third overall in the MX2 World Championship standings. Racing in the EMX250 class, Kay de Wolf had a difficult day at the championship’s third and final visit to the Mantova circuit. An 11th place overall finish didn’t show what the youngster is capable of, yet he holds onto his third place in the series standings with three rounds to go. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to FIM Motocross World Championship competition for round 12 on October 11, the MXGP of Spain. Thomas Kjer Olsen: “I’m really happy with my performance this week. Two overall wins and then a third overall today, I’m really happy with my week in Italy. Today wasn’t the best result after winning the last two rounds but I tried my best and my riding was good. It’s such a good feeling to be on the podium again and I’m looking forward to Spain next weekend.” Jed Beaton: “Today wasn’t quite what I was looking for. I know I had the speed but just wasn’t able to get among the top guys. It certainly wasn’t the worst day but wasn’t the best either. I’m now back in third in the standings so I just need to work on starts, get up front early and try to get some more wins to finish the season off strong.” Results – 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 11 MX2 – Overall 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 47; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 47; 3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36… 6. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 32; 7. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 24; 20. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 7 MX2 - Race 1 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 17 laps, 34:19:566; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 34:20:989; 3. Conrad Mewse (KTM) 34:24:339; 4. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 34:35:621; 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:47:693… 8. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 35:08:930; 18. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 36:07:296; 25. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 34:59:869; 26. Maxime Charlier (Husqvarna) 35:22:942 MX2 - Race 2 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 34:04:896; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 34:05:878; 3. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 34:22:288; 4. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 34:24:344; 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:27:987… 10. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 35:10:333; 17. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 36:00:691; 22. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 34:36:987; 23. Maxime Charlier (Husqvarna) 35:15:313 Championship Standings – After Round 11 MX2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 478pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 432; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 348… 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 311; 13. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 119; 19. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 73; 22. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 62; 33. Gianmarco Cenerelli (Husqvarna) 21; 34. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 21; 37. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 8; 41. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 5
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing duo deliver the goods at round nine of 2020 Motocross World Championship to fill the top two steps of the MX2 class podium in Italy Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s MX2 pairing of Thomas Kjer Olsen and Jed Beaton have respectively finished first and second overall at the MXGP of Lombardia. Their breakthrough overall results follow a series of strong performances in the lead up to round nine of the 2020 MXGP series, where Thomas claimed 2-4 moto results to stand on the top step of the podium for the first time this season. Charging to an impressive debut MX2 World Championship race win in moto two, Jed Beaton placed second overall following a seventh-place result in race one. Arminas Jasikonis raced to a solid sixth in MXGP race one before crashing out of race two. Thomas Kjer Olsen claimed a well-deserved overall victory at the MXGP of Lombardia following consistent 2-4 results, continuing his recent run of impressive form in the MX2 World Championship. Ending the opening lap of race one in sixth place, the FC 250 rider quickly progressed to fourth on lap four before going on to deliver consistent laps and show impressive race fitness. Olsen made the pass for third on the penultimate lap before charging past Maxime Renaux on the final lap, claiming second place in moto one. Avoiding the opening lap chaos in race two, Kjer Olsen found a number of creative lines around the tight Mantova circuit, disposing of many of his rivals while in pursuit of the leaders. Placing fourth at the end of the moto, he did enough to claim first overall and secured his first podium topping result since round two in 2019. TKO’s performances elevate him up the championship leader board to sixth, well within sight of the top five. After placing a strong seventh in moto one, Jed Beaton charged to an impressive debut MX2 moto win in Mantova. Carving a tight line around the opening turn, the Australian emerged in third place and immediately went to work. Attacking the track during the opening few laps he made the pass into second on lap two and then wasted little time taking the lead of the race with an aggressive pass at the beginning of lap three. With a clear track ahead of him, Jed controlled his nerves and raced to victory and a second-place overall result, just one point from overall winner and teammate Thomas Kjer Olsen. Arminas Jasikonis raced to a strong sixth in the opening race at the MXGP of Lombardia, setting himself up for a solid overall result. Making a strong start in race two, AJ ran as high as sixth for much of the moto before crashing out of the race on lap nine. Kay De Wolf continued his strong season of EMX250 competition by claiming a solid fifth overall in Mantova. An opening race 12th was heavily improved upon with a strong runner-up finish in moto two. With his impressive result, De Wolf moved up to third in the championship standings. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to the Mantova venue for round 10 of the FIM Motocross World Championship on September 30 for the MXGP of Città di Mantova, the second in a trio of visits to the sandy Italian circuit. Thomas Kjer Olsen: “I’m so happy. It’s been a tough season but I’m super-happy to win today. My riding was really good and although I didn’t win a moto, I was in the battle all day. Second place in the opening moto was great and then in race two it was just a crazy battle. I’ve got my confidence on the bike back now and I felt amazing all day today. It took some time and I had a really good week of training before today, so it’s coming together good now. I’m really happy for my team as well. They have stuck by me all year and through two injuries and here we are, on top of the podium. I’m super happy.” Jed Beaton: “I can’t explain how happy I am to have won the second moto today. I had a great start in race two and got into the lead early on lap three. I then had a clear track and just focussed on my lines. As the race wore on I got a little nervous but kept it together. I did make a few mistakes but held on for the win. It’s been a tough year until this point and it’s all coming together now. The team have been great and I’m so happy and pleased for them, too. I’m looking forward to Wednesday now.” Results – 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 9 MXGP – Overall 1. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 45; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (GASGAS) 40; 3. Jorge Prado (KTM) 40… 15. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 15; 19. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 7 MXGP - Race 1 1. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 17 laps, 34:47:314; 2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 34:55:495; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 34:56:788… 6. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 35:30:235; 17. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 36:28:980 MXGP - Race 2 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 17 laps, 34:56:930; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (GASGAS) 35:11:310; 3. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 35:33:930… 18. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 36:24:473 MX2 – Overall 1. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 40; 2. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 39; 3. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 37; 11. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 19; 23. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 4 MX2 - Race 1 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 17 laps, 35:59:768; 2. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:06:001; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 36:09:148… 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:26:829; 12. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 36:52:818; 21. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 37:41:659; 24. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 38:02:098; 28. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 36:14:152 MX2 - Race 2 1. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:28:853; 2. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 35:29:924; 3. Conrad Mewse (KTM) 35:38:298; 4. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:47:772; 11. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 36:14:900; 17. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 36:48:733; 21. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 37:24:312; 22. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 37:27:334 Championship Standings – After Round 9 MXGP 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 316pts; 2. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 311; 3. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 300… 7. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 248; 23. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 26; 24. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 26; 27. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 19; 33. Lars van Berkel (Husqvarna) 9; 36. Brent Van Doninck (Husqvarna) 5 MX2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 386pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 356; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 295; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 286… 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 228; 15. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 85; 17. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 72; 18. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 62; 32. Gianmarco Cenerelli (Husqvarna) 21; 34. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 11; 38. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 5; 39. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 3
Wrapping up their third race in just seven days, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team closed the first chapter of the 2021 AMA Supercross World Championship on Saturday in Houston, Texas as they look ahead to the remaining rounds of the series. Jason Anderson and Zach Osborne claimed top-10 finishes in the 450SX class, while teammate Dean Wilson just missed the top-10 with a hard-fought 11th place. Anderson continues to make steady improvements in his 2021 performance. Coming out of the gate with a top-10 start, Anderson quickly placed himself into fifth in 450SX Heat 1. He maintained a consistent pace and secured a fifth-place transfer into the main. He pulled out of the gate with a sixth-place start in the Main Event and he fought hard to keep that position early on. The 2018 450SX Champion persisted through the chaos in the Main Event to ultimately finish in eighth. “My night was pretty good,” Anderson said. “I ended up getting a top-10 and I feel like I’m coming around, just going to try to keep getting better from here.” Osborne has proven to be a 450SX Championship contender but the cards haven’t quite fallen his way this season. Riding quick and consistent in qualifying to finish fourth, he carried that momentum into a solid top-five start in 450SX Heat 1. He inserted himself into the podium battle early on but he was never able to break into the top-three, securing a solid fourth-place transfer. In the Main Event, Osborne had his work cut out for him with an 11th place start but he kept his calm and edged his way into a top-10 finish. “My night was rather disappointing honestly,” Osborne said. “I feel like I’m riding the best I’ve ever been riding in my life – and in my 450 career – and to start with two 10th places and a ninth is a little disappointing. I’ll improve this week and be better in Indy.” Wilson, with a mid-pack start in 450SX Heat 2, made some quick passes to sit just outside the top five early in the race. Nearly missing a pile up on lap two, he maintained his consistent pace to land a safe sixth-place transfer spot. In the Main Event, Wilson began in 17th off the start but he quickly climbed his way through the field to gain five more positions in the first half of the race. Maintaining his mid-pack position for the duration, Wilson finished just shy of the top-10 with 11th for the night. “My night was okay,” Wilson said. “I didn’t get a great start, I really pushed the first corner trying to be up there but everyone is so good at starts. I was outside top-15 and came back to 11th, which is not really what we want but we’ll keep pushing to be better.” 250SX East Team rider RJ Hampshire suffered a practice crash during the day’s first untimed session and he missed the evening’s racing due to an injured wrist. Next Event (Round 4): Saturday, January 30 – Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis, Indiana Round 3 Results: Houston 3 450SX Results 1. Cooper Webb (KTM) 2. Ken Roczen (HON) 3. Adam Cianciarulo (KAW) … 8. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 9. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 11. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX East Results 1. Colt Nichols (YAM) 2. Christian Craig (YAM) 3. Jett Lawrence (HON) 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Ken Roczen - 60 points 2. Cooper Webb - 59 points 3. Justin Barcia - 59 points ... 10. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 40 points 12. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 35 points 13. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 34 points 250SX East Rider Point Standings 1. Colt Nichols – 70 points 2. Christian Craig – 70 points 3. Jett Lawrence – 64 points … 11. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 32 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s MXGP class competitors Thomas Kjer Olsen and Arminas Jasikonis have both enjoyed highly positive, but very different, winter preparations ahead of the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship. With Kjer Olsen quickly adapting to the FC 450 as he readies himself for his first season of MXGP racing, Jasikonis recently returned to the track following his recovery from injury. Continuing his pro racing career with Husqvarna Motorcycles following four highly successful seasons in the MX2 World Championship, Thomas Kjer Olsen progresses to the ultra-competitive MXGP division for 2021, focused on making a solid first impression. Undoubtedly one of the best performing MX2 riders in recent years, the tall Dane, who placed third overall in both the 2017 and 2018 campaigns before going one better in 2019 as series runner-up, is relishing his opportunity to race against new competitors. Entering the 2021 season following six overall podium results in 2020, including two back-to-back GP wins, TKO unquestionably signed off his impressive MX2 career on a highly positive note. The FC 450 rider now looks ahead to making his mark in the MXGP category. Arminas Jasikonis is set to take on his third term of MXGP competition with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, looking to continue his return to full fitness while focused on eventually getting back to challenging for regular podium results. Enjoying a positive start to the 2020 season with a third-place overall result at round two, when racing resumed following the coronavirus-forced break the Lithuanian charged to his maiden race victory at the fourth round of the championship. In finishing second overall at round five, Arminas remained a podium threat as the series continued until a heavy fall at round nine brought his year to a premature end. Now, having undergone a period of intensive rehabilitation, the 23-year-old recently began riding his FC 450 with the aim of returning to full fitness in readiness for round one of the 2021 season. The 19-round FIM Motocross World Championship is scheduled to kick off in the Netherlands on May 23. Thomas Kjer Olsen – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing: “The upcoming season is really exciting for me as I make the move up to the MXGP class. I’ve had a really productive winter getting used to the FC 450 and I’m really happy with my bike and how I feel riding. It did take me a little time to adapt, and it was challenging initially because the bike’s more powerful, but now I feel really good. With the team we’ve made some good progress in recent weeks. It will be my first year in MXGP, but I believe I can battle inside the top 5. For sure there are a lot of talented riders in the class and it won’t be easy, but I am ready for the challenge and I’m really looking forward to round one.” Arminas Jasikonis – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing: “My recovery from my accident has been going really well. Since my crash I had to start from zero and rebuild my physical conditioning, so it has been a long road, but I am getting stronger and fitter and I am really happy with my progress. I’ve recently returned to riding which has been great and I will continue to take things step-by-step. There is not a specific date for when I will return to racing at the moment. Until I am at the stage where I am able to push for 30 minutes plus two laps in tough conditions during practice then it will not make sense to race. For MXGP you need to be 100%, which is something that I am working towards every day. I’d like to thank my team for the support that they have given me throughout my recovery, they have been amazing to me.” Calendar - 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship Round 1: 23 May MXGP of The Netherlands - Oss Round 2: 13 Jun MXGP of Russia - Orlyonok Round 3: 20 Jun MXGP of Latvia – Kegums Round 4: 4 Jul MXGP of Asia - Borobudur Round 5: 11 Jul MXGP of Indonesia - Bali Round 6: 25 Jul MXGP of Czech Republic - Loket Round 7: 1 Aug MXGP of Flander-Belgium – Lommel Round 8: 8 Aug MXGP of Sweden - Uddevalla Round 9: 22 Aug MXGP of Finland – Iitti-KymiRing Round 10: 29 Aug MXGP of Igora Drive – Igora Drive Round 11: 12 Sep MXGP of Turkey - Afyonkarahisar Round 12: TBA Round 13: 3 Oct MXGP of Germany - Teutschenthal Round 14: 10 Oct MXGP of France – Saint Jean d’Angely Round 15: 17 Oct MXGP of Spain – intu Xanadu - Arroyomolinos Round 16: 24 Oct MXGP of Portugal - Agueda Round 17: 31 Oct MXGP of Italy - TBA Round 18: 7 Nov MXGP of China - TBA Round 19: 21 Nov MXGP of Argentina - TBA
Competing in just his sixth MX2 Grand Prix, Kay de Wolf has raced to an incredible overall runner-up finish at MXGP round six in Belgium. The young Dutchman opened the day with a strong third in moto one, before claiming the holeshot second time out and storming away from the chasing pack to take his maiden MX2 class race win. Kay’s teammate, Jed Beaton, also impressed, with a solid fifth overall on his FC 250. Competing in the MXGP class, Arminas Jasikonis earned his best result of the season, securing sixth place in moto two, while Thomas Kjer Olsen’s day was highlighted by placing eighth in race one. The sixth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship visited Belgium, with all the action unfolding at the infamous sand circuit of Lommel. With the track featuring a soft racing surface that becomes incredibly rough, it is one of the most physically demanding stops on the MXGP calendar. One rider continuing to make huge strides in the MX2 class with his speed and consistency is Kay de Wolf, who was undoubtedly in the form of his career today in Lommel. After qualifying fastest, the 16-year-old began the opening race of the day well inside the top 10 and quickly began to work his way forwards, moving into third on lap nine. From there, Kay maintained his outstanding pace to claim a highly impressive third-place result. Race two saw Kay deliver the ride of his life. Claiming the moto two holeshot, the FC 250 racer then successfully held off multiple challenges for the lead from Jago Geerts to lead every lap and ultimately secure his very first MX2 race victory. The duo maintained such a strong pace at the front that de Wolf crossed the finish line almost one minute ahead of current series leader Maxime Renaux in third. With a career-best day now complete, the youngster advances up the championship leaderboard to eighth. Coming into round six of the MX2 World Championship, Jed Beaton was in great form following podium appearances and solid results in recent weeks. In Belgium, the Australian’s strong speed continued with an eighth-place finish in race one despite a small crash around the halfway stage of the moto. In race two, Beaton started eighth and moved into fifth as the moto reached half distance. The 23-year-old then engaged in a battle for position with Conrad Mewse, ultimately coming out on top to claim fifth in the moto and secure his third consecutive top-five overall finish. Competing in the MXGP class, Arminas Jasikonis bounced back from 19th in race one to claim his best result of the season with an impressive sixth-place finish in moto two. The Lithuanian continues to return to his GP-winning speed and now moves up to 18th in the series standings. For Thomas Kjer Olsen, his day began with a solid eighth-place finish in race one. A crash early on in moto two left the Dane way down the field and following a race-long charge, he recovered to claim 18th, for 13th overall. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing will next be in action at round seven of the FIM Motocross World Championship on August 8 for the MXGP of Latvia. Kay de Wolf: “What can I say, it’s been another amazing day. Winning that second race gave me such an amazing feeling that words can’t describe it. Taking the holeshot and leading every lap – it was just a dream race. I really love the sand, and this track, and today has been really positive for me. This season is going way better than expected and I’m really excited for another GP on the sand next weekend in Latvia.” Jed Beaton: “Today was a little bit of a bad day, but if I can take fifth overall on a bad day then it’s not so bad. I was fortunate in race one to miss a big crash just after the start but then while sixth I crashed on my own and fell way down the field. I got back to eighth which was ok though. My start in race two wasn’t so good and by the time I got into fifth the leaders were gone. It was unfortunate but fifth was good and solid points overall so all things considered, I’m happy with today.” Arminas Jasikonis: “I’m really happy with the second race today. To be battling with the top guys again shows that all the hard work has been worth it. I’m leaving the track happy and I’m taking a lot of positives from today. Obviously the first race was a little bit of a disaster with two crashes and needing to go through the goggle lane, but overall, the second moto made up for that and now it’s on to Latvia and another chance to push for the top spots.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “My riding today was really good and probably the best I’ve felt all year, especially in race one. I showed what I can do and with a good start I can be up there. I just need to put myself in better positions every race. In the second one someone fell right in front of me and I had nowhere to go. I then crashed another time so that was a difficult one but I finished the moto and scored a few more points. I’m looking forward to Latvia next weekend. It’s one of my favourite tracks so I’ll be working on my starts this week and aim to be up front in both races there.” Results – 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 6 MXGP - Overall 1. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 47pts; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 41; 3. Pauls Jonass (GASGAS) 40… 12. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 17; 13. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 16 MXGP - Race 1 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 34:37:691, 15 laps; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 35:05:840; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 35:14:109… 8. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:38:607; 19. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 37:00:047 MXGP - Race 2 1. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 35:47:024, 15 laps; 2. Pauls Jonass (GASGAS) 35:51:363; 3. Jorge Prado (KTM) 35:56:772… 6. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 36:21:929; 18. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 37:44:430 MX2 - Overall 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 47pts; 2. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 45; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 42… 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 29 MX2 - Race 1 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 36:38:821, 16 laps; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 36:49:350; 3. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 36:59:100… 8. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 37:33:808 MX2 - Race 2 1. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 34:43:435, 15 laps; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 34:46:179; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:43:199… 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:08:080 Championship Standings – After Round 6 MXGP 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 226pts; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 221; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 217… 13. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 88; 18. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 48 MX2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 221pts; 2. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 195; 3. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 194… 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 171; 8. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 159
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jason Anderson had a big night in Texas, coming away with his first podium finish of the season with a hard-fought third at Round 10 of the 2021 AMA Supercross World Championship in Arlington. Teammate Dean Wilson also had a breakthrough ride, claiming two holeshots and battling up front throughout the night to earn a season-best finish of ninth in the stacked field of 450SX riders. 450SX Anderson came into Saturday’s race with success on his mind, starting things off with a second-place qualifying position and earning first gate pick in 450SX Heat 1. In the heat, Anderson put himself into second early on and battled his teammate for the early lead. On lap two, he made his move into the lead where he went on to lead the remaining nine laps to secure his second heat-race victory of the season. In the Main Event, he got caught up in some first-turn chaos, giving him an eighth-place start, but he charged into a top-five position by the end of lap five. A man on a mission, Anderson continued to charge his way up to third just after the halfway point and from there he maintained a steady pace to lock in his best finish of the 2021 season. “I’ve been following those guys all year and I want to be on the podium and want to start doing good, so I’m going for it and that’s all there is to it,” Anderson said. “We’re going to be firing every time we come out of that gate for the rest of the year. Let’s go!” Wilson lined up alongside Anderson in 450SX Heat 1, where he captured the holeshot and led the first lap of the race. He was quickly joined up front by Anderson and the teammates battled together for the lead before Wilson finally got passed on lap two. He continued to assert himself up front to secure a season-best second-place finish and a direct transfer into the Main Event. Wilson shot off the line in the main to once again capture the holeshot and battle up front in the opening laps. He remained within the top-five battle for the first half of the race but arm pump settled in as the race wore on and he hung on for a season-best ninth for the night. “Overall, the night was a step forward for me,” Wilson said. “My starts were awesome and that’s definitely something to be proud of. I put in a fairly good ride for the first half of the Main Event but unfortunately after that, I got really bad arm pump. It was pretty uncomfortable and I had to fight through it but I just tried to be smart. I just want to keep this momentum with starts and hold it up there.” 250SX West Jalek Swoll came out on rails in 250SX Heat 2 as he grabbed the holeshot and early lead in the race. Leading the first seven laps of the heat race, Swoll eventually got passed with three laps to go and with a change in momentum he finished fourth in the heat. In the Main Event, Swoll got off to a fourth-place start but he dropped back to sixth early on. He battled around sixth and seventh for most of the race, ultimately securing sixth on the final lap of racing. “I started off pretty good, led a bunch of laps in the heat race, which were the first led laps for me in Supercross, so that was fun,” Swoll said. “I got through the Main Event, I slapped my hand pretty hard in practice so it was little bit tough to hang on but it is what it is, no excuses, we’ll gather up and be ready to go for Tuesday.” Coming off his first-career podium at the last round, Stilez Robertson lined up in 250SX Heat 2 where he started off back in ninth. He climbed a couple positions into seventh, maintaining a clean transfer into the Main Event. Robertson got off to a sixth-place start in the Main Event and he got shuffled back to 12th early on. He stepped into his stride around the halfway point and from there he put his head down to charge up to a seventh-place finish. “My night was okay, I don’t feel like I was riding like myself but we’ll go back and work harder,” Robertson said. “I feel like the first eight minutes of the Main Event were not so good but the last eight were okay. I have a lot of little things I can improve on and we’ll try to get back up there on the box.” Next Event (Round 11): Tuesday, March 16 – AT&T Stadium – Arlington, Texas Round 10 Results: Arlington SX 1 450SX Results 1. Cooper Webb (KTM) 2. Justin Barcia (GAS) 3. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing … 9. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX West Results 1. Seth Hammaker (KAW) 2. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 3. Cameron Mcadoo (KAW) … 6. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 7. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Cooper Webb – 223 points 2. Ken Roczen – 216 points 3. Eli Tomac – 190 points ... 7. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 137 points 9. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 123 points 14. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 84 points 250SX West Rider Point Standings 1. Cameron Mcadoo – 70 points 2. Justin Cooper – 64 points 3. Hunter Lawrence – 58 points … 6. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 51 points 7. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 44 points
Luciano Benavides has been forced to withdraw from the 2020 Andalucia Rally following a crash on today’s (Wednesday) stage one. The Argentinian was airlifted to hospital due to pain in his ribs with doctors performing x-rays and other medical checks in order to assess his injuries. Despite being in notable discomfort, thankfully Luciano suffered no broken bones. He will remain in hospital overnight to allow medical staff to carry out further tests and to monitor his condition. Enjoying a strong opening day at the Andalucia Rally – his debut competition for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – Luciano posted the sixth-fastest time on the short, nine-kilometre Super Special Stage. Heading into the first full day of racing, Luciano was confident of a good result and looking forward to returning to rally competition. Navigating well and maintaining a good pace throughout much of the 240-kilometre timed special, he unfortunately crashed with just four kilometres remaining. Fully conscious, but complaining of some pain to his chest, the young Argentinian was airlifted to hospital where he remains tonight. Luciano will take no further part in the event. Pela Renet – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Rally Team Manager: “Thankfully, it seems as if Luciano will soon be out of hospital and that he suffered no serious injuries. It was terrible to hear that he had crashed today, especially with him being close to the finish of the stage. Although it is frustrating that he is out of the Andalucia Rally, we are sure he will be fully fit for the Dakar Rally in January and soon back to his training. This is racing, it’s disappointing for everyone in the team, but most importantly Luciano will be ok.”
A solid ride from Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt at round four of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship at Romaniacs, saw him end the weeklong event in fourth. Despite struggling in the heat early on, Alfredo Gomez brought his TE 300i safely home in 14th. Unfortunately, while in the hunt for his seventh Romaniacs win, Graham Jarvis injured his knee on Offroad Day 2 and was forced to withdraw. Fresh from his victory at the previous round in Italy, Bolt arrived at Romaniacs eager for a solid finish at what has long been regarded as the world’s toughest hard enduro rallye. A mixed start to the event, saw the British rider struggle to settle into the rhythm of the race. Mistakes in the Time Trial and the opening two Offroad Days hampered his progress. However, beginning Offroad Day 3 in determined spirits, Billy found his flow and began to produce the form he knew he was capable of. Ending the penultimate day of racing in second place, Bolt had raced his way up the leaderboard to a potential overall podium result. With everything to play for on the final day, he gave it his all but was unable to fully reduce the gap and had to settle for a close fourth after over 20 hours of racing. For teammate Alfredo Gomez, the event didn’t deliver the result he had hoped for. The Spaniard has a vast amount of experience in Romaniacs, with multiple podium results. But the 18th edition of the world’s toughest Hard Enduro Rallye didn’t go in his favour. After a solid start, Gomez endured a physically demanding Offroad Day 2, derailing any hopes of matching his podium position from 2020. But despite feeling exhausted and deflated, Gomez soldiered on to finish 14th overall. With victory on Offroad Day 1, six-time Romaniacs winner Graham Jarvis looked to be very much at the top of his game. The Brit was enjoying the demanding conditions and showing that despite being 46 years old, he was still the master of the Carpathian Mountains. Locked in a battle with eventual race winner Manuel Lettenbichler, Graham unfortunately saw his race come to an end, late on Offroad Day 2. Within 40 minutes of the finish line, and having navigated the toughest sections of the day, he twisted his knee on a high-speed section resulting in damage to his ACL. The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship continues with round five at the Tennessee Knockout in the USA on August 13-15. Billy Bolt: “I didn’t quite get the result I came here looking for. As ever Romaniacs never pulls its punches and on the first couple of days I took a beating. I think I was just overriding the terrain and that’s where the mistakes came from. I managed to tidy things up at the midway point, be more patient and the results started to come good. It’s a bit frustrating to just miss out on the podium, but I’ll learn from these mistakes and come back stronger.” Alfredo Gomez: “It’s been a tough and very physical week for me. I felt happy with my riding in the first days, but on Offroad Day 2 things unravelled. The heat and the physical nature of the terrain was exhausting and at one point I ran out of water. I lost a lot of time and also energy so from then on, the goal was just to finish. I’m so happy to have made it!” Graham Jarvis: “I’m gutted with how the race turned out. I felt I was doing everything right and had the pace to push for the win this year. Unfortunately, just one little mistake did the damage, and my race was done. My plan now is to head home and get the injury fully assessed.” Results - FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, Round 4: Romaniacs 1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 19:40:46 2. Wade Young (Sherco) 20:08:14 3. Mario Roman (Sherco) 20:13:46 4. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 20:19:00 5. Jonny Walker (Beta) 20:30:55 … 14. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 23:18:21 Provisional FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Standings (After round 4) 1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 37pts 2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 33pts 3. Wade Young (Sherco) 25pts 4. Mario Roman (Sherco) 24pts 5. Jonny Walker (Beta) 24pts 6. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 20pts 7. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 15pts 8. Michael Walkner (GASGAS) 14pts 9. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 13pts 10. Teodor Kabakchiev (Husqvarna) 11pts
Following a two-week break from racing in the 2021 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team returned to racing on Saturday for Round 8 at the Unadilla National in New Berlin, New York. RJ Hampshire posted solid 4-3 moto scores to claim fourth overall in the 250MX class, while teammate Jalek Swoll battled through adversity to finish seventh overall in the class. Hampshire showcased his speed right away, claiming second overall in 250MX qualifying earlier in the day. In Moto 1, he secured a top-five start and he fought hard to overtake fourth early on. Battling just outside the podium for most of the race, he made a big push for third midway through but a couple of mistakes brought him back to settle for fourth. As the gate dropped for Moto 2, Hampshire jumped into fourth and he patiently sat outside the intense podium battle waiting for his moment to capitalize. On lap five, he made the move into third and continued to charge at a fast pace up front to ultimately secure third in the moto. With 4-3 finishes, Hampshire claimed fourth overall on the day. “For the most part, the day was pretty solid,” Hampshire said. “I felt like we had more potential to be on the box but on a track like that, it was tough to keep it together and get the results. All-in-all, I can’t complain, it’s a solid weekend. I’m going to take the week to recover and Budds Creek is a good one for me, so I’m excited to go there.” With a top-five position in 250MX qualifying, Jalek Swoll set himself up for a positive start to the racing in Moto 1. He got off to an eighth-place start and battled back-and-forth inside the top-10. He put in a strong finish to the end, securing eighth in the first moto. In Moto 2, he came together with another rider in the first turn and he began back in 16th on the opening lap. He rallied his way inside the top-10 halfway through and he finished strong to capture ninth in the moto and seventh overall on the day. “The qualifying was good so it started off the day really well,” Swoll said. “First moto, I didn’t ride my best but I was fine with eighth for how gnarly the track was. The next moto, I felt like my riding was good but I went down with another rider early on and had to come from really far back to finish ninth. I just need two good starts in the next race and we’ll build off that.” Stilez Robertson came into the weekend feeling a little under the weather but he made an effort to line up for Moto 1. After going down on the opening lap, Robertson fought through]h the moto to salvage 17th before making the tough decision to sit out for the rest of the day. “We came in knowing that we were a little but under the weather, so I tried to put my best foot forward in the first moto,” Robertson said. “After moto one, the team made the call for us to just call it a day. I wasn’t myself; I went down the first lap and came back to 17th, which is definitely not what we want but we just need to get healthy and get back to where I belong.” 450MX It was a tough start to the day for Dean Wilson, who lost his rear brakes in an early crash at the start of Moto 1. Wilson, rounding the opening lap in 25th, climbed through the field to salvage a 15th place finish in the first moto. In Moto 2, Wilson managed to turn his day around with a decent start to propel him into the top-10 early on. He charged into eighth midway through the race and maintained a solid pace to claim a season-best eighth in the second moto. With 15-18 moto scores, Wilson finished just outside the top-10 with 11th overall on the day. “Unfortunately, I had a fall in the first moto and broke my rear brake pedal, so I ended up getting a 15th in that one,” Wilson said. “The second moto was a little bit better with an eighth, which is actually my best moto-score of the year. Two top-10 finishes would have been nice but we’re healthy and walking away.” Next Event (Round 9): August 21 – Budds Creek National – Mechanicsville, Maryland Round 8 Results: Unadilla National 250MX Results 1. Jett Lawrence (HON) 2-1 2. Justin Cooper (YAM) 1-4 3. Jeremy Martin (YAM) 3-2 4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 4-3 450MX Results 1. Ken Roczen (HON) 1-1 2. Dylan Ferrandis (YAM) 2-3 3. Marvin Musquin (KTM) 4-4 … 11. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 15-8 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Justin Cooper – 281 points 2. Jett Lawrence – 273 points 3. Hunter Lawrence – 237 points … 5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 243 points 7. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 173 points 17. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 90 points 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Dylan Ferrandis – 345 points 2. Ken Roczen – 306 points 3. Eli Tomac – 283 points … 13. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 102 points 21. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 33 points 23. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 29 points
Husqvarna Motorcycles secure their third trophy of the season through slick conditions in Austria. The Michelin Grand Prix of Styria, round ten of eighteen in the 2021 world championship, brought MotoGP back to the racetrack after a five-week summer break and as a result of more fluctuations with the calendar. The Styrian event was the first of two consecutive fixtures at the fast and flowing Red Bull Ring circuit in Spielberg, Austria. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team resumed speed with Fenati holding fourth in the Moto3 standings and with rookie Adrian Fernandez keen to continue his Grand Prix education and obtain further championship points. The Austrian affair began in bright and sunny conditions. Moto3 ran on a dry track through Free Practice sessions on Friday and Saturday and Fenati – a winner at the circuit in 2019 - was able to find a decent rhythm around the ten-corner layout to set the 3rd fastest lap-time. The Italian therefore rolled his FR 250 GP onto the start grid with a front row advantage. Sunday morning dawned dark, cloudy and showery. The teams and riders were able get a feel for the asphalt in a sodden warm-up session and then the 23-lap chase began at 11.00 with the track beginning to dry in places. Fenati led into the first corner but was unable to do anything about the speed of Pedro Acosta and Sergio Garcia that pulled away to a sizeable margin in their dispute for the win. Fenati had his hands full with Jaume Masia and the pair duelled for the final podium plinth. In the end the white Husqvarna was able to prevail by just a tenth of a second. Fernandez, who had launched from 27th on the grid, made excellent ground to reach as high as 9th. The young Spaniard eventually crossed the line in 10th for his second-best classification of the season. Fenati has 96 Moto3 points and has moved up to 3rd in the rankings. Fernandez is 23rd. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team will remain in Austria this week for the second attempt at the scenic Spielberg circuit next weekend. Romano Fenati: “A very difficult race today for the feeling with the tyre. When I was braking on the straight it was slipping, and the front end was closing. I was a bit slower just to save any crashes. The other riders were incredible with their pace. For the next race we need to make a small step and then we’ll be ready to go with them. I’m happy anyway to make the podium today.” Adrian Fernandez: “It has been a very positive day, I knew that the race was going to be very difficult this morning but I kept calm and did the job. I am very happy with the position and I hope to continue improving.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “This was a good weekend for us, starting Friday and up until the race. We were consistent in the dry and fast in the wet. To come back after a long break and to take a podium finish makes us happy. Also Adrian finished in the top ten which is very good for us. I’m satisfied to see us up there in Austria; it is great for the brand.” Results – 2021 Moto3 World Championship, Round 10 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 39:45.869, 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) +14.431, 3. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +15.410, 10. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) +36.355 World Championship standings 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 183pts; 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 130pts; 4. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 96 pts; 23. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) 16 pts.
The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team had a mixed day in Colorado for Round 2 of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship. Known for its high altitude and rough track conditions, the Thunder Valley National delivered its fair share of obstacles on Saturday but that didn’t stop RJ Hampshire from assembling a stellar podium performance in 250MX Moto 1, while teammate Jalek Swoll made solid improvements from the last round to finish seventh overall in the 250MX class. In Moto 1, Hampshire nailed a top-three start and he battled just behind the leaders all race long. Maintaining a strong pace through all 16 laps, Hampshire put a stamp on it to earn a podium finish in the first moto. In Moto 2, Hampshire got off to a fourth-place start and he was positioning himself to go after the podium battle on the opening lap until a crash sent him back to nearly dead last early on. Hampshire dug deep and fought his way back through the field to secure a 19th-place finish and earn a valuable point towards the championship chase. “I felt great on the bike again today. I was comfortable and I knew we had a pretty good bike going into the motos,” Hampshire said. “I got a good start in Moto 1 and probably did one of the best motos I’ve ever done in my pro career. In Moto 2, we got a good start and made a simple little mistake that cost me big time. It’s a bummer because it definitely doesn’t show how good we were riding and how good of a spot we’re at physically right now. I tried to dig deep there just to get some points because there was a big shake-up in the championship this weekend, so I’m trying to keep myself in this. We’re headed back east and I think we’re going to continue to get better from here.” In Moto 1, Jalek Swoll grabbed a ninth-place start and battled around the top-10 all race long to ultimately capture 10th in the first moto. In Moto 2, Swoll had a great jump off the line and he engaged in battle up front early on the opening lap. He settled into fifth by the second lap and he kept himself in touch with the front-runners throughout the race to ultimately secure sixth in the moto and seventh overall. “I’m content with the day but not stoked. We’re going in the right direction so there are always some positives to take out of it,” Swoll said. “I think the more we race, the better the bike will get and the better my fitness and all that kind of stuff will get. By these next few rounds, I should be right up there with the top of them. Just having fun and taking it step by step. I kind of feel like this season is my rookie season because I’ve been hurt every outdoors but I’ve been enjoying the grind and we’ll keep taking it step-by-step.” Stilez Robertson had a strong start to the day’s racing, where he grabbed a top-five start in Moto 1 and ran with the top riders early in the race. He unfortunately ran into a bike issue about five laps in and wasn’t able to finish the first moto. He lined back up for Moto 2, where he found himself back in 25th on the opening lap. Just as he began climbing through the pack, Robertson encountered another bike issue that would ultimately end his day early in Colorado. “It’s a bummer that we had bike problems today but we’ll get it fixed and come back stronger,” Robertson said. “I’m really hungry for more, I want to be up front. I’m tired of being in the back so we’re going to put our head down these next two weeks and come out swinging at High Point.” 450MX Defending 450MX Champion Zach Osborne came into the second round with high hopes and he put himself in a great position right away with a seventh in qualifying. In Moto 1, Osborne got off to a fourth-place start aboard his FC 450 Rockstar Edition and he charged just behind the podium battle for the first half of the race. However, things took a turn when he felt his ongoing back injury flare up during the moto. Digging deep, Osborne finished out the first moto in 12th but he ultimately made the tough decision to sit out the second moto. Dean Wilson had a few struggles out of the gate in Moto 1, where he rounded the first lap in 18th. He climbed a few positions early in the race to ultimately finish 16th. In Moto 2, Wilson got off to a better start and he positioned himself around the top-10 battle early on. He got passed later in the race to ultimately finish 12th in the second moto and 14th overall for the day. “The day was pretty rough, I was just struggling with a few things myself,” Wilson said. “The second moto was a little better than the first, I was in the mix up in 11th for a little bit and then I got passed for 12th. It’s a tough class and I need to just keep plugging away and trying to get better every moto.” Next Event (Round 3): June 19 – High Point National – Mount Morris, Pennsylvania Round 2 Results: Thunder Valley National 250MX Results 1. Justin Cooper (YAM) 2-2 2. Jett Lawrence (HON) 4-1 3. Hunter Lawrence (HON) 5-3 … 7. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 10-6 10. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 3-19 38. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 38-35 450MX Results 1. Ken Roczen (HON) 1-1 2. Dylan Ferrandis (YAM) 2-2 3. Adam Cianciarulo (KAW) 3-6 … 14. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 16-12 16. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 12-40 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 90 points 2. Justin Cooper – 80 points 3. Jeremy Martin – 72 points … 6. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 54 points 11. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 43 points 18. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 14 points 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Ken Roczen – 90 points 2. Dylan Ferrandis – 89 points 3. Aaron Plessinger – 74 points … 11. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 33 points 12. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 29 points 16. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 21 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen has finished seventh overall at a challenging MXGP of Limburg, round 14 of the MX2 World Championship. Racing at Lommel for the second of three visits to the Belgian circuit, an opening race seventh for Thomas was bettered in moto two with a sixth-place finish. MX2 teammate Jed Beaton placed ninth overall after overcoming a high-speed crash in race one to finish in 10th, a result he matched in race two. Thomas Kjer Olsen started the opening MX2 moto of the day in a strong position. Challenging for third place, when just half a lap into the moto, his race quickly unravelled when he clipped the edge of a bump, which pitched him off of his FC 250 machine. Remounting quickly, but down in 20th position, a race-long charge ensued, which saw him reach the top 10 on lap five before going on to claim seventh at the finish. Race two was a long battle for Kjer Olsen as he challenged for position well inside the top 10, advancing from eighth to sixth by the halfway stage. Giving his best, he was unable to make an impression on the top five and finished just a couple of seconds behind Isak Gifting in fifth. Despite not quite getting to grips with the shifting sands of the Lommel circuit, Thomas’s seventh overall pulls him within reach of fourth in the MX2 World Championship standings. Jed Beaton was lucky to escape unscathed following a high-speed start straight crash in the opening MX2 moto. Re-joining the race, he caught up to the pack on lap three before charging past no less than eight riders as he moved into 19th position. Beaton’s spirited ride concluded with the Australian making the pass into 10th on the penultimate lap. Holding strong, he ended the moto just four seconds behind the eighth-place rider. In the second moto, Beaton emerged fourth from the first turn before frustratingly catching the bank on the inside of the third turn, which resulted in him falling. Quick to remount he ended the opening lap in 12th place. Feeling the effects of his race one crash and his subsequent exhausting battle through the field, Beaton progressed to 10th to claim ninth overall. In the EMX250 class, Kay de Wolf suffered a heavy fall during the morning’s qualifying session and was quickly taken to a local hospital. Diagnosed with a broken nose and minor concussion, the youngster was frustratingly unable to participate at the final round. Despite missing the final two races of his season, Kay secured an impressive fourth overall in the championship standings. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to the Lommel circuit for the third and final time on October 25, for round 15 of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the MXGP of Lommel. Thomas Kjer Olsen: “A disappointing day. I just wasn’t quite on the pace today so it’s a little frustrating as I had high hopes coming into this race. I was fighting the track a lot, using up a lot of energy and it just wasn’t my day today. I still gave it everything I had but that’s just the way it goes sometimes.” Jed Beaton: “Not good. I had a big crash going down the start straight in race one. It was a bit of a chain reaction and I didn’t see it coming so that was a big one. Something hit my arm pretty hard because it was numb for a little bit. Feeling started to come back as I got going and I then put my head down. Getting run over before two motos around Lommel isn’t the one but we’re back for more on Sunday so I’m hoping to end this week on a positive note.” Results – 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 14 MX2 – Overall 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 47; 2. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 42; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 39… 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 29; 9. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 22; 18. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 6; 21. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 4; 22. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 3 MX2 - Race 1 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 16 laps, 36:00:760; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 36:11:622; 3. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 36:39:037… 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 37:20:890; 10. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 37:30:245; 15. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 38:07:970; 17. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 15 laps, 36:52:168 MX2 - Race 2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 16 laps, 35:54:380; 2. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 35:57:369; 3. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 36:03:674… 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:22:416; 10. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:41:440; 18. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 15 laps, 36:12:454 Championship Standings – After Round 14 MX2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 616pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 555; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 438; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 429; 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 410… 13. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 156; 21. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 87; 27. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 62; 34. Gianmarco Cenerelli (Husqvarna) 21; 35. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 21; 37. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 11; 42. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 5; 44. Maximilian Spies (Husqvarna) 2
Lying 10th and 11th respectively in the overall rally standings and having successfully completed six days of racing at the 2021 Dakar, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla and Luciano Benavides are currently enjoying a well-deserved rest day at the Ha’il bivouac before resuming racing on Sunday’s stage seven. So far at the event, both FR 450 Rally riders have delivered solid performances and top-three stage results to secure their strong positions in the overall standings, positioned well within sight of the leaders. Due to both the high pace and quality of riding at this year’s race the top 12 riders are separated by a mere 20 minutes. Pablo Quintanilla has shown great consistency over the first six stages of the rally. Although suffering from a number of small navigation errors, the Chilean rider is still well within the hunt for podium places. Currently 10th overall, just 15 minutes down on the rally leader, Pablo is looking forward to the second half of the race and improving his position. Just one minute behind Quintanilla, Luciano Benavides sits 11th in the standings but is confident of improving on his position as riders face the tough second week. The young Argentinian, contesting his fourth Dakar Rally, enjoys a strong start position for Sunday’s 737km day seven – the first half of the event’s marathon stage – and is confident his strength and stamina will prove useful over the all-important final days of the race. Despite the opening week challenging all competitors with some of the most difficult to navigate stages seen at the Dakar, the second week of racing could arguably be even tougher. Sunday will mark the first half of the event’s marathon stage, where riders will be unable to receive any outside assistance and must maintain their bike themselves. Machine preservation will be imperative so as to not lose any time over the two days. Stage nine’s long, looped stage around the town of Neom is billed as being one of the most demanding of the rally due to the variety of terrain that will be encountered. While on Thursday, riders will then face the longest timed special of the event – a 511km route for the penultimate stage 11. Pela Renet – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Rally Team Manager: “After one week here at the Dakar things are looking really good for the team. Everything is really close in the overall classification even though we have seen some incredibly tough stages. We’re only halfway through but I am really happy with how the team and riders have performed over these first six days. The results are a lot different to last year – on rest day in 2020, Pablo was second, 20 minutes behind the leader, now the whole of the top 10 are only 15 minutes apart. It’s almost as if we start over for next week as the gaps are so small. We have learned a lot from this first week and hope to use some of that knowledge in the closing days ahead. I think we are in a good position, and both riders have good starts for stage seven and that could well be important as it’s the first half of the marathon stage. So, there’s a long way to go, but the team are all really motivated, and we’ll give it our all for the second week.” 2021 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 6) 1. Toby Price (KTM) 24:08:43 2. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 24:10:59 + 0:02:16 3. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 24:11:40 + 0:02:57 4. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 24:12:24 + 0:03:41 5. Xavier de Soultrait (Husqvarna) 24:12:24 + 0:03:41 6. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 24:13:06 + 0:04:23 … 10. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 24:23:56 11. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 24:25:44
The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team enjoyed its second-consecutive 250MX victory with a gritty performance by RJ Hampshire at Saturday’s RedBud MX National for Round 4 of the 2021 AMA Pro Motocross Championship. It wasn’t an easy feat for Hampshire, who overcame his fair share of obstacles throughout the day, including lingering effects of an illness from the prior week. With a second-place start in Moto 1, Hampshire set himself up to overtake the lead on lap two and he held on for about three more laps before a quick tip-over dropped him back to second early on. Halfway through, Hampshire had charged his way back into the lead battle but he found himself back in third after going down in a corner. From there, Hampshire never let up as he clawed his way back to finish a close second in race one. In Moto 2, Hampshire got off to a great start in third. Moving into second early on the second lap, he eventually overtook the lead on lap seven. However, another small crash dropped him back to second with about five laps to go and he fought hard to make up time in the final laps but it wasn’t enough to reclaim the race lead. With 2-2 finishes, Hampshire’s determination and grit earned him his first overall victory of the 2021 season. “It was a special weekend for the boys, I’m stoked for this whole team and all the guys that believe in me,” Hampshire said. “To have what happened at High Point and then sit on the bike every day for two weeks, I was more than ready to come out and just destroy the competition. So, I brought that same attitude into this weekend – even though I was sick and under the weather, we showed up and kept fighting.” Coming off his first career victory at the previous round, Jalek Swoll looked to carry that momentum back to the podium in Michigan. With a top-10 start in Moto 1, Swoll found himself on the ground more than once and he did his best to battle back to an eighth-place finish. In Moto 2, he put himself into a favorable top-five position off the start but a crash on lap three dropped him back to 15th early on. He fought hard for the remainder of the race to ultimately come away with 14th in the moto and 10th overall. “I feel like today could have been good but I found myself on the ground too many times,” Swoll said. “It’s all good, I know I have the pace to do good things this season, so I’m just going to go back, get some rest and come back firing at Southwick. We’re just going to put it behind and keep having fun.” It was an up-and-down day for Stilez Robertson, who took plenty of positives away from the fourth round. With a top-10 start in Moto 1, he charged into the top-five on lap two and battled up front for the first five laps. He ran into an issue with arm pump midway through, ultimately salvaging 12th in the first moto. In Moto 2, he grabbed another solid start in sixth and battled his way up to fourth early on, maintaining that position for the first half of the race. Unfortunately, he went down just after the halfway point and dropped a few spots to finish eighth. With combined moto scores of 12-8, Robertson claimed his best overall-finish of the season with eighth. “Our speed isn’t bad, we just need to put it all together,” Robertson said. “Our starts are good and the bike was really good the second moto, so I can’t thank the team enough. I was running fourth and made a dumb mistake, tucked the front and ended up eighth. Next up is The Wick, so let’s have some fun!” 450MX It was a tough break for Dean Wilson, who ended his day early following a crash at the end of Moto 1. With a 10th place start, Wilson put himself in a great battle inside the top-10 early on and he maintained a solid pace for most of the race. With two laps to go, Wilson underwent a crash on the tabletop, which resulted in some internal bruising, and he made the tough decision to sit out the second moto in order to heal up. “It’s a disappointing way to end the weekend,” Wilson said. “We were looking for a good first moto and with just two laps to go, I drug pegs off a rut on the tabletop and I had to step over the bars. It happened so fast and I landed on my feet luckily but I bruised my inside organs a little bit. Unfortunately, I have to sit today out, which is hard to take because I want to get good finishes and keep getting better but unfortunately, we had this. We’ll see if we can make next weekend.” Next Event (Round 5): July 10 – Southwick National – Southwick, Massachusetts Round 4 Results: RedBud National 250MX Results 1. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 2-2 2. Justin Cooper (YAM) 4-1 3. Jett Lawrence (HON) 1-6 … 8. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 12-8 10. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 8-14 450MX Results 1. Dylan Ferrandis (YAM) 1-2 2. Eli Tomac (KAW) 4-1 3. Aaron Plessinger (YAM) 3-3 … 41. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 172 points 2. Justin Cooper – 164 points 3. Hunter Lawrence – 128 points 4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 111 points … 6. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 108 points 16. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 50 points 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Dylan Ferrandis – 179 points 2. Ken Roczen – 165 points 3. Aaron Plessinger – 143 points … 16. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 39 points 18. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 33 points 19. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 29 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen has secured his maiden 450cc race win with victory at round two of the Internazionali d’Italia series in Alghero, Sardinia. Following an impressive runner-up finish in the day’s opening MX1 moto, Kjer Olsen then charged to a stunning victory in the mixed capacity Supercampione race, claiming his first international win on FC 450 machinery. Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, the sandy hillside venue provided TKO with further races to sharpen his skills while competing on another rough and technical circuit ahead of the MXGP World Championship start in May. Enjoying a great start in the day’s MX1 moto, a confident Kjer Olsen quickly made a number of passes to move into fourth place during the opening lap. As the race unfolded, the Dane charged past Alessandro Lupino on lap five to secure third before moving into second just a few laps later. While giving chase to the race leader, Thomas momentarily stalled his FC 450 machine and then opted to settle for a safe, yet well-earned, runner-up finish. With the track at its roughest, TKO was undoubtedly at his best in the Supercampione moto. Ending lap one in sixth place, the 23-year-old then picked off his rivals as he worked on reeling in the race leader, Romain Febvre. With Kjer Olsen displaying incredible speed around the Alghero circuit, he was soon onto the back wheel of Febvre and made the crucial pass for the lead on lap 13. Maintaining his strong pace for the rest of the moto he claimed an impressive first-ever 450cc race win. Following a hugely positive time in Sardinia, Kjer Olsen will now return to his Belgian base and make his final preparations ahead of the 2021 MXGP World Championship. Thomas Kjer Olsen: “It feels amazing but also a little unexpected to have won the Supercampione race today. After the first race I knew my speed was good, I just made a few mistakes and for the second moto I knew I had to clean those up. My start in the second race wasn’t the best but I felt great on the bike. We have such a good set up with the bike that it allows me to ride freely and with a lot of confidence. I was able to push to the end and enjoyed leading laps and taking the win. We learned a lot today. These races are important to test settings in a racing environment and to learn how my competitors race too, so this trip to Sardinia has been really productive. We now head back to Belgium and look ahead to the MXGP season.” Results – 2021 Internazionali d’Italia, Round 2 MX1 1. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 18 laps, 28:24:167; 2. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 28:32:063; 3. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 28:41:184 Supercampione 1. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 18 laps, 28:39:336; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 28:40:717; 3. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 28:55:904
Stage two of the 2021 Dakar Rally has proven to be a successful one for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing with Pablo Quintanilla provisionally finishing third fastest and teammate Luciano Benavides safely inside the top 10, in eighth. In the general standings, Quintanilla and Benavides sit fourth and seventh, respectively. Making the most of being the 22nd rider to start today’s stage two, Quintanilla immediately settled into a strong pace. The Chilean rider, runner-up at the 2020 Dakar, moved up into the top five by the first checkpoint and didn’t look back, maintaining a great rhythm over the various changes in terrain to ultimately complete the 457km timed special as third fastest. Currently lying fourth in the provisional overall standings, Pablo will be looking to chase down the two riders ahead of him on tomorrow’s stage three. Putting in another solid performance on the demanding desert terrain, Luciano Benavides went one better than on Sunday to complete stage two in eighth place. His consistency moves him up to seventh in the provisional standings – less than 10 minutes down on the current leader. With Tuesday’s stage three promising more of the soft, deep sand dunes seen at the start of today’s route, Luciano hopes the conditions will once again favour his skill set. Stage three of the 2021 Dakar Rally, totalling 629km, both starts and finishes in Wadi Ad-Dawasir. Riders will face a tough 403km timed special as part of a looped course consisting of wide-open desert interspersed with slower technical sections. Pablo Quintanilla: “It was a really good day for me today – it was a long stage, really fast with some tricky navigation in places. Things started off tough right from the beginning with some very soft dunes, some of them were difficult to cross. Then some faster valleys between dunes, which I really liked – it suits my riding style and I much prefer it to the slower technical sections. It looks like there will be more dunes tomorrow, so we’ll see how things go.” Luciano Benavides: “It’s been another solid day for me today, and I’m happy for my result. I did a good job through the dunes at the beginning of the stage, it was more like the sort of terrain I’m used to from back home and I really enjoyed that section. After that, I was able to find a good rhythm as things got faster later on and I didn’t make too many mistakes with my navigation. I’m really pleased with how things are going, and the bike has been perfect so I’m looking forward to tomorrow.” 2021 Dakar Rally – Stage 2 Provisional Classification 1. Joan Barreda (Honda) 4:17:56 2. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 4:21:51 3. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 4:23:58 4. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 4:29:50 5. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 4:30:02 6. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 4:30:38 … 8. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 4:33:17 2021 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 2) 1. Joan Barreda (Honda) 8:15:38 2. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 8:22:01 3. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 8:22:15 4. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 8:22:54 5. Xavier de Soultrait (Husqvarna) 8:24:03 6. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 8:24:12 … 7. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 8:24:45
The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team took on the opening round of the 2021 AMA Supercross World Championship on Saturday, fielding a team of four riders across the 250SX and 450SX classes. It was RJ Hampshire highlighting the team’s effort at Round 1 as he rode his way to a top-five finish in the 250SX Eastern division. Teammate Zach Osborne battled through a challenging weekend in Houston, Texas to claim a top-10 finish in Round 1 of the 17-race championship. In his quest for a career-first 250SX title, Hampshire maintained a top-five running throughout the day, beginning with fifth-place in qualifying. Setting the tone for positive starts, Hampshire shot off the line to capture the holeshot in 250SX Heat 2, intensely battling for the lead before finishing a close second in the heat. In the Main Event, he once again got a great jump off the line to secure the holeshot and the early lead. He settled into second early on and continued to charge in the lead battle, dropping back to third on lap 11. Maintaining a hard-fought third place position, Hampshire lost traction with two-laps to go and tucked the front end, finishing fifth place in the Main Event. “We felt good in the beginning and it just got worse as the day went on,” Hampshire said. “In the Main Event, I ripped a start and just did not ride very well at all. I lost my front with a couple laps to go and then jumped off the track on the last lap. I’ll regroup and recover over the next couple of days and be better on Tuesday.” 450SX Osborne eased into the race day after sustaining a big crash during Friday’s media ride. He powered through the qualifying sessions with an 11th place spot but when the gate dropped for 450SX Heat 2, Osborne was more than ready to pick up where he left off at the end of the 2020 Supercross season. He secured a top-five start and worked his way up to second, eventually challenging for the lead with two laps to go. With a nice pass and a strong finish, Osborne secured the heat race win. In the Main Event, Osborne got caught up in a first-turn crash that left him battling from the back of the pack. Digging deep, the 2020 AMA 450MX Champion fought his way through the stacked field to ultimately finish 10th for the night. “We had an unfortunate incident yesterday and I am really lucky to be riding today, so I was happy to start to feel like myself again in qualifying, get a heat win and have a decent Main Event,” Osborne said. “I would have obviously liked to have been a little better than 10th but to be down in the first turn, come back to 10th and get some valuable points is a positive takeaway for me after yesterday.” It was a challenging day for 2018 450SX Champion, Jason Anderson, who finished 15th at the season opener. After qualifying ninth among a deep field of talent in the premier class, Anderson started off outside the top-10 in 450SX Heat 2 but he charged his way through the pack to secure a sixth place transfer position. In the Main Event, Anderson faced some first-round challenges in the form of arm pump as he fought hard in the opening laps to make up a 13th place deficit off the start. He made his way up to eighth early on but he wasn’t able to make it stick, ultimately finishing 15th for the night. “My night was not that good but we’re going into the next round and going to stay positive about it,” Anderson said. “I was up to seventh and then I got arm pump and kind of went backwards but all-in-all, we started the season and I’m happy to be back racing so let’s go from there.” Wilson had a great start to the opening round as he topped the morning’s free practice session, eventually landing 12th in the combined qualifying. In 450SX Heat 1, Wilson grabbed a top-five start and delivered a solid performance to carry a sixth-place transfer into the Main Event. With a 15th place start in the main, Wilson maintained a consistent pace throughout the 28-lap race to come away with 12th at the first round. “My starts in both the heat and Main Event weren’t that great tonight but I feel like if I can get a good start, I can definitely be up there,” Wilson said. “I got a little bit of arm pump and I was maintaining, instead of pushing forward, which was disappointing. We’re healthy and we’ve got another chance to try on Tuesday, so we’re going to keep positive.” Next Event (Round 2): Tuesday, January 19 – NRG Stadium – Houston, Texas Round 1 Results: Houston I 450SX Results 1. Justin Barcia (GAS) 2. Ken Roczen (HON) 3. Marvin Musquin (KTM) … 10. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 12. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 15. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX East Results 1.Christian Craig (YAM) 2. Austin Forkner (KAW) 3. Colt Nichols (YAM) … 5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Justin Barcia – 26 points 2. Ken Roczen – 23 points 3. Marvin Musquin – 21points … 10. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 13 points 12. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 11 points 15. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 8 points 250SX East Rider Point Standings 1. Christian Craig– 26 points 2. Austin Forkner – 23 points 3. Colt Nichols – 21 points … 5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 18 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing have successfully completed stage three of the Silk Way Rally with Skyler Howes and Luciano Benavides placing second and fourth respectively. With the event now shortened to just five stages, just two more days of intense racing await the FR 450 Rally riders. Due to the COVID situation in Mongolia, the rally organisers were advised yesterday not to enter the country and as such, it was decided to cut the rally to just five days, with today’s stage three becoming the first half of the revised marathon stage. Despite the upset to the event schedule, Skyler Howes stayed focused on the job at hand and, starting todays timed special in third, was able to maintain a solid pace for the entire 133km special. Finding the sandy tracks and high speeds much to his liking, the American felt comfortable on his FR 450 Rally and put in a virtually mistake-free ride to finish just over two minutes down on the stage winner. With competitors repeating today’s stage for tomorrow’s second half of the marathon stage, Skyler is looking forward to delivering another strong result. Claiming his best finish of the event so far, Luciano Benavides placed fourth on stage three, just over six minutes down after over 90 minutes of racing. The young Argentinian moves up to seventh in the provisional classification and is still very much in the hunt for the podium positions with two stages left to race. Riders will repeat today’s 133km timed special on Monday for stage four, before returning to the bivouac at Gorno-Altaisk. Skyler Howes: “Stage three went really good for me. I chose to focus on my navigation rather than push for the best time and it worked out well. There was only maybe a couple of corners where I went a little wide, but nothing that would have cost me any time, so I’m really pleased today. I’m not sure if you would call it desert, but the special was definitely a lot more open today and I really enjoy these faster tracks and mountain roads. There was one river crossing that was especially deep, but thankfully by getting off and pushing across I managed to get through safely. We run the same course again tomorrow, so hopefully it hasn’t been cut up too much by the cars and trucks, then it’s back to the teams to prepare for the final stage.” Luciano Benavides: “I lost a little time today in a couple of points – there was one place where I had to turn around, but apart from that I was happy with my riding and enjoyed the day. The stage was tough in places and the river crossings were really deep. I know a few of the guys had issues today, so after seeing that I decided to ease off a little and ensure a safe finish. We cover the same ground again tomorrow, so I’m looking forward to that and pushing harder to make up some places.” Pela Renet – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Rally Team Manager: “It’s a pity the event had to be shortened but we respect the decision of the organisers in what is a very difficult situation. The riders will re-run the same route as today for tomorrow’s second half of the marathon stage and will then contest one more day before the finish. Our job as a team is to adapt to these changes and try our best to earn maximum points for the championship. Skyler did a good job today – he lies third overall now and is looking good for the final two days. Concerning Luciano, he lost a little time on what was a tough stage today with some very tricky river crossings but arrived safely at the finish in fourth place and in good shape.” 2021 Silk Way Rally – Stage 3 Provisional Classification 1. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 1:32:21 2. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 1:34:24 3. Franco Caimi (Hero) 1:35:36 4. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 1:38:24 5. Sebastian Buhler (Hero) 1:38:48 6. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 1:39:14 2021 Silk Way Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 3) 1. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 3:49:24 2. Franco Caimi (Hero) 3:51:47 3. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 3:54:33 4. Sebastian Buhler (Hero) 3:57:36 5. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 3:58:51 6. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 3:59:27 … 7. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 4:01:57
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla and Luciano Benavides will today take to the start of the 2021 Dakar Rally. The South American duo have completed their Shakedown tests and all administrative checks and are set to take on the opening Prologue before lining up for the start of stage one on Sunday, January 3. Securing his best Dakar result in 2020 with an excellent runner-up finish, Pablo Quintanilla spent much of the remaining year recovering from the further surgeries carried out on the ankle he injured at the 2019 event. Unable to compete in the one competitive outing the team attended, the Chilean ace still managed to clock up many kilometres at home and comes into the 2021 Dakar fit and eager to get back to racing. With several improvements being made to the latest edition of his FR 450 Rally, Quintanilla is confident of fighting for another podium finish at this year’s event. Quintanilla’s teammate Luciano Benavides also enjoyed his best Dakar result in 2020, claiming a commendable sixth position in only his third appearance in the race. Joining the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team soon after the event, the young Argentinian put in as much time on the bike as possible over the course of the year, despite the pandemic-induced restrictions. Benavides’ first competitive outing for the team was unfortunately cut short when he crashed out of the Andalucia Rally in October. Soon back to full fitness however, Luciano was able to complete several weeks of valuable testing towards the end of the year and is now fully motivated for a strong result in Saudi Arabia. Marking the 43rd edition of the world’s most challenging off-road rally, the 2021 Dakar will once again be held in the Middle East. Covering a total of 7,646km, the race will see competitors face 12 tough stages of mixed terrain ranging from fast gravel tracks to the soft undulating sand dunes of the country’s ‘Empty Quarter’ desert. With the specials tailored more towards accurate navigation rather than out-and-out speed for 2021, the event looks set to be more mentally taxing than ever. Opening with a short 11-kilometre Prologue on January 2, followed by 12 full days of racing, the event finishes back in Jeddah on January 15, with riders having raced 4,767km against the clock. Pablo Quintanilla: “Since Dakar last year I had further surgery on the ankle that I broke in 2019 so I spent a lot of last year recovering, but now I am back to 100% and excited for the race to start. Because of my recovery I did little in the way of testing but was able to spend a lot of time with the team towards the end of the year, which was great. Dakar demands a real team effort, and everyone has been working really hard and they’ve built a great bike for me. There are some small changes with the rear shock and the fuel tank, and these have improved the bike, so everything is feeling great at the moment. The new route for this year looks exciting, and along with the new safety regulations I hope we can have a successful rally. My aim is to be consistent on every stage without making too many mistakes, finish the race healthy, and earn a strong result for myself and the team.” Luciano Benavides: “I’m really looking forward to racing the Dakar again, the 2021 edition will be my fourth time racing it and you never stop learning new things, but I have a lot of confidence for this one. I’m still really new to the team, but there is a great atmosphere and I feel like we have a lot of potential this year. My goal is to improve on my sixth-place finish from last year and, realistically, I’m aiming for a place on the podium. It’s a long race and my strategy will be to finish each day in the top five, but on days where I feel more confident, I will try and push for stage wins. The course is all-new and more technical with slower speeds, which suits how I ride, so I’m really looking forward to getting started now. I’m super-happy with how my bike felt in the Shakedown, and physically I’m the best prepared that I’ve ever been.” Pela Renet – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Rally Team Manager: “It feels good to be racing at Dakar again, the terrain here will be more familiar this time around. Last year we had to learn everything about the area, whereas now we know what to expect. Because of the pandemic both Pablo and Luciano had to stay home for most of 2020. Recently though, we have been able to get the whole team together in preparation for 2021, which has been great. The riders have been mainly focussing on their roadbook skills and with the roadbooks being handed to each rider shortly before each stage at the Dakar, we have done the same during testing. We have prepared some great bikes for the riders, so it’s now over to them to continue with their own progression and reach their personal goals. The Shakedown went well – the bikes are performing great and Pablo and Luciano are feeling good physically. It’s been a long time coming, but finally we’re all set to go racing again.”
Husqvarna Motorcycles will look back on a victory and two strong top five positions from the 2020 championship as the team end the season just outside the points at Portimao. The MotoGP paddock encountered a brand new and thrilling challenge with the first ever visit to the Algarve International Circuit for the Grande Prémio MEO de Portugal. The fifteenth and final round of 2020 took place around the sweeping technical layout and where the teams lacked crucial data and set-up information. The first Free Practice sessions were therefore important to learn the demands and lines as well as the levels of grip and possibilities around the popular course. Fenati showed fast adaptation to record the 2nd fastest lap-time in FP1 but as the chrono tumbled the Italian persevered to try and keep pace as Alonso Lopez also pushed hard. Saturday saw the white and blue FR 250 GP motorcycles in 23rd and 26th on the grid, so both riders had to get away from the 8th and 9th rows with a lot of traffic to pass for the 21 laps on Sunday. The Moto3 pack were unusually dispersed during the race and it left both Fenati and Lopez trying to cut through to the points. Lopez also had to negotiate a Long Lap penalty but then crashed out at Turn 12 with five laps to go. Fenati, experiencing harsh rear tyre wear, could only manage 20th. The highlight of 2020 for the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team was undoubtedly Fenati’s exciting home victory at the Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli in September and he picked up points in a total of nine Grands Prix. Lopez’ 5th position in Barcelona hinted at the potential still to come. Husqvarna Motorcycles will enter the 2021 Moto3 season with the same rider line-up and with further experience of the FR 250 GP. The fresh campaign will start on March 28th in Qatar. Romano Fenati: “I’m not happy with the race because the rear tyre dropped immediately. It was difficult to push and stay competitive and it felt like the race was over as soon as it started. It has been a season with ups and downs but we know very well where we have to work for 2021.” Alonso Lopez: “Sadly, I couldn’t find my way at this race. Overall, I learned a lot this year. I could have done more and on track I couldn’t always show it. I need to focus more on my weak points for next season. I want to thank the team for all their work this year. They have done a fantastic job. Thanks to my sponsors also for all their support.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “Today both riders started far back on the grid and we had a crash and a result out of the points, so a tough day and not how we hoped to finish the championship but we took a victory this year, our first with Husqvarna Motorcycles, and that is the most important thing to remember from this season. We will focus on 2021 and aim for similar results.” Results – 2020 Moto3 FIM World Championship, Round 15 1. Raul Fernandez (KTM)+1.297, 2. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 38:17.462, 3. Jeremy Alcoba (Honda) +1.142, 20. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +24.672, DNF. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) Final World Championship standings 1. Albert Arenas (KTM) 174pts; 2. Tony Arbolino (Honda) 170pts; 3. Ai Ogura (Honda) 170pts; 14. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 77 pts; 23. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) 21
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pablo Quintanilla and Luciano Benavides have safely arrived at the bivouac in Neom where they have re-united with their team following the 2021 Dakar Rally marathon stage. With both riders claiming top-20 stage results, despite the challenging journey through the desert, the two FR 450 Rally mounted stars sit 10th and 11th respectively in the provisional overall standings. With no outside mechanical assistance allowed overnight at the temporary bivouac, preserving tyres and machine was the priority for both riders. Not feeling as comfortable as he’d like over the harsh terrain on stage eight, Pablo Quintanilla opted to complete the 375km special at a solid but steady pace and ensure a safe finish. Finishing the day as 18th fastest, 18 minutes down on the eventual stage winner, Pablo now provisionally sits 10th overall, just ahead of his teammate. Stage eight turned out to be one to forget for Luciano Benavides. Struggling to find his rhythm early on, the Argentinian then came across a fallen rider who required medical attention. Staying with him until help arrived, Luciano then carried on to the end of the stage, posting the 20th quickest time. Despite the disappointing result, Benavides lies 11th in the provisional standings, one place behind his teammate, and may see his result improve if he is awarded time back for the period spent helping his fellow competitor. Pablo Quintanilla: “It’s been a tough marathon stage, both days have been challenging with some very tricky technical sections and for the body it has been very tiring. I didn’t really feel comfortable enough to push today and with four more long days to go, I didn’t want to make any serious mistakes on the rocky tracks. Luckily, we didn’t have any issues during the marathon stage, and I was able to look after the bike really well. I’ll talk to the team now and we’ll come up with a plan for the rest of the race and hopefully we can make up a few more places.” Luciano Benavides: “That has certainly been the worst day of my rally so far. For me, I didn’t feel so good at the start of the stage, so it was difficult to focus properly through the stage. I struggled a little with my rhythm at first and then after the refuelling I found another rider who had crashed. I stayed with him until the medical helicopter arrived but after that it was hard to get into the right frame of mind again, so I just tried to get myself safely to the finish and not push too hard. The stage was amazing with some really beautiful scenery, it’s just a shame I wasn’t able to enjoy it.” Stage nine of the rally forms a loop north of the bivouac at Neom and covers a total of 579km. The timed special at 465km long is the second longest of the race and will require accurate navigation. Download high-res images from the 2021 Dakar Rally here. 2021 Dakar Rally – Stage 8 Provisional Classification 1. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 3:08:40 2. Toby Price (KTM) 3:09:45 3. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 3:11:30 4. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 3:12:26 5. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 3:14:09 6. Joan Barreda (Honda) 3:14:27 … 18. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 3:27:20 20. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:30:28 2021 Dakar Rally – Overall Provisional Classification (after stage 8) 1. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 32:00:11 2. Toby Price (KTM) 32:01:17 + 0:01:06 3. Sam Sunderland (KTM) 32:06:08 + 0:05:57 4. Kevin Benavides (Honda) 32:13:09 + 0:12:58 5. Joan Barreda (Honda) 32:16:16 + 0:16:05 6. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 32:17:53 + 0:17:42 … 10. Pablo Quintanilla (Husqvarna) 32:38:52 11. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 32:39:06
Husqvarna Motorcycles toasts victory at the British Grand Prix for round twelve of 2021 MotoGP. The British Grand Prix was another new hunting ground for Husqvarna Motorcycles and the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team as MotoGP visited the long and fast layout at Silverstone for the first time since 2019. The famous Midlands circuit missed the calendar in 2020 and was infamously washed out through torrential rainfall in 2018, meaning that precious few race laps had been run at the facility in the last four years. Romano Fenati’s recent hot form carried over from his race-leading performance last time out in Austria and the Italian was simply outstanding around Silverstone’s largely flat, eighteen-corner trajectory. Fenati used his FR 250 GP to top the time sheets in every single Free Practice and Qualification outing on Friday and Saturday. The 25-year-old was dominant – setting the fastest lap-times largely by himself - and streaked away to a second consecutive Pole Position. After again securing 1st place in Warm-up by almost one second, Fenati blasted away from the front of the start grid to head the pack. Silverstone is a technical track that favours flow and corner speed and Fenati was able to create the difference over Niccolo Antonelli and the rest of his pursuers. He led every circulation and capped a perfect weekend with his second career triumph in Husqvarna Motorcycles colours. The 25-points represents his fourth podium of the campaign. Adrian Fernandez made his first appearance at Silverstone. The rookie took 19th place on the grid and then slotted into the ten-rider group battling for 10th, that included world championship leaders Pedro Acosta and Sergio Garcia. By the chequered flag the Spaniard was 19th. Fenati maintains 3rd place in the Moto3 World Championship standings and needs to close a 23-point gap to Garcia in 2nd. Fernandez has 16 points. MotoGP moves to the MotorLand Aragon circuit in Spain for round thirteen on September 11th and 12th. Romano Fenati: “I’m really happy. This is amazing: every session 1st. My race was fantastic but also was the work with the team, they did a really good job. I’m much more than happy! Now we have to think about the next race. For sure it won’t be easy to do another weekend like this but it’s the target. I know we can do it, and I trust my bike and team totally.” Results – 2021 Moto3 World Championship, Round 12 1. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 37:26.974, 2. Niccolo Antonelli (KTM) +1.679, 3. Dennis Foggia (Honda) +2.107, 19. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) +25.215 World Championship standings 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 201pts; 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 155pts; 3. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 132 pts; 24. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) 16 pts.
It was a solid day all-around for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Dean Wilson, who raced his way to a second-straight top-10 finish at Saturday’s Spring Creek National in Millville, Minnesota for Round 6 of the 2021 AMA Pro Motocross Championship. His teammate, Jalek Swoll, also secured a top-10 in the 250MX division with combined 12-10 scores on the day. Wilson qualified a season-best 11th overall earlier in the day, which set him up for a favorable start in Moto 1. He captured a top-10 start in the first moto of the day and he battled around 10th all race long to ultimately secure a top-10 finish in the first moto. In Moto 2, Wilson started in seventh and he once again battled inside the top-10 all race long. He pushed hard in the final laps to come away with 10th in the race and 10th overall for the day. “Today was one of my better days,” Wilson said. “I do wish I was a little healthier to give it a little bit more but 10th was the best I had today. My starts were good but I just need to try and get better and get my health better as well but we’ll take it and just try to keep getting better.” 250MX Swoll began Moto 1 just outside the top-10 and he struggled to gain momentum early in the race. He eventually got into a groove and battled his way back up to a 12th place finish. In Moto 2, Swoll got off to a 17th place start and he worked his way into a top-10 position in the first five laps. Despite a chaotic race, Swoll was able to maintain a solid pace and keep it on two wheels to ultimately finish 10th in the moto and 10th overall on the day. “Today was not so good compared to how the rest of the season was going, I’m battling some old injuries right now,” Swoll said. “We’re going to use this week for some fuel and try to come back firing at Washougal.” Hampshire had a great start to the day, qualifying third overall in the 250MX class. He secured a top-10 start in Moto 1 and quickly charged up to eighth by the third lap, where he battled early in the race. Just after the halfway point, Hampshire picked off a couple more riders to get into sixth and he finished strong just outside the top-five. In Moto 2, he got a sixth-place start and raced just outside the top-five early on. He came together with another rider as their lines met through a corner and as a result, he was forced off-track where his rear wheel got tangled up in the sideline banners. After spending most of the race trying to untangle his bike, Hampshire had no choice but to end his day early, salvaging 13th overall with 6-38 moto finishes. “Honestly, I felt pretty good on the bike today and I felt like we were in a lot more control,” Hampshire said. “I didn’t get great start first moto but I felt pretty solid. Second moto, I got a little bit better of a start and made some quick passes but I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. We’ll go to work this week and be better at Washougal.” Stilez Robertson had a good start to the first moto, rounding the opening lap in seventh. He shuffled inside the top-10 early on, settling into a battle for 10th midway through the race. With a hard-fought effort, he ultimately finished 11th in Moto 1. In Moto 2, Robertson got off to a great start where he battled just outside the top-five early on. However, he ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time when he got caught up in a pileup and went down early in the race. He tried to push through but ultimately made the decision to pull off halfway through the race. Despite a tough ending, Robertson was able to salvage 15th overall with 11-35 finishes. “First moto, I got a pretty good start and honestly just didn’t ride all that well,” Robertson said. “I got a pretty good start in Moto 2 and was running seventh and I ended up getting caught up in the pileup with RJ. I got a little banged up but I went back out and was coming forward, passing for 20th, and tipped over and another rider didn’t see me and just ran straight over me. I got some bumps and bruises but we’ll be alright and we’ll get ready and healthy for Washougal and come out swinging.” Next Event (Round 7): July 24 – Washougal National – Washougal, Washington Round 6 Results: Spring Creek National 250MX Results 1. Jeremy Martin (YAM) 1-1 2. Michael Mosiman (GAS) 3-2 3. Justin Cooper (YAM) 2-3 … 10. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 12-10 13. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 6-38 15. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 11-35 450MX Results 1. Justin Barcia (GAS) 1-2 2. Eli Tomac (KAW) 3-4 3. Dylan Ferrandis (YAM) 2-5 … 10. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 10-10 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Justin Cooper – 243 points 2. Jett Lawrence – 237 points 3. Hunter Lawrence – 210 points … 5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 163 points 8. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 148 points 14. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 86 points 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Dylan Ferrandis – 262 points 2. Ken Roczen – 230 points 3. Justin Barcia – 207 points … 12. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 82 points 18. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 33 points 20. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 29 points
Husqvarna Motorcycles and the Nestaan-MX managed Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 team would like to thank Thomas Kjer Olsen for his dedication and many successes throughout the past four seasons in the FIM Motocross World Championship. Remaining with the brand that has taken him to 29 overall podiums and 5 GP wins, for the next two seasons TKO progresses to the MXGP division with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. Since beginning his MX2 World Championship career with Husqvarna Motorcycles in 2017, Thomas has been a regular title contender thanks to his outright speed and consistency. Placing third overall in his 2017 and 2018 campaigns, the 2019 season saw the FC 250 rider carry the series-leader red plate through four rounds, before ultimately going on to claim a runner-up finish in the championship standings. Two injuries early in the 2020 season frustratingly ruled TKO out of contention for a world title. Racing himself back into shape, he ended the season strongly, with two GP wins and six overall podium results. Returning to his race-winning speed, a new chapter now awaits the Dane with a switch to the MXGP class on the FC 450 machinery of the IceOne Racing managed team. Robert Jonas – Vice President Motorsports Offroad: “Thomas is a special talent and a hard worker. With Rasmus by his side, TKO developed to be a top rider in MX2 and his results speak for themselves. He’s dedicated to his racing and his move to MXGP is exciting for him and for us. I even believe that the FC 450 will suit his riding style even better and in the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MXGP division he has everything he needs to continue his successful career. “ Rasmus Jorgensen - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 Team Manager: “With TKO moving up to the MXGP class it marks the end the professional partnership between us. We have a great personal friendship and great memories with many accomplishments. Thomas was 2016 EMX250 Champion, then third in the MX2 World Championship in his first season in 2017. He was third again in 2018 and runner-up in 2019. This season was difficult with two injuries, but he’s never given up and ended the season strong in sixth place. I’m extremely proud to have had Thomas as a rider in my first year as the official Team Manager for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 Team in 2020. To get to this point together truly is amazing and I will forever look back on the memories with great joy. I want to thank Thomas for his trust, dedication, and commitment over recent years and wish him the best of luck on his journey into the premier class. I’m really looking forward to following from the side lines as he takes on this new chapter in his career. I truly believe he will suit the FC 450 really well and will surprise people next year. I know he will be in great hands within the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MXGP Team. Thank you, Thomas!”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Now Heads West to Vie for 450MX Title Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team’s Zach Osborne came into Saturday’s WW Ranch National with vengeance after a tough go last weekend, and he made the most of his championship opportunity as he picked up the daily maximum of 50 points toward the 2020 AMA 450MX Championship with a flawless 1-1 performance in Jacksonville, Florida. He started the day off fast by claiming the second-place qualifying position to set himself up for a great start in Moto 1, where he battled inside the top-three early on. With five laps to go, Osborne clicked it up a few notches to charge from third to first with two statement passes on the same lap and he finished strong with the moto-win. In Moto 2, he got off to a sixth-place start but in true fashion he continued to generate momentum climbing from fourth to first by the halfway mark. Osborne dug deep to fend off two hard-charging riders in the final laps to put an exclamation point on an unrivaled performance at Round 7. With two rounds remaining, Osborne now extends his lead to 29 points as he continues to fight for a career-first 450MX title this season. “It was a solid weekend going 1-1 for the overall,” Osborne said. “I was able to extend my cushion again in the points so it was exactly what we needed for the stretch run of this championship. I’m looking forward to the last two rounds and finishing it off.” Teammates Jason Anderson and Dean Wilson will miss the remainder of the 2020 AMA Pro Motocross Championship as both riders continue to recover from recent injuries. 250MX RJ Hampshire got off to a great start in Moto 1, where he battled from the second-place position early on. He mixed it up with the front-runners for a majority of the race, swapping positions inside the top-four several times in the first 13 laps. With three laps to go, Hampshire engaged in a late charge for second-place but he caught a rock off the face of a jump and it took him down hard, leaving him unable to finish the final few laps of the race. Bruised and battered, Hampshire bounced back in Moto 2 to salvage a sixth-place finish after battling for a top-five position most of the race. With 35-6 moto scores, he ultimately took home 12th overall for the day. “Today was tough,” Hampshire said. “I was coming in injured [hip] and I didn’t ride all week so I tightened up in the first moto. I was able to put a late-race charge but I caught a rock off the biggest jump out there and it really scared me. I’m lucky enough to walk away with pretty much minor aches and pains but I’m sure I’ll be feeling it later. I salvaged what I could in the second moto and I’m ready to re-group and get back on the box next weekend.” Team rider Jalek Swoll had an early ending to his day after separating his shoulder while battling for a top-10 position during the first 250MX moto. Now an ongoing occurrence, Swoll and the team made the decision for him to sit out the second moto. Stilez Robertson was sidelined once again this weekend after hitting his head during qualifying at the previous round. The team will continue to assess his condition for the remaining two rounds. Next Race: October 3 – Thunder Valley National – Lakewood, Colorado WW Ranch National – Results 450MX Results 1. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (1-1) 2. Marvin Musquin, KTM (3-3) 3. Eli Tomac, Kawasaki (6-2) 250MX Results 1. Dylan Ferrandis, Yamaha (1-1) 2. Justin Cooper, Yamaha (4-2) 3. Jeremy Martin, Honda (3-3) … 12. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (35-6) 20. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (17-DNS) 450MX Rider Point Standings – After 7 of 9 rounds 1. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 285 points 2. Adam Cianciarulo, 256 points 3. Marvin Musquin, 255 points … 13. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 97 points 17. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 58 points 250MX Rider Point Standings – After 7 of 9 rounds 1. Dylan Ferrandis, 307 points 2. Jeremy Martin, 294 points 3. Alex Martin, 224 points … 5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 217 points 16. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 70 points 25. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 19 points
Husqvarna Motorcycles celebrates a first ever success in Moto3 as Romano Fenati races his FR 250 GP to 1st place at the second Grand Prix in a row in San Marino Generous sunshine lit the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for the second race inside a week at the venue on the Adriatic coast. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team faced another attempt at a home round of the 2020 series and started off the weekend in positive form with Fenati haunting the top five during Free Practice. After Qualification on Saturday the 24-year old took 6th on the grid for the 23 laps on Sunday. Teammate Alonso Lopez was 23rd. Fenati, who was just over half a second from a podium finish at the Grand Prix the previous Sunday, launched straight into content for a trophy in the opening stages. He was part of a group that fluctuated between eight to fourteen riders all circulating at the front of a typically hectic Moto3 affair with many position changes and tight overtaking moves. Fenati put himself into a strong position for the decisive last lap by running fourth, and then with two corners remaining kept a tight inside line while Jaume Masia and Celestino Vietti pushed each other wide. The Italian made use of the space to seize the lead and cross the finish line to capture Husqvarna Motorcycles first-ever road racing triumph (after having two previous Moto3 podium results in 2014). With his twelfth career win he achieved the distinction of having the highest total in Moto3 history. It was his first chequered flag since the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix. Lopez showed decent speed to vie for the top fifteen but was penalised with a long lap penalty at almost half-race distance. The young Spaniard entered the thin extension zone to Turn 9 but lost control of his motorcycle on entry and crashed out. The Circuit de Barcelona-Cataluyna will host the third Grand Prix in three weeks on September 27th. Thanks to his 25 points obtained at Misano, Fenati has risen to 10th in the championship standings. Romano Fenati: “It is a special emotion for me to win here in Italy. Previously we had some problems being part of the group and at the start of the race but now I have more confidence with my front brake, and I can overtake well. For sure, it is hard because the other riders are fast: too fast! Seriously though the bike was really good and my feeling with the front end also. We worked hard this weekend to find the best way for braking: if there is a big leading group it is important to be able to overtake on the inside. I’m happy because two races ago I was in the top twenty and now I’m first! It’s important now to stay at the front and important to make another step. For the moment I’m very happy.” Alonso Lopez: “I’m disappointed. I believe we had good potential and even with the long lap sanction I thought we could make a very good race. Unfortunately, I crashed and that was it. In Barcelona we have to make another step in our performance, and I think it will be a positive weekend because we are working very well now.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “We are very happy and proud to make the first victory for Husqvarna. Thanks to the team for their work and of course Romano did the main job. We were waiting for this victory for a long time.” Results – 2020 Moto3 FIM World Championship, Round 8 1 Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 39:30.124, 2. Celestino Vietti (KTM) +0.036, 3. Ai Ogura (Honda) +0.121, DNF. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) Championship standings – After round 8 1. Albert Arenas (KTM) 119pts; 2. Ai Ogura (Honda) 117; 3. John McPhee (Honda) 98; 10. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 47; 23. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) 5
Australian heads Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s assault on round eight of the 2020 Motocross World Championship with teammate Thomas Kjer Olsen right behind in fourth overall Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton has secured his best result of the 2020 season to date with a strong third place overall MX2 class finish at round eight of the FIM Motocross World Championship. Putting a number of frustrating GPs behind him, the Australian scored a fourth-place finish in the opening moto at the MXGP of Emilia Romagna before backing it up with an impressive third in moto two. Beaton’s MX2 class teammate Thomas Kjer Olsen continued his return to form with a solid fourth place overall MX2 result, while in MXGP Arminas Jasikonis started the day as fastest qualifier before finishing race one in a strong sixth. A crash and 13th place result in race two gave the Lithuanian 10th overall. It was a positive start to the MXGP of Emilia Romagna for Jed Beaton, who was finally able to avoid the opening-moto demons that have repeatedly plagued him during 2020 to secure a fighting fourth-place finish in race one. Successfully staying away from the opening lap chaos, a charge through the field after a top-10 start saw him reach fourth place on lap 11. Closing in on teammate Thomas Kjer Olsen as the race wound down, Jed was unable to find a way through and finished fourth. Beaton then bettered his race one result with a strong third-place finish in race two, confirming his place on the overall podium. After getting pinched off in the opening corner, a determined push from 12th to fourth during the first half of the opening lap put him in a good position for a solid race finish. Moving into third early in the moto, Jed rode a smart race to clinch his maiden overall podium result of 2020 on his FC 250, his first top-three since 2018. Clearly comfortable on the hardpack Faenza circuit, Thomas Kjer Olsen continued his return to form by claiming third in the opening moto. A great start saw him challenge for second early in the race, before settling into third and going on to enjoy a mostly untroubled moto while maintaining a strong pace. In an exciting end to race one, TKO again challenged for second place but came up agonisingly short, crossing the line in a close third position. Race two was another strong moto for Kjer Olsen. Clearly recovered from his recent injury, the Dane rode a little too cautiously in the early stages of the moto before racing to a sixth-place finish and claiming a solid fourth overall. Another impressive overall result elevates him up to seventh place in the MX2 World Championship. Arminas Jasikonis began the MXGP of Emilia Romagna having laid down solid foundations for a positive day’s racing. Qualifying fastest, he then placed sixth in the opening moto, his best race result from the trio of GPs held at the Faenza circuit. Frustratingly, race two wasn’t quite so prosperous. A crash on lap four relegated AJ from the top 10 down to 21st. A strong ride through the field saw him claim 13th for 10th overall. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to FIM Motocross World Championship competition on September 27 for the MXGP of Lombardia, taking place at the sandy Mantova circuit in northern Italy. Jed Beaton: “It feels great. It’s been a long time coming and it’s great to finally get the monkey off my back and have a great first moto. My starts weren’t the best today but I made it work, especially in the second moto. I’m really happy to finally get onto the podium this season for myself and the team. It’s extra special because it’s my first podium result for Husqvarna. I’ve had a few second-place finishes, but the first moto has let me down so it’s great to turn it around and get on the podium with two good results. My riding was good today. My bike was great so thanks to the team and we’ll build on this ahead of Mantova.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “Another good day in Italy. The plan for these races in Faenza was to podium at least one race, which we did on Wednesday and then another today in the first race, so it’s been a good week for me. It feels great to get another strong overall result. First moto I felt really good and comfortable on my bike. I challenged Vialle for second place and then Jed was right on me at the finish. Race two was tricky. It was slick from the track watering and I think I rode a little too cautiously. I wasn’t aggressive enough early in the race, but I pulled through to sixth and that gave me fourth overall, so I’m really happy with that and we’re consistently up front so everything’s good now.” Arminas Jasikonis: “Today started great with my third pole position and then sixth in the first race. I felt great on my bike and was able to set the fastest time in qualifying, so my speed was there. Race two was going ok until I crashed. It was only a small one but my bike was up on top of a berm so it took a little longer than I’d have liked to get going again. I charged again and picked some riders off so it wasn’t great, but not a complete disaster. We’re all so close in speed in MXGP and every point counts so we’ll regroup and look forward to Mantova.” Results – 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 8 MXGP - Overall 1. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 44pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 41; 3. Jorge Prado (KTM) 40… 10. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 23; 17. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 6 MXGP - Race 1 1. Jorge Prado (KTM) 17 laps, 35:06:974; 2. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 35:08:730; 3. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 35:19:441… 6. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 35:26:478 MXGP - Race 2 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 17 laps, 35:15:947; 2. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 35:20:906; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 35:26:446… 13. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 36:38:767; 15. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 36:52:713; 23. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 35:27:667 MX2 – Overall 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 47pts; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 47; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 38; 4. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35; 13. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 14; 20. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 5; 21. Maximilian Spies (Husqvarna) 2 MX2 - Race 1 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 17 laps, 35:27:462; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:30:393; 3. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:30:964; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:31:659… 17. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 36:41:035; 19. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 36:47:337; 22. Maximilian Spies (Husqvarna) 37:31:824; 26. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 35:52:370 MX2 - Race 2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 16 laps, 34:15:955; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 34:23:056; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:27:056… 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 34:33:666; 11. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 35:12:707; 18. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 35:39:443; 19. Maximilian Spies (Husqvarna) 35:54:359; 24. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 34:39:757 Championship Standings – After Round 8 MXGP 1. Jeffery Herlings (KTM) 285pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 278; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 263… 6. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 233; 23. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 20; 24. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 26; 30. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 12; 33. Lars van Berkel (Husqvarna) 9; 35. Brent Van doninck (Husqvarna) 5 MX2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 354pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 333; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 259; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 247… 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 153; 16. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 68; 17. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 66; 18. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 62; 31. Gianmarco Cenerelli (Husqvarna) 21; 33. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 11; 36. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 5; 38. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 3
It was a frustrating day of racing at round seven of the MXGP World Championship for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. With crashes effecting the results of all riders in Latvia, it was Jed Beaton in MX2 who fared best, securing eighth-overall with teammate Kay de Wolf close behind in ninth. Competing in the MXGP class, Thomas Kjer Olsen showed impressive speed all day to claim a solid eighth-place finish in moto two. Round seven of the FIM Motocross World Championship marked the fourth event of the series in as many weeks, taking Rockstar Energy Husqvarna to Kegums in Latvia. The circuit, which combined a hard base with a demanding, sandy riding surface, once again proved challenging for all competitors. Following three consecutive top-five overall results in the MX2 class, Jed Beaton arrived in Latvia aiming to maintain his excellent form. After qualifying fastest in Time Practice, the 23-year-old lined up for moto one on the very inside gate and enjoyed a great start, slotting into second position as the field emerged from the first turn. From there, the FC 250 racer remained up front for the whole moto, going on to end his race less than one second behind Jago Geerts and in a solid fourth place. For race two, Jed was rightly confident of another strong result as well as a potential spot on the GP podium. Frustratingly, the Australian clipped a stricken bike on the opening lap, which sent him to the ground. Following another crash later in the race Beaton eventually worked his way up to 13th by the end of the moto. Despite his misfortune, Jed placed eighth-overall yet advances to sixth in the MX2 World Championship. Kay de Wolf continues to deliver strong results in his rookie season in the MX2 class. After getting caught in the start gate along with several of his rivals in race one, the young Dutchman clawed his way through the field to place ninth in the opening moto of the day. With a much better start in race two, Kay moved into sixth place on lap four and gave chase to the leading riders. Maintaining his position for the whole moto, the 16-year-old frustratingly made a few costly mistakes on the final lap, which allowed two riders to pass him. Nevertheless, it was a strong ninth overall for de Wolf as he added another solid points haul to his championship tally. In the MXGP class, Thomas Kjer Olsen was looking forward to racing at one of his favourite circuits on the calendar. Following a great start and running up front in race one, a small mistake resulted in a rival landing on his bike, damaging it so much that he was unable to continue. Regrouping for moto two, the Dane enjoyed another great start and slotted into eighth at the halfway stage of the race. Thomas then gave chase to Jeremy Seewer but came up just short of making a pass stick. The 24-year-old ultimately claimed 13th overall on the day. For Thomas’ teammate Arminas Jasikonis, his day in Latvia was brought to a premature end following a heavy fall in Time Practice that ruled the Lithuanian out of lining up for MXGP round seven. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to FIM Motocross World Championship action on September 5 for the first of two rounds to take place in Turkey. Jed Beaton: “I was certainly hoping for more today, especially after race one. In the second one someone had crashed in front of me and I had nowhere to go so I hit their bike and went down. I was coming through pretty good and then I crashed again. It’s frustrating as I’ve been building momentum during the last few weeks so it’s a little disappointing. I’m looking forward to Turkey and two rounds there on the hardpack, so that should be a good trip.” Kay de Wolf: “It’s not been too bad here in Latvia. The day didn’t start good with the issue with the gate in race one, but I managed to come through pretty well for ninth in that one, passing a lot of good riders. I’m a little annoyed about race two, I made three big mistakes on the last lap and lost sixth place, which is frustrating. But on the other hand, I didn’t crash and I’m healthy, and I scored some solid points, so I can’t be too unhappy.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “Unfortunately this weekend was a little bit like last weekend – one good moto and one bad one. The bad one, that was just bad luck really, I made a mistake and then someone landed on the back of my bike and it was too damaged to continue. What makes it worse is that I was up front and I felt like I could start picking riders off. Eighth in race two though, I’ll take that. I felt great on my bike, so I really enjoyed that one. I know I have the speed so it’s just about putting it all together.” Results – 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 7 MXGP - Overall 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 44pts; 2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 43; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 43… 13. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 13 MXGP - Race 1 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 35:16:523, 17 laps; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 35:24:226; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 35:28:306 MXGP - Race 2 1. Jorge Prado (KTM) 36:22:889, 17 laps; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 36:29:981; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 36:38:452… 8. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 37:23:375 MX2 - Overall 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 50pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 42; 3. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 42… 8. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 26; 9. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 25 MX2 - Race 1 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:49:854, 17 laps; 2. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 35:55:843; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 35:59:711; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:00:555; 9. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 36:22:973 MX2 - Race 2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:36:088, 17 laps; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 35:40:079; 3. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 35:46:734; 8. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 36:15:383; 13. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:39:608 Championship Standings – After Round 7 MXGP 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 270pts; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 257; 3. Jorge Prado (KTM) 255… 12. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 101; 20. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 48 MX2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 271pts; 2. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 237; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 235… 6. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 197; 8. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 184
Hampshire claims overall victory in 250MX class; Osborne extends 450MX points lead with podium finish Just three short days after going to battle at RedBud MX for Round 4, the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team returned to racing on Monday for Round 5 of the 2020 AMA Pro Motocross Championship, rounding out the series’ first doubleheader weekend in Buchanan, Michigan. RJ Hampshire proved that consistency is everything in the 250MX Championship as he scored a pair of podium finishes to claim the overall victory amidst a chaotic day of racing. In the 450MX class, Zach Osborne successfully managed his championship points lead with a third-place podium finish to extend his lead to 28 points as the team enjoys a well-deserved weekend off before heading into the second half of the series. 450MX In Moto 1, Osborne got off to a good start as he settled into second early on. He chased after the leader for a majority of the race before being joined by a hard-charging group of riders from behind. He diced back-and-forth in the final laps to ultimately finish just off the podium in fourth. In Moto 2, he powered his way into second off the start and he once again went to work reeling in the race leader, who made a mistake and allowed Osborne to get by on lap 10. Osborne led for two laps before getting passed by Blake Baggett and from there, he finished strong to secure second in the moto and third overall for the day. “I didn’t qualify that great but I was able to take two good starts and go 4-2 for third overall and extend my points lead a little bit,” Osborne said. “I can’t thank the team enough for all of their hard work and we’re happy to get through this doubleheader weekend healthy and strong.” Dean Wilson finished just outside the top-10 overall in the 450MX class with a pair of consistent 11-11 moto scores. After five rounds, Wilson sits 10th overall in the class championship. “The two RedBuds have been kind of a struggle for me,” Wilson said. “I have a bit of a knee injury and I was off the pace for both rounds here but at the end of the day it’s not an excuse and I know I need to be faster and I need to be better. I’m glad to be safe and move onto the next round at Millville.” Team rider Jason Anderson is expected to miss at least the next few rounds as he underwent surgery on Thursday morning to remove previous hardware in his arm following a re-aggravation of it at Round 3. 250MX In Moto 1, Hampshire got off to a third-place start and he settled into the podium battle early on. He maintained a top-three position through the first half before finally making for second on lap nine. From there, the race leader made a mistake and went down leaving an open track for Hampshire to assume the lead. With two laps to go, Hampshire made a small bobble that sent him off balance and he dropped into second, where he ultimately finished. In Moto 2, he grabbed another top-three start and battled up front throughout the entire 16-lap race. He overtook second just after the halfway mark but he was passed back on the final lap to ultimately secure third in the moto. Hampshire’s 2-3 finishes were enough to earn top honors for the day as a first-time overall winner in 2020. “I got off to two pretty good starts today, which was nice. I should have had that first moto win but I made two mistakes late and it cost me huge,” Hampshire said. “I pulled it together in the second moto and I’m so stoked. Huge thanks to this whole team, this is the first overall for me in about two years, so it’s special. We’ll celebrate and hopefully rack a few more before the season is over.” Rookie Stilez Robertson started just inside the top-15 in Moto 1, working his way up to eighth by the halfway point. He maintained a solid pace to finish ninth in the first race. In Moto 2, Robertson started in 15th and once again made a charge to a top-10 battle mid-way through the race. He collided with another rider while passing for 10th, which dropped him back to ultimately finish 18th in the moto and 13th overall for the day. “Today was pretty good,” Robertson said. “In the second practice I qualified fifth, which is my best to-date. I’m going to work on getting better starts and staying up front.” Jalek Swoll added some more points to the board with a 19th overall, finishing 23-15 on the day. “In the first moto, I got a pretty good start but I lost my front brake and didn’t realize it until it was time to stop for the next turn and that took me down and left me dead last from the beginning,” Swoll said. “In Moto 2, I didn’t get a good start and I could only get up to about 15th. It’s not what I wanted but we got a weekend off and I’ll put in some work and get to it at the next round.” Next Race: September 19 – Spring Creek National – Millville, Minnesota RedBud II National – Results 450MX Results 1. Adam Cianciarulo, Kawasaki (1-3) 2. Blake Baggett, KTM (6-1) 3. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (4-2) … 11. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (11-11) 250MX Results 1. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (2-3) 2. Dylan Ferrandis, Yamaha (5-2) 3. Shane McElrath, Yamaha (1-10) … 13. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (9-18) 19. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (23-15) 450MX Rider Point Standings – After 5 of 9 rounds 1. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 212 points 2. Marvin Musquin, 184 points 3. Adam Cianciarulo, 170 points … 10. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 97 points 15. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 58 points 250MX Rider Point Standings – After 5 of 9 rounds 1. Jeremy Martin, 216 points 2. Dylan Ferrandis, 207 points 3. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 170 points … 13. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 70 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt came out swinging at the long-awaited FIM SuperEnduro World Championship opener in Lodz, Poland, earning a deserved overall win and a healthy early championship lead. Quickly reminding everyone why he is the defending world champion indoors, Bolt topped the night’s SuperPole hot lap before going on to win all three of the Prestige class finals and secure overall victory. Returning to the SuperEnduro series for the first time since winning the title in 2019, AMA EnduroCross champion Colton Haaker enjoyed a solid night, taking a close third overall. On a technical track, which was made all the more tricky due to numerous sand sections, Bolt was instantly up to speed on his FE 350, eager to impress at the opening round of the SuperEnduro season. Easing his way through the first test of the night – the SuperPole hot lap – he blitzed the course to top the time sheets by almost two seconds. When it came to the first gate drop of the championship Bolt wasted no time in muscling his way to the head of the field, going on to clinch victory by six seconds. With the start order reversed for race two, Bolt started last but was already into second position by lap two. A crash dropped him off the rear wheel of race leader Haaker, but within just a handful of laps he’d found his way to the front once more. However, a third crash knocked him back to second once again before a heroic final lap effort saw him wrestle victory from Haaker just a handful of corners from the finish line. Determined to bring his night to a positive close, Bolt claimed the holeshot in the third and closing final. Well and truly mastering the tough conditions, he put in eight solid laps, easing away from the rest of the field to win by over 26 seconds. Claiming a clean sweep in Poland, Bolt now heads the championship standings by 15 points. After winning the championship in 2019, Colton Haaker made a welcome return to the series in Poland. Knowing the soft and sandy conditions were much more unforgiving than what he’d raced in EnduroCross in the USA, the experienced indoor racer was determined to deliver a mistake-free night where possible. A strong ride in the opening race saw him take a confidence-boosting fourth. Maximising his efforts on the reversed start for race two, Haaker carded his best performance of the night - going head-to-head with Bolt and fighting for victory right down to the final few corners, but ultimately placing second. A bad start in race three forced Haaker to work hard to recover. From ninth on the opening lap, he knuckled down and began to move his way forward. Shadowing Taddy Blazusiak across the finish line for fifth, the American did enough to secure third overall in Poland. The FIM SuperEnduro World Championship continues with round two in Jerusalem, Israel on January 20th. Billy Bolt: “It’s been a brilliant start to the championship. Winning all three races and taking SuperPole as well – it’s great to be back indoors. I hadn’t got as much bike time coming into this round as I would have liked, and it showed a little in the beginning of the night. My timing was a little off and I was making myself work for it out there. We got things dialled in better for race three. The track came a bit easier to me and I could hit my lines consistently. Winning tonight has definitely given me more motivation to push hard during this six week break until round two.” Colton Haaker: “I’m pretty pleased with third tonight. It was tough out there and I wasn’t 100 per cent sure where I was going to slot into things. For sure race two was the highlight of my night. When I got that good start and a clean track in front of me, I was riding more how I wanted too. It’s good to get a SuperEnduro race back under my belt again because I haven’t done one since 2019. Now I know where things are at, I’ll build on it for round two, for sure!” Results - SuperEnduro, Rnd1 Poland Event Classification 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 63pts; 2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 48pts; 3. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 43pts… Prestige Race 1 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 8 laps, 7:59.138; 2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 8 laps, 8:05.506; 3. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 8 laps, 8:05.506; 4. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 8:27:727… Prestige Race 2 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 7 laps, 7:07.571; 2. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 7 laps, 7:11.008; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 7 laps, 7:13.970… Prestige Race 3 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 8 laps, 7:42.958; 2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 8:09.108; 3. Jonny Walker (Beta) 8:19.583… 5. Colton Haaker (Husqvarna) 8:23.408…
Billy Bolt and Colton Haaker are set to represent Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing at this weekend’s opening round of the 2022 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship. The two former champions will form a strong Anglo-American line-up as they fight for the coveted indoor enduro title during the scheduled five-round series. With the 2021 championship cancelled due to the global pandemic, SuperEnduro fires back into life for 2022 with five rounds, held in four different countries. Opening in Poland tomorrow, December 4, the series then travels to Israel in January, Hungary in early February, before closing in Germany in March with back-to-back events. Winner of the last SuperEnduro championship to be held, in 2020, Billy Bolt comes into the 2022 SuperEnduro series just weeks after clinching the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship title and will undoubtedly be one of the main riders to beat on the tight and intense indoor tracks. On form throughout 2021, Bolt has shown incredible pace and skill, especially on terrains that suit his explosive style. Switching to the FE 350 4-stroke for SuperEnduro, the Brit is fired up to stamp his mark on the series. Also looking for success is reigning AMA Endurocross Champion Colton Haaker. Riding as teammate to Bolt on his return to European action, the three-time world champion wrapped up the 2021 American championship just over one month ago, and is not only on form, but also fully dialled in to the unpredictable nature of indoor enduro. Haaker’s last FIM title came back in 2019, when he beat all comers in a championship that went down to the very last moto. Now, the American star is back in Europe and looking to ruffle some feathers. The 2022 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship begins in Lodz, Poland on Saturday December 4, 2021. Billy Bolt: “I’m really looking forward to getting back to some SuperEnduro racing – it seems like ages since we raced the series. As soon as things calmed down after winning the Hard Enduro World Championship, I jumped back on my FE 350 and have been training on that ever since. I felt at home on it straight away to be honest, it suits my style and size. We have had a few SuperEnduro style races this year – namely at Lagares and TKO, but nothing is quite the same intensity as a proper SuperEnduro event. I think the competition is going to be tough – there are a lot of guys who could really mix things up, not least Colton who is coming over from America to race again. It’s going to be tough, but I’m really looking forward to racing in Poland. I’ll give it my best and hopefully come out of the event somewhere near the top." Colton Haaker: “I’m really excited to be coming back to Europe for SuperEnduro. Over the last couple of years Covid has put a dampener on things, so now I’ve got a chance to come back and race, I had to go for it. The team really wanted to get the fastest competitors together and try to make the racing as good as it could be. The ideal situation for the sport is to get the best U.S. riders together with the best European riders, all in one series. It’s the best things for the fans, and the best thing for us as riders to grow the sport as a whole. It’s been a really good year for me so far – in America we’re lucky that we’ve been able to run the indoor series for the past two years and I’ve been able to stay top dog. I’m looking forward to facing the same sort of competition in Europe, and I think there are maybe seven or eight guys there that have the ability to win, so it’s definitely going to be a tough championship. I’m looking forward to the challenge – there are going to be some good battles and it’s going to be a whole lot of fun.”
One of the hottest prospects in world motocross, Kay de Wolf is working hard to reach the top of the MX2 class. Enjoying an incredible rookie season in 2021, the Dutchman claimed a race win and four overall podium results, all on his way to securing an impressive seventh overall in the MX2 World Championship. In this enlightening episode of Drop The Gate, we sat down with Kay just a few days after he returned home from the final round of the series, where he shared the full story of his life and career to date. Possessing a loose and fluid riding style, Kay is always an exciting rider to watch. With his youthful exuberance allowing him to ride hard from the drop of the gate to the chequered flag falling, he’d already delivered two successful seasons of racing in the FIM European Motocross Championships before the 17-year-old progressed to the MX2 World Championship in 2021. Maintaining his remarkable upward trajectory, Kay claimed his first ever overall podium result in just his fourth ever GP, a hugely pivotal career milestone enjoyed at his home race in the Netherlands. Off track, de Wolf is humble, intelligent, and fully embraces all that comes with racing success – in many ways a shining example of a modern-day racer. With a clear plan for the future, Kay remains grounded, knowing that every sacrifice he’s made to date has helped shaped who he is today. Head over to the Husqvarna Motorcycles YouTube channel today to discover all the previous editions of Drop The Gate.
Husqvarna Motorcycles would like to thank IceOne Racing for its dedication and professionalism throughout the highly rewarding eight-year partnership that delivered notable success in the FIM Motocross World Championship. With the 2021 racing season reaching its conclusion, the official relationship between Husqvarna Motorcycles and IceOne Racing now draws to a close. Officially representing Husqvarna Motorcycles in the MXGP class since the 2014 season, IceOne Racing, run by former Grand Prix racer Antti Pyrhönen, has enjoyed many achievements on the world stage. In 2016, Max Nagl claimed third overall in the MXGP World Championship with Gautier Paulin replicating the same feat the following year as both riders clearly demonstrated the true capabilities of FC 450 machinery. Undoubtedly, the team’s most prosperous season came in 2017. With Paulin placing third in the MXGP World Championship, Nagl claimed eighth with Max Anstie close behind in ninth. The year was underlined by further success at the FIM Motocross of Nations where Anstie dominated both races at the biggest motocross event in the world to round out a truly remarkable season for the team. Since that highly memorable year, Pauls Jonass placed sixth overall in the 2019 MXGP World Championship while Arminas Jasikonis secured his debut moto win during the 2020 season. Robert Jonas – Vice President Motorsports Offroad: “Husqvarna Motorcycles has enjoyed a fantastic relationship with IceOne Racing since the brand returned to the FIM Motocross World Championship in 2014. Antti and his team have been an excellent partner, always showing incredible professionalism and commitment to everything they do. The team has really helped grow the Husqvarna Motorcycles brand thanks to the many notable achievements of its riders in MXGP, in turn also helping us develop our range of motocross machines. It has been a tremendous partnership throughout the last eight years, and on behalf of everyone at Husqvarna Motorcycles I would like to sincerely wish the whole team all the very best for the future.” Antti Pyrhönen - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MXGP Team Manager: “Personally, and on behalf of Kimi Räikkönen and IceOne Racing, I want to say a big thank you to Husqvarna Motorcycles, to Robert Jonas and Pit Beirer for the great years together, and the fantastic opportunity they gave us, which became an almost decade-long working relationship. We always pushed hard together, and we were always proud partners. I also want to say thank you to all great people who work so hard inside motorsports in Austria. Now is the time for a new chapter for IceOne Racing but, like we know, respect, friendship, and memories live forever.”
Husqvarna Motorcycles is pleased to confirm the signing of former EMX250 champion Roan Van De Moosdijk for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. In joining the Nestaan MX2 run Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team, Van De Moosdijk will compete in the MX2 World Championship alongside fellow Dutchman Kay de Wolf. Forming a highly competitive line-up, the duo are set to race aboard proven FC 250 machinery. Just one year after placing third in his debut season in the hotly contested EMX250 series in 2018, Roan claimed the title in 2019 after a season-long battle for the championship. Stepping up to the MX2 World Championship for 2020, the now 21-year-old immediately impressed with three overall podium results from the first five rounds. Two further top-three finishes followed later in the year, with the Dutchman securing a maiden race victory and claiming second overall at the MXGP of Lommel. Roan would ultimately place seventh in the final standings. Bringing everything he learned in his rookie MX2 season into 2021, Roan enjoyed another promising campaign start, claiming three third-place moto finishes to lie fifth in the series standings after the first four rounds. Frustratingly, a broken scaphoid sustained following a crash at the MXGP of Czech Republic prevented him from delivering what was set to be his breakout season in the MX2 World Championship. Fully healed and excited to begin riding his new FC 250, Roan, alongside new teammate Kay de Wolf, will soon begin testing in readiness for the opening round of the 2022 MX2 World Championship. Roan Van De Moosdijk: “I’m so pleased to be joining the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 team, it’s really a very special moment in my career. This season has been tough, but I’m putting that behind me and looking forward to working with the team and having Kay as my new teammate. I have a really good feeling about things, and I know that at the start of this season things were going well, and that my speed and fitness was where it needed to be to challenge for the podium. I’ll have the best bike and the best support next year, so I just want to keep working and improving through the winter and get back to where I was and then give 2022 everything I have. Finally, it looks like the season will be back to normal, and I’m really looking forward to that. I want to say thanks to everyone that has made this happen – I can’t wait to get onto my new bike and to start our winter testing and training.” Rasmus Jorgensen - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 Team Manager: “We’re thrilled to have Roan in our team and can’t wait to get him settled in, and then start working in preparation for 2022. Overall, this year was a very positive season for our team – we want to keep that momentum rolling into 2022 and with Roan racing alongside Kay we believe we have a very strong line-up. At the start of this year Roan was riding so well, he put in some really impressive motos, and really showed what he is capable of. We really believe he’ll be a great fit for our team and at 21 has the right mix of age and experience to excel in MX2. On our bike, with the full technical support we can offer him, he’ll have all that he needs to develop further as a racer. After a short break to rechange the batteries a little after the long season we’ve had, we’ll soon start building towards 2022. We can’t wait to get started.” Robert Jonas – VP Motorsports Offroad: “Husqvarna Motorcycles is very pleased to be welcoming Roan into the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 team alongside Kay. The team did a fantastic job this season and is 100% focused on bigger and better results in 2022. Clearly the MX2 World Championship is hugely competitive but Roan, like Kay, has shown that he has the speed and skills to challenge for the podium. That, together with the support and guidance he will receive from both the team and everyone within Motorsports in Austria, will give him all he needs to further develop as a MX2 GP racer with Husqvarna Motorcycles.”
The 2021 Moto3 world championship reached a conclusion around the flat and winding Circuito Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain for the eighteenth and last round of the Grand Prix campaign. Husqvarna Motorcycles approached the end of its second season in Moto3 competition with Romano Fenati in the top four of the standings and with a victory and four podium appearances notched during 2021. After a rainy start to Free Practice the rest of the weekend was sunny and surprisingly mild in terms of temperatures. Fenati was the main pacesetter on the FR 250 GP and secured the 8th fastest lap-time in Q2 to occupy a slot on the third row of the grid. He was less than a second away from the Pole Position effort and all signs pointed to another close and intense Moto3 contest on Sunday. The red light went out at 11.00 on raceday to launch 23 laps of action. Fenati went on the prowl in the middle of the top ten and as part of the breakaway group of twelve riders. He survived numerous skirmishes that saw over half a dozen crash out if the running. Fenati crossed the line in 12th. He managed to bank eleven top ten results from the eighteen rounds of the season and finished 5th with 160 points: 11 behind Jaume Masia in 4th place. Adrian Fernandez negotiated a tricky weekend. The rookie had a fast crash during practice on Friday and then had to endure a double Long Lap penalty during the race for slow riding during Qualification on Saturday. Fernandez circulated mid-pack at one stage during the actual sprint on Sunday morning but then recovered strongly to reach the flag in 14th. The Spaniard ends the season with 22nd position and 30 points. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team can anticipate the winter break and then two new recruits for the FR 250 GP in 2022 with Ayumu Sasaki and John McPhee stepping into the squad. Romano Fenati: “I’m happy to finish this year and it has been two amazing years with this team where I learnt a lot, more than with any other team. I’m not so happy with the result today but now I have to focus on our next goal. Thanks to everybody.” Adrian Fernandez: “A very difficult race for me with the two Long Laps but I had a good feeling on the bike and went step-by-step and lap-by-lap. I got back to 14th, which wasn’t too bad. I want to thank the team and my family. It’s been an incredible first year in GPs for me and I have learned a lot.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “The last race of the year and a bit of frustration. We had the chance to reach the top three of the championship but we couldn’t make it with Romano. It’s not the way we wanted to end the season. It has been two intense years with Romano but we had some nice moments. More points for Adrian and he fought back well to get into the top fifteen. I wish him well for 2022 and it has been good to see him progress. We’ll look to next season now.” Results – 2021 Moto3 World Championship, Round 18 1. Xavier Artigas (Honda) 38:30.302, 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) +0.043. 3. Jaume Masia (KTM) +0.232 12. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +2.461, 14. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) +13.298 Final world championship standings 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 259pts; 2. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 216pts; 3. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 188pts; 5. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 160 pts; 22. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) 20 pts.
Bringing to a close a highly successful rookie season in the MX2 World Championship, Kay de Wolf has claimed third overall at the final round of the series in Italy, the MXGP of Città di Mantova. The young Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider came out on top of an intense battle in both races to secure his 2-6 results and the final spot on the overall podium. Jed Beaton placed seventh overall following two consistent results in the MX2 class while Thomas Kjer Olsen and Arminas Jasikonis rounded out a positive day for the team with the MXGP class duo placing ninth and 14th overall respectively. MX2 class rookie Kay de Wolf was in exceptional form at the season-ending MXGP of Città di Mantova to secure third overall aboard his FC 250. Capitalising on a great start in moto one, the Dutchman moved forwards from fourth and into second place just after the halfway stage, before coming under attack from 2021 MX2 World Champion, Maxime Renaux. A tense battle then ensued for the remaining laps with Kay fending off all the challenges from behind for a well-deserved second place finish. In race two, de Wolf completed the opening lap in 11th with a lot of work to do to claim his place on the overall podium. A race-long charge forwards then followed with the youngster making the crucial pass on Mikkel Haarup on the penultimate lap to secure sixth in the race for third overall. In what was a truly incredible debut season, Kay secured four overall podium results on his way to placing seventh in the MX2 World Championship. For Jed Beaton, it was a frustrating final round. With high hopes of ending his MX2 career on the overall podium, the Australian didn’t quite secure the starts needed in either moto to challenge for the top three. In placing seventh overall, Beaton secured fifth in the final championship standings. Enjoying a strong run of results during recent rounds of the MXGP World Championship, Thomas Kjer Olsen’s impressive form continued in Mantova with the Dane claiming a season-best race result of sixth in the opening moto. The FC 450 mounted racer would then place 13th in moto two to secure ninth overall on the day. With another impressive result to end the 2021 season, TKO advanced one spot in the series standings to claim ninth in his first season in the class. Signing off the 2021 season with two solid point-scoring rides, Arminas Jasikonis ended the campaign with a consistent 14-15 result, rewarding the Lithuanian with 14th overall. Kay de Wolf: “I’m really happy with my rookie season. I learned a lot and it’s great to end the year with a podium for myself and the team. They have always believed in me and to finish the year like this is perfect. I had a couple of really fun battles in both motos today and I really enjoyed the track and racing with the guys. I’m looking forward to the winter now and after some rest, I’ll be working really hard to see what I can do in 2022.” Jed Beaton: “It’s been a pretty emotional day to say the least. As I’ve now aged out of MX2 it was my last race for the team which, after three great years, is really tough. It’s safe to say that the season didn’t end how I’d have liked due to a few issues and a crash in race one. That ruled me out of a chance of finishing on the podium but I really tried hard in moto two but it just wasn’t meant to be. I’ve had an incredible three seasons with Rasmus and the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team and they’ve taken me under their wing and really shaped who I am today. I’m disappointed to not end our time together with a podium result but I gave it my best shot and finishing fifth in the series is a pretty decent result.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “Today has been a great end to the season for me. I felt awesome on the bike in race one and finished sixth for my best result in the MXGP class. I also moved up to ninth in the final championship standings, so it’s been a great end to the year. At one point I dropped to 13th in the championship but then I really turned things around in the second half and improved my qualifying, my speed, and my feeling on the bike. I’ve been getting better and better and to finish ninth in the championship in my rookie year is a really great result. I couldn’t have done it without the great team behind me who have been so supportive throughout my first year in MXGP so it’s nice to repay their hard work with a strong end to the season.” Arminas Jasikonis: “It’s nice to complete the season with two solid rides. I was consistent in both motos and I felt much more comfortable out on the track. It’s been a difficult year trying to recover from my injury while also trying to race to my best ability, but there are plenty of positives. I know my speed is good and I had a great result in Lommel in the summer which is the toughest track on the calendar. I’m now looking forward to the winter to regroup and be even better prepared for next year.” Results – 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 18 MXGP – Overall 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 50pts;2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 42; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 42… 9. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 23; 14. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 13 MXGP - Race 1 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 35:20:709 18 laps; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 35:53:174; 3. Tim Gajser (Honda) 35:23:533… 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:18:080; 14. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 36:39:256 MXGP - Race 2 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 35:29:493, 18 laps; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 35:30:990; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 36:11:307… 13. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:38:634; 15. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 36:57:183 MX2 - Overall 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 47pts; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 45; 3. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 37… 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 27 MX2 - Race 1 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 35:31:673, 18 laps; 2. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:40:106; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:42:731… 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:58:593 MX2 - Race 2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:46:235, 18 laps; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 35:59:127; 3. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 36:08:322… 6. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 36:29:485; 8. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:31:457 Championship Standings – After Round 18 MXGP 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 708pts; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 703; 3. Tim Gajser (Honda) 688… 9. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 332; 22. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 103 MX2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 734pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 610; 3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 570. 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 540; 7. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 478
Competing at the penultimate round the 2021 MX2 World Championship, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s MX2 racers Jed Beaton and Kay de Wolf both delivered impressive form to place fourth and fifth overall respectively. The duo capitalised on great starts in both races to secure their positive results with Beaton now advancing to fourth in the series standings while de Wolf moves up to seventh, with just one round remaining. In the MXGP class, Thomas Kjer Olsen continues to impress, securing eighth overall. Carving a tight line through the treacherous first turn at Mantova contributed enormously to Jed Beaton’s great start in the opening MX2 race of the day. With the Australian then able to avoid the chaos that ensued through the following corners, the 23-year-old charged hard and moved into fifth place by the halfway stage of the moto, right behind Kay de Wolf. Despite numerous attempts to make the pass on his teammate and move into fourth, Beaton would ultimately secure fifth in the race and set himself up for a strong chance at the overall podium. MX2 race two began with Jed making several passes during the early laps to quickly move into fifth place. As the race unfolded, the FC 250 mounted rider made two crucial passes during the second half of the moto to move into third, which secured his fourth-place overall result. Despite Beaton narrowly missing out on a visit to the overall podium, the points he scored move him up to fourth place in the series standings with one round to go. Improving upon his strong seventh place overall result at the previous round of the MX2 World Championship, Kay de Wolf claimed an impressive fifth overall at the MXGP of Lombardia. A great start in race one saw the Dutchman battle up front for the duration of the moto as he held off teammate Jed Beaton while chasing after Tom Vialle in third. Ending the race just under two seconds behind the former MX2 World Champion was an outstanding result and an excellent start to the GP for de Wolf. Another great start in race two once again placed Kay up front and amongst a tenacious battle for the top five positions. Frustratingly, two crashes restricted the youngster to a 10th-place finish in the moto but thanks to his strong performance in race one he secured fifth overall and now advances to seventh in the championship standings. Earning a moto win at the FIM Motocross of Nations at Mantova just six weeks ago, Thomas Kjer Olsen clearly knows the fast way around the sandy Italian circuit, which the Dane illustrated in moto one when he claimed a strong eighth-place overall result at the MXGP of Lombardia. Boosted by an opening moto seventh-place finish, Thomas backed it up with a solid 10th in race two. Returning to action after missing the previous three rounds, Arminas Jasikonis placed 18th in race one following a small fall before a sizable crash in moto two ended his day early. Competing in the EMX250 class, Maxime Grau placed 13th overall and now lies 11th the championship standings with one round to go. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to Mantova on Wednesday November 10 for the final round of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the MXGP of Città di Mantova. Jed Beaton: “A pretty good day today. I had good starts but still had to make a few passes to catch the leaders. I had a good charge going in race one and felt great on the bike in the second half of the race, but it wasn’t enough to do better than fifth. Race two was a lot better early on but the two guys up front made such a big gap that it just wasn’t possible to catch them despite having a solid pace.” Kay de Wolf: “My riding and my speed was really good today. In fact, the pace at the front was really high so for me to be battling up front in both races, it’s gives me a lot of confidence ahead of the last round on Wednesday. It’s a shame that I crashed twice in moto two but overall it’s been a solid day and I can’t wait for the final round.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “I’m really happy with how things are coming together for me as the season nears the end. I’m seeing really good things with my riding, and I was able to push forwards from 14th to eighth in race one. It’s quite difficult to pass on this track, but I was able to make things happen. I actually ended up seventh as Tim Gajser was docked some places. I had a great start in race two but didn’t quite have the same feeling on the bike compared to race one. I could ride with a good pace, I just didn’t feel so good on the track so pushing was difficult. Eighth overall, I will take that and I’m really pleased with another solid result.” Arminas Jasikonis: “It’s really nice to be back racing. I had a great feeling on the bike today and in race one I had a good pace and I was enjoying myself out there. I was in 14th and tried taking a different line to make a pass but I crashed, so that was frustrating. I was way down the field but battled through for 18th which wasn’t perfect, but I knew my speed was good. Unfortunately, in race two I had a big crash and took a big impact to my hip, so that ended my day early. I’m feeling ok now and I’m positive that Wednesday will be much better.” Results – 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 17 MXGP – Overall 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 47pts; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 47; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 38… 8. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 25; 22. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 3 MXGP - Race 1 1. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 35:57:282, 18 laps; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 35:38:398; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 35:41:006… 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:32:415; 18. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 37:11:167 MXGP - Race 2 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 35:41:191, 18 laps; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 36:00:280; 3. Tim Gajser (Honda) 36:03:369… 10. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:45:197 MX2 - Overall 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 47pts; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 47; 3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 38; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36; 5. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 29 MX2 - Race 1 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:52:5405, 18 laps; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 35:54:349; 3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:59:850; 4. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 36:01:470; 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:02:562 MX2 - Race 2 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 35:57:115, 18 laps; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:59:765; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:31:713… 10. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 37:03:065 Championship Standings – After Round 17 MXGP 1. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 661pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 658; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 646… 10. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 309; 22. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 87 MX2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 689pts; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 570; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 563; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 513… 7. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 441
Romano Fenati scored his second consecutive 7th place finish for Husqvarna Motorcycles as the Italian rose to 4th place in the Moto3 World Championship standings after the second Grand Prix in Portugal in 2021. For the second time this year MotoGP ventured to sunny climes in the south of Portugal and to the coastal town of Portimao. The drops, climbs, blind-entry corners and technical challenge of the Algarve International Circuit was a familiar test for the teams and the Sterilgarda Max Racing crew at the Grande Prémio Brembo do Algarve. Romano Fenati immediately gone down to work and despite windy and chilly air in Portugal was the hottest rider in the first two Free Practice sessions to head the sheets after the first day of activity. Come Saturday though it was rookie Adrian Fernandez - benefitting from the visit seven months earlier and able to apply his settings and knowledge to the challenge during qualification – who excelled. The Spaniard shredly placed himself amidst a busy group in the final minute of Q2 to make the most of the tow and rocket to his best-ever qualification. 3rd place allowed Fernandez to roll his FR 250 GP onto the front row of the grid for the first time. On Sunday morning a large group formed at the front of the Moto3 contest as 21 laps of the 4.6km layout would decide the podium positions. Fernandez was initially running with the leaders but keep a consistent pace to circulate on the edge of the top ten. Less than three seconds split all the riders vying for championship points down to 15th. Fenati was also in the fray and increased his pace and track condition to classify 7th: less than two seconds away from race winner Pedro Acosta by the conclusion of the tense and exciting spectacle that witness some late crashes. Fernandez was satisfied with 11th. The results allowed Fenati to reassume 4th place in the world championship standings and sit just 12 points away from the top three. Fernandez is 23rd after pushing up his points tally to 28. The Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana will draw 2021 MotoGP to close in the traditional finale venue of the Ricardo Tormo Circuit. Romano Fenati: “I’m happy because we reduced the gap to 3rd in the championship and we were fast in the race. For sure 7th is not our target but we came back from 20th on the first lap! We want the podium, and we have one more chance to do it this season.” Adrian Fernandez: “I had a crash in warm-up but I tried to keep calm and managed the rear tyre in the race. It was great to run at the front for a while and experience that in Moto3. Five laps before the end I lost the chance to go for the win but we made progress this weekend so a big thanks to the team.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “The race was not the one we expected, and we hoped Adrian would be able to stay closer to the front but we had both riders in the points today and that was a positive thing. Romano took a long time to come back to the front and we had some fortune to end up with 7th. One more round to go and he can still fight for 3rd in the championship and this is very important. I hope he can make it with a strong race in Valencia. Overall today: good but could have been better." Results – 2021 Moto3 World Championship, Round 17 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 38:04.339, 2. Andrea Migno (Honda) +0.354. 3. Niccolo Antontelli (KTM) +0.880 7. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +1.972, 13. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) +18.050 World Championship standings 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 259pts; 2. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 213pts; 3. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 168pts; 4. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 156 pts; 23. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) 28 pts.
THE FR 250 GP WILL REMAIN PART OF THE MotoGP™ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Moto3 GRID IN 2022 AS THE STERILGARDA MAX RACING TEAM SIGN 20-YEAR-OLD JAPANESE STAR AND 27-YEAR-OLD BRITON. Having achieved wins in Italy and the UK since a re-introduction to Moto3 in 2020, Husqvarna Motorcycles is currently chasing a top three championship ranking in the division thanks to the efforts of Romano Fenati. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team leadership of Team Principal Max Biaggi and Team Manager Peter Öttl will overhaul their line-up and will welcome the sharp pace and potential of Ayumu Sasaki into the unit for 2022 as well as the Grand Prix winning experience of John McPhee. Sasaki made his Grand Prix debut in 2016 and has already appeared on the rostrum twice in four full terms of Moto3 and a comprehensive learning period. The rider from Yokosuka, 50km south of Tokyo, recently claimed a trophy – his first of 2021 – at the Gran Premio Tissot de Aragon, around MotorLand in Spain. The Japanese brings speed to the team and undoubted competitiveness. McPhee had his first taste of the world championship back in 2010 and pre-Moto3. He made four appearances in the old 125cc class before becoming a full-time member of the Moto3 grid from 2013. He has steered three different brands of motorcycle in his nine seasons to-date and boasts proven pedigree with 14 podiums and 3 wins.
Successfully completing the third of three FIM Motocross World Championship rounds to be held in Pietramurata, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf has battled hard for an impressive seventh-place overall MX2 class result at the MXGP of Garda. Frustratingly for Kay’s teammate Jed Beaton, the Australian experienced a mixed day of racing with a strong fifth-place finish in moto one followed by an incident-filled race two, which resulted in a 14th place finish for ninth overall. With high hopes of delivering another strong performance in the MXGP class, Thomas Kjer Olsen claimed 11th overall after two challenging races. As arguably one of the best sand riders in the MX2 World Championship, Kay de Wolf has continually made positive strides forward with his hardpack riding skills in recent weeks. At the MXGP of Garda, the Dutchman’s good form continued as he capitalised on strong starts in both motos to claim an impressive seventh overall result. Part of a race-long, four-rider battle for eighth place in race one, the Dutchman held his nerve, maintaining his fast pace to secure eighth. With an improved start in race two, Kay worked his way forwards from seventh on lap one to third by the halfway stage of the moto. From here, the FC 250 racer gave chase to the leading two riders before nearly crashing spectacularly with four laps to go. Fortunate to remain upright, the near miss slowed his charge and resulted in the loss of a few positions before he finally claimed sixth in the moto. With the MX2 class rookie putting together a strong debut season and scoring points in every moto bar one so far in 2021, Kay now lies just one point from seventh in the series standings. Jed Beaton enjoyed a promising first race at the MXGP of Garda with a strong fifth-place finish. Frustratingly, the Australian had a coming together with another rider in the tight and treacherous second turn after the start of moto two, which resulted in a race-long charge towards the front. With two further crashes adding to the challenge, Beaton secured 14th in the moto for ninth overall. Jed now sits just 10 points adrift of fourth in the MX2 World Championship. In the MXGP class, Thomas Kjer Olsen was confident of another strong result in Italy having placed an exceptional sixth overall just four days ago. With his day beginning positively by posting the seventh-fastest time in qualifying, a collision in race one and a poor start in race two saw Thomas secure two 12th-place finishes for 11th overall. The team’s EMX250 class racer, Maxime Grau, claimed 15th overall to maintain his 10th place ranking in the championship standings with two rounds to go. Next weekend, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing travel to Mantova, Italy for the penultimate round of the FIM Motocross World Championship, round 17 of the 18-round series. Kay de Wolf: “Overall, it’s been a good day for me. Race one was pretty crazy, I was in a battle for the whole moto. It was just wide open with a few other riders, it was a fun race and finishing eighth was pretty decent. I had a much better start in race two and moved into third and felt really comfortable up front. Unfortunately, in the wave section I almost had a huge crash and that really pushed up my heart rate. It took a couple of laps to regain my focus but for the rest of the race I couldn’t find a good line through the waves, which cost me some time and I ended up sixth. Two rounds to go and I’m excited for Mantova. I’ve had a pretty good week here in Trentino so I’m looking to going there and being in some more battles.” Jed Beaton: “Today wasn’t quite how I wanted to finish this triple header. My first race was pretty solid though, I felt good and made passes all moto to place fifth, which was a good start to the day. Then in race two, it all went wrong really. My jump off the gate wasn’t good and then in turn two I got caught up in someone’s bike and I was dead last. I then crashed twice coming through the pack so that one was tough. I’m now looking forward to Mantova for the final two rounds. I’ve done well there in the past and I really want to end the season with positive results.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “I’m a little disappointed with today after how well things went on Wednesday. It all came down to my starts not being the best – this class is so stacked that it’s difficult to be in the top 10 when you don’t start up front. I was actually in 10th briefly in race one until I collided with another rider and that pushed me back to 12th. One positive I can take from today is that I felt really good on the bike, really comfortable and I could push to the end of both races. It’s taken a while but I feel really confident now and if I can improve my starts, then I can be back inside the top-10 overall and battling with the top guys.” Results – 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 16 MXGP – Overall 1. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 47pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 43; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 42… 11. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 27 MXGP - Race 1 1. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 34:54:904, 20 laps; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 35:15:222; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 35:122:264… 12. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:56:686 MXGP - Race 2 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 35:09:036, 20 laps; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 35:14:997; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 35:27:099… 12. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:57:922 MX2 - Overall 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 47pts; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 40; 3. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 40… 7. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 22; 9. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 23 MX2 - Race 1 1. Rene Hofer (KTM) 33:39:546, 19 laps; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 33:44:512; 3. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 33:49:547… 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 33:54:695; 8. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 34:04:179 MX2 - Race 2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 33:51:075, 19 laps; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 33:54:180; 3. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 33:56:296… 6. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 34:00:758; 14. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:31:838 Championship Standings – After Round 16 MXGP 1. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 614pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 613; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 611… 10. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 284; 22. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 87 MX2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 642pts; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 532; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 516; 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 477; 8. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 412
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt has made history by becoming the first ever FIM Hard Enduro World Champion. Attacking all the way during the final round of the season at Germany’s GetzenRodeo, Bolt placed second to put the finishing touches to what has been an incredible year of hard enduro racing for the Brit. Competing alongside Billy, Hixpania winner Alfredo Gomez ended his season in a close sixth in the series following a sixth place result. With the outcome of this year’s FIM Hard Enduro World Championship boiling down to the final race of the season between Bolt and his closest rival Manuel Lettenbichler, TE 300i mounted Bolt knew what he had to do. Holding a three-point lead in the championship standings, he needed to either win, or finish second or better to clinch the title if Lettenbichler won. A fast pace in the morning GetzenRace qualifier saw Billy lead the majority of the two-hour race, only to slip to second within sight of the finish line. With the focus on the all-important GetzenChamp race, 80-minutes plus one lap of racing stood between Bolt and the title. Starting second, the Brit quickly caught Lettenbichler on lap one. Overtaking him, he opened up a 10-second lead. But with the slippery rocks catching him out, a series of mistakes dropped him down to sixth. Knowing the title had swung in Lettenbichler’s favour, Bolt regrouped and put his head down to make a charge back up the field. Picking off riders, he worked his way up to second at the midway point in the race. Now clearly enjoying the course, Bolt began chipping away at the race lead, bringing the gap down to less than one minute. But with time running out, he knew settling for second was exactly enough to become the FIM Hard Enduro World Champion. For teammate Gomez, the focus was on the race win following his victory last time out at Hixpania. A steady ride in the morning qualifier saw him start fifth in the GetzenChamp race. Riding strong in the opening laps, Gomez reached as high as second early on. But with arm pump hampering the Spaniard, he was unable to maintain his fast pace, eventually slipping back to sixth. With the 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship concluded, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing now turn their attention to the opening round of the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship, which takes place in Poland on December 4. Billy Bolt: “WORLD CHAMPIONS! What an amazing feeling it is. It’s going to take a while to process this one. I can’t believe I’m the FIM Hard Enduro World Champion. It was a heck of a race today. We all knew what we had to do, and we made it happen. I rode great this morning in the qualifier, but I hurt my finger. I was struggling a little with that in the beginning of the race and made a lot of mistakes early on. But I settled myself, regrouped and recovered. When I got back up to second, I closed the gap to Mani to one minute, but didn’t want to risk anything. Riding into the finish line as the world champion was such an amazing moment. It’s been a great year and I can’t thank all of the team enough for their support. We did it!” Alfredo Gomez: “Today didn’t quite go to plan. I was riding well, but right from the beginning I had arm pump and wasn’t able to push like I wanted to. I struggled to find a good rhythm and was making too many mistakes everywhere. The whole year has been difficult for me, I wasn’t able to train properly at the start because I had an infection in my knee and was off the bike for about four months. Slowly as the season went on, I was able to find my speed and obviously the highlight was my win at home at Hixpania Hard Enduro. I’m happy for Billy and the team for winning the championship and we’ll look ahead to next year now, get some good training done over the winter and keep fighting.” Results: GetzenRodeo 1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 11 laps, 1:29:20.433 2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 11 laps, 1:30:16.852 3. Mario Roman (Sherco) 11 laps, 1:32:05.524 4. Wade Young (Sherco) 10 laps, 1:31:29.066 5. Jonny Walker (Beta) 10 laps, 1:31:52.822 6. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 10 laps, 1:32:37.808 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship (Final Standings) 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 104pts 2. Manuel Lettenbichler 104pts 3. Wade Young (Sherco) 83pts 4. Mario Roman (Sherco) 76pts 5. Jonny Walker (Beta) 66pts 6. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 63pts 7. Michael Walkner (GASGAS) 46pts 8. Teodor Kabakchiev (Husqvarna) 36pts 9. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 29pts 10. Dominik Olszowy (KTM) 24pts
Delivering his breakout ride in the 2021 MXGP World Championship, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen has placed sixth overall at the MXGP of Pietramurata following two inspiring rides. Eighth in moto one before going one better for seventh in moto two, the Dane continued his strong run of consistent results in the best possible way. In the MX2 class, crashes for both Jed Beaton and Kay de Wolf proved costly, with Beaton eventually faring best to secure seventh overall while de Wolf placed 11th. Since his impressive performances just one month ago at the FIM Motocross of Nations, Thomas Kjer Olsen has continually delivered strong overall finishes in the MXGP World Championship, delivering his best yet at round 15 of the 2021 MXGP series. In the opening moto, Kjer Olsen was fortunate to stay upright after riding over a fallen rider’s machine in turn one and completed the opening lap down in 15th place. Despite the Pietramurata track offering limited passing opportunities, the FC 450 racer was able to work his way forwards throughout the moto and following an impressive charge through the field he secured an eighth-place finish. Shortly after the start of race two, the Dane once again found himself just outside the top 10. But after using many of the same lines that he used to make passes in race one, he moved into seventh place on lap eight. With a sizable gap to the top six, Thomas maintained his impressive pace to secure seventh in the moto for sixth overall and is now tied for ninth in the series standings. In the MX2 class, Jed Beaton is another Rockstar Energy Husqvarna rider that has delivered solid round-by-round results in recent weeks. Frustratingly, a crash that was outside of his control early in moto one contributed to a disappointing 16th-place finish. Regrouping for race two, and following another great start, Beaton charged hard to place third in the moto, crossing the finish line just seven seconds behind the eventual race winner, Rene Hofer. Unfortunate crashes in both races saw Kay de Wolf narrowly miss out on another top-10 finish with the Dutchman claiming 11th overall after two challenging motos. With the determined youngster collecting more vital points, Kay maintains his eighth-place ranking in the MX2 World Championship with just four rounds to go. Competing in the EMX250 class, Maxime Grau secured his best overall result of the season with a strong seventh-place result. Now, with three rounds to go, the young Frenchman lies 10th in the series standings. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to the Pietramurata circuit for the third and final time on October 31, for round 16 of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the MXGP of Garda. Thomas Kjer Olsen: “Today was just awesome. From the moment I headed out onto the track in qualifying I felt great on the bike and that really showed in my performances. It’s a hard track to pass on but I came through in both motos from outside the top-10 and I was able to battle to the end, which is something I’ve really worked on improving recently. It’s been a great day and if I can improve my starts I’m excited to see if I can battle with the guys a bit further up the field.” Jed Beaton: “Another tough one today and it was just down to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was coming through the pack with Mattia Guadagnini and he slid out in a corner just a little bit, which clipped my front tyre and then a few of us went down in a heap. All my focus was then on moto two and I made it happen with a third-place finish, which made up for race one. But overall, today should have been better.” Kay de Wolf: “Not my best day today and certainly a learning one. My starts were not the best in either race which didn’t help and crashing in both motos made for a difficult day. I had a good second moto going but then I crashed out of ninth and ended up 12th for 11th overall. It’s now onto the next one here on Sunday and the goal is to put together two good rides and leave this track with a strong result.” Results – 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 15 MXGP – Overall 1. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 45pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 42; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 41… 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 27 MXGP - Race 1 1. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 34:48:910, 20 laps; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 34:49:918; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 35:14:398… 8. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:45:571 MXGP - Race 2 1. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 35:08:916, 20 laps; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 35:11:517; 3. Tim Gajser (Honda) 35:13:831… 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:55:003 MX2 - Overall 1. Rene Hofer (KTM) 43pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 37; 3. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 36… 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 25; 11. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 22 MX2 - Race 1 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 34:41:767, 20 laps; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 34:44:897; 3. Ruben Fernandez (Honda) 35:06:070… 8. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:51:063; 16. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:17:569 MX2 - Race 2 1. Rene Hofer (KTM) 34:01:864, 19 laps; 2. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 34:05:658; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:08:823… 12. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 34:59:287 Championship Standings – After Round 15 MXGP 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 573pts; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 572; 3. Tim Gajser (Honda) 570… 10. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 266; 22. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 87 MX2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 595pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 508; 3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 492; 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 454; 8. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 384
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt, together with his teammate Alfredo Gomez, are set to do battle in Germany this weekend at the all-important eighth and final round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship – GetzenRodeo. For Bolt it’s promising to be a huge occasion, as the Brit comes into the race as the series leader, three points ahead of his nearest rival, and looking to become the first ever FIM Hard Enduro World Champion. For the on-form Gomez, who won last time out at Hixpania Hard Enduro, the Spaniard is looking to deliver another race-winning performance and end his 2021 campaign on a high. Finishing as runner-up to his teammate at Hixpania Hard Enduro, Billy Bolt increased his lead at the top of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship standings to three points. It’s a slender lead, but one that gives him a huge advantage going into the final round at GetzenRodeo. A win will grant the TE 300i racer the title, crowning him the first FIM Hard Enduro World Champion. A second-place finish to championship rival Manuel Lettenbichler would result in a tiebreaker, but the title would go to Bolt by virtue of his string of consistent performances throughout the year. Over the six events raced so far in 2021, five have awarded championship points. Bolt has finished on the podium at all but one race, where he claimed fourth at Romaniacs. His run of strong results, including wins at Extreme XL Lagares, Abestone Hard Enduro, and the Tennessee Knock Out, show the young Brit is at the top of his game and more than capable of claiming victory at GetzenRodeo. Another man on form is Alfredo Gomez. After a steady start to the season following a knee infection, the experienced Spaniard is now really showing his class. Gomez was untouchable in front of his local fans at Hixpania, and heads to the final round hoping to shake things up at the one-day event. Expect him to show the speed that took him to a runner-up finish there in 2019. GetzenRodeo is a one-day Hard Enduro race held near Griessbach in the east of Germany. The morning’s two-hour GetzenRace qualifier will see 60 riders battle for a place in the GetzenChamp final. Here the top 15 qualifiers take on an 80-minute-plus-one-lap hard enduro, ridden in reverse to the morning’s race. At the close of competition, the 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Champion will be crowned. Billy Bolt: “I’m looking forward to Getzen, obviously there is a fair amount of pressure going into the final round, but I’m feeling good and plan to just take it like any other race and give it my best. I’ve been spending the last few weeks mixing training with rehab on my knee, just trying to keep my mind and body occupied during the lead up to this final race. I rode GetzenRodeo back in 2019 and didn’t do too badly even though I was still recovering from some surgery on my leg back then. I think the race should suit me well – the final is quite short and covers the sort of terrain I do well at. I think it will be pretty similar to TKO, so hopefully I can take a similar result. The year up to now has been really good, me and Mani have battled pretty hard and now it’s all coming down to this final race. I’m going to go out there and give my all – hopefully that will be enough to get the job done. But it won’t be easy, Mani has been tough to beat all year and I’m sure he’ll be fired up at his local event and going even harder. I’ll try and enjoy the moment while I’m there, and hopefully go home happy.” Alfredo Gomez: “Obviously, after my win at Hixpania I’ve been feeling really good. And I’ve tried to keep my training at the same level to carry my speed into Germany. I’m really happy with how I feel on the bike at the moment, so everything has come together really nicely. The plan of course is to get another win and finish my season off on a high. It’s been a tough year – I came into the first few rounds on the back foot after having an infection in my knee and not being able to ride for four months. I knew it would take time to get back up to speed and full fitness, and my goal was to fight for the win at Getzen originally. To be competitive in Spain and take the Hixpania win has been a real boost. I’m very happy right now and hope I can fight for another win to finish off my championship on a high.”
Husqvarna Motorcycles is proud to have partnered with InFront Moto Racing for the highly successful 2021 European Junior E-Motocross Series. With the ultimate winner mounted aboard the pioneering EE 5 machine, it was the perfect end to the inaugural five-round series for the brand and underlines Husqvarna Motorcycles position as pioneers in electric mobility. Opening up the chance for future motocross champions to compete at the same events as their MXGP heroes with events in Italy, Germany, France, and Spain, the youngsters were able to fully immerse themselves in the paddock and enjoy close proximity to their Grand Prix heroes. The European-based series enjoyed a welcoming and positive response from enthusiastic trackside fans at each round and with all eyes on this exciting new format, everyone in attendance gained a better understanding of the innovation behind e-mobility. With the very first season of the European Junior E-Motocross Series now complete, it was undoubtedly a huge success for all involved. Husqvarna Motorcycles was delighted to see many competitors mounted on EE 5 machinery including the overall series champion, Tobias Scharinger, in what was a truly historic moment for the brand. The young Austrian pieced together a strong season to secure the title and will now choose a brand-new machine from the Husqvarna Motorcycles range as his winning prize. Additionally, three of the top five riders in the final standings were mounted on EE 5 machinery and every rider who competed in all five rounds will receive an exclusive invitation to attend a three-day training camp with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing in the coming days. Full results from the 2021 European Junior E-Motocross Series can be found here: https://results.mxgp.com/mxgp/livestandings.aspx For more information on the series, please visit www.junioremotocross.com
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton has placed an impressive third overall at round 13 of the MX2 World Championship in Spain. Charging hard in both motos, the Australian moved forwards in each race to secure two fourth-place results for his third trip to the overall podium this season. For Kay de Wolf, the Dutchman secured sixth in race one before a big crash in moto two resulted in an 18th place finish and 12th overall. Competing in the MXGP class, Thomas Kjer Olsen enjoyed a consistent day to put together a pair of positive race results on his way to securing 11th overall. Continuing to post strong, consistent results as the season nears its conclusion, round 13 of the MX2 World Championship was no different for Jed Beaton as he placed an impressive third overall at the MXGP of Spain. In the opening moto of the day, the Australian carved a tight inside line around the first corner, before being pushed wide in turn two where he frustratingly lost a handful of positions. With Beaton feeling comfortable on the hard and rutted track, he quickly made a number of passes during the early laps of the moto to advance into fourth place where he would remain for the duration of the race. After the gate dropped for moto two, Beaton enjoyed an improved start and was well-placed inside the top five. On lap two he would make the pass on teammate Kay de Wolf for fourth but despite his very best efforts, Jed was unable to reel in the top three. Completing the moto in fourth secured his spot on the podium and with another solid points haul, Jed further extends his margin over sixth place in the series standings. For Kay de Wolf, the youngster impressed in race one, pushing forwards from outside the top 10 and after coming out on top of an intense battle with Isak Gifting, secured sixth place in the moto. In race two, Kay once again found himself in sixth before a big crash three laps from the finish relegated him downfield. Remounting to end the race in 18th position, the Dutchman was rewarded with three vital championship points and 12th overall. In the MXGP Class, Thomas Kjer Olsen posted a consistent 11-12 result for 11th overall. Following a mid-pack start in race one, the Dane progressed throughout the moto to complete the race just under two seconds behind Glenn Coldenhoff in 10th. For moto two, the FC 450 mounted racer backed up his race one result with a 12th place finish and now looks forward to the Italian triple-header starting next weekend. For Arminas Jasikonis, it was a difficult day as crashes in both races kept the Lithuanian from scoring points in either moto. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to FIM Motocross World Championship action next weekend at the MXGP of Trentino, for the first of three consecutive rounds to take place at the Pietramurata circuit. Jed Beaton: “It’s been a good day but in both motos I was pushed wide in the second turn which cost me a few positions in both races. I had good starts, stayed tight around the first turn but then that set me up on the outside for turn two. I made things happen quickly in both races which I’m really happy with, but by the time I got into fourth the top three were just a little out of reach. It’s nice to be back on the podium, though, for myself and the team. We’ve all been working really hard so to get back on the box makes it all worthwhile.” Kay de Wolf: “I was putting together a pretty decent GP but in the second one I had a pretty big crash and broke my nose. It was a struggle for the last two laps, and I ended up 18th for three points which may prove to be really important at the end of the season. After finishing sixth in race one I was confident of doing the same in race two, but crashes happen and it’s frustrating. Overall, I’m ok and I’ll be doing everything I can to be ready for next weekend.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “It was a tough GP but overall, I’m quite happy with the end result just because of the feeling I had on the bike. In the first race I was able to move forward and felt great, making passes and I found some good lines as well which really helped. I did actually exert myself a little but too much in that one as for race two I felt strong, I just didn’t have that last little bit to push like I did in race one. I would say it was a solid weekend and now it’s onto Arco next weekend. I know that track really well so I’m looking forward to three GPs there.” Arminas Jasikonis: “Today was disappointing. I crashed in both races and with everyone racing at such a similar speed, it makes things really difficult. In race two I had a bad start and then something damaged my rear brake and then I crashed so that was not good. Overall, not the weekend I expected but I’m healthy and looking forward to next weekend.” Results – 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 13 MXGP – Overall 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 45pts; 2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 42; 3. Tim Gajser (Honda) 40… 11. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 19 MXGP - Race 1 1. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 35:26:873, 19 laps; 2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 35:28:614; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 35:29:678… 11. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:13:230; 24. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 36:57:915 MXGP - Race 2 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 35:16:305, 19 laps; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 35:20:586; 3. Jorge Prado (KTM) 35:28:022… 12. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:18:458; 25. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 35:39:689, 18 laps MX2 - Overall 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 47pts; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 45; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36… 12. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 18 MX2 - Race 1 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:43:418, 19 laps; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:50:390; 3. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 35:57:324; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:00:923… 6. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 36:04:099 MX2 - Race 2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 33:49:892, 18 laps; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 33:50:238; 3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 34:10:002; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:12:491… 18. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:22:521 Championship Standings – After Round 13 MXGP 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 505pts; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 493; 3. Tim Gajser (Honda) 490; 10. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 220; 21. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 87 MX2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 535pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 427; 3. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 426; 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 395; 8. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 331
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes has completed the shortened final stage of the Rallye du Maroc in fifth place, earning himself 12th overall. Luciano Benavides completed the stage 18th but was able to successfully defend his impressive sixth place overall in the rally standings. With Wednesday’s timed special reduced to just 166 kilometres, it produced an effective sprint finish to the event, but still challenged all riders with a variety of terrain and some tricky navigation due to the tracks laid down on previous days of the race. After travelling 142 kilometres of liaison, Skyler Howes was the seventh rider to enter the day’s timed special. Covering a lot of the same ground as on previous stages, navigation initially proved less of an issue, and with riders all putting in a similar pace on the shortened route, times were very close. Completing the special as seventh quickest, just less than two minutes down on the leader, Howes finished the rally in a provisional 12th place. Pleased with the performance of the new bike on the varied terrain of Morocco, the American now looks ahead to clocking up more distance on his 2022 FR 450 Rally in the desert of Abu Dhabi, come November. Enjoying a strong Rallye du Maroc, Luciano Benavides gelled with the new version FR 450 Rally right away. Putting in a consistent performance throughout the event, the Argentinian was able to maintain his position inside the top 10 overall to ultimately finish in an impressive sixth place. Now, happy with his speed and machinery, and starting to feel more comfortable with his riding and navigation, Benavides hopes to build on his speed in Abu Dhabi before the Dakar Rally at the beginning of 2022. The next event for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing will be the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge on November 6-13. Skyler Howes: “Today was good but quite uneventful. The first 80 kilometres were the same as we’ve raced before, so it was kind of like a big motocross track. We did a separate section in the dunes which was fun. I just went as fast as I could today and I’m happy with the result. It’s good to be back here at the finish safely after such a tough event – the navigation was really tricky over the whole race and the terrain here is pretty unforgiving.” Luciano Benavides: “The last day of the rally went ok for me, and to finish the event sixth overall is good. I’m pleased with how the whole race went, I had a really good feeling on the bike, my confidence is definitely back, and my navigation was good. I want to thank the team for their hard work, the new bike is working really well. Of course, we have some more improvements that can be made ahead of Dakar, but for the first race, I’m really pleased with how it went.” 2021 Rallye du Maroc – Stage 5 Provisional Classification 1. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 1:39:12 2. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 1:39:29 3. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 1:39:30 4. Toby Price (KTM) 1:39:49 5. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 1:39:49 6. Joan Barreda (Honda) 1:40:17 … 7. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 1:41:10 18. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 1:46:11 2021 Rally du Maroc – Provisional Overall Classification [After Stage 5] 1. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 16:26:51 2. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 16:28:50 3. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 16:32:18 4. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 16:34:05 5. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 16:44:52 6. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 17:00:54 … 13. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 17:19:41
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes and Luciano Benavides have both delivered solid performances on the fourth stage of the 2021 Rallye du Maroc. Putting in his best performance of the event to date, Howes completed the stage as seventh fastest. Benavides, having recovered from the bout of sickness that plagued him earlier in the event, maintained an excellent pace through the fast, stony tracks to finish 10th. Continuing to make improvements to his 2022 FR 450 Rally, Skyler Howes rode an excellent stage four – on pace right from the start and battling inside the top three. Struggling to validate one particular waypoint, the American unfortunately lost several minutes to his rivals around the halfway point of the special but was able to skilfully get back on track to complete the remainder of the stage without issue. Ultimately posting the seventh quickest time, Howes was pleased with how he rode, and the adjustments made to his bike, and now looks forward to a strong finish to the event on Wednesday’s final stage five. Also enjoying a good day in the desert, Luciano Benavides has regained some of the strength he had lost earlier in the week due to illness and was able to deliver another strong performance through the fast tracks of Morocco. Despite setting off as the sixth rider to enter the special, Luciano maintained an excellent pace, riding alone and navigating well though much of the stage. A few small mistakes set him back a couple of minutes, but overall, the young Argentinian was happy with his performance, and continues to build his speed and confidence as the rally progresses. The fifth and final stage of the 2021 Rallye du Maroc will cover a total of 444 kilometres, 291 of which will be timed special stage. Skyler Howes: “Stage four was a much better day for me. We made a setting change yesterday and it was definitely positive – I felt much more like myself today. I did do a couple of donuts there out in the dunes looking for a waypoint and that cost me a couple of minutes, but on the whole I had a trouble-free day. We still have a couple of adjustments to make with the settings, but we’re definitely going in the right direction. I had a lot of fun on the stage today, so with one day left, I’m looking forward to it.” Luciano Benavides: “It was another really long day today. Thankfully, I’m feeling better from the illness I had earlier in the week, and I was able to stay focused and keep to a good pace. I was riding up near the front and did make a couple of mistakes that cost me some time, but overall I’m happy with my performance. The bike is feeling great, there are still a couple of things we can work on, but this is normal. I’m looking forward to the final day now and getting to the finish.” 2021 Rallye du Maroc – Stage 4 Provisional Classification 1. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 3:50:34 2. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 3:51:10 3. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 3:53:29 4. Joan Barreda (Honda) 3:56:21 5. Joaquim Rodrigues (Hero) 3:56:51 6. Toby Price (KTM) 3:57:26 … 7. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 3:58:05 10. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 4:03:39 2021 Rally du Maroc – Provisional Overall Classification [After Stage 4] 1. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 14:47:02 2. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 14:47:39 3. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 14:52:48 4. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 14:54:36 5. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 15:01:55 6. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 15:13:43 … 13. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 15:38:31
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has delivered his best result of the Rallye du Maroc so far, claiming seventh on the ultra-technical stage three. Skyler Howes maintained a solid pace on the rough, broken tracks to finish in 16th. Suffering throughout Sunday’s stage two, due to a stomach illness, Luciano Benavides regrouped and came back fighting on day three of the rally. With the stage primarily made up of faster, stony tracks, rather that the near-endless dunes seen on previous days, Benavides rode to his strengths and didn’t take any risks on the unforgiving terrain. Taking care to minimise any navigational mistakes throughout, while continuing to become accustomed to his new FR 450 Rally, the young Argentinian produced a strong performance that ultimately secured him seventh place at the finish. Also taking extra care on the cut-up tracks of the special, Skyler Howes focused on his navigation, and by two-thirds into the stage the American was well inside the top 10 on time. Like many other competitors, Howes struggled with one particular note on the road book that resulted in him losing track with the prescribed route and having to double back on himself to recover. Despite losing close to 10 minutes with the issue, Skyler was pleased with how the rest of the stage had gone and looks to continue improving over the final two days of the event. Tuesday’s fourth and penultimate stage of the event will challenge riders with a total of 546 kilometres to cover, 367 of which will be timed special stage. Luciano Benavides: “Stage three was not too bad for me. I feel really good to get back here to the finish. Yesterday I had a problem with my stomach, and I wasn’t able to eat properly for 24 hours, and it had an effect on my strength and focus. I rode well today and didn’t make any big mistakes with my navigation so I’m please with my result. The bike feels really good and it’s definitely helping my confidence. Looking forward to tomorrow now.” Skyler Howes: “Day three started out pretty slow for me. At first, we were going over a lot of the same ground we went over yesterday, and after the cars had been through the terrain had become quite rough. I eased my pace through there a little, just to stay safe. After the fuel stop a lot of people made quite a big navigational error – myself included – but I managed to figure it out quite fast, so from there to the finish there was a group of five or six of us racing to the finish. It was a strange day today, but we’re back safe and we’ll just keep moving forward.” 2021 Rallye du Maroc – Stage 3 Provisional Classification 1. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 3:30:32 2. Sebastian Buhler (Hero) 3:32:36 3. Andrew Short (Yamaha) 3:35:56 4. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 3:36:18 5. Franco Caimi (Hero) 3:36:44 +6:12 6. Joan Barreda (Honda) 3:38:13 … 7. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:39:12 16. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 3:46:53 2021 Rally du Maroc – Provisional Overall Classification [After Stage 3] 1. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 10:43:43 2. Joan Barreda (Honda) 10:53:25 +9:42 3. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 10:54:10 4. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 10:55:52 5. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 11:01:16 6. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 11:02:14 … 8. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 11:10:04 14. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 11:40:26
Round 12 of the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship has ended positively for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing with Jed Beaton securing a strong fourth place overall result in the MX2 class. For his teammate Kay de Wolf, the youngster overcame a sizable crash in race one to bounce back for an 11th place finish in moto two for 13th overall. In the MXGP class, Thomas Kjer Olsen impressed with a well-deserved seventh overall result while Arminas Jasikonis put together two point-scoring rides for 12th overall. With round 12 taking place at the classic French circuit of Lacapelle-Marival, good starts were essential at the tight and twisty track. Starting race one in the best way possible, Jed Beaton rounded the first turn up front and quickly moved into fourth place during the opening lap. With his sights set on the podium, the Australian then worked his way around Jago Geerts on lap five before enjoying a largely untroubled moto to secure a deserved third-place finish. In race two, Beaton didn’t quite secure the start needed for a repeat podium finish. Able to make several passes through the early laps and move into sixth, he went on to finish right behind the battle for the top-five, placing sixth in the moto for fourth overall. Kay de Wolf enjoyed a great jump from the metal start grid in race one. Reaching the first turn together with the leaders, his front wheel then lost grip momentarily, resulting in a sizable crash for the Dutchman. Fortunate to escape injury or damage to his FC 250, de Wolf put together a spirited ride to reach the points and claimed a 19th place finish. For race two, Kay demonstrated impressive speed on the slick, hardpack circuit to secure 11th in the moto and 13th overall. In doing so he maintains his eighth-place ranking in the MX2 World Championship. Competing in the MXGP class, Thomas Kjer Olsen secured an impressive seventh overall in France. In moto one, the 24-year-old quickly progressed from 11th on the opening lap and moved into eighth just a few laps later. Going on to battle inside the top 10 for the rest of the race, Thomas brought his FC 450 home in a rewarding eighth place. In race two, Kjer Olsen again started up front and after another race-long battle for position inside the top-10, would ultimately claim 10th in the moto for seventh overall. The Dane’s strong showing in France now moves him up to 10th in the MXGP World Championship standings. One rider making positive steps forward at MXGP round 12 was Arminas Jasikonis. After narrowly missing out on a top-10 finish in race one with his 11th-place result, the Lithuanian backed it up with a 16th in race two for 12th overall. Racing in the hotly contested EMX250 class, Maxime Grau secured a ninth-place finish in race two aboard his FC 250 for 15th overall. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing will next be in FIM Motocross World Championship action at the MXGP of Spain in one week’s time for round 13 of the series on October 17. Jed Beaton: “I guess overall It was a good day but on this track you really needed two good starts. I got a great one in race one and brought it home for third so that was pretty decent, and I was happy with my riding. I didn’t quite execute the same start in race two but I was able to make a few passes early on and ended up sixth. Not too bad but with a better start I know I could have been much closer to the front. It’s a little frustrating but now it’s onto Spain next weekend.” Kay de Wolf: “Today was another good learning weekend for me so despite my crash in race one, there are still positives to take away from here. The track was hard to make passes, which was the same for everyone, so starts were really important. But crashing in race one in the first turn made things really difficult. Fortunately, I was ok and then in race two I finished 11th so that was not too bad. Not the best but I’m healthy and excited to be racing next weekend.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “I’m really happy with my results today and I’m also a little bit relieved as well. It’s been a little bit up and down this season but today showed that I can do it. I’ve been making steps forward in recent weeks and it all came together today. I qualified well, which gave me a good gate pick, and that meant I could start up front and overall it was just a great day all round.” Arminas Jasikonis: “It was a solid day for me today and scoring points in both motos is a positive step. I felt really strong in race one and was in the battle to the end so that was positive. I still struggle with my vision and in race two it was difficult with such a tight track, riders were really close and the low sun created a lot of shadows. So, it wasn’t an easy race but I fought to the end and I’m happy to have had two races where I could push to the end and score points in both races.” Results – 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 12 MXGP – Overall 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 47pts; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 47; 3. Tim Gajser (Honda) 35… 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 24; 12. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 15 MXGP - Race 1 1. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 34:21:708, 19 laps; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 34:22:463; 3. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 34:59:317… 8. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:30:081; 11. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 35:57:369 MXGP - Race 2 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 34:32:068, 19 laps; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 34:37:373; 3. Tim Gajser (Honda) 34:53:233… 10. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:53:239; 16. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 36:11:324 MX2 - Overall 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 50pts; 2. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 42; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 40; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34; 13. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 12 MX2 - Race 1 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 34:55:130, 19 laps; 2. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 35:00:015; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:02:499… 19. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:29:357 MX2 - Race 2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:06:498, 19 laps; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:08:518; 3. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 35:10:423… 6. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:13:464; 11. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:43:132 Championship Standings – After Round 12 MXGP 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 460pts; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 454;3. Tim Gajser (Honda) 450; 10. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 201; 20. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 87 MX2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 488pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 397; 3. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 393; 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 359; 8. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna)
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Skyler Howes and Luciano Benavides have successfully completed the second stage at the 2021 Rallye du Maroc. Covering over 600 kilometres in total, the two FR 450 Rally riders faced a 334-kilometre timed special, primarily raced over the incredible Merzouga Dunes in the south of Morocco. Following a difficult stage one where a navigation error ended up costing him a lot of time, Skyler Howes set off as the 25th rider from the bivouac this morning. Enjoying the terrain, feeling comfortable on his bike and able to push, the American was soon catching and passing riders ahead of him. Holding position just inside the top 10 for much of the timed special, Skyler was able to focus on his navigation while putting his FR 450 Rally through a real test in the soft sand of the Merzouga Dunes. Ultimately finishing as ninth fastest, Howes moves up to 15th in the provisional overall standings. Also happy with his riding on stage two of the event, Luciano Benavides made the most of his ninth place start position to attack the start of the stage and chase down the riders ahead. A couple of small mistakes cost him some time throughout the special, but the young Argentinian was still able to hold on for 14th place at the finish, just under 13 minutes down on the leader. Currently 10th in the rally standings, Luciano will be keen to make up more time on Monday’s long stage three. The third stage of the Rallye du Maroc will start and finish in Zagora once again. Riders will cover a total of 604.60 kilometres, 341.81 of which will be timed special stage. Skyler Howes: “Stage two went a lot better for me than yesterday. I felt really comfortable on the bike and was able to maintain a good pace through the whole stage. There are still a few bugs to shake out, it wasn’t a perfect day but definitely an improvement. The stage was really fun to ride – the dunes in Merzouga were awesome and had a good flow to them. All in all it was a really good day, both on the bike and with my navigation. I’m happy, there are a few things we can look at to do a little bit better, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow.” Luciano Benavides: “Another long day, and a really tough one. We had a large section of dunes in the first half of the stage, and I found that quite hard physically. After the refuelling it was difficult for me to stay 100 percent focused and I think because of that I made a little mistake with my navigation that cost me some time. The feeling with the bike is good, and with everything so tight on the leaderboard my result doesn’t really show the progress we’re making. I’ll keep pushing tomorrow and hopefully have another good day.” 2021 Rallye du Maroc – Stage 2 Provisional Classification 1. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 3:40:32 2. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 3:41:51 3. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 3:43:22 4. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 3:44:12 5. Kevin Benavides (KTM) 3:44:36 6. Ross Branch (Yamaha) 3:45:25 … 9. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 3:47:32 14. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:53:11 2021 Rally du Maroc – Provisional Overall Classification [After Stage 2] 1. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 7:12:11 2. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 7:12:30 3. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 7:13:11 4. Joan Barreda (Honda) 7:15:12 5. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 7:17:08 6. Jose Ignacio Cornejo (Honda) 7:18:08 … 10. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 7:30:52 15. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 7:53:33
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Luciano Benavides has completed his first full stage riding the new 2022 FR 450 Rally in a solid ninth place. A navigation error while running in fourth dropped teammate Skyler Howes down to 23rd after losing his way in a visibility-reducing sandstorm. The opening day of the 2021 Rallye du Maroc proved to be a real challenge for all riders. A sandstorm that appeared midway through the stage made an already tricky-to-navigate special become extra demanding, especially for those opening the route. Luciano Benavides was able to successfully make it through the storm without losing too much time to the riders behind to maintain a top-10 position. Enjoying racing the new version of the FR 450 Rally in its first, full competitive stage, Benavides was also able to find a strong rhythm in both the dunes and fast, stony tracks – a positive step both for him and the development of the new bike. Now with four more days of racing, and a good start number for stage two, the young Argentinian is in a strong position to fight his way up the standings tomorrow. Setting off just behind his teammate and showing good pace on the first half of the stage, Skyler Howes was one of many riders to fall foul of the sandstorm and ended up losing a considerable amount of time while re-finding his way. After recovering, the American was able to get his head down for the remainder of the special, and not lose any more time to the front runners. Unfortunately, ending the day in 23rd place, over 40 minutes down on the winner, puts Howes on the back foot for the rest of the race. However, with four more days to go, Skyler is upbeat and keen to give it his all on the remaining stages. The second stage of the Rallye du Maroc will be another looped stage, starting and finishing in Zagora. Riders will cover a total of 609.22 kilometres, 334.66 of which will be timed special stage. Luciano Benavides: “It feels good to finish the first stage of the Rallye du Maroc. The bike feels great, and my confidence is coming back, so I had a good day today. Navigation was really tricky and there was a sandstorm in the first part of the stage that made things even more difficult. The rest went well – I just tried to stay on the pistes and not make any mistakes. There is still some room to improve, but I have a good start position for tomorrow and I’m looking forward to it.” Skyler Howes: “I got off to a really good start today and felt comfortable on the bike. I was holding a moderate pace and the bike was performing well. Around kilometre 125, I made a mistake in the sandstorm and got lost. It was a big mental battle to try and get back to where I should be, and at the end of it all I ended up losing around 40 minutes. From there on out, things went really smoothly to the end of the stage, but of course it’s frustrating to lose so much time early on. I’ll try and stay positive for the four more days ahead.” 2021 Rallye du Maroc – Stage 1 Provisional Classification 1. Joan Barreda (Honda) 2:58:53 2. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 3:00:03 3. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 3:01:52 4. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 3:05:43 5. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 3:06:24 6. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 3:08:44 … 9. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:12:13 23. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 3:40:33 2021 Rally du Maroc – Provisional Overall Classification [After Stage 1] 1. Joan Barreda (Honda) 3:25:57 2. Ricky Brabec (Honda) 3:26:51 3. Pablo Quintanilla (Honda) 3:29:08 4. Matthias Walkner (KTM) 3:31:39 5. Daniel Sanders (GASGAS) 3:32:56 6. Adrien Van Beveren (Yamaha) 3:34:52 … 8. Luciano Benavides (Husqvarna) 3:37:41 23. Skyler Howes (Husqvarna) 4:06:01
Skyler Howes and Luciano Benavides are back in rally action this week as round four of the 2021 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship gets underway with the Rallye du Maroc. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing duo have completed a gruelling month of testing on the 2022 FR 450 Rally and are set to compete onboard the all-new machine at the six-day Moroccan event, held from October 8-13. Choosing not to attend round three of the championship, the last race the team competed in was the Silk Way Rally back in early July. However, an intense training regime throughout September has kept Howes and Benavides extremely busy, with both riders working on their road book skills, fitness, as well as testing the new 2022 version of the FR 450 Rally. A fresh iteration of the championship-winning FR 450 Rally, the 2022 model is the result of two years’ development, boosting huge improvements to key areas of the machine. A new frame, a new engine, and new slimmer bodywork are just some of the highlights of the bike. With both Howes and Benavides riding the bike in Morocco, this will be the first time it has been tested under full racing conditions. Finishing as runner-up at the shortened Silk Way Rally, Skyler Howes once again impressed with his outright speed and ability to adapt his riding to a mixture of terrains. Although the second-place result elevated the American to second overall in the championship standings after round two, having not competed at round three in Brazil, Skyler currently lies third. Fully fit and looking ahead to Morocco and its Dakar-like mixture of sand dunes and fast, rocky desert tracks, the 29-year-old is keen to get started and gauge his performance on the new FR 450 Rally against the very best in the sport. Forced to withdraw from the 2021 Dakar Rally due to injury, Luciano Benavides used the first half of the year to rebuild his strength and confidence. Completing the tough Silk Way Rally in a solid eighth place, the young Argentinian lies seventh in the championship standings, 12 points behind his teammate. Following the team’s constructive month of testing, Benavides is now looking forward to fighting for the top spots at the Rallye du Maroc and giving the new bike its first real-world test, racing through the dunes of Morocco. Covering six days, and including a short Prologue followed by five demanding full stages of racing, the 2021 Rallye du Maroc is centred around one single bivouac located in Zagora. Each of the stages start and finish in the Moroccan town and are laid out in a looped format for safety and logistics reasons. Totalling 2,656.61 kilometres, the event will challenge riders with over 1,600 kilometres of timed special stage, including the short 10-kilometre Prologue on October 8 that will decide the start order for stage one. Competitors will face the classic mix of Moroccan terrain including technical desert tracks and tricky-to-navigate sand dunes. Skyler Howes: “The downtime has been quite nice, but also really busy – we had the whole team in America at my home in Utah for about a month of testing on the new bike. To be a part of that and to help develop this latest version is really cool and a big honour. It looks like all the hard work we put in has paid off too, as the shakedown test in Morocco has gone really well and the bike feels great. We still need to run it under race conditions, but for me it’s lighter, easier to control, and it’s more forgiving in the tougher terrain. It looks like the race here will be a really good test ahead of Dakar, so I’m excited to get started, and with such a stacked field it’s going to be really fun.” Luciano Benavides: “I’m really happy right now, we just finished the shakedown on the new bike, and it feels incredible. It’s completely new – new chassis, new engine – and for me it’s a really positive step. The team have put in a lot of hard work, and it has been good to be a part of that development. Not only does the bike feel good, but it has given me renewed motivation – I really want to see what it can do here in its first race. It’ll be a proper test ahead of Dakar and I can’t wait to see where we are compared to the others.”
Husqvarna Motorcycles is pleased to release an all-new video series focusing on the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing riders from across the globe - Drop The Gate. Concentrating on the elite racers who battle for glory in world-level motocross, supercross, rally, and enduro on any given weekend, we sat down with some of those with the most fascinating stories to tell – Graham Jarvis, Zach Osborne, Arminas Jasikonis, Kay de Wolf, and Skyler Howes. The concept behind Drop The Gate is to give a deeper understanding of our world class athletes. With such a diverse mix of racers, young and old, rookies and veterans, we uncovered just what shaped them into who they are today with each rider sharing their own unique story in detail. The first video in the five-part series is one that simply can’t be missed. Documenting every step of Arminas Jasikonis’ rehabilitation following his severe injury in September 2020, an incredible story of bravery, courage, and determination quickly unfolded which is all captured in the opening episode of Drop The Gate. To not miss the remaining instalments of Drop The Gate, subscribe to the Husqvarna Motorcycles YouTube channel today.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s MX2 World Championship competitors Jed Beaton and Kay de Wolf have placed fifth and sixth overall respectively at the MXGP of Germany. In both races at the Teutschenthal circuit the duo turned great starts into solid moto finishes, securing highly positive overall results for the team at round 11 of the series. Competing in the MXGP class, Thomas Kjer Olsen claimed 12th overall with Arminas Jasikonis 22nd. The demanding, hardpack circuit of Teutschenthal in Germany played host to round 11 of the FIM Motocross World Championship. Set in a shallow valley with a layout that winds up and down the hillsides, the circuit develops plenty of deep ruts along with hard and slick sections, making it a truly challenging race track. Continuing to deliver impressive and consistent results in the MX2 World Championship, Jed Beaton raced to a hard-earned fifth overall in Germany. Capitalising on a strong start in race one, the Australian ran up front with the leading riders and moved into fourth position with five laps to go. With the top three just out of reach, Beaton brought his FC 250 home in a well-deserved fourth place. Lining up for race two with a strong chance of an overall podium result, Jed once again enjoyed a great start. Completing the opening lap in fifth place, the 23-year-old advanced to fourth on lap four where he would remain until the closing stages of the moto. Losing just one spot to Rene Hofer, Beaton secured fifth in the moto for fifth-overall. Following on from his overall podium result at the previous round of the series, Kay de Wolf again impressed in Germany with a strong sixth-place overall result. Proving to be a very capable rider on all surfaces, the young Dutchman battled for position well inside the top 10 in moto one to ultimately secure an eighth-place finish. In moto two the recently turned 17-year-old emerged from the first turn in third place and quickly engaged in a race-long battle for a top-five finish. Demonstrating his hardpack riding ability on the heavily-rutted race track, Kay would lose just a few spots to his more senior competitors as the race continued. Securing sixth in the moto, Kay was rewarded with his ninth top-10 overall result this season. After his confidence-boosting moto win at last weekend’s FIM Motocross of Nations, Thomas Kjer Olsen brought impressive speed to Germany, placing 12th overall in the MXGP class. An opening moto 12th-place finish was followed up with a 13th second time out after a frustrating crash knocked the Dane out of ninth and a potential overall top-10 finish. For Arminas Jasikonis, the Lithuanian put points on the board in race two with an 18th place finish, to end the MXGP of Germany in 22nd overall. The EMX250 championship resumed in Germany for round five of the series with Maxime Grau securing a consistent 10-11 result for 11th overall. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to FIM Motocross World Championship action next weekend at the MXGP of France, round 11 of the series on October 10. Jed Beaton: “It wasn’t a bad weekend overall. My starts have been really good recently, which has really helped. Starting up front makes things a lot easier as you can stay out of trouble for the most part and ride your own race. It was a difficult track today. Some parts were really fast and a little sketchy and then in other parts the ruts were really deep. Everyone seemed to be on a similar pace so my good starts really made a difference today and I was able to put two solid races together.” Kay de Wolf: “I’m really happy with today. I qualified second, which was a little bit of a surprise but certainly good to know I that have the speed on hardpack. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the best of starts in race one, but I put it together in race two and I felt really good in that one. The track was challenging and you had to go slow to go fast as it was pretty technical with the deep ruts and lines everywhere. Overall, some more great learnings for me today and we’ll take them to France next weekend.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “After last weekend I was feeling really good and despite the results not showing it, there are a lot of positives from today. In the second moto I felt strong and I was attacking the track. I was in ninth and setting up a pass for eighth before I crashed. Crashing obviously isn’t positive but I felt like I was going to move further forwards in the race and it’s a shame that I went down. I feel like everything is going in the right direction and with so many races coming up, I think we can enjoy a good end to the season.” Arminas Jasikonis: “Today was difficult and it’s been a difficult season so far. There have been a few positives but I’m just searching now for a breakout result. In race two the gate bounced a little so I dropped the clutch but I hit the gate as it didn’t drop completely. It was frustrating, but I was able to get back into the points and make passes on a track that a lot of riders struggled with. So that’s a small positive. Onto next weekend in France.” Results – 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 11 MXGP – Overall 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 45pts; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 42; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 40… 12. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 17; 22. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 3 MXGP - Race 1 1. Jorge Prado (KTM) 34:52:361, 18 laps; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 34:52:504; 3. Tim Gajser (Honda) 34:56:589… 12. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:38:998; 21. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 36:27:295 MXGP - Race 2 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 35:04:460, 18 laps; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 35:16:923; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 35:41:205… 13. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:28:636; 18. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 36:53:282 MX2 - Overall 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 42pts; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 45; 3. Rene Hofer (KTM) 40… 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34; 6. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 28 MX2 - Race 1 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 34:53:096, 18 laps; 2. Rene Hofer (KTM) 34:54:578; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 34:55:510; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:05:137… 8. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:29:357 MX2 - Race 2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:17:306, 18 laps: 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 35:33:749; 3. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:12:306... 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:41:401; 6. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:54:020 Championship Standings – After Round 11 MXGP 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 415pts; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 413; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 407; 12. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 177; 21. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 72 MX2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 448pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 363; 3. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 351; 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 324; 8. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 301
MotoGP returns to the United States and the spectacular Circuit of the Americas as Husqvarna Motorcycles’ Romano Fenati races to 12th in shortened and twice interrupted Grand Prix Hopes were high for the long trip to Austin, Texas and only the second ‘flyaway’ for 2021 MotoGP as the series returned to the fast technical blend of twenty corners that forms the Circuit of the Americas. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team had been pushing for victory in the previous race – round fourteen of eighteen – at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli and lead rider, Romano Fenati, has already triumphed twice at the 5.5km course. Friday’s Free Practice was run in showery, wet and then damp conditions but qualification was thankfully dry as the Moto3 teams and riders battled a surprisingly bumpy and uneven asphalt. Fenati was able to end Q2 with the 11th fastest time and obtain a slot in the middle of the fourth row of the grid. Adrian Fernandez negotiated his first laps of COTA and was 22nd. Efficiency in Austin meant conquering the quick, flowing opening section of the lap and also mastering the hairpin-esque slower corners that demanded hard braking and rapid acceleration. The Moto3 race was set to take place over 17 hard laps – and Fenati initially slid onto the fringe of the top ten while Fernandez made up a lot of positions to be close to his teammate – until Filip Salac’s crash caused the GP to be red-flagged and forced a quick restart and a 5 lap dash. In the second outing Fernandez crashed on the first lap at Turn 18 but a multi-rider accident brought the red flags out again. Instead of taking to the grid for a third time Race Direction decided to base the results on the first outing, therefore placing Fenati 12th and Fernandez in 21st. Fenati is still 4th in the Moto3 World Championship standings and staring at a 30 point margin to Sergio Garcia in 3rd. MotoGP now rolls back to Europe for the last trio of events to take place at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli – the second outing this term – the Algarve International Circuit in Portugal (again the second GP in 2021) and the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, Spain. Misano will run on October 23rd-24th. Romano Fenati: “Not too happy. We didn’t find the right set-up but towards the end of the first race it was getting better and was feeling faster in the braking areas. We stopped and restarted and I lost a few metres from the group but in the end it didn’t matter. This race was unbelievable.” Adrian Fernandez: “Difficult race today. I lost a lot of positions just before the red flag and that was the race that counted. I want to thank the team for all their work and the next GP in Misano will be better.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “An unbelievable day and I’ve not seen something like this in Moto3. The decision to take it from race one, and it was not the best amount of points we were hoping for but we have to accept it. I think Misano now will be one of the most important for Romano and the team and his confidence. Adrian didn’t get any points today. We hope we can start on the right foot at the next GP.” Results – 2021 Moto3 World Championship, Round 15 1. Izan Guevara (GASGAS) 15:57.747, 2. Dennis Foggia (Honda) +0.385, 3. John McPhee (Honda) +0.499. 12. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +3.257, 21. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) +14.107 World Championship standings 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 218pts; 2. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 188pts; 3. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 168pts; 4. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 138 pts; 24. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) 20 pts.
The seventh stop of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship was one to savour for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing as teammates Alfredo Gomez and Billy Bolt claimed a commanding one-two at the Hixpania Hard Enduro. Gomez came out swinging in Sunday’s feature race The Lost Way to secure a memorable home win. Bolt topped the proceedings on Friday and Saturday before finishing a comfortable runner-up to Gomez on Sunday to further extend his championship lead. Heading to Spain for the penultimate round of this year’s FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, there was a lot to look forward to for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. A home round for Gomez was added motivation for the Spaniard, while Bolt was fully focused on building his championship points lead. After a steady start to the Hixpania Hard Enduro, Gomez looked to pull out all the stops in the event-deciding The Lost Way race on Sunday. Eager to impress the local Spanish fans attending the three-hour multi-lap hard enduro race, the Spaniard immediately hit the ground running. Quickly finding his pace on the tough and technical course, Gomez steered his TE 300i into the lead at the end of lap one. Rarely putting a wheel out of place, Alfredo navigated the slippery conditions with ease to build up a comfortable advantage over the chasing pack. Looking smooth, and maintaining a strong pace, Gomez ticked the laps off one by one before finally scaling the steep final climb at the end of the three-hour race to clinch a deserved and emotional win. For Bolt, the Hixpania Hard Enduro got off to a winning start. Fastest in the Friday afternoon superenduro qualifier, he then went on to win Saturday’s Campoo X-Treme - a 54-kilometre course ridden three times. Although eager to keep that winning momentum rolling into Sunday, Billy proved a little too eager on the opening laps and had to work his way through the field. With Gomez clear out front by the time he fought his way into second, Bolt had to settle for the runner-up result. He now leads this year’s FIM Hard Enduro World Championship by three points with the final round remaining in Germany on October 30. Alfredo Gomez: “I’m so happy to take the win here in Hixpania. It’s definitely been a tough race, but it feels so good to do it in front of the Spanish fans. On days one and two I definitely took things a little easier as I have struggled with my fitness this year a little and haven’t been able to train as much as I wanted in the pre-season. I saved some energy for today and it has certainly paid off. I wasn’t sure how things would go, but after I took the lead on lap one, I had to hold on to the finish. I knew that with this race, and possibly GetzenRodeo, being held in tough, wet conditions they should suit me, and I think I proved that today.” Billy Bolt: “It’s been a good weekend for me. I was happy to go fastest on the first two days and that put me in a good position for today. I struggled a lot on the first two laps to be honest, I found it hard to find my rhythm and ended up making too many mistakes, losing energy and time. At the refuelling I was able to make a few adjustments to the bike and then the second half of the race went much better, and I was able to push like I wanted to. I made a bit of a gap on Mani and even started to claw back some time on Alfredo ahead, but it was too little, too late and so I had to settle for second – full credit to Alfredo today, he was in a different league. I’ve got a three-point lead going into GetzenRodeo now, I kind of wish it was four, but it puts us in a good position for the title, but my plan as always is just go there and give it my best.” Results - Round 7: Hixpania Hard Enduro 1. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 2:35:49.125 2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 2:37:04.784 3. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 2:39:45.529 4. Mario Roman (Sherco) 2:45:59.409 5. Wade Young (Sherco) +2 laps 6. Michael Walkner (GASGAS) +3 laps 7. Jonathan Richardson (Husqvarna) +4 laps 8. Teodor Kabakchiev (Husqvarna) +4 laps 9. Matthew Green (GASGAS) +4 laps 10. Sonny Goggia (GASGAS) +4 laps Championship Standings (After round 7) 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 87pts 2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 84pts 3. Wade Young (Sherco) 71pts 4. Mario Roman (Sherco) 61pts 5. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 53pts 6. Jonny Walker (Beta) 44pts 7. Michael Walkner (GASGAS) 38pts 8. Teodor Kabakchiev (Husqvarna) 29pts 9. Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) 26pts 10. Dominik Olszowy (Husqvarna) 24pts
Husqvarna Motorcycles would like to express its sincere thanks to Jason Anderson for his hard work, commitment, and racing achievements during the last seven years. Following a highly successful relationship with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, the American’s time with the team has now drawn to a close. Since joining Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing in 2015 to compete on FC 450 machinery in the 450 class, Jason Anderson has entered each AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross season as a genuine title contender. Unquestionably, the highlight of Anderson’s time with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna came in 2018 when he was crowned 450SX champion. The victory marked the first 450 supercross title for Husqvarna Motorcycles with Jason’s performances and championship result also making a notable contribution to the brand’s international standing, as well as adding to their now 106 World Championship wins. During his time with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Jason won seven 450SX Main Events and claimed 27 podium finishes. Further success was achieved outdoors in the 450 Pro Motocross series, with Anderson claiming 16 overall podium results and a career-best championship finish of fourth in 2019. Outside of racing in America, Anderson won multiple Australian Supercross Championship races and represented Team USA at the FIM Motocross of Nations on two occasions. Robert Jonas – Vice President Motorsports Offroad: “We’ve had a great seven years with Jason and are hugely appreciative of all that he achieved and contributed to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. The highlight of course was winning the 450SX title in 2018. It was a huge achievement, both personally for Jason and also for Husqvarna, marking the first 450SX championship for Husqvarna and the FC 450. That championship win really helped elevate Husqvarna’s position within global motorsports, and really helped push the brand forwards. Everyone at Husqvarna Motorcycles wish Jason the very best of luck for the future.” Stephen Westfall - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager: “It’s been an honour to have worked with such a talented and committed racer like Jason. His dedication and talent, together with his willingness to always put the work in, ensured he was always the best rider he could be. It’s unfortunate that his time with the team coincides with him being injured as he was showing some great speed early on in the Pro Motocross season. On behalf of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, I wish Jason well and look forward to seeing him at the races in the future.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt and Alfredo Gomez are all set to take on Hixpania Hard Enduro, the seventh and penultimate round of the 2021 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. The Spanish event promises three days of challenging racing, culminating in the tough, multi-lap ‘The Lost Way’ enduro on Sunday, October 3. Despite finishing as runner-up at the previous round of the series, Billy Bolt was frustrated not to have taken the win. However, the young Brit still brought his TE 300i home ahead of his closest championship rival and re-took the lead in the series standings. On top form, and with three wins from six races, the 24-year-old will be aiming to claim a fourth victory at Hixpania, and extend his points advantage ahead of the final round in Germany at the end of October. Alfredo Gomez knows his way around the Aguilar de Campoo area having won Hixpania Hard Enduro in 2016, as well as coming painfully close in 2019 after topping the first two days of racing. Although fans are not permitted to attend the race this year due to Covid restrictions, the experienced Spaniard will still be looking to impress at his home event to ultimately move up the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship leaderboard, where he currently lies sixth. Taking place over three days of racing from October 1-3, the 2021 edition of Hixpania Hard Enduro will challenge competitors with an endurocross and a three-lap cross-country qualifier before they face the main event – The Lost Way hard enduro on Sunday. The first to cross the line on Sunday will be crowned winner of the event and earn themselves 20 valuable FIM Hard Enduro World Championship points. Billy Bolt: “It’s been a couple of years since we’ve raced Hixpania, so I’m definitely looking forward to going back to Spain and having a go. The event is really tough with three very different days of racing – a superenduro, a pretty high-speed cross-country, and then the big, intense final on Sunday. I’d say the format suits me, and the event should deliver some good racing as there are plenty of guys that can get in the mix. It’s difficult to plan any kind of strategy for a race like this. You don’t know what will happen over the three days, or how your opponents will perform. I think if I can stay out of trouble, make the right decisions in the races, hopefully it will all go well, and I can come out on Sunday with a bit more of a points lead before Germany.” Alfredo Gomez: “It’s my home race and one that I’ve normally done well at with a win and a couple of podiums, so I’m hoping for another good event this year, too. At the last edition in 2019, I won the first two days but then had some problems on Sunday that cost me the win. I want to make up for that and that’s motivated me even more for this year’s race. I’m happy with the bike, my team, and I’m feeling really good, so let’s see what happens on the weekend.” Check out the behind the scenes highlights from round six of the series - HERO Challenge in Poland - in episode four of the Rockstar Husky Vlog:
Delivering his standout result of the season so far, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen has placed an excellent third overall in the MXGP class at the FIM Motocross of Nations. Boosted by a stunning race one victory, Kjer Olsen battled back from a couple of crashes in moto two to secure his place on the overall MXGP podium. For Arminas Jasikonis, two consistent finishes netted the Lithuanian an impressive fifth overall in the Open class. The 74th edition of the FIM Motocross of Nations took place at the Mantova race track in Italy with heavy rain creating incredibly tough racing conditions. The circuit’s sandy top layer covers a hard and slick base, which with the rain created a treacherous racing surface for all competitors during the three mixed-capacity races. With two MX2 GP wins at the venue 12 months ago, Thomas Kjer Olsen clearly knows the fast way around the circuit and delivered one of the standout rides at the event. Lining up for Team Denmark, Kjer Olsen started the combined MXGP and MX2 class moto in fifth before moving into the lead on lap five. From there, he fended off multiple challenges from Tom Vialle to secure a highly impressive race one victory. Frustratingly, the 24-year-old’s hopes of a repeat success in his second moto unravelled on lap one when a crash left him with a lot of work to do. Remounting near last and making vital passes throughout the duration of the 30-minute-plus-two-lap race, Thomas made the crucial move into 13th during the closing stages of the moto to secure his place on the overall MXGP podium. Representing Team Lithuania, Arminas Jasikonis competed in the Open class and despite battling arm-pump in both of his races, he brought his FC 450 home in a strong ninth place in his opening moto. In moto two, and with the circuit conditions at their worst, Jasikonis placed 14th to secure fifth overall in the Open class. In doing so, the recently turned 24-year-old made a substantial contribution to his nation’s best ever finish at the FIM Motocross of Nations, with the small country of Lithuania ultimately placing 13th overall. Throughout the overall results there were many impressive performances from riders on Husqvarna Motorcycles’ FC machinery, with notable finishes coming from Evgeny Bobryshev and Karlis Sabulis. Competing for Team MFR, Bobryshev placed a highly commendable second overall in the Open class while the quick starting Sabulis secured fifth overall in the hotly contested MXGP division for Team Latvia. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Thomas Kjer Olsen and Arminas Jasikonis will next be in action at round 11 of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the MXGP of Germany, on October 3. Thomas Kjer Olsen: “It was an amazing feeling to win the first moto today. I had a great start then I found some good lines and I began to work my way forwards. A few times Tom Vialle would get close but I just felt really strong on the bike today and held him off for the win. I was really confident for another strong result in my second race, but a couple of crashes put me down the field and in these conditions at the back of the pack, it makes it really difficult. I came through quite well though to finish third overall in my class and this weekend has given me a lot of confidence for the remaining rounds of the world championship.” Arminas Jasikonis: “It wasn’t an easy day today that’s for sure. I struggled a little bit with arm pump and that effected my results. It wasn’t easy battling for positions in the mid pack with so many riders and the rain, it was just a difficult day. One positive is that it was Team Lithuania’s best overall finish at the Motocross of Nations so that’s good. But for myself, I’m a little disappointed.” Results – 2021 FIM Motocross of Nations Race 1 (MXGP + MX2) 1. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:32:712, 17 laps; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:34:188; 3. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 35:37:463; 10. Karlis Sabulis (Husqvarna) 36:40:464 Race 2 (MX2 + OPEN) 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 34:33:811, 16 laps; 2. Valentin Guillod (Yamaha) 35:22:928; 3. Rene Hofer (KTM) 35:24:274… 9. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 36:19:280; 10 Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 36:29:951 Race 3 (MXGP + OPEN) 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 36:25:997, 17 laps; 2. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 37:21:477; 3. Glenn Coldenhoff (Yamaha) 37:29:940… 13. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:37:710, 16 laps; 14. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 36:37:710 Overall 1. Team Italy 37pts, 2. Team The Netherlands 38, 3. Team Great Britain 39… 10. Team Denmark 84, 13. Team Lithuania 110
As a partner in the all-new European Junior E-Motocross Series alongside InFront Moto Racing, Husqvarna Motorcycles is looking forward to the opening round of the series, which takes place this weekend at one of the biggest events on the offroad calendar – the Motocross of Nations. With a full line-up of young racers competing on e-powered motorcycles, many of whom riding the pioneering Husqvarna Motorcycles EE 5 machine, the stage is set for an electrifying series opener. Husqvarna Motorcycles is fully behind the European Junior E-Motocross Series. Offering talented young riders the chance to compete at the same events as their MXGP heroes, competitors will not only race on the same circuit, but they will also enjoy an exclusive place inside the international paddock among the world championship and national teams. With the first round of the European Junior E-Motocross Series taking place at the most prestigious motocross event in the world, e-powered motorsport and the capabilities of e-technology will be showcased to a truly global audience. With a full gate of future motocross champions signing up to compete, should the overall series winner be mounted on an EE 5, their championship prize will be an offroad model of their choice from the Husqvarna Motorcycles range. Following the season opener this weekend in Italy, the remaining four rounds take place alongside the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship with races in Germany, France, and Spain. Upon conclusion of the series, all riders who compete in all five events will be invited to attend a three-day training camp with Husqvarna Motorcycles/Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing. The opening round of the European Junior E-Motocross Series takes place this weekend in Mantova, Italy, with the winner crowned at round five in Spain on October 17. All results from round one of the European Junior E-Motocross Series can be found here: https://results.mxgp.com/mxgp/livestandings.aspx Federico Valentini - Head of Husqvarna Motorcycles Global Marketing: “It’s been months of hard work and planning to create the European Junior E-Motocross Series together with InFront Moto Racing, and now that round one is finally here, it’s a really exciting moment. We can’t wait to see 40 potential superstars of our sport blast off the start this weekend on their e-powered machines. Racing at such a prestigious event will be something that they will remember forever. There are many riders competing on our exciting EE 5 model, so for Husqvarna Motorcycles, as a partner of the European Junior E-Motocross Series, it’s a huge step forward for us and e-powered motorsport in general. And this is just the beginning of the journey.” Calendar – 2021 Europe Junior E-Motocross Championship Round 1: 26 Sep, Motocross of Nations, Italy - Mantova Round 2: 3 Oct, MXGP of Germany - Teutschenthal Round 3: 10 Oct, MXGP of France - Lacapelle Marival Round 4: 16 Oct, MXGP of Spain - Arroyomolinos Round 5: 17 Oct, MXGP of Spain - Arroyomolinos More information can be found at www.junioremotocross.com
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Kay de Wolf has battled his way to an impressive third-place overall MX2 class result at the MXGP of Sardegna. The sandy nature of the Riola Sardo circuit meant the young Dutchman was in his element, showing phenomenal speed and race craft on his way to two fourth-place moto finishes. For his MX2 teammate, Jed Beaton, it was a challenging day in Italy with the FC 250 racer ultimately claiming seventh-overall. In the MXGP class, Thomas Kjer Olsen secured a strong 10th-place overall result with Arminas Jasikonis in 15th. The 10th round of the FIM Motocross World Championship saw Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing take to the start following two successful events for the team in Turkey. Competing on the Italian island of Sardinia, it was ultimately another positive GP for the team as the series now enters the second half of the season. Headlining the results for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna was MX2 class racer Kay de Wolf, who placed an impressive third-overall for the third time this season. Racing on his favoured surface, the 16-year-old brought his sand riding skills to the fore with a solid charge through the field in moto one to secure fourth. For race two, a much stronger start saw Kay quickly form part of a three-rider battle for second place. Frustratingly, Thibault Benistant crashed in front of Kay, which collected the FC 250 racer and caused him to lose valuable time. Although quick to remount, the young Dutchman dropped to sixth but quickly regained the positions that he lost, claiming a strong fourth place in the moto. With another overall podium result, Kay moves up to seventh place in the MX2 World Championship. Arriving in Sardinia following a strong run of MX2 class results recently, Jed Beaton’s chances of another overall podium finish were quickly unravelled following an unfortunate crash early on in moto one. A race-long charge with no front brake then ensued with the Australian ultimately claiming 13th aboard his FC 250. For race two, Beaton emerged from the first turn well placed inside the top-10. After making a number of passes during the opening laps, the 23-year-old would continue to maintain his strong pace, catching up to teammate Kay de Wolf and chasing him across the finish line for a well-deserved fifth-place finish. The opening MXGP class moto proved to be highly positive for both Thomas Kjer Olsen and Arminas Jasikonis. With TKO placing eighth, Jasikonis followed him home for a strong ninth-place finish. In race two, Kjer Olsen placed 13th after a crash on the opening lap with the Dane claiming 10th overall for his second top-10 result in as many events. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing will next be in FIM Motocross World Championship action at the MXGP of Germany, round 11 of the series on October 3. Before then, Thomas Kjer Olsen and Arminas Jasikonis will represent their countries at next weekend’s Motocross of Nations in Italy, competing for Denmark and Lithuania respectively. Kay de Wolf: “Another podium result in my rookie season so I’m really happy. It definitely could have been better if it wasn’t for an unfortunate crash in race two. As I came out of a corner fast I just couldn’t avoid Thibault Benistant’s bike, which was laying in the track. There was just not enough time to stop and I hit his bike. I burnt my arm and it took a little while to free my bike from his. It’s frustrating but my riding was really good and I was able to make up the positions that I lost quite quickly. Overall, though, it’s been a great weekend. I’ve moved up to seventh in the standings so I’m really happy and looking forward to Germany in two weeks’ time.” Jed Beaton: “A bit of a frustrating day today. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time in moto one as Jago Geerts crashed and then his bike bounced up and hit me off of mine. The crash damaged my front brake, so it wasn’t ideal, but I gave it everything I had and managed to score some points. I found a pretty good flow in race two and maintained a good pace. It was easy to make mistakes and I overexerted myself a little in the first one, so a fifth place wasn’t too bad. The next two rounds are back on hardpack and tracks that I really like so I’m looking forward to those and getting back up on the podium.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “It was quite a good day for me today. The track was really rough and demanding, so to finish 10th overall is a great result and it’s where I need to be. My first moto was really good. It was a fight to the end and I feel like my fitness really helped. This showed in the second moto especially. I crashed early on and I was way down, but as the race reached the end I started picking off riders and ended up 13th. It’s frustrating and makes you wonder how that race would have gone had I had a good start, but that’s how racing goes sometimes.” Arminas Jasikonis: “Despite needing to withdraw from the second race today, there are many positives to take from today. My speed in both races was actually really good and in race one I showed that I can run up front. Unfortunately, in race two I began to feel really dizzy and I opted to pull out of the race and put safety first. It was really demanding today so maybe I overdid things a little, but this is MXGP and you always have to fight and do your best.” Results – 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 10 MXGP - Overall 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 50pts; 2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 44; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 40… 10. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 21; 15. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 12 MXGP - Race 1 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 35:22:630, 19 laps; 2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 36:05:049; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 36:15:640… 8. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:32:695; 9. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 36:35:608 MXGP - Race 2 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 34:10:289, 18 laps; 2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 34:15:999; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 34:18:695… 13. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:42:374 MX2 - Overall 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 50pts; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 42; 3. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 36; 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 24 MX2 - Race 1 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 34:04:946, 18 laps; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 34:06:063; 3. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 34:24:711; 4. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 34:28:244; 13. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:29:444 MX2 - Race 2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 34:35:642, 18 laps; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 34:43:906; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:04:558; 4. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:26:144; 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:29:150 Championship Standings – After Round 10 MXGP 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 371pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda); 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 367; 12. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 160; 21. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 69 MX2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 403pts; 2. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 332; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 325; 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 290… 7. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 273
The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team moved to Italy and the flat, twisty layout of the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for Gran Premio Octo di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini – round fourteen of the rapidly dwindling 2021 MotoGP season. The crew, and Romano Fenati in particular, held good memories of the course in San Marino and close to the Adriatic coastline after the Italian’s victory at the venue in the summer of 2020. It was Husqvarna Motorcycles’ first success since its first re-introduction to world championship racing. The fourteenth Grand Prix of eighteen in 2021 was the first of two dates at Misano with the second occurring on 24th October (round sixteen). Moto3 was run in largely bright conditions and Fenati was able to use the speed and positive feeling with his FR 250 GP machine to gain a third Pole Position of the campaign on Saturday. The experienced racer was almost half a second quicker than countryman Dennis Foggia for his fifth front row slot from the last six events. Rookie Adrian Fernandez clocked a lap-time to sit 21st on the grid. The Moto3 race consisted of 23 hard-fought laps of the Misano course with its hard emphasis on right-hand turns. Fenati launched away to position himself at the peak of the group and set the fastest lap to breakaway. He started to build a comfortable margin of almost three seconds when he unexpectedly lost control at Turn 15 on lap 13 and crashed. Fernandez rode to 20th. In the Moto3 World Championship standings Fenati is 4th and now 34 points behind both Sergio Garcia and Dennis Foggia tied in 2nd spot. After back-to-back events in Spain and Italy MotoGP pauses before the second overseas fixture of the season. The epic Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas will stage the first Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas since 2019 on October 3rd. Romano Fenati: “Of course I’m not happy for the crash but I am happy about the pace. That was important. I was the strongest out there. I’m sorry for the team and the fans and everybody. Now we have to do a good GP in the USA and try to repeat the first half of the race here in the ones to come.” Results – 2021 Moto3 World Championship, Round 14 1. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 39:17.002, 2. Niccolo Antontelli (KTM) +0.565, 3. Andrea Migno (Honda) +0.817. 20. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) +21.363, DNF. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) World Championship standings 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 210pts; 2. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 168pts; 3. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 168pts; 4. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 134 pts; 24. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) 20 pts.
The sixth round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship saw Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt move to the top of the series standings thanks to a hard fought second-place result. Teammate Alfredo Gomez enjoyed a mixed outing at the Polish race, winning the Saturday night SuperEnduro before finishing seventh in Sunday’s main race. With just one point separating Bolt from championship leader Manuel Lettenbichler prior to the start of HERO Challenge, Billy arrived in Poland with his sights set on doing all he could to move to the top of the title chase. Highly motivated following his victory last time out in the USA, Bolt began the proceedings in a determined mood. Finishing a close second in the Saturday morning qualifier, he went on to back that up with fourth in the night time SuperEnduro. Knowing it was all to play for during Sunday’s three-hour extreme cross country race, he was quick to position himself at the sharp end of the results. Locked in an early battle with eventual race winner Wade Young, Bolt held a strong second place. With a couple of small crashes costing him valuable time, the Husqvarna TE 300i rider opted to protect his position during the latter stages of the race knowing the championship lead would be his with a second-place result. After three gruelling hours of racing, Bolt crossed the finish line for second and with it becomes the new FIM HEWC championship leader with two rounds remaining. For Alfredo Gomez, the event was one of two halves. Saturday’s SuperEnduro action proved to be the highlight of the weekend for the Spaniard. Fast and confident on the tight and technical course, Gomez easily advanced through all of the eliminator heats to take his place in the four-rider final alongside Bolt. Hot out of the gate, Alfredo immediately took the race lead and was never headed. For Sunday’s racing, the fast and sandy whooped out conditions didn’t play into the Hard Enduro specialist’s hands. While starting strong thanks to his pole position, the Husqvarna rider lost ground in the high-speed sections, eventually finishing seventh. The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship continues with round seven at Spain’s Hixpania Hard Enduro on October 1-3. Billy Bolt: “It’s been a full-on weekend with lots of styles of racing. Today’s cross country race was physical out there for the three hours. I don’t have much left in the tank now! I would have loved to take the win, but second place is great for the championship and now puts me in the lead by one point. I was battling with Wade at about mid distance. But I needed an extra pit stop and lost some ground. A crash then saw me lose sight of him, so I just tried to play it safe. I didn’t want to make any more mistakes and lose a position to Mani either.” Alfredo Gomez: “The SuperEnduro was definitely my best performance of the weekend. I really loved the track and the style of races. The eliminator heat races were very cool and with each run you learned the track more and more. I knew for the final that getting the holeshot would be key and I managed to do that on my TE 300i. Once in the lead I held my ground and took the win. The three-hour cross country on Sunday wasn’t really my style of racing. It was missing some really hard technical elements to play to my strengths. I did my best and got seventh. I’m excited for my home race at Hixpania now. I’ve won there and been on the podium many times, so I’ll be pushing for victory for sure.” FIM Hard Enduro World Championship, Round 6: HERO Challenge (Main Race) 1. Wade Young (Sherco) 7 laps, 3:03:01 2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 7 laps, 3:06:48 3. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 7 laps, 3:07:09 4. Dominik Olszowy (KTM) 7 laps, 3:08:01 5. Mario Roman (Sherco) 7 laps, 3:08:31 6. Jonny Walker (Beta) 7 laps, 3:13:51 7. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 7 laps, 3:14:38 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship standings (after 6 of 8 rounds) 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 70pts 2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) 69pts 3. Wade Young (Sherco) 60pts 4. Mario Roman (Sherco) 48pts 5. Jonny Walker (Beta) 44pts 6. Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) 33pts … 11. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 15pts
Decent speed for the FR 250 GP mounted pair as Husqvarna Motorcycles tackle MotorLand Aragon for round thirteen of MotoGP. After their successful efforts around one of the longest and fastest circuits on the MotoGP calendar two weeks ago at Silverstone, the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team travelled to another tricky and technical test for round thirteen of eighteen in 2021 MotoGP. The undulations of the MotorLand Aragon layout was a challenge to conquer for Husqvarna Motorcycles on what was the third visit to the Spanish mainland this season. MotorLand involved seventeen corners (ten to the left, seven to the right) and a 5.1km distance with a near two-minute lap-time. The Gran Premio Tissot de Aragon represented a return to the venue that hosted a double header in 2020 and saw Romano Fenati capture a strong 4th position in one of the outings. Sunshine and warm temperatures graced the Grand Prix. Fenati and Adrian Fernandez concentrated on set-up and refamiliarization of the course during practice and qualification with the Spanish asphalt offering slightly less grip compared to the previous autumn. By the end of the sessions on Saturday Fenati took 17th on the grid and Fernandez was slightly further back in 22nd. The race began strongly with Moto3 forming into a large gaggle at the front. Fenati moved up from the lower reaches of the top twenty to nestle into the top ten and less than two seconds from the race leader. With eleven laps to go Fenati had to pick up and run off the track avoiding the falling Gabriel Rodrigo on Turn 16 and the delay cast him to the back of the field. The Italian tried to regain time and pushed all the way to 14th to salvage two points from the circumstances. Moto3 rookie Fernandez kept busy and was eying the top ten. He eventually crossed the finish line in 12th for his best ranking since the Grand Prix of Styria and his third allotment of points in 2021. Fenati has dropped to 4th in the Moto3 World Championship standings and stares at a 21-point margin to Sergio Garcia in 2nd spot. Fernandez has 16 points. MotoGP rapidly decamps from Spain to Italy this week for the first of two separate appointments at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli; a place where Fenati was able to triumph in 2020. Romano Fenati: “Not the best race for us but the end was really good. I ran off the track on the last corner: I had to do that when Rodrigo crashed so I wouldn’t hit him. I restarted last and found my way back to 14th. We didn’t have the best grip on the front today but the bike was really impressive. We’re looking forward to the next race at Misano.” Results – 2021 Moto3 World Championship, Round 13 1. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 37:53.710, 2. Deniz Öncü (KTM) +0.041, 3. Ayumu Sasaki (KTM) +0.644, 12. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) +9.499, 14. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +14.797 World Championship standings 1. Pedro Acosta (KTM) 201pts; 2. Sergio Garcia (GASGAS) 155pts; 3. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 143pts; 4. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 134 pts; 24. Adrian Fernandez (Husqvarna) 16 pts.
The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team concluded a long summer of AMA Pro Motocross racing on Saturday with the 12th and final round taking place in Rancho Cordova, California. RJ Hampshire pushed through adversity all day long to come away with 2-6 moto scores and third overall in the 250MX class, while his teammate Joshua Varize made the most of his fill-in ride with a standout performance and eighth overall at the season finale. Battling an ongoing illness late in the summer, Hampshire came into the weekend still feeling under the weather but he put in a big effort to come away with a strong finish to the 2021 season. In Moto 1, he grabbed a great second-place start and pressured the leader right away on the opening lap. Relentlessly charging, Hampshire kept the pressure on for the entire 35-minute race, finishing only 3.6 seconds back for second-place. Moto 2 proved to be much more of a challenge for Hampshire, as he went down on the opening lap and was forced to come from 20th early on. He did his best to push in the second moto, rallying all the way up to sixth with two laps to go. Hampshire dug deep to close out the season with on a positive note, claiming sixth in the moto and third overall for the day. With 11 moto-podiums and a Round 4 overall win, Hampshire sealed fourth overall in the 250MX Championship standings with plenty of incredible performances in 2021. “It was a good day to finish the season off,” Hampshire said. “I still don’t feel that great but we managed through the day and saved what I could in that first moto. In the second moto, I got a decent start again and ran into the back of someone first lap and went pretty far back. I knew a podium was in the cards, so I dug deep at the end. It’s a good way to end the season off on the podium, so I’m stoked on that. I’m looking forward to a good off-season.” With riders Jalek Swoll and Stilez Robertson still missing from the team’s 250MX lineup, Joshua Varize filled in once again at the season finale. Varize earned his best-career finish at the previous round aboard the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing FC 250, giving him great confidence in his second ride with the team. In Moto 1, Varize had a great jump off the start and he went to work battling inside the top-five for the first four laps. The rookie held his own in the tough conditions to ultimately finish a career-best seventh in the first moto. In Moto 2, Varize had an incredible start to secure the holeshot and early lead in the race. He maintained the lead for a long opening lap before championship points contender Justin Cooper overtook him just before the start of lap two. Sitting in second, the young rider fought hard with veterans of the class early on before shuffling back a few positions later in the race. With a solid ride, Varize finished 11th in the second moto and eighth overall for the day, matching his career-best at the previous round. “It was an amazing day at Hangtown,” Varize said. “The highlight of today was getting the holeshot in Moto 2 and not having to worry about anything in front of you. I’m super stoked that I led a lap but then I just dropped the anchor and fell back to 11th. I saw a couple guys behind me and I found a bit more energy to push and stay in that spot. I’m stoked to end the season on a good note by tying my best overall finish and we’ll bring that into next year and push harder.” Round 12 Results: Hangtown Motocross Classic 250MX Results 1. Justin Cooper (YAM) 1-1 2. Jo Shimoda (KAW) 4-2 3. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 2-6 … 8. Joshua Varize – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 7-11 450MX Results 1. Dylan Ferrandis (YAM) 1-3 2. Eli Tomac (KAW) 4-1 3. Cooper Webb (KTM) 3-2 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 497 points 2. Justin Cooper – 491 points 3. Hunter Lawrence – 381 points 4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 327 points … 10. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 195 points 18. Joshua Varize – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 115 points 19. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 90 points 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Dylan Ferrandis – 486 points 2. Ken Roczen – 424 points 3. Eli Tomac – 415 points … 16. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 146 points 24. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 33 points 26. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 29 points
The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team is pleased to officially announce that Malcolm Stewart has inked a two-year deal to join the team’s 450 efforts in both AMA Supercross World Championship and AMA Pro Motocross racing. The 28-year-old Florida native will pilot the FC 450 ROCKSTAR EDITION for the 2022 and 2023 race seasons, beginning on January 8 with the Anaheim SX season opener. Malcolm Stewart – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team: “I’m really excited to have a full indoor/outdoor deal that’s sealed for two years. It’s definitely a great opportunity for me and I think there’s nothing but positive vibes coming from me. I’ve always wanted to ride one of these Husqvarna motorcycles, I’ve seen everybody in the past do very well on it. We’ve been putting in the work this summer. Having a new training program going with Aldon Baker, I know there’s going to be a lot of big changes for me but I’m looking forward to it all. I’ve seen the successes that have happened through The Baker’s Factory and I want to be a part of those people, so I feel that this is a good opportunity for me in these next two years to go out there and do the best that I can.” Fresh off his best-career Supercross season with sixth overall in 2021, the 2016 250SX East Champion earned his first 450SX podium at the penultimate round in Salt Lake City before finishing the year out strong with a top-five result. Now, with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team behind him, Stewart looks to keep the momentum rolling as he prepares to attack both Supercross and Motocross for the first time since 2014. Stewart added, “It’s been a while since I’ve done the outdoors but I feel like racing is racing – anytime the gate drops there’s no negative vibes and it’s always going to be a positive. You live and you learn something from it, so let’s just get ready because that #27 is going to be out there!” Stephen Westfall – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager: “We are pleased to announce the addition of Malcolm to the team for the next two years. He’s always been a joy to watch riding Supercross and now we get to see it first-hand every day. It’s going to be a fun couple years with him around.” For more information on the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team and its athletes, visit www.husqvarna-motorcycles.com.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt and Alfredo Gomez will compete at the HERO Challenge event in Poland this coming weekend – round six of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. Run over two days – September 11-12 – the event marks the first of three European-based races, which lead to the conclusion of the 2021 HEWC series in late October. A new event for all the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship regulars, HERO Challenge will see Billy and Alfredo compete in an extreme cross-country main event, a race that will be in complete contrast to the super-technical, rock-strewn woodlands of the previous round, TKO in the USA. Mixing things up and featuring motocross, enduro, and superenduro elements, the three-hour extreme cross-country main race will be preceded by a Saturday qualifying event and a separate, indoor endurocross. Just one point behind the current series leader, Billy Bolt will compete in Poland set on putting his name both at the top of the event’s results as well as at the head of the HEWC standings. Topping the podium in the USA at TKO, Billy will carry his strong form into the HERO Challenge, and despite having taken some time off from riding recently due to a knee injury, is fully focused on another winning result. Currently seventh in the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship standings, Alfredo Gomez is focused on a strong end to his 2021 campaign, starting with the HERO Challenge. Looking to secure his first podium result of the series, Alfredo knows that the three-hour extreme cross-country main event is going to be anything but easy. Nevertheless, the experienced Spaniard has what is needed to challenge for a top-three result. Round six of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship sees the series head to Poland for the HERO Challenge, this coming weekend. Billy Bolt: “Since TKO last month I’ve had to mix up my training with resting my knee injury. The only way that it will heal is to rest it. But it’s mid-season so the work must continue. It was actually nice to have some time off after TKO, especially with Romaniacs just before it, so it was good to relax a little before ramping things up ahead of the HERO Challenge this weekend. It’s not an event that I’ve done before but from what I’ve seen online, it looks like it will include motocross, enduro, and superenduro sections along with some woodland, so it sounds like a pretty varied course. It may not be the hardest race of the season, but no race is ever easy. I really hope the format and terrain will play to my strengths. I’m excited to be racing again and aiming for a solid result in Poland.” Alfredo Gomez: “HERO Challenge is going to be a very different race compared to the other Hard Enduro World Championship events we’ve had so far. I’m looking forward to it, even if it’s not really my favourite style of competition. But it will anyway be difficult for all. There will be a lot of riders, so the key to the race will be to get through the lappers without any troubles, which isn’t always easy. Let’s see how it goes, I will anyway give it my best.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton continues to deliver impressive results in the MX2 World Championship, this time securing a strong fifth-place overall result at the MXGP of Afyon. A third-place finish in moto two came after two crashes in race one, which frustratingly prevented the Australian from reaching the overall podium in Turkey. Beaton’s teammate Kay de Wolf again delivered solid results, battling at the sharp end of the field in both motos on his way to securing ninth overall. Competing in the MXGP division, Thomas Kjer Olsen claimed a hard-fought ninth overall result with Arminas Jasikonis placing 21st. Round nine of the FIM Motocross World Championship saw Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing line up for the second of two Grand Prix to be held at the Afyonkarahisar circuit in Turkey. With no notable changes to the race track, the riders were quickly familiar with the hardpack Turkish soil. Following his impressive third-overall result just three days ago, Jed Beaton brought his podium speed to round nine of the MX2 World Championship. Enjoying a great start in race one, the Australian quickly joined a four-rider battle for the lead with the quartet breaking away from the rest of the field. Frustratingly, two crashes halfway through the moto demoted the FC 250 racer down the running order, with Jed ultimately crossing the line in 12th place Regrouping for moto two, Beaton again started up front and initially battled with teammate Kay de Wolf during the early stages of the race for fifth position. After making a pass stick on lap nine, the 23-year-old began charging forwards, moving into third position with five laps remaining. With the leaders just out of reach, Jed secured an excellent third in the moto for fifth overall. For Kay de Wolf, the MXGP of Afyon was another positive day of racing for the Dutchman. Forming part of an intense battle for fifth place early on in moto one, the 16-year-old reached as high as sixth before slipping back just one position to claim a solid seventh-place result in the opening race of the day. Another strong start in race two saw de Wolf again running up front where he quickly engaged in a fight for fifth place with Jed Beaton. Frustratingly, Kay would fall from his FC 250 and remount down in eighth position. Despite losing touch with the leaders, the youngster never dropped his pace to complete the moto in eighth, for ninth overall. Thomas Kjer Olsen put together a confidence-boosting pair of race results to claim ninth-overall in the MXGP class. Following a 12th-place finish in moto one, the Dane made full use of a great start in race two to secure ninth. The strong showing from the FC 450 mounted racer moves him up to 11th in the series standings, just four points adrift of the top-10 For Arminas Jasikonis, the Lithuanian didn’t quite start either moto as well as his teammate, battling his way to eventual 19-18 results for 21st overall. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing will next be in FIM Motocross World Championship action at the MXGP of Sardegna, round 10 of the series on September 19. Jed Beaton: “It was good to end the trip to Turkey with a solid result but crashing twice in the first moto was really frustrating. The first one wasn’t my fault but the second one was, I just tucked the front in a turn. After that I wanted to get out the gate and battle up front in race two, which I did, and I ended up third in the moto. That gave me fifth-overall and some decent points. My starts have been really good recently and my bike’s working really well, so now I can just focus on the races and doing my best in each moto.” Kay de Wolf: “Another good and consistent day on the hardpack for me. I felt really good on the bike in qualifying and it was the same in the races. I had good starts in both motos although I ran a little wide in the first turn in race one, which cost me some positions. Then in race two it was a shame that I slipped off as I was having a good battle for fifth. It was a little frustrating, but I was able to get back up quick and finish eighth which wasn’t so bad. Two top-10 finishes, just like last weekend, so I’m leaving Turkey happy and looking forward to the sand in Sardinia.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “It was a good day for me with a top-10 overall result. I’m getting back to where I should be and I felt good today. My starts were good and when you’re up front, you can ride your own lines and that makes the races so much easier as you’re not trying to make passes while riding defensively. It’s nice to be heading back to base following a good result here in Turkey and I’m looking forward to the next one, to keep this momentum going.” Arminas Jasikonis: “A difficult day I would say. I wasn’t totally recovered from the last GP on Sunday and I’m still using each GP to build up my race fitness. It’s frustrating to be battling down the field and I need to be qualifying better, really. I was starting on the outside where the dirt is deeper and softer whereas on the inside it was firmer, so you could get the power down better. So that’s something I’ll be working on before the next GP, my qualifying speed. I’ve shown that I can be inside the top-10 earlier this season so now it’s just a case of bringing it all together again on race day.” Results – 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 9 MXGP - Overall 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 47pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 45; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 42… 9. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 21; 21. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 5 MXGP - Race 1 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 34:31:387, 19 laps; 2. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 34:31:881; 3. Tim Gajser (Honda) 34:34:356… 12. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:32:745; 19. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 35:46:209 MXGP - Race 2 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 34:44:781, 19 laps; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 34:50:728; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 34:53:759… 9. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:45:257; 18. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 36:07:468 MX2 - Overall 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 47pts; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 47; 3. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 35… 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 29; 9. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 27 MX2 - Race 1 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 34:59:757, 19 laps; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:17:045; 3. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 35:25:905… 7. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 35:35:892; 12. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:48:382 MX2 - Race 2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:15:694, 19 laps; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:21:228; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:42:676… 8. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 36:01:695 Championship Standings – After Round 9 MXGP 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 355pts; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 327; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 326… 11. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 139; 21. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 57 MX2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 361pts; 2. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 312; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 290; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 266… 8. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 237
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Jed Beaton has returned to form with a strong third place overall result at the MXGP of Turkey, round eight of the 2021 MX2 World Championship. Top-three starts, incredible pace, and consistent 3-3 results ensured Jed’s second podium visit so far this season. Beaton’s teammate, Kay de Wolf, also enjoyed a highly rewarding seventh overall result in Turkey to continue with his impressive rookie campaign in the MX2 division. In the MXGP class, Thomas Kjer Olsen placed 14th with Arminas Jasikonis 20th. Round eight of the FIM Motocross World Championship took Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing to Turkey for the first of two back-to-back rounds at the Afyonkarahisar circuit. The relatively flat and hardpack venue was prepared to perfection with many sizable jumps creating spectacular racing action in both classes. Kicking off the second half of the MX2 World Championship on a highly positive note, Jed Beaton enjoyed a great jump off the start in race one, with the Australian briefly moving into second place before dropping back just one spot to third. The FC 250 racer was then engaged in a race-long battle for the runner-up position with Mattia Guadagnini, frustratingly unable to find a way past the Italian. Nevertheless, an opening moto third was a strong start to the GP for Beaton. Following the gate drop for race two, Jed once again started up front, very nearly taking the holeshot before slotting into second place. The 23-year-old would then lose a position to Tom Vialle on lap five, before battling throughout the remaining laps of the race with Guadagnini for the final spot on the podium. This time, Jed came out on top to secure third in the moto and with it claimed third overall. With his strong result, Beaton now advances to fourth in the series standings. Kay de Wolf’s positive rookie season in MX2 continues with the youngster earning a strong seventh overall at round eight of the series. In race one, the Dutchman’s FC 250 powered him to the front of the field before he went on claim a well-deserved seventh-place finish, despite twisting his ankle halfway through the moto. For moto two, de Wolf dug deep for a ninth-place finish, earning himself a pair of solid race results and securing seventh-overall on the day. Kay maintains his eighth-place ranking in the MX2 World Championship. Competing in the MXGP class, Thomas Kjer Olsen claimed a strong 10th-place finish in the opening moto, before racing to a 15th in race two. The Dane displayed impressive speed in both motos and ultimately placed 14th overall in the highly competitive field. For Arminas Jasikonis, a crash in race one ruled the Lithuanian out of scoring points. However in moto two AJ secured 17th. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to FIM Motocross World Championship action on Wednesday, September 8 for the second of two rounds to be held at the Afyonkarahisar circuit in Turkey. Jed Beaton: “It feels really good to be back on the podium. It had been a bit of an up and down year heading into the break so to get this podium and put together two strong races, it’s the perfect start to the second half of the season. I had to really dig deep in that second moto, withstanding pressure for pretty much the whole race, so that one felt really good. The team has been amazing as always and this result sets us up really well for Wednesday. My bike was awesome, my starts were perfect and now we can just focus on the motos in a few days’ time and get back up on the box again.” Kay de Wolf: “I’m really happy with today. Seventh overall is another solid result for me and despite making a few mistakes, I felt like I was riding really well and with a good flow. I actually twisted my ankle in race one so that was pretty painful, but we strapped it up for moto two and it was ok once the adrenaline took over. It was a pretty fun track today and I’m looking forward to Wednesday.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “Today was pretty good. My first race was decent, and I felt relaxed and smooth on the bike so to finish 10th was a good start to the day and I felt like I could do better in race two. I had a good race going but lacked a little energy that I needed to make a push forward. Maybe the heat got to me a little, but it was frustrating, nevertheless. I was able to maintain my position though, so that was good. But knowing how I felt in race one, it was difficult to not have that same feeling in the second moto.” Arminas Jasikonis: “Not a great day overall for me. I felt good on my bike, it just didn’t translate into the results that I should be getting. Two crashes in race one meant that I raced alone for most of it but despite being outside the points, it’s important to finish every moto. The second race didn’t quite go to plan. I lost too many positions early on and then had to battle back after finding my flow about halfway through, but by then it was too late to be up there with the front guys.” Results – 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 8 MXGP - Overall 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 47pts; 2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 42; 3. Tim Gajser (Honda) 40… 14. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 17; 20. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 4 MXGP - Race 1 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 34:42:407, 19 laps; 2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 34:47:941; 3. Pauls Jonass (GASGAS) 34:48:643… 10. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:39:423; 22. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 36:31:067 MXGP - Race 2 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 34:39:849, 19 laps; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 34:44:503; 3. Jorge Prado (KTM) 34:48:673… 15. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 35:47:939; 17. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 35:51:962 MX2 - Overall 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 47pts; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 43; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 40… 7. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 26 MX2 - Race 1 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 34:00:016, 18 laps; 2. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 34:06:004; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 34:07:375… 7. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 34:34:190 MX2 - Race 2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:20:827, 19 laps; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:22:465; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:32:266… 8. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 36:17:591 Championship Standings – After Round 8 MXGP 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 310pts; 2. Jorge Prado (KTM) 297; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 293… 12. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 118; 21. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 52 MX2 1. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 314pts; 2. Mattia Guadagnini (KTM) 277; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 262; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 237; 8. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 210
It was an unfavorably hot day in Southern California for Round 11 of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship but Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammates RJ Hampshire and Joshua Varize rallied through to capture top-10 overall finishes in the 250MX class. Highlighting the team’s effort was a third-place podium finish from Hampshire in the first moto, followed up by a career-best eighth overall from the team’s newest addition of Varize. Hampshire got off to a fourth-place start in Moto 1, quickly making the move into third three laps in. About halfway through, Hampshire was able to capitalize on another rider’s mistake and move into second, where he rode smooth and without challengers until the last few laps. Exhausted and struggling to fight through the 100+ degree heat late in the race, Hampshire brought it in for a solid third. Still feeling drained by the start of Moto 2, Hampshire ended up getting tangled with another rider off the start, forcing him to start from dead last. Making his way up to 16th by the sixth lap, he pushed as hard as he could but was only able to reach 14th by the time he crossed the finish. “It was a pretty rough day,” Hampshire said. “I had a good start first moto and kind of put everything I had into it. I ended up on the box but I was pretty drained after that. I tried to recover best I could for second moto but I got tangled right off the start and was dead last. The bike was tweaked up a bit and 14th was all I had. It’s been a tough go but we have one round left to try and finish this thing off good.” In his first race as the team’s fill-in rider, Varize had an impressive day all around, earning career-first top-10s in both of the motos and the overall result. In Moto 1, Varize had a great jump off of the line and he assumed the fifth-place position for several laps. He put in a strong ride mixing it up with the front-runners early on before going on to secure a career-best ninth in the first moto. In Moto 2, Varize once again launched off the start to give himself a solid fifth-place start. Fending off pressure from class veterans early on, the young rider held his own to once again to secure a solid top-10 finish in ninth. “My first day with the team was amazing, really no complaints here,” Varize said. “I’m super stoked on how the day went, I finally got into the top-10, which is what I’ve been pushing for. My Rockstar Energy Husqvarna machine was ripping today and I’m really stoked to go back this week, get some testing done and be ready for Hangtown.” Next Event (Round 12): September 11 – Hangtown National – Rancho Cordova, California Round 11 Results: Fox Raceway II National 250MX Results 1. Jett Lawrence (HON) 1-1 2. Michael Mosiman (GAS) 2-4 3. Justin Cooper (YAM) 5-2 … 6. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 3-14 8. Joshua Varize – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 9-9 450MX Results 1. Eli Tomac (KAW) 2-1 2. Dylan Ferrandis (YAM) 1-2 3. Cooper Webb (KTM) 4-3 250MX Rider Point Standings 1. Jett Lawrence – 464 points 2. Justin Cooper – 441 points 3. Hunter Lawrence – 349 points … 4. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 327 points 10. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 195 points 18. Joshua Varize – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 115 points 19. Stilez Robertson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 90 points 450MX Rider Point Standings 1. Dylan Ferrandis – 486 points 2. Ken Roczen – 424 points 3. Eli Tomac – 415 points … 16. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 146 points 24. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 33 points 26. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 29 points
Following on from our pre-season interviews with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s team managers in the FIM Motocross World Championship, we caught up with Rasmus Jorgensen and Antti Pyrhönen to get their thoughts on the season so far and their expectations for the remaining rounds of the 2021 series… Rasmus Jorgensen – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 Team Manager: “It feels strange that we are already in September yet we’re not even halfway through the season. Having said that, it’s been really nice to have more of a normal season with a variety of tracks. So far for Jed and Kay it’s been a really positive start with some great results. They’ve both been on the podium, Kay has won a moto, and they’re both well-placed in the championship. So overall, the season is going really well for the riders and the team. “With Kay getting that win, that was not expected this season and he’s been doing an incredible job, both on the bike and off it. Our expectations for him have changed a little bit now, but keeping the same mindset remains. There is still a lot for him to learn and there may still be some mistakes along the way, but this is his rookie season and so far, he’s been very impressive. When he stood on the overall podium in The Netherlands with Jed, that was an amazing moment for the team. As both riders were on the box everyone was there, the mechanics, and the whole team from behind the scenes. That feeling is something that never gets old. “We’ve just had a bit of a break in the schedule which has been nice as the riders and mechanics were able to enjoy some time away from the track and workshop after Latvia to recharge the batteries. As Jed and Kay are really happy with their bikes, that allowed us some time off as we didn’t need to test or develop anything. Now, we’re back and ready to go racing again. The riders have been on the podium many times this season so the goal from here onwards is to be consistently up front, keep posting solid results, and end the year strong. I’m excited to see what they can do in the second half of the season.” Antti Pyrhönen - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MXGP Team Manager: “The season so far has been good, despite the results not quite showing the full story. Arminas has been continuing to recover from his injury and has already shown glimpses of what he’s capable of many times this season. It’s an incredible story and the team is really proud of where he has come from to now be back in MXGP and working towards his old level. Step-by-step, he will get there with the progress that he’s making. “For Thomas, it’s his rookie season in the MXGP class and so far, he’s experienced the highs and lows that come with a first season in a new class. In training, his ability and speed are really high, and now he just needs to bring that to race weekends and really show what he can do. With a compact race day with just a qualifying session before the races, everything needs to click early, and this is something we’ve been working on in recent weeks. That, along with improved starts should help them battle with the top guys consistently. “They’ve both claimed results well inside the top-10 this season so they are very capable, it’s just finding that consistency and then they will show what they can do on a weekly basis. That will be the goal for the remaining rounds of the series. There are many races close together so being there in every moto will be really important. The potential from both riders is clearly there and now it’s over to them to bring their training speed to the races and show just what they can do.” The 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship continues with round eight, the MXGP of Turkey, on September 5.
Jalek Swoll earns career-best 250SX finish The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team continues to build momentum in the 2020 AMA Supercross World Championship Series with another solid day in Salt Lake City, Utah for Round 13. In the 450SX class, teammates Jason Anderson and Zach Osborne once again battled it out for a podium position with Anderson claiming third and Osborne close behind in fourth. In the 250SX East class, Jalek Swoll raced his way to a season-best sixth-place finish where he now moves into the top-five in overall championship standings. With the final seven rounds taking place at Rice-Eccles Stadium, rainfall made for a much different experience the third time around as track conditions went from extremely dry and dusty, to wet and slick in just four days since the last round. 450SX Anderson excelled from the beginning of the day, where he qualified third overall in the only session of the day. He went on to capture a great start in 450SX Heat 2 as he settled into second-place early on. He chased down his teammate, Osborne, out front and blitzed his way through the whoops to overtake the lead on lap five. He held strong to ultimately capture his first heat race win of the season. In the Main Event, Anderson got a fourth-place start and battled inside the top five early on. On lap six he moved into the fourth spot and he quickly set his sights on Osborne in third, making the pass by the eighth lap. From there, he maintained his pace to earn his fourth podium finish of the season. “I’m happy to be up here,” Anderson said. “I feel like I’m getting closer to old form and my headspace is a little better so I’m just trying to keep building. I feel like I’ve had some good speed the last two races so I’m going to work on some stuff and come back at the next round and hopefully try to make it a little less easy on the championship guys.” Osborne, the fifth-place qualifier, shot off the line to capture the 450SX Heat 2 holeshot. He led the first five laps before his teammate, Anderson, got by for the lead. Despite a crash, Osborne went on to secure a solid second-place finish in the heat. In the Main Event, he captured a big holeshot as he assumed the early lead. He battled a hard-charging group of riders early on and eventually settled into fourth behind Anderson, where he ultimately secured a top-four finish. “It was a decent day, I felt really good in the one qualifying session that we got and the heat race was good with the holeshot even though I had a good little spill,” Osborne said. “I came out with a holeshot in the Main but I rode kind of tight and the track was a little sketchy for me. I didn’t really find the flow right off the bat so it was a tough Main but it was a fourth-place, so we’ll take it. I’ve got a little bit of consistency to build with so I’m happy with it.” Dean Wilson had a great start to the day with a second-place qualifying position in the single 450SX session. In 450SX Heat 1, he battled his way from ninth on the opening lap to ultimately finish fourth in the heat race. In the Main Event, Wilson experienced some wheel spin due to the rain and he was delayed in getting off the line as he began well outside the top-10. He put his head down and charged up to sixth, where he matched his best finish of the season in sixth overall. “It was a little bit different of a day with the weather and having only one qualifier, which went really well with a second,” Wilson said.“Unfortunately, with the rain I spun really hard on the gate and was pretty much dead last going down the start straight. I knew it was important to stay on two wheels and just try to click people off every lap, so that’s what I did. I don’t think it was my best riding but I managed to get a sixth, which is not too bad considering I came through the pack with a bad start.” 250SX East Jalek Swoll got off to a top-five start in 250SX East Heat 2 but he got off-balance in the whoops and lost a few positions early on. He worked his way back up to eighth, where he secured a transfer into the Main Event. Swoll got off to a sixth-place start in the Main Event and he battled just outside the top five before a Red Flag came out to indicate a full restart. Upon the restart, Swoll got off to a great start in third, where he mixed it up inside the top three for the first three laps. He continued to battle inside the top-five through the first half of the race before settling in the sixth-place spot. He rode hard and smart to ultimately secure his best finish in sixth. “Honestly, results-wise it was one of my best days but it wasn’t up to what I felt like I could do out there,” Swoll said. “I got a pretty good start in the Main Event, ran up front for a little bit and faded back to sixth. The track was pretty brutal out there but I was all about just staying up on two wheels and I’m happy I was able to do that to take home a career-best finish.” Next Event (Round 14): Wednesday, June 10 – Rice-Eccles Stadium – Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City SX (Round 13) Results 450SX Results 1. Eli Tomac (KAW) 2. Cooper Webb (KTM) 3. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 4. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing … 6. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 301 points 2. Ken Roczen – 275 points 3. Cooper Webb –269 points … 5. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 229 points 7. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 176 points 10. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 163 points 250SX East Results 1. Chase Sexton (HON) 2. Shane McElrath (YAM) 3. Colt Nichols (YAM) … 6. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX East Rider Point Standings 1. Chase Sexton – 166 points 2. Shane McElrath – 163 points 3. Garrett Marchbanks – 119 points … 5. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 91 points 8. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 80 points
Lithuanian rider set for third year in MXGP World Championship onboard Husqvarna FC 450 machinery Ahead of the restart of the 2020 FIM MXGP World Championship, Husqvarna Motorcycles is pleased to announce that Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing have extended their contract with Arminas Jasikonis. The Lithuanian rider is set to remain with the team for a third year, through to the close of 2021. Jasikonis, who first stepped into MXGP racing in 2016, will continue to compete in the MXGP category on Husqvarna FC 450 machinery under the watchful eye of team manager Antti Pyrhönen. Currently enjoying the best form of his career to date, Jasikonis sits seventh in the MXGP series standings having secured a podium finish at the MXGP of The Netherlands, the second round of the 2020 Championship. Using the imposed downtime to return home to Lithuania, the 22-year-old maintained his training programme to ensure no loss of fitness. Stepping back into competition at the recent round two of the Czech National motocross series in Kaplice, Arminas secured a 1-1 result. Together with his team, Arminas is currently preparing for the first of three consecutive MXGP events in Latvia that will mark the August restart of the 2020 MXGP World Championship. Arminas Jasikonis – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing: “Knowing that I will compete for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team again, for a third season, is a really great feeling. I’m very happy to continue on a great bike. I have so much confidence in my bike, the whole programme and all members of the team, which is so important. The fact that everything will stay the same for me from this year to next year is a huge thing – I only need to focus on improving and preparing myself. Of course, we have to continue working hard but I am really motivated to get the results that Husqvarna, Rockstar, Antti and the team deserve.” Antti Pyrhönen - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MXGP Team Manager: “We’re really pleased to continue our relationship with Arminas. He’s super motivated for MXGP to start again and is in really good shape. Since he joined the team he’s always been fully committed and this year things have really started to fall into place for him, which we can see in his results. Arminas wants to achieve more and reach higher goals and is working hard to keep learning and improving. We’re all looking forward to seeing him battle for more podium results this year and hopefully some GP wins, too. Then, with more focused training and preparation, push for even more in 2021.”
Osborne leads the way with a podium finish in 450sx class Just three days after the previous round, the 2020 AMA Supercross World Championship Series returned to racing on Wednesday with Round 12 taking place once again inside Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team had a stellar day all around as Zach Osborne led the 450SX charge with his first podium finish of the season, while teammate Jason Anderson finished close behind in fourth and Dean Wilson capped it off in sixth. 450SX Anderson, the second-place qualifier, got a fourth-place start in 450SX Heat 1 and quickly moved into third. He charged his way up to the rear tire of the second-place rider, where he finished less than one-second back for third in the heat race. In the Main Event, Anderson grabbed a top-five start and worked his way up to third early on. He held a podium position through the first half of the race before dropping back to fourth for the remainder of the 27-lap Main Event. “My day was not bad,” Anderson said. “I ended up second in practice and in the heat race I had a decent little battle and ended up third. In the Main Event, I got a good start and got tangled in the first corner. I came up to third for a minute and then fell back to fourth and just kind of rode around in fourth.” Following a top-10 qualifying position, Osborne powered his way off the line in 450SX Heat 2, settling into third on the opening lap. He jumped into second early on and battled from there for a majority of the race, ultimately securing a third-place transfer. In the Main Event, Osborne shot off the line once again to capture the holeshot and early lead. He led the first 20 laps before engaging in a three-way battle for the top spot. With about five laps to go, he settled into third where he ultimately secured his first podium finish of the season. “My Main Event ride was really good – I maybe let a win slip away but in the end it’s a good building block. I felt good all day, the team vibe was unreal and we had a really good, fun time today,” Osborne said. “To get all three of the bikes inside the top six was incredible. I’m really proud of what I accomplished and what the team accomplished tonight.” Dean Wilson qualified fourth overall on the day, setting himself up for a positive night in Salt Lake City. He got off to a seventh-place start in 450SX Heat 1 and he slowly worked his way into a top-five position. He kept charging to ultimately secure a fourth-place finish behind his teammate, Anderson. In the Main Event, Wilson got a great start as he began the opening lap in fifth. He dropped back to seventh midway through the race and he fought hard to bring himself back up to sixth, where he matched his best finish of the season. “Everything felt so much better today. I was in a really good mood all day, everyone on the team was just in a good vibe and the bike was awesome,” Wilson said. Qualifying went really good and I felt like I was riding really well all day. It was a demanding race and the elevation was definitely hitting me but I finished off with a sixth. I’m happy with that, it was a good fight.” 250SX East Jalek Swoll got off to a top-five start in 250SX East Heat 2 and he battled his way up to fourth just before the halfway point. After a hard-fought battle, he ultimately secured a fifth-place transfer spot. In the Main, Swoll got off to a good start in seventh and quickly charged his way into fifth by lap three. He kept charging all the way up to fourth where he continued to battle just outside the podium. On lap nine, Swoll got passed by the reigning champion and from there he diced back-and-forth to ultimately secure a seventh-place finish in the Main Event. “I thought I turned the day around compared to how we started,” Swoll said. “I ran up there in fourth or fifth for a while and the rhythm took me out of the race a little bit but I feel good and I’m riding good so I’m just going to keep trekking through the next few races.” Next Event (Round 13): Sunday, June 7 – Rice-Eccles Stadium – Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City SX (Round 12) Results 450SX Results 1. Cooper Webb (KTM) 2. Eli Tomac (KAW) 3. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 4. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing … 6. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 275 points 2. Ken Roczen – 262 points 3. Cooper Webb –246 points … 5. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 208 points 8. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 159 points 11. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 144 points 250SX East Results 1. Shane McElrath (YAM) 2. Colt Nichols (YAM) 3. Jeremy Martin (HON) … 7. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX East Rider Point Standings 1. Shane McElrath – 140 points 2. Chase Sexton – 140 points 3. Garrett Marchbanks – 118 points … 5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 80 points 7. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 74 points
Romano Fenati produces best performance yet for Husqvarna Motorcycles at another hot and demanding grand prix in Spain Fenati was dealing with a sore left foot in practice as a light infection limited his mobility and comfort on the FR 250 GP. The Italian was at least able to compete. The same could not be said for teammate Alonso Lopez. The young Spaniard wasn’t able to race due to sickness. Fenati started from 21st place on the grid and latched onto the second group in the opening stages. He did well to make up time and reach the rear of the leading pack. A few hard battles on the final laps meant that he crossed the finish line in 12th position for his highest classification yet this season. Round four of 2020 MotoGP is scheduled to take place around the wide and technical layout of the Brno circuit in the Czech Republic on August 9th. Romano Fenati: “I’m happy with the race and the speed if not really the result. We did some good work in the box and I’d like to thank the team. Everyone deserved a good showing today. We made some improvements and that’s important because now we go to two tracks where it is crucial to brake hard and make some overtaking. Sometimes it can be difficult to find the right way with the bike but now we have seen the light! We will continue to get better in the next races.” Alonso Lopez: “I’m beginning to feel better. All I can do now is think about Brno and to be 100% prepared for that race. I really missed being out there today.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “We took 12th with Romano but he was working well through the weekend to make some personal improvements compared to last week. The race position hasn’t change much but - from where we started - I believe we can say the race went better. Now we have to wait for Brno to go further and score better points.” Results – 2020 Moto3 FIM World Championship, Round 3 1. Tatsuki Suzuki (Honda) 39:18.861, 2. John McPhee (Honda) +0.064, 3. Celestino Vietti (KTM) +0.134, 12. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +5.603, DNS. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) Championship standings – After round 3 1. Albert Arenas (KTM) 50pts; 2. Tatsuki Suzuki (Honda) 44; 3. John McPhee (Honda) 40; 19. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 7; 22. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) 5
Husqvarna Motorcycles steps into Moto3TM World Championship supported by distinctive Italian denim brand Bouncing back from injury in the best possible way, Billy Bolt claimed this year’s FIM SuperEnduro World Championship to deliver Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing back-to-back indoor titles. Ending his rookie campaign as runner-up in 2018, a serious leg injury shortly after clinching the World Enduro Super Series title saw one of the enduro’s most-promising riders forced to sit out the 2019 SuperEnduro season. For 2020 Bolt was determined to finally show what he was capable of. With the Husqvarna FE 350 mounted rider securing seven race wins from 12 starts, Billy clinched the title in style, proving himself a World Champion indoors and out. After sitting out the 2019 series due to injury, where did your expectations lie entering round one? Did you believe you could immediately become a serious title contender? Billy Bolt: “When I was testing and training with other riders, I got a feeling of where I was at and I was happy with my speed going into round one, based on their speed. Of course, once you get inside the stadium things do change. Also, Poland was still only my sixth SuperEnduro race and I had missed a full season racing indoors, too. I was nervous about things, but confident in how I had prepared.” You talked a lot about consistency throughout the season. How difficult is it to find that in SuperEnduro, especially in the heat of the battle? “It’s incredibly difficult to stay consistent in SuperEnduro. With the start order reversed for race two, it can really shake things up with a lot of overtaking to be done. Also, the intensity of each race means it’s difficult to stay consistent. So much changes which makes it such an exciting sport. I worked a lot on improving my consistency in Spain and Hungary and as a result managed to win five of the six races. Overall, I won seven races from 12 starts.” Topping superpole on three out of four occasions is quite the contrast to your 2018 season. What have you learned to become so fast over one qualifying lap? “Superpole was something I was keen to improve on from my first season. I was dreadful at it during 2018. Back then I struggled to commit to what I believed was the fastest line around the course. I spent too much time watching what others were doing. Even on the sighting lap I was still questioning myself and that’s the time to have it dialled and pieced together in your head. So often I crashed because I wasn’t committed enough. Now I’ve put that behind me. I’ve gained trust more in myself and the process. Superpole performances were probably one of the biggest improvements I made this year.” Germany was a technical track where many felt that you would dominate on, but it was arguably your toughest round. Was it simply a case of pushing too hard, trying too hard to win? “Germany was a tough track to get right. I felt good in training and I had different lines to most people. My rhythm in the matrix and rock corner was a lot faster than everyone else, but unfortunately there’s no points for practice. I just didn’t put it together on the night. I was upset with how I rode superpole and then fell and got my handlebars stuck in my boot while leading the opening race. It wasn’t until after the event that I watched the video of the race and saw I had about a 15-second lead, before those mistakes. After that I learned to manage my races better and pay attention to who is around me if I’m leading.” Arguably the most difficult part of SuperEnduro racing are the tracks themselves - conditions change throughout the night and from round to round. How important is it having a team like Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing in your corner? “The Prestige class don’t get to ride the track when it’s fresh. A lot of categories have already laid down some lines, so it doesn’t change too drastically for us. Practice and timed training can be quite hectic though because we don’t get that much setup time on the track. So, having a team like Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing in my corner is critical. They are spotting new lines as they develop and are giving feedback after each session so we can be at our best for when the start gate drops.” Despite you being a ‘bigger’ rider, you raced the FE 350 for SuperEnduro. Does it offer the right balance of power, speed and agility for you? “I prefer the FE 350 for SuperEnduro. You can be super aggressive on it and that suits my style indoors. It’s also lighter than the FE 450, which means I can muscle it around better through the sections, like you would the FE 250. It’s got the best of both worlds and is now the bike of choice indoors.” Now a two-time World Champion - indoors and out - has it taken you by surprise how far you’ve come in such a short space of time? “Yeah, it’s a crazy feeling. I’m now a two-time World Champion at 22 years of age. And I’m also relatively new to this sport, too - I only started riding an enduro bike four years ago. I feel proud of how far I’ve come, but at the same time I still feel like I’m only getting started and have a lot more to prove to myself." Although we currently face a challenging outdoor season due to COVID-19, are both body and mind now in a good place to carry this winning momentum into the WESS Enduro World Championship and fight for the World title you won in 2018? “The situation we’re in is frustrating, but people’s health is more important than race results at this time. I’m in good form and eager to race when we get the call. I feel good even though my leg is not yet 100 per cent. If we do face an extended break in racing, I’ll use that to my advantage to keep rehabbing and building on what I’ve achieved with it so far.” Social media is an important part of being a professional athlete and you certainly bring fire to the game. Do you enjoy making those video clips and do they help you push the limits of what’s possible on a bike? “I enjoy it a lot and I hope that comes across on screen. Like anything social media has its positives and negatives, but it’s good to share these videos and show that we have a fun side to our riding, too. It’s not always about putting in the motos. I like to get creative too and it’s cool that people seem to enjoy that. If it brightens up someone’s day, I’m happy.” Finally, what will it mean to return to SuperEnduro in December as World Champion with the #1 plate? “At the moment it does feel strange being the SuperEnduro World Champion because I didn’t get those end-of-season podium celebrations. But returning to Poland in December with the #1 plate on my Husqvarna will definitely cement what’s been achieved this year. When I think about what has happened during the last 12 months, it hits home. Last year I was sat in hospital wondering if my foot would ever work again, while watching the racing go on without me. So, to come back in such a dominant way is great for myself and the whole team. We’ve finally got to show what we were capable of all along.” 2020 SuperEnduro World Championship - Final Standings 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 227 points 2. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 209pts 3. Jonny Walker (KTM) 192pts 4. Alfredo Gómez (Husqvarna) 161pts 5. Blake Gutzeit (Husqvarna) 112pts
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Arminas Jasikonis has continued his impressive run of form by claiming second overall at the MXGP of Kegums, a career-best result for the Lithuanian. A pair of strong starts and two calculated rides resulted in him claiming 2-3 finishes and with it moves up to third place in the MXGP championship standings. In the MX2 division, Jed Beaton placed seventh overall after a challenging opening moto, before rebounding for a sixth-place finish in race two. Lining up at the MXGP of Kegums following his confidence boosting race win at the previous round of the MXGP World Championship, Arminas Jasikonis made a great start to the fifth round of the series, earning a strong second-place result in the opening moto. A great start saw the FC 450 rider carve a tight inside line around the first turn to emerge in fourth place, before moving into third on lap two. The 22-year-old then made the pass for second place on lap 11 of 17, eventually collecting a well-deserved runner-up finish. Race two saw another strong start for Jasikonis as he again held a tight line around the opening corner. Allowing the race to unfold while maintaining sixth position for the first half of the 30-minute-plus-two-lap moto, the Lithuanian then set his sights on the leading riders. Disposing of Tim Gajser and Jorge Prado on his way to a strong third-place finish, Arminas claimed second overall and moves up to third position in the MXGP World Championship. It was another frustrating opening MX2 race for Jed Beaton in Latvia. A strong top-10 start put the Australian in a good place for a strong result until a small fall on the opening lap relegated him to 17th position. Beaton remounted his FC 250 quickly and embarked on a race-long battle through the field. Coming up just short of the top 10 with an 11th-place finish, Jed was looking for a better result in moto two. A strong start in race two set Beaton up well. Completing the first lap in fourth place, the 22-year-old briefly moved into third position before losing a few spots in the latter stages of the race. Going on to claim sixth position, Jed was rewarded with seventh overall and now sits in a strong fifth place in the MX2 World Championship. After riding only a handful of laps during the morning’s free practice session, Thomas Kjer Olsen made the difficult decision to withdraw from racing in Kegums. Suffering from the continuing effects of his recently fractured shoulder blade, the Danish racer elected to avoid worsening the injury. Thomas will now work on a full recovery ahead of round six of the MX2 World Championship. Continuing to impress in his debut season of EMX250 competition, Kay de Wolf recorded a pair of strong runner-up finishes in the two motos to earn second place overall. Narrowly missing out on the overall win, de Wolf maintains his fourth-place ranking in the championship standings and closes in on the leading riders. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing will next be in action at round six of the FIM Motocross World Championship on September 6. Arminas Jasikonis: “It was a really great day and a great way to end the week in Latvia, with second overall. The progress that the team and I made this week has been fantastic and I leave Latvia with my best ever results, so I’m really happy. As a team we are always learning and improving and we are really going in the right direction as I’m now third in the championship standings, just four points down on second place. Today was my second podium of the MXGP season and I felt strong in both races so I’m really happy with my riding at the moment. My FC 450 is set up perfectly for me so now it’s just a case of continuing the progress we are making ahead of the next GP. Finally, thank you to my team and thanks to all my fans as well who support me, it’s been a great GP for me.” Jed Beaton: “Today was another tough one. At the end of qualifying I had a pretty decent crash, but I was ok. It just set me back a bit as I’d just qualified in second place. I was ready for the races though and I had a decent start and then just washed the front end out on the opening lap, which set me back. I managed to get up to 11th but I was a little bit spent after that one due to the heat and having to ride as hard as I could all race. The second moto was a little bit better, but it was a struggle after being a little tired from putting all my effort into race one. We’ll put this week behind us and regroup ahead of the next GP and come out swinging at that one.” Results – 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 5 MXGP - Overall 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 43pts; 2. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 42; 3. Jorge Prado (KTM) 38… 22. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 2 MXGP - Race 1 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 17 laps, 35:20:589; 2. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 35:29:368; 3. Jorge Prado (KTM) 35:41:679… 22. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 35:21:489; 25. Matiss Karro (Husqvarna) 36:08:278 MXGP - Race 2 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 17 laps, 35:26:803; 2. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 35:34:701; 3. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 35:38:863… 19. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 37:22:582; 21. Matiss Karro (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 35:31:142 MX2 – Overall 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 47pts; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 47; 3. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 38… 7. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 25; 11. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 17; 13. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 14; 22. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 3; 23. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 2 MX2 - Race 1 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 17 laps, 35:38:327; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 36:02:327; 3. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 36:04:934… 7. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 36:48:105; 11. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 37:02:145; 14. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 37:27:325 MX2 - Race 2 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 17 laps, 35:50:720; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 36:08:353; 3. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 36:18:893… 6. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:32:567; 11. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 37:34:704; 18. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 36:23:221; 19. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 36:27:631 Championship Standings – After Round 5 MXGP 1. Jeffery Herlings (KTM) 213pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 167; 3. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 163… 22. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 26; 23. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 17; 29. Lars van Berkel (Husqvarna) 9; 31. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 6; 32. Brent Van doninck (Husqvarna) 5 MX2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 217pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 209; 3. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 153… 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 148; 11. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 89; 14. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 66; 17. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 43; 26. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 15; 33. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 5; 34. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 4; 35. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 3
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing star on winning his first indoor Enduro World Title Bouncing back from injury in the best possible way, Billy Bolt claimed this year’s FIM SuperEnduro World Championship to deliver Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing back-to-back indoor titles. Ending his rookie campaign as runner-up in 2018, a serious leg injury shortly after clinching the World Enduro Super Series title saw one of the enduro’s most-promising riders forced to sit out the 2019 SuperEnduro season. For 2020 Bolt was determined to finally show what he was capable of. With the Husqvarna FE 350 mounted rider securing seven race wins from 12 starts, Billy clinched the title in style, proving himself a World Champion indoors and out. After sitting out the 2019 series due to injury, where did your expectations lie entering round one? Did you believe you could immediately become a serious title contender? Billy Bolt: “When I was testing and training with other riders, I got a feeling of where I was at and I was happy with my speed going into round one, based on their speed. Of course, once you get inside the stadium things do change. Also, Poland was still only my sixth SuperEnduro race and I had missed a full season racing indoors, too. I was nervous about things, but confident in how I had prepared.” You talked a lot about consistency throughout the season. How difficult is it to find that in SuperEnduro, especially in the heat of the battle? “It’s incredibly difficult to stay consistent in SuperEnduro. With the start order reversed for race two, it can really shake things up with a lot of overtaking to be done. Also, the intensity of each race means it’s difficult to stay consistent. So much changes which makes it such an exciting sport. I worked a lot on improving my consistency in Spain and Hungary and as a result managed to win five of the six races. Overall, I won seven races from 12 starts.” Topping superpole on three out of four occasions is quite the contrast to your 2018 season. What have you learned to become so fast over one qualifying lap? “Superpole was something I was keen to improve on from my first season. I was dreadful at it during 2018. Back then I struggled to commit to what I believed was the fastest line around the course. I spent too much time watching what others were doing. Even on the sighting lap I was still questioning myself and that’s the time to have it dialled and pieced together in your head. So often I crashed because I wasn’t committed enough. Now I’ve put that behind me. I’ve gained trust more in myself and the process. Superpole performances were probably one of the biggest improvements I made this year.” Germany was a technical track where many felt that you would dominate on, but it was arguably your toughest round. Was it simply a case of pushing too hard, trying too hard to win? “Germany was a tough track to get right. I felt good in training and I had different lines to most people. My rhythm in the matrix and rock corner was a lot faster than everyone else, but unfortunately there’s no points for practice. I just didn’t put it together on the night. I was upset with how I rode superpole and then fell and got my handlebars stuck in my boot while leading the opening race. It wasn’t until after the event that I watched the video of the race and saw I had about a 15-second lead, before those mistakes. After that I learned to manage my races better and pay attention to who is around me if I’m leading.” Arguably the most difficult part of SuperEnduro racing are the tracks themselves - conditions change throughout the night and from round to round. How important is it having a team like Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing in your corner? “The Prestige class don’t get to ride the track when it’s fresh. A lot of categories have already laid down some lines, so it doesn’t change too drastically for us. Practice and timed training can be quite hectic though because we don’t get that much setup time on the track. So, having a team like Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing in my corner is critical. They are spotting new lines as they develop and are giving feedback after each session so we can be at our best for when the start gate drops.” Despite you being a ‘bigger’ rider, you raced the FE 350 for SuperEnduro. Does it offer the right balance of power, speed and agility for you? “I prefer the FE 350 for SuperEnduro. You can be super aggressive on it and that suits my style indoors. It’s also lighter than the FE 450, which means I can muscle it around better through the sections, like you would the FE 250. It’s got the best of both worlds and is now the bike of choice indoors.” Now a two-time World Champion - indoors and out - has it taken you by surprise how far you’ve come in such a short space of time? “Yeah, it’s a crazy feeling. I’m now a two-time World Champion at 22 years of age. And I’m also relatively new to this sport, too - I only started riding an enduro bike four years ago. I feel proud of how far I’ve come, but at the same time I still feel like I’m only getting started and have a lot more to prove to myself." Although we currently face a challenging outdoor season due to COVID-19, are both body and mind now in a good place to carry this winning momentum into the WESS Enduro World Championship and fight for the World title you won in 2018? “The situation we’re in is frustrating, but people’s health is more important than race results at this time. I’m in good form and eager to race when we get the call. I feel good even though my leg is not yet 100 per cent. If we do face an extended break in racing, I’ll use that to my advantage to keep rehabbing and building on what I’ve achieved with it so far.” Social media is an important part of being a professional athlete and you certainly bring fire to the game. Do you enjoy making those video clips and do they help you push the limits of what’s possible on a bike? “I enjoy it a lot and I hope that comes across on screen. Like anything social media has its positives and negatives, but it’s good to share these videos and show that we have a fun side to our riding, too. It’s not always about putting in the motos. I like to get creative too and it’s cool that people seem to enjoy that. If it brightens up someone’s day, I’m happy.” Finally, what will it mean to return to SuperEnduro in December as World Champion with the #1 plate? “At the moment it does feel strange being the SuperEnduro World Champion because I didn’t get those end-of-season podium celebrations. But returning to Poland in December with the #1 plate on my Husqvarna will definitely cement what’s been achieved this year. When I think about what has happened during the last 12 months, it hits home. Last year I was sat in hospital wondering if my foot would ever work again, while watching the racing go on without me. So, to come back in such a dominant way is great for myself and the whole team. We’ve finally got to show what we were capable of all along.” 2020 SuperEnduro World Championship - Final Standings 1. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 227 points 2. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) 209pts 3. Jonny Walker (KTM) 192pts 4. Alfredo Gómez (Husqvarna) 161pts 5. Blake Gutzeit (Husqvarna) 112pts
Grand Prix resumes in Spain for Husqvarna Motorcycles as both Romano Fenati and Alsonso Lopez enter the top fifteen After pushing into Q2 on Saturday, Romano Fenati launched away from the middle of the third row of the starting grid and immediately settled into the bustling front-running group. He fought for positions in-and-around the top ten for the first half of the race and eventually crossed the finish line to classify 13th for his first championship points of the campaign. Alonso Lopez was further back in the pack and had to serve a ‘Long Lap’ penalty that cost him more time. The young Spaniard fought back well to pass the chequered flag less than two seconds behind his teammate. The team and the rest of the paddock will now stay in the region. Round three – the Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucía – will take place again at Jerez next weekend. Romano Fenati: “We didn’t meet our expectations today but we will work to make next weekend better. Personally, I will work on my braking and not play too much with the clutch. We need to do a little bit more both on the bike and the rider!” Alonso Lopez: “I’m happy to get points today because it was a very difficult race and I also felt good on the bike: this is important ahead of next weekend. I am competitive at the moment, but I need to improve Friday and the Saturday of the Grand Prix. Thanks to the team.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “Not the restart we were hoping for and both riders had a tricky race. Romano started well but could not hold the pace of the others. We have to look at his entry speed into the corners. Alonso improved during the race and got a better feeling. That’s good for the next weekend where we will compete at the same place and in the same conditions. We hope we can make a step forward to be more competitive.” Results – 2020 Moto3 FIM World Championship, Round 2 1. Albert Arenas (KTM) 39:26.256, 2. Ai Ogura Honda +0.340, 3. Tony Arbolino Honda +0.369, 13. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +4.157, 14. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) +6.086 Championship standings – After round 2 1. Albert Arenas (KTM) 50pts; 2. Ai Ogura (Honda) 36; 3. John McPhee (Honda) 20; 17. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) 5; 20. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 3
Argentinian Junior Rally World Champion to compete on FR 450 Rally machinery alongside Pablo Quintanilla Husqvarna Motorcycles is pleased to announce the signing of 24-year-old Argentinian Luciano Benavides, who will compete for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing starting with the upcoming Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, the opening round of the 2020 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship. Over recent seasons Luciano has established himself as one of the most promising young rally racers, claiming the 2019 FIM Junior Cross-Country Rallies World Championship title. A rider that is still very much learning and improving, Luciano already has two top-10 Dakar Rally finishes to his credit. In 2019 he placed eighth before then finishing in an impressive sixth position in 2020, as the event moved to Saudi Arabia for the first time ever. Joining Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory team in time for round one of the 2020 World Championship, Luciano will partner long-standing team member and former World Champion Pablo Quintanilla. Under contract with the team until the end of 2022, Benavides will contest the 2020, 2021 and 2022 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship as well as the Dakar Rally through to and including the 2022 event. Pela Renet – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Rally Team Manager: “We are very pleased to have Luciano joining our team. Over the last two seasons he has improved considerably and as well as being the reigning FIM Junior Cross-Country Rallies World Champion he is also now among the very best rally racers. Luciano has a wise and friendly head on his shoulders and is extremely motivated. Over the last two years he has improved at the Dakar, and we hope that together with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Rally team he will continue to learn and grow as an athlete.
Anderson and Osborne battle their way to top-five finishes The 2020 AMA Supercross World Championship Series returned to racing on Sunday with Round 11 taking place inside a fan-less Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. Kicking off the first of seven final rounds, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammates Jason Anderson and Zach Osborne battled their way to fourth and fifth-place finishes, respectively, in the 450SX class; while 250SX East rider Jalek Swoll earned his best finish of the season with seventh. 450SX Qualifying seventh earlier in the day, Anderson lined up in 450SX Heat 2 where he began just outside the top-10. He diligently worked his way through the field to secure a fourth-place transfer position. In the Main Event, Anderson didn’t get off to the best start as he rounded the opening lap in 13th. He put his head down and charged early on to bring himself inside the top-five by the halfway point. He continued to push in the final laps to ultimately secure a fourth-place finish in the first race back. “My day went pretty decent,” Anderson said. “I got a bad start in the Main and ended up fourth but all-in-all, I feel like I rode pretty well all day and was able to make some headway as we work our way into the next six rounds here in Salt Lake City.” Osborne, who utilized the break in racing to continue healing injuries sustained earlier this season, had a solid performance in his first race back from injury. In 450SX Heat 1, he got off to a sixth-place start and worked his way into fifth by lap three. He fought through the checkers to earn a fourth-place transfer spot. In the Main Event, Osborne grabbed a top-10 start and he chipped away at the competition to bring himself inside the top five halfway through. He clicked it up a notch and moved into fourth with 10 laps to go and after battling his teammate, Anderson, in the final laps Osborne was able to secure a fifth-place finish. “It was a positive weekend overall,” Osborne said. “It was my first race back from injury so it was really good for me to go out there and get comfortable in practice. I feel really comfortable on the dirt here in Salt Lake, which is something that’s not typically my forte but it’s coming around for me. I’m happy with where I’m at fitness-wise and with my bike, so I’m looking forward to the next few races here – onwards and upwards.” Dean Wilson had a great start to the weekend, where he qualified fastest in the first timed session and secured fifth overall in combined qualifying times. He grabbed a fourth-place start in 450SX Heat 2 and battled for a top-five position throughout the 10-lap race, ultimately finishing sixth. In the Main, Wilson began in 14th and worked his way up to 10th by lap 12. From there, he maintained a solid pace to secure a 10th place finish in the Main Event. “I’m not super pumped with how the day went but definitely taking a few positives from it including pole position in the first qualifier,” Wilson said. “I rode a bit tight in all my races and made some little mistakes that cost me. I didn’t get a great start in the Main so I was in the middle of the chaos but I’m happy to get that one out of the way, bring home 10th and hopefully get better from here on out.” 250SX East Jalek Swoll got off to a top-five start in 250SX Heat 1 and he maintained a solid top-five running to secure a fifth-place transfer into the Main Event. In the Main, Swoll grabbed another great start as he positioned himself inside the top-five on the opening lap. He made a couple of mistakes that dropped him back to seventh and he fought hard to finish strong and secure his best finish of the season with seventh. “This was the best finish for me and that was the goal – to come back better than I was before the break in racing,” Swoll said. “Riding-wise I actually felt good, I just missed a couple things on the track that cost me some time but if I polish those things up I’d be right up there with those guys.” The newly modified 2020 AMA Supercross World Championship schedule will resume this Wednesday, June 3 with Round 12 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. Next Event: June 3 – Rice-Eccles Stadium – Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City SX Results 450SX Results 1. Eli Tomac (KAW) 2. Cooper Webb (KTM) 3. Ken Roczen (HON) 4. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 5. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing … 10. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 252 points 2. Ken Roczen – 244 points 3. Cooper Webb – 220 points … 5. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 189 points 9. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 142 points 13. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 123 points 250SX East Results 1. Shane McElrath (YAM) 2. Chase Sexton (HON) 3. Garrett Marchbanks (KAW) … 7. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX East Rider Point Standings 1. Chase Sexton – 121 points 2. Shane McElrath – 114 points 3. Garrett Marchbanks – 100 points … 5. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 80 points 8. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 58 points
Romano Fenati and Alonso Lopez kicking off at QNB Grand Prix of Qatar this Weekend Husqvarna Motorcycles is proud to see the new FR 250 GP machine in the colours of the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team for the re-introduction to the intensely competitive Moto3™ contest. The brand was last present in this category in 2015 and scored two podium results in 2014. 24-year old Fenati has won 11 Moto3™ Grands Prix. The Italian has eight campaigns under his belt and is one of the most experienced riders on the grid. He celebrated a rostrum finish at the Losail International Circuit in 2012, which was his very first FIM World Championship appearance. Lopez, from Madrid, has one podium trophy from his two years of Moto3™. The 18-year old Spaniard grabbed 3rd position at the Chang International Circuit in Thailand last summer and has recorded fastest laps in both 2018 and 2019 as he continues his education at the highest level. Both riders will be supervised by Team Manager Peter Öttl. The fast, floodlit corners of the Losail International Circuit is a stage that has opened MotoGP™ for fourteen successive years. Global health situation and complications with travel has led to alteration of the race programme. Moto3™ (14.20 CET) races will go ahead after the teams and riders were already based in Doha for the recent final test of the pre-season. Due to the postponed OR Thailand Grand Prix, the second round will take place on 5th of April at the Grand Prix of the Americas in the USA. Pit Beirer - Motorsports Director at KTM / Husqvarna Motorcycles: “It will be a big pleasure to see those white Husqvarna Motorcycles again on the Moto3™ grid. Having this presence at the highest level of road racing is part of an important strategy for the street bike expansion of the brand and a busy future for the company. Thanks to Peter, Max, Romano and Alonso and all the guys we have a strong team. There is a good mix of experience and competitiveness and young character that is vital for the class.” Max Biaggi – Sterilgarda Max Racing Team Principal: “After a good debut with 2nd place in the World Championship last year, in 2020 we are very excited to start the new collaboration with Husqvarna Motorcycles and our main sponsor. We have two talented riders. We expect Romano to be doing a good job from the beginning because of his experience and with Alonso we have a very young rider with a lot of potential. We’re looking forward to our first race at Qatar, which is a good track and one that the riders like a lot. Let’s see what we can do on Sunday.” 2020 MotoGP™ Provisional calendar Round 1: 8 March, Qatar – Losail International Circuit (MotoGP class cancelled) Round 2: 5 April, Americas – Circuit of the Americas Round 3: 19 April, Argentina – Termas de Rio Hondo Round 4: 3 May, Spain – Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto Round 5: 17 May, France – Le Mans Round 6: 31 May, Italy – Autodromo del Mugello Round 7: 7 June, Catalunya – Barcelona-Cataluyna Round 8: 21 June, Germany - Sachsenring Round 9: 28 June, Netherlands – TT Circuit Assen Round 10: 12 July, Finland - KymiRing Round 11: 9 August, Czech Republic – Automotodrom Brno Round 12: 16 August, Austria - Red Bull Ring-Spielberg Round 13: 30 August, Great Britain - Silverstone Round 14: 13 September, San Marino – Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli Round 15: 27 September, Aragón – Motorland Aragón Round 16: 4 October, Thailand – Chang International Circuit Round 17: 18 October, Japan – Twin Ring Motegi Round 18: 25 October, Australia - Phillip Island Round 19: 1 November, Malaysia - Sepang International Circuit Round 20: 15 November: Comunitat Valencia – Circuito de Ricardo Tormo
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Arminas Jasikonis has claimed his first ever MXGP moto victory after topping the second race at the Grand Prix of Riga, round four of the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship. Qualifying on pole, Jasikonis unfortunately suffered a crash in the opening moto, but regrouped to claim a hard-fought victory around the challenging Kegums circuit in race two. In the MX2 class, Jed Beaton put in a strong performance in both motos to claim sixth overall, while teammate Thomas Kjer Olsen placed fifth in the opening MX2 race, before aggravating an existing injury in race two. Enjoying a positive start to the fourth round of the FIM Motocross World Championship, Arminas Jasikonis qualified fastest, ensuring the Lithuanian lined up on the inside gate for the opening MXGP moto. Frustratingly, AJ was unable to translate his impressive qualifying speed into a strong first race result as he crashed in turn one together with a number of his rivals. Displaying good speed, Jasikonis muscled his FC 450 around the fast and rough Kegums circuit, setting the fastest lap of the race while in traffic. Arminas continued his charge and crossed the finish line in a well-earned eighth place. The early stages of race two at the MXGP of Latvia were much more prosperous for Jasikonis. Ending lap one in fifth position, he utilised a number of his favoured sweeping lines around the famous Kegums circuit to move into second place on lap three. Shadowing race leader Jeffrey Herlings as the race entered the closing stages, a mistake from Herlings saw Jasikonis seize his opportunity, inheriting the lead and racing on to his maiden MXGP race victory. Arminas sits fourth in the MXGP championship standings. A first-turn fall saw Jed Beaton forced to fight his way through the field during the opening MX2 moto at the MXGP of Riga. The last rider on track after parting company with his FC 250, a heroic effort on the opening lap saw the Australian work back up to 19th place. Showing superior fitness, Beaton continued his charge, setting his fastest lap of the moto on lap 13 as he worked his way towards an eventual eighth-place finish. Rounding the first turn of race two in sixth place set Jed Beaton up for a strong second moto. Breaking free from the chasing pack, the 22-year-old made multiple challenges to advance into fifth place but couldn’t find a way through. Crossing the finish line in sixth position the Australian earned sixth overall. Jed maintains third place in the MX2 World Championship standings. Enjoying a great jump when the start gate dropped for the opening MX2 race, Thomas Kjer Olsen emerged from the first corner in seventh place. An opening lap charge by the Dane moved him into fifth place from where he went on to ride an error-free and untroubled moto. Despite the recent fracture to his right shoulder blade, Kjer Olsen held strong to end of the race in fifth position. Race two was over quickly for Kjer Olsen. Another top-10 start saw him at the front of the field but after coming together with another rider on the opening lap his race was over. Aggravating his existing injury, the 23-year-old opted to retire from the race and focus on his recovery ahead of the upcoming fifth round of the MX2 World Championship. Kay de Wolf bounced back from a big crash in the opening EMX250 race in Latvia to fight his way through to a 14th place finish. In the second moto, the 15-year-old FC 250 rider got off to a great start before putting in a fast, yet calculated ride to claim fourth place and secure seventh overall. The result elevates the young Dutchman to fourth place in the championship standings. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing will line up for round five of the FIM Motocross World Championship on August 16, competing for the third and final time at the Kegums circuit in Latvia. Arminas Jasikonis: “It feels so, so good to get my first MXGP race win. Overall, I know I could have got more out of today, but even though the first race didn’t go like we wanted it to, it’s finished in the best way. Qualifying fastest was great and I lined up on the inside for race one. I was unlucky in the first turn, falling with a few other riders. It was just a little bit unfortunate. I was able to regroup and get going quickly. I passed riders almost every lap and caught up to the leaders, so it was a positive race really. Second moto, I had a much better start and pushed really hard for the first few laps and moved into third place. I passed Cairoli for second place and then chased after Herlings. I couldn’t quite close the gap but then he fell and I took the lead. The race wasn’t over though, and I had some serious pressure, but I kept calm, hit my lines and took the win. I’m so happy for myself and the team, it’s been a long time coming and I can’t wait to race again on Sunday.” Jed Beaton: “Another tough GP. Qualifying went great again but I went down in the first turn of the first race. I was dead last and just charged the whole moto and ended up with eighth place. That was ok but not really what I wanted. Moto two was better. A decent start and I moved into sixth place so I was in a good position. I had a good pace but after the first race I’d used up a lot of energy. I challenged Maxime Renaux a few times but couldn’t quite make the pass stick. A frustrating day but I’m healthy and looking forward to racing again on Sunday.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “My first race was good but I was still struggling with my shoulder. I finished fifth which I was a little surprised about because I can’t really ride how I’d like to because I of my injury. I have to compensate and hold onto the bike differently, which is a bit of a challenge. I came here really prepared and my fitness is good so it’s a shame. But still, fifth place was a great result. Unfortunately, early in the second race I came together with someone and crashed. I was already sore and banged myself up again so it would have been impossible to score any points in the second moto.” Results – 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 4 MXGP - Overall 1. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 43pts; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 40; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 40; 4. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 38 MXGP - Race 1 1. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 17 laps, 34:29:922; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 34:34:542; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 34:35:595… 8. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 34:49:547; 23. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 36:15:886; 28. Matiss Karro (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 34:52:186 MXGP - Race 2 1. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 17 laps, 34:12:449; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 34:13:574; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 34:14:557… 24. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 36:07:676; 25. Matiss Karro (Husqvarna) 36:26:780 MX2 - Overall 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 50pts; 2. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 44; 3. Mathys Boisrame (Kawasaki) 40… 6. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 28; 13. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 16; 16. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 11; 22. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 3 MX2 - Race 1 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 17 laps, 34:34:944; 2. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 34:41:875; 3. Mathys Boisrame (Kawasaki) 34:50:286… 5. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 34:54:196; 8. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:14:030; 15. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 35:53:350; 18. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 36:05:775; 24. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 35:01:396; 26. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 35:05:756 MX2 - Race 2 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 17 laps, 34:33:523; 2. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 34:43:282; 3. Mathys Boisrame (Kawasaki) 34:56:514… 6. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:02:638; 16. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 36:17:025; 19. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 34:34:623 21. Johannes Nermann (Husqvarna) 35:07:883 Championship Standings – After Round 4 MXGP 1. Jeffery Herlings (KTM) 170pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 142; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 129; 4. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 121… 22. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 26; 23. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 17; 28. Lars van Berkel (Husqvarna) 9; 30. Brent Van doninck (Husqvarna) 5 MX2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 170pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 162; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 123… 9. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 89; 14. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 52; 20. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 26; 25. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 15; 31. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 5
ROMANO FENATI WAS THE BEST FINISHER FOR HUSQVARNA MOTORCYCLES AT THE FIRST OF TWO BACK-TO-BACK RACES AROUND THE FAST RED BULL RING CIRCUIT The myWorld Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich opened a week of work around the scenic and rapid curves of the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria and where changeable midsummer weather created tricky conditions for the Sterilgarda Max Racing Team. Brief but heavy storms meant that practice and qualification veered between wet and dry sessions and where establishing any kind of consistency with race bike set-up and quick lap-attacks was hard to judge. Fortunately, the 23-lap race on Sunday morning took place in sunshine. Romano Fenati and Alonso Lopez pushed into the Moto3 pack from their positions near the rear of the grid and were soon eyeing the top fifteen. Fenati had a busy race rubbing elbows but could not snare FIM World Championship points and finished 17th. Lopez had to take a Long Lap penalty which meant the Spaniard classified 23rd. The team will get another chance to try and master the Austrian site this week. The BMW M Grand Prix of Styria will represent round six on the 2020 schedule next weekend. Romano Fenati: “Not happy for the result but I am happy about the bike because yesterday we improved a lot, and our lap-times were faster. We are going in the right way. For the next race here we have to improve straightaway from FP1, especially during qualifying so that will enable us to manage the race in a different way. We were strong today, but it was difficult to overtake because everybody was braking to the limit. Braking is another thing we can improve but at the moment I am happy to take our current setting into the next race.” Alonso Lopez: “A mix of feelings. I’m not happy in one way but I’m also pleased that I am understanding the bike and my feeling when riding: this is really important. In the next race I think I can make a very big step. I think I can be faster from Friday and this will allow better preparation for the race and for being part of the group in front. Thanks to the whole team because we worked and made some changes to the front of the bike that really helped me.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “We finished better than where we started, and we are still waiting to see the best of the riders. We’re looking forward to racing here again, seeing better starts and finishing where we know we can be. I’m confident of that.” Results – 2020 Moto3 FIM World Championship, Round 5 1. Albert Arenas (KTM) 37:25.323, 2. Jaume Masia (Honda) +0.049, 3. John McPhee (Honda) +0.447, 17. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +2.920, 23. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) +10.963 Championship standings – After round 5 1. Albert Arenas (KTM) 95pts; 2. John McPhee (Honda) 67; 2. Ai Ogura (Honda) 65; 15. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 14; 23. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) 5
Round four of 2020 Moto3 saw Romano Fenati score 9th place for Husqvarna Motorcycles around the wide, long and sweeping Brno circuit. The Monster Energy Grand Prix České republiky brought MotoGP together for what was the fourth-round of 2020 competition for the Moto3 and Moto2™ classes. The Automotodrom Brno Circuit was hot, bumpy and tricky to negotiate but provided a suitable stage for 18 laps of close racing in the Moto3 category. The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team was back to full strength with Alonso Lopez fit again after the illness that sidelined the youngster in the last outing in Jerez, Spain. Romano Fenati continued to show his re-adaptation to the demands of Moto3 by setting his second-best qualification of the season on Saturday to sit 9th on the grid. The Italian made a start on the fringes of the top ten and forced his way into the leading group of ten riders by mid-race distance on Sunday. The experienced campaigner kept consistent and brought the FR 250 GP across the line in 9th; just one and a half seconds behind the winner and out of 8th by 0.001 seconds due to a photo-finish. The result represents his highest classification so far in 2020. Lopez crashed out after 9 laps and went for a precautionary medical check. The Red Bull Ring in Austria will entertain the next two outings of the Moto3 series for the myWorld Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich and the BMW M Grand Prix von Styria on consecutive weekends from August 9th. Romano Fenati: “A very good race for us and we improve a lot with the braking. In Jerez it was a bit better but now we made a good step. For the next race we have to still make progress and also look at our acceleration. The bike was really good here, but we can make gains with our set-up because it was difficult to overtake on the straight today. I’m happy anyway that we are moving forward. More at the next race!” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “A slight improvement with performance this weekend, especially with Romano who was more confident in practice than he was in Jerez. We have high expectations and the team are working hard to put the riders in the best situation possible. On the other hand, I am very sorry for Alonso and his crash. I hope he will be OK for Austria. He is young and he is trying.” Results – 2020 Moto3 FIM World Championship, Round 4 1. Dennis Foggia (Honda) 39:06.370, 2. Albert Arenas (KTM) +0.205, 3. Ai Ogura (Honda) +0.251, 9. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) +1.648, DNF. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) Championship standings – After round 4 1. Albert Arenas (KTM) 70pts; 2. Ai Ogura (Honda) 52; 3. John McPhee (Honda) 51; 15. Romano Fenati (Husqvarna) 14; 23. Alonso Lopez (Husqvarna) 5
Strong showing from the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team at round 10 Round 10 of the 2020 AMA Supercross World Championship Series made its way to the world-renown Daytona International Speedway on Saturday for perhaps the roughest and most enduring stop on the 17-round circuit. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team rose to the challenge with 450SX rider Jason Anderson finishing just off the podium in fourth, while Florida native RJ Hampshire fought his way to a fourth-place finish in the 250SX East division in front of a home-state crowd. 450SX Anderson kept himself in the mix all day, beginning with a solid top-five qualifying position. He got off to a great start in 450SX Heat 2 where he made his way into second early on the opening lap. He put forth a great ride to ultimately secure a second-place transfer in the Main Event. In the main, Anderson shot off the line to capture the holeshot as he battled for the lead early on the opening lap. He continued to charge from the second-place spot early on, dicing for a podium position in the first half of the race. He dropped to fourth on lap 11 and from there he put on a charge to finish less than one second off the podium in fourth. “My weekend went alright,” Anderson said. “The heat race went well, I almost got into the lead there but I ended up finishing second. In the main, I got the holeshot and fell back to fourth but I pushed forward and almost had third. All-in-all it, was a good race for me and I just have to keep racing out there with the boys.” It was a good night for Dean Wilson, who secured his second-best finish of the season at Round 10. Wilson, the seventh-place qualifier, grabbed a good start in 450SX Heat 2 but he unfortunately landed on another rider in an unavoidable collision, which forced him to come from behind early on. Wilson was able to salvage the race as he battled his way to a sixth-place transfer. In the Main Event, he got off to a seventh-place start and he maintained a steady seventh throughout the 18-lap Main Event. After 10 rounds, Wilson has climbed up one spot to ninth in the 450SX Championship Standings. “In the Main Event, I knew the start was very crucial so I put a lot of focus into that and I had a decent start but I got a little tight at the beginning,” Wilson said. “About midway through, I started finding lines and getting close to the top-five but I just wasn’t able to make it happen. I’m frustrated with not being in the top-five but I’m happy with my riding progress and I feel like my confidence is coming back so every weekend I’m getting a lot better.” Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Zach Osborne missed Round 10 due to injuries sustained during a practice crash before the Atlanta SX. Osborne’s return to racing is yet to be determined as he assesses the proper recovery time for his injuries.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's MXGP ace posts 3-3 results to climb onto the podium at round two of the 2020 Motocross World Championship Putting a challenging opening round of the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship behind him, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Arminas Jasikonis has raced to a pair of third-place results at a sodden Valkenswaard circuit in The Netherlands, claiming third overall in the MXGP class. Teammate Pauls Jonass posted two strong rides from the back of the field to earn 12th overall. In the MX2 division, Jed Beaton continued his early season form to record a second consecutive fourth-overall result while Thomas Kjer Olsen ended a challenging weekend in seventh place. Winning Saturday's qualifying race at Valkenswaard, Arminas Jasikonis confidently lined up as the first rider to take to the start of the opening MXGP moto. Rounding the first corner just outside the top five, he made a number of passes to slot into third by lap three. Shadowing early MXGP World Championship leader Jeffrey Herlings for much of the race, the Lithuanian settled into a comfortable rhythm and at the end of a largely untroubled moto secured a well-deserved third position. For Jasikonis, moto two was very much the same as race one. A strong fifth at the start saw him move into third position by the end of the opening lap. With persistent rain falling and while holding a comfortable margin over the fourth-placed rider, Arminas fell before making a swift pitstop for clean goggles. Quickly rejoining the race, he went on to record another third-place finish, earning third overall in the MXGP class. His superb weekend propels the Lithuanian from 12th in the MXGP World Championship standings to seventh. Pauls Jonass made a great start in race one at the MXGP of The Netherlands before coming together with Arnaud Tonus on the opening lap. Remounting at the back of the field, Jonass quickly went to work and put together an inspiring ride. After a race-long charge, he crossed the finish line with a hard-earned 13th place finish. Race two saw Jonass round the first turn in third place. Frustratingly, shortly afterwards he cross rutted on the take-off of a jump and fell. Remounting to end lap one in 27th, Pauls was again forced to battle past his rivals, and through the rain, to cross the finish line in 12th, earning 12th overall for the GP. In the MX2 class, Jed Beaton got off to a great start in the opening 250cc race. Running as high as second in the early stages of the moto, the FC 250 mounted rider found himself in a battle for position with championship leader Jago Geerts, with the two riders exchanging places multiple times during the opening laps of the race. Beaton then made a small mistake, running off the side of the heavily-rutted circuit and was relegated down the field. The Australian regrouped and put in a late-race charge to record a sixth-place finish. Race two was much more fruitful for Beaton. Managing to take avoiding action in turn one when Jago Geerts crashed ahead of him, the 22-year-old then methodically moved his way forwards, staying smooth and light on his FC 250 to progress into second place by the midway stage of the moto. Despite some vision issues, Jed maintained his pace to record his second runner-up moto finish of the season, claiming his second-consecutive fourth-place overall result in as many GPs. Jed now sits third in the MX2 series standings ahead of round three in Argentina, in two weeks' time. The opening MX2 race was a tough one for Thomas Kjer Olsen. A victim of a first-turn crash, a race-long battle from the back of the field saw Kjer Olsen fight to the end of the 17-lap moto in 11th place. The second moto was an improvement for TKO. A mid-pack start as rain continued to fall saw the Dane in 14th at the end of lap one. Using his experience he was able to charge through the field to record a sixth-place finish and earn seventh overall in the MX2 class. Kay de Wolf made his FIM Motocross European Championship debut in the EMX250 class for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing at Valkenswaard. The 15-year-old powered his FC 250 to 4-11 results to claim eighth overall at the opening event of the nine-round series. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing will next be in FIM Motocross World Championship action on March 22, at the MXGP of Patagonia Argentina. Arminas Jasikonis: “It feels great to finish on the podium, especially so early in the season and after things didn’t go so well at Matterley last week. To bounce back with a top-three result is a real boost for myself and the whole team. We all knew how important a good qualifying result would be here, because being on the outside of the start isn’t a good place to be at Valkenswaard. I rode a smart qualifying race and things came together perfectly. It was a great feeling being the first rider to roll onto the start for today’s opening moto, but I also realised that I needed to put everything together again and get another good result. I got an ok start in that first race and managed to complete a safe first lap and was sat in third. I felt good but it was so easy to make mistakes, especially later in the race when visibility wasn’t so good and there were a lot of lapped riders to pass. I took things a little steadier towards the end, but it was great to get third. Race two was strange because when I was behind Tim, I knew I was in a good place for an overall podium result. I wanted to push harder but knew I couldn’t afford any mistakes. I did crash, and some laps later changed my goggles, but everything worked out perfectly and I got third again. We didn’t change anything for this GP, we just kept working hard, so we’ll just keep on working as we have been and try and back this result up with another strong result in Argentina.” Pauls Jonass: “It’s been another frustrating weekend for me because I know my speed is good, but I don’t have too much to show for it. The conditions were really tough, but it’s been like this a lot during the winter, so it wasn’t like I was struggling or uncomfortable or anything like that – I just didn’t stay upright. Crashing together with Tonus in the first race was frustrating, finishing outside the top 10 certainly wasn’t what I wanted. In the second race I was really focused on being calm in the opening laps and letting things settle down before pushing hard. My crash was just one of those things, I got the front wheel into one rut, the rear in another, and went down. You drop so many positions with a crash early in a race like that. Getting back to 12th was good but I really feel I can do much better. My speed is good, I just need to remove the mistakes.” Jed Beaton: “It’s been another good GP for me but like at Matterley I’m a little disappointed not to be on the podium. But that’s on me as I made a mistake in the first moto. Overall, my riding’s good, I just have to keep it on two wheels to get it on the podium. The sand is so soft and heavy here at Valkenswaard that a small mistake can quickly become a big mistake, but it’s been good to show that my speed in the sand is good. I gated really well and felt good in the first race and went from third to second in a couple of corners and started to chase Vialle. I then made a small mistake and ran off track slightly, hitting a sign and tipping over. I dropped some places, but I was pleased enough to finish with a decent result. In the second race there was a crash right in front of me, but I still got a decent start. I really focused on not making any mistakes and although it was tough with vision near the end of the race, I got a great second place result, which was a positive way to end the GP.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “It’s been a tough GP for me, but seventh overall isn’t too bad. I got a rough start in both races and after my crash in qualifying yesterday I felt a little banged up today. From starting on the outside, I knew I had to be careful going into the first corner. I got a good jump, but everyone just pushed wide, pushed into me, and I was left with nowhere to go and crashed. That first race was pretty hard, but I was happy to get back to 11th. I tried to be extra careful at the start in the second race, but again there was nowhere to go, and I was pretty much last at the start. I was riding well and happy to get sixth in the second moto. The first two GPs haven’t been easy, but my speed has been good. Now I have some time to ride more ahead of the next GP, it will allow me to sharpen things up and get in some good training motos ahead of going to Argentina.” Results – 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 2 MXGP - Overall 1. Jeffery Herlings (KTM) 47pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 47; 3. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 40; 11. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 17; 12. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 17; 17. Lars van Berkel (Husqvarna) 9; 22. Brent Van doninck (Husqvarna) 5; 23. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 3 MXGP - Race 1 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 35:32:235, 17 laps; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 35:53:437; 3. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 36:16:633… 13. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 35:35:042, 16 laps; 16. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 35:50:211; 19. Lars van Berkel (Husqvarna) 36:29:537; 20. Brent Van doninck (Husqvarna) 36:36:319 MXGP - Race 2 1. Jeffrey Herlings (KTM) 34:37:958, 16 laps; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 35:00:804; 3. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 36:13:326… 9. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 34:57:232, 15 laps; 12. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 35:16:615; 14. Lars van Berkel (Husqvarna) 36:02:710; 17. Brent Van doninck (Husqvarna) 36:22:326; 18. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 34:18:904 MX2 - Overall 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 47pts; 2. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 40; 3. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 39… 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 37… 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 25; 21. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 8; 23. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 5 MX2 - Race 1 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 35:04:291, 17 laps; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:18:160; 3. Maxime Renaux (Yamaha) 35:38:188… 6. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:04:720; 11. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 37:02:066; 13. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 37:19:223; 22. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 36:09:777; 26: James Carpenter (Husqvarna) 37:00:096, 16 laps; 27. Tom Grimshaw (Husqvarna) 37:02:753; 29. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 35:16:574, 15 laps MX2 - Race 2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 36:15:446, 16 laps; 2. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 37:11:973; 3. Maxime Renaux 37:21:973… 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 37:30:675; 16. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 36:35:732, 15 laps; 23: James Carpenter 37:32:676; 24. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 37:55:707; 25. Tom Grimshaw (Husqvarna) 37:57:664 Championship Standings – After Round 2 MXGP 1. Jeffery Herlings (KTM) 94pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 85; 3. Antonio Cairoli (KTM) 68… 7. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 53; 13. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 26; 19. Evgeny Bobryshev 17; 21. Lars van Berkel (Husqvarna) 9; 26. Brent Van doninck (Husqvarna) 5 MX2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 87pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 82; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 74… 7. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 51; 13. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 28; 18. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 15; 22. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 11; 28. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 5
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team’s Zach Osborne continues to make big strides in the 2020 AMA Supercross World Championship Series as he led a career-best 22 laps in Wednesday’s 450SX Main Event to ultimately secure a third-place podium finish inside Rice-Eccles Stadium. Additionally, his teammates Jason Anderson and Dean Wilson gave the brand a heat-race sweep in the 450SX division as they each topped their respective heat races at Round 16 in Salt Lake City. 450SX Osborne didn’t have the most favorable start to the day as he experienced some struggles in 450SX Heat 2 that ultimately led him to a sixth-place transfer into the Main Event. However, he quickly turned things around in the Main Event as he captured the holeshot and early lead in the highly-competitive class. With a championship battle taking place just behind him, Osborne held his composure out front and led the first 22 laps of the Main Event. The championship hopefuls got past Osborne on lap 23 and from there he held strong to secure his third podium finish of the Salt Lake series. “The whole time I was in the lead, I was just trying to set a new personal best on laps led. I was doing something I’ve never done before, so I’m happy with my ride,” Osborne said. “I tightened up a little bit at the end, this was one of the harder Main Events I’ve ever done with the altitude and just the intensity was way up there.” Following a tough night on Sunday, 2018 450SX Champion Jason Anderson bounced back with vengeance as he claimed the fastest 450SX lap time in qualifying. He kept the momentum rolling into 450SX Heat 2, where he shot off the line to grab a favorable position off the start. He assumed the early lead and never looked back, leading all 10 laps to claim the heat race victory. In the Main Event, Anderson got a top-10 start and he worked his way into the top-five by lap four. He diced back-and-forth with the lead group for a majority of the race, where he finished only 2.45 seconds off the podium in fifth. “It felt really good to start the day off with P1 in practice and get a heat race win,” Anderson said. “In the Main, the difference between me and the leader was seven seconds and there were like five guys within that battle, so it was good. All-in-all, I felt good all day and we’re ready to get up there and battle for a win.” Dean Wilson, the fourth-place qualifier, got a top-five start in 450SX Heat 2 and he battled his way up to second by lap three. He passed his teammate, Osborne, for the lead on lap four and from there he put forth an impressive performance to hold off 450SX points leader, Eli Tomac, and secure his first heat race victory of the season. In the Main Event, Wilson didn’t get the most favorable start as he rounded the opening lap in 15th. He put his head down and battled just outside the top-10 for the remainder of the race, ultimately finishing 13th for the night. “There were some good parts and some bad parts of today,” Wilson said. “I’m stoked on the heat race win but I made an adjustment that I felt would be a benefit for the Main Event and I just really struggled out there. We’re healthy and taking away a lot of positives into the last round on Sunday.” 250SX East The 250SX Eastern division returned on Wednesday with team rider Jalek Swoll at the forefront. Swoll got off to a third-place start in 250SX East Heat 1 and he rode a consistent pace to ultimately secure a third-place finish. In the Main Event, Swoll had a rough start as he got tangled with another rider and dropped to dead last on the opening lap. He began making a charge through the pack but he got caught up again and went down in the corner after hitting false neutral. He put his head down and rallied his way back to a 14th place finish. “The day started out good – my speed felt good and I got everything down early,” Swoll said. “The Main Event was chaotic but I’m head-up right now, looking forward to putting in a good result on Sunday and ending the SX season on a good note.” Next Event (Round 17 - Finale): Sunday, June 21 – Rice-Eccles Stadium – Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City SX (Round 16) Results 450SX Results 1. Cooper Webb (KTM) 2. Eli Tomac (KAW) 3. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing … 5. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 13. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 450SX Rider Point Standings 1. Eli Tomac – 366 points 2. Cooper Webb – 344 points 3. Ken Roczen – 338 points … 5. Jason Anderson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 264 points 7. Zach Osborne – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 226 points 8. Dean Wilson – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 218 points 250SX East Results 1. Chase Sexton (HON) 2. Shane McElrath (YAM) 3. Colt Nichols (YAM) … 14. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing 250SX East Rider Point Standings 1. Chase Sexton – 192 points 2. Shane McElrath – 186 points 3. Garrett Marchbanks – 119 points … 6. Jalek Swoll – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 100 points 10. RJ Hampshire – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing – 80 points
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's MX2 ace returns to form at star-studded event in the Netherlands Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing have enjoyed a successful day at the Dutch International, held at the Motorsportpark Gelderland Midden venue. In the team’s first competitive motocross race since the MXGP of the Netherlands back in March, Thomas Kjer Olsen raced to a well-earned second-place overall finish in the MX2 division, while teammate Jed Beaton also enjoyed a top-three result, placing third in moto one. Arminas Jasikonis challenged for podium positions in both MX1 class motos, ultimately securing fourth overall. Fully recovered from his pre-season hand injury, Thomas Kjer Olsen made it known that he is back to full fitness at the Dutch International. Running in fourth position for much of moto one, Kjer Olsen recorded his fastest laps of the moto as the race wound down and he moved into second place. Despite the Dane coming up just short of the race win, he crossed the finish line less than two seconds down on eventual winner, Jago Geerts. After an impressive first race, Thomas Kjer Olsen pulled another strong start to open his second moto. Running in fifth position for the majority of the race, a small tip over on the final lap frustratingly demoted the Dane to sixth. Having no bearing on his overall result, Kjer Olsen rounded out the day on the second step on the podium. Jed Beaton made a strong start in race one, ending the opening lap in third place. Among a frantic group at the head of the field, Beaton’s FC 250 machine powered him into first position on lap four as he led many of his MX2 World Championship rivals. Slipping back to third place the Australian kept the lead riders in sight during the remaining laps of the race. Race two in Arnhem was somewhat uneventful for Beaton. After working on his starts over recent months, he fired out of the gate and ended lap one in a strong fourth place. At the midway stage of the race the Australian was in sixth, shadowing his teammate Thomas Kjer Olsen who later tipped over on the final lap, gifting fifth position to Beaton. With his 3-5 moto finishes, Jed placed fourth overall. EMX250 star Kay de Wolf lined up in the MX2 class in Arnhem amongst an established line-up of MX2 World Championship racers. The young Dutchman was consistent all day, qualifying in seventh and then racing to an 8-7 result onboard his FC 250 machine. After finding success in domestic race action over recent weeks, Arminas Jasikonis lined up for the Dutch International with his confidence high and quickly set the pace early on, qualifying fastest in a talent-stacked MX1 category. Race one saw the Lithuanian record a top-10 start, charging forwards as the race progressed, he crossed the finish line in a hard-earned fifth place. In race two, Jasikonis delivered a notably improved performance. A strong start saw the 22-year-old charge hard in fourth place, clocking the fastest lap of the race in the star-studded field of MX1 riders. With the Arnhem circuit becoming a little one-lined as the race wore on, Arminas was unable to secure a podium finish and ultimately ended the moto in fourth place to claim fourth overall. Thomas Kjer Olsen: “It was a pretty decent day. Second overall in a strong field is a great result. The track was really tough. Really rough and a little one lined so I rode with my head and stayed strong on the bike. It was great to be racing again and I felt great on my bike. It was a shame to have a small crash in the second race, but it had no effect on the overall result so to come away from here healthy and on the podium is a great feeling.” Jed Beaton: “It was great to be back racing today and get some gate drops ahead of the GPs starting again. It’s been a long time since we’ve been racing so the nerves were back and it was good to get them out of the way before Latvia in two weeks. I rode a little tight in the first moto, which is to be expected after so much time off the bike. It was great to lead some laps during the middle part of that race. I’ve been working on my starts a lot lately and that showed today, two good starts and I tied for third overall with almost all of the MX World Championship riders so I’m really happy with where I’m at.” Kay de Wolf: “It was a great day for me. In race one I didn’t get the best of starts, however I was able to make passes quickly and push towards the front. It was a good result for me, finishing eighth from a mid-pack start. In moto two I made a much better start. I was able to make a few passes and passed Tom Vialle for seventh on the last lap. Overall, I’m happy. We haven’t raced for a long time so to finish sixth overall in this field is a great result.” Arminas Jasikonis: “It’s great to be racing again, and with the top guys like it’ll be at the GPs. I’m pretty pleased with the way things went today. It wasn’t an easy track to pass on, but my lap times were good, so I’m pleased enough. I didn’t get a great start in the first moto and then rode a bit tight. From mid-pack it wasn’t easy, and I had some riders crashing in front of me. I pushed hard but, let’s say, I wasn’t riding perfectly. The second moto was better. I got a better start and was pushing with the other guys at the front. It was great to be racing like that. It was pretty close between us. Some things to work on, but it was great to be racing and I’m looking forward to the next race, next weekend.” Results – 2020 Dutch International MX1 - Overall 1. Glenn Coldenhoff (GASGAS) 47pts; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 47; 3. Gautier Paulin (Yamaha) 38; 4. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 34; 10. Micha Boy de Waal (Husqvarna) 17; 16. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 10; 21. Gianluca Ecca (Husqvarna) 5; 28. Mitchel van den Essenburg (Husqvarna) 2 MX1 - Race 1 1. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 19 laps, 33:12:079; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (GASGAS) 33:14:977; 3. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 33:24:310… 5. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 33:27:636; 11. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 34:36:734; 15. Micha Boy de Waal (Husqvarna) 33:26:817; 19. Mitchel van den Essenburg (Husqvarna) 18 laps, 33:51:541; 23. Gianluca Ecca (Husqvarna) 34:18:861 MX1 - Race 2 1. Glenn Coldenhoff (GASGAS) 19 laps, 33:27:549; 2. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 33:29:131; 3. Gautier Paulin (Yamaha) 33:296:23; 4. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 33:30:153… 10. Micha Boy de Waal (Husqvarna) 35:05:637; 17. Gianluca Ecca (Husqvarna) 18 laps, 34:39:048 MX2 - Overall 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 50pts; 2. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 37; 3. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 36; 4. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36… 6. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 27; 14. David Herbreteau (Husqvarna) 15; 16. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 11; 27. Leopold Ambjornsson (Husqvarna) 2; 28. Boyd van der Voorn (Husqvarna) 2; 30. Camden McLellan (Husqvarna) 2 MX2 - Race 1 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 18 laps, 31:50:993; 2. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 31:52:600; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 32:00:031… 8. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 32:27:817; 13. David Herbreteau (Husqvarna) 32:57:642; 16. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 33:12:424; 19. Camden McLellan (Husqvarna) 33:23:906; 24. Leopold Ambjornsson (Husqvarna) 17 laps, 32:26:975; 27. Boyd van der Voorn (Husqvarna) 32:40:111 MX2 - Race 2 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 19 laps, 33:09:002; 2. Ben Watson (Yamaha) 33:09:818; 3. Thibault Benistant (Yamaha) 33:29:039… 5. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 33:47:382; 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 33:52:272; 7. Kay de Wolf (Husqvarna) 34:06:287; 15. David Herbreteau (Husqvarna) 18 laps, 33:11:479; 16. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 33:19:011; 27. Leopold Ambjornsson (Husqvarna) 34:34:334
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Arminas Jasikonis displayed consistency and impressive speed at the MXGP of Latvia, securing a sixth-place overall MXGP result at the restart of the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship. The team’s MX2 competitors, Thomas Kjer Olsen and Jed Beaton placed eighth and ninth overall respectively, with Kjer Olsen racing following a recently fractured shoulder blade. Arminas Jasikonis recorded a strong opening moto result at the MXGP of Latvia. A good start saw the FC 450 racer hold seventh position early in the race before slipping back a little to ninth on lap six. The 22-year-old then went on a mid-race charge, quickly moving up to fifth position over the course of the next three laps. Jasikonis was then passed in the closing stages of the moto and crossed the finish line in a positive sixth place. Race two was much the same as the opeing moto for Jasikonis. Despite being a little eager at the start and hitting the gate, the Lithuanian was able to sneak a tight line around the opening corner to avoid a first turn crash and emerge in seventh place. Using some creative and sweeping lines around the sandy Kegums circuit, he broke free of a battle with current MX2 World Champion Jorge Prado to secure another sixth-place finish and claim sixth overall. Despite arriving at the third round of the MX2 World Championship with a recently fractured shoulder blade, Thomas Kjer Olsen put in a valiant effort in moto one at the MXGP of Latvia. Running as high as fifth position in the early stages, the Dane maintained sixth position for much of the race. Succumbing to the pain and losing a handful of positions during the closing stages of the moto, Kjer Olsen ultimately ended the moto in 11th place. Kjer Olsen’s second moto was another display of grit and determination. Ending the opening lap in 18th place, the Dane produced another strong performance in his quest to salvage MX2 World Championship points. A ninth-place finish rewarded the Dane with ninth overall. TKO will rest during the coming days ahead of round four on Wednesday 12th August. Jed Beaton endured a frustrating opening race at the MXGP of Latvia. The Australian’s great start and strong early position of sixth was quickly unravelled just a few corners into the 30-minute-plus-two-lap moto when a small tip-over demoted him to 31st place. A race-long charge saw Beaton carve his way through the field to record a 15th place finish. Following his challenging first race in Latvia, Beaton was looking for redemption in moto two. After battling with Maxime Renaux during the early stages of the race, the Australian made the pass into sixth place at the halfway point of the race and inched away as the laps wound down. With a sizable gap ahead of him to reach fifth position, the 22-year-old maintained his position to the finish and currently sits in third place in the MX2 World Championship. Kay de Wolf placed sixth overall in the EMX250 class for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing in Latvia. The 15-year-old raced to a 7-5 result after charging through the field in both motos, moving up to fifth place in the EMX250 championship standings. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing return to FIM Motocross World Championship action on August 12, competing once again at the Kegums circuit for the second of three events to be held in Latvia. Arminas Jasikonis: “It was nice to be back racing MXGP again today with a slightly different format with everything on one day. I think it was good. I was consistent with my results, so this is a good thing, sixth place in both races, which is a good place to build from. I rode a little tight early in the first race and just eased my way back into racing the MXGP class. About halfway in I went from ninth to fifth in a couple of laps so that was good and then ended the race in sixth. Race two I was a little too eager and hit the start gate, but as I was on the inside I stayed tight around the first corner and missed a big pile up. I then had a battle with Jorge Prado for a few laps before moving into sixth place around halfway through the race. I then stayed here until the finish so two sixths and sixth overall. The bike was great on the track today, it was a tough track but the bike set up was perfect, so it made it much easier for me.” Thomas Kjer Olsen: “It’s great to be back racing again although I didn’t know if I’d be able to race. Last Wednesday I had a big crash, fracturing my shoulder blade and my neck and shoulder are really sore. I had it taped up for riding today and qualifying was a struggle, but I lined up for race one just to see what I could do. I got a pretty decent start and then the adrenaline took over. I was sixth for a long time but towards the end of the race I was in a lot of pain and the track had lots of square bumps, so it was tough. I actually had a better second race. Not such a great start but I was able to keep moving forwards and finished ninth. So, some decent points. I’m going to rest now ahead of Wednesday and look to improve my results.” Jed Beaton: “Qualifying went really well and I’m happy with my speed. I had a good start in race one and caught the edge of a rut entering a corner early on and fell. I was then dead last and coming through the pack pretty well, I got up to 18th and then someone just ran me off the track. So, the work I did was for nothing and then I had to start over. I used up a little too much energy in that one, basically battling the whole race. In the second moto, I didn’t get the best of starts and ran eighth for a little while. I then pushed hard to get up to sixth but by then fifth was just too far ahead to close in on. I’m looking forward to Wednesday, it’ll be a new race and I’m going in with an open mind so hopefully I can stay out of trouble and get some decent results.” Results – 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Round 3 MXGP - Overall 1. Glenn Coldenhoff (GASGAS) 47pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 41; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 40… 6. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 30; 23. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 3 MXGP - Race 1 1. Tim Gajser (Honda) 17 laps, 34:47:632; 2. Glenn Coldenhoff (GASGAS) 34:49:544; 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 34:52:389… 6. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 34:59:305; 22. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 37:05:370; 23. Matiss Karro (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 34:48:715; 27. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 35:19:658 MXGP - Race 2 1. Glenn Coldenhoff (GASGAS) 34:42:555; 2. Jeremy Seewer (Yamaha) 34:43:780 3. Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) 35:00:758… 6. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 35:06:829; 20. Tanel Leok (Husqvarna) 36:36:692; 21. Evgeny Bobryshev (Husqvarna) 16 laps, 34:50:935; 22. Matiss Karro (Husqvarna) 35:07:409 MX2 - Overall 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 47pts; 2. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 40; 3. Mathys Boisrame (Kawasaki) 38… 8. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 22; 9 Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 21… 10. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 21; 21. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 4 MX2 - Race 1 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 17 laps, 35:20:720; 2. Roan Van De Moosdijk (Kawasaki) 35:27:599; 3. Ruben Fernandez (Yamaha) 35:34:213… 10. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 36.04.775; 11. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:11:667; 15. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 36:17:688; 20. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 37:03:628; 25. Enzo Toriani (Husqvarna) 37:41:285 MX2 - Race 2 1. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 17 laps, 35:16:839; 2. Tom Vialle (KTM) 35:21:109; 3. Mathys Boisrame (Kawasaki) 35:24:376… 6. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 35:50:334… 9. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 36:06:186; 11. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 36:19:609; 18. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 37:18:366 Championship Standings – After Round 3 MXGP 1. Jeffery Herlings (KTM) 130pts; 2. Tim Gajser (Honda) 126; 3. Glenn Coldenhoff (GASGAS) 103… 7. Arminas Jasikonis (Husqvarna) 83; 19. Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna) 26; 22. Evgeny Bobryshev 17; 26. Lars van Berkel (Husqvarna) 9; 29. Brent Van doninck (Husqvarna) 5 MX2 1. Tom Vialle (KTM) 134pts; 2. Jago Geerts (Yamaha) 112; 3. Jed Beaton (Husqvarna) 95… 6. Thomas Kjer Olsen (Husqvarna) 73; 11. Alberto Forato (Husqvarna) 48; 22. Mattia Guadagnini (Husqvarna) 15; 23. Josh Gilbert (Husqvarna) 15; 31. Roland Edelbacher (Husqvarna) 5
The Sterilgarda Max Racing Team will resume Grand Prix duty this week at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto with back-to-back races Riders Romano Fenati and Alonso Lopez and their crew have gathered in southern Spain and fierce mid-30s temperatures as MotoGP™ starts again in the wake of international lockdown restrictions. For the competitors of the Moto3 and Moto2 classes the back-to-back ‘closed-door’ events will be the second and third rounds of the shortened and delayed 2020 calendar. 18-year old Alonso Lopez will be racing on home ground. The Spaniard posted a 13th position finish at the season-opening Grand Prix in Qatar in March. He has good form at Jerez: in 2018 - and in only his fourth world championship appearance - he almost arrived on the podium with 4th place. Fenati will push the other Husqvarna FR 250 GP machine. The Italian is hunting his first points of 2020 but knows how to succeed around the Jerez corners having won twice (including his maiden success in 2012) and walked the podium on one other occasion. Romano Fenati: “Jerez is a special track, a special circuit and I’m happy we are starting the season again here because we make a lot of laps testing and it’s a fantastic place to ride. I hope the feeling on the bike will be good straightaway and we can put on a good race. I won my first Grand Prix here, so I always have those memories!” Alonso Lopez: “I really like Jerez, so it is a good place to come back to racing. I’ve missed the competition and the feeling with my bike. My goal will be to push for the best result but also to get that good sensation again on the track.” Max Biaggi, Team Principal: “It seems like one of the biggest breaks ever in motorcycle racing so everybody is excited to get back on track. It will be our ‘second’ start and hopefully in a positive way. We’re really happy to have this collaboration with Husqvarna Motorcycles and now we all – riders, team, myself and all involved – have to push 100% to have a good start in Jerez.”
Jasikonis, Kjer Olsen and Beaton excited to resume MXGP and MX2 FIM Motocross World Championship competition Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing are poised and eager for the gates to drop at the long-awaited restart of the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship. Following many weeks of focused training, Arminas Jasikonis, Thomas Kjer Olsen and Jed Beaton, together with EMX 250 rider Kay de Wolf, are all set to return to MXGP competition this weekend, August 9, at the long-anticipated MXGP of Latvia. With the global lockdown eased over recent months, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing riders have been busy training hard, preparing themselves for their return to MXGP action. A recent outing at the Dutch International in Arnhem saw strong results for all riders as they successfully completed the important shakedown event ahead of the FIM Motocross World Championship restart. Arminas Jasikonis is focused on continuing his early season MXGP form. Recently re-signed with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing for the 2021 season, the tall Lithuanian enjoyed two third-place moto finishes at the MXGP of the Netherlands back in March, propelling him from 12th to seventh in the series standings. More recently, Jasikonis dominated proceedings at a number of domestic races and recorded strong finishes at two Dutch International events among an elite field of MXGP rivals. Arminas will line up in Latvia looking for further podium finishes. Unfortunately, Jasikonis’ MXGP class teammate Pauls Jonass will be absent from the FIM Motocross World Championship series restart at what would have been his home GP. The Latvian was injured in a training crash that resulted in three broken ribs and five broken spinous processes. Jonass will return to competition later in the season. In the MX2 division, Thomas Kjer Olsen has fully recovered from a pre-season hand injury, opting for further surgery during lockdown to speed up the healing process. The Dane is looking to build on his early season results and utilise his experience as he focuses on the coveted MX2 World Championship title. Placing second overall at a recent Dutch International, Kjer Olsen is up to speed and set to do battle. Jed Beaton has been a revelation in the MX2 class. Scoring a second-place moto finish at each of the opening two rounds in Great Britain and the Netherlands, the 22-year-old came agonisingly close to the overall podium at both GPs. Beaton will be looking to challenge for his maiden GP win when the series resumes as the Australian returns to racing ranked third in the MX2 World Championship standings. Kay de Wolf, the team’s sole representative in the EMX 250 class, lines up on Saturday, August 8, for round two of the FIM Motocross European Championship. A positive eighth overall in his debut race at the opening round, de Wolf is looking to establish himself as a title contender. The FIM Motocross World Championship returns to action this weekend in Kegums, with the MXGP of Latvia. The revised 16-round calendar will take Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing across Europe before the series concludes in Argentina on November 22. Antti Pyrhönen - Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MXGP Team Manager: “It’s been a long time since we last raced MXGP so of course we’re really excited to return to racing. For all of our partners and the entire crew, it’s been a difficult time, so I want to thank everyone for their continued hard work and belief. After Valkenswaard we all took some time off, from the workshop and from the bikes. However, over recent months we have been working as usual in readiness for the restart of the MXGP season. Arminas is in a very good place and really looking forward to getting back to racing GPs. Since the first two GPs he’s worked a lot and shown some great form in the Dutch Internationals. Good qualifying results, good speed, he’s riding well and is ready for Kegums. Sadly, we will be without Pauls for some races because of the injuries he picked up a few weeks back. He’s getting better and will return later in the season. It’s going to be very different to have three GPs at one track in a short period of time, but we’re prepared for it. We have a great setting with our FC 450 so we’re looking forward to getting back to racing in Latvia.” Rasmus Jorgensen – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 Team Manager: “The whole team is excited to return to racing this weekend. It’s been a long time with the break, but as a team it’s also allowed us to work on some things, too. Thomas wasn’t really 100% ready for the season starting after breaking his hand during the winter, but he toughed out two decent overall results at rounds one and two. During the downtime he’s been able to have a small surgery and is now 100% ready, which he proved at the Dutch International in Arnhem, where he placed second overall. Jed Beaton decided to remain in Europe during lockdown because we just weren’t sure what was going to happen with international travel. He kept up his off-bike training and when he could ride the FC 250 again, he really focused a lot on improving his starts. Jed had the speed to win at the opening GPs but just needed better starts, which he has dialled in now, so we’re excited to see how he does. He pulled great starts and led laps in Arnhem so he’s really confident heading to Latvia. Our EMX 250 class rider Kay de Wolf also had a strong showing at the Dutch International and was really impressive, racing guys much older, MX2 front runners, so he’s confident going into Latvia and for the rest of the season.” Calendar - 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship Round 1: 01 Mar MXGP of Great Britain - Matterley Basin Round 2: 08 Mar MXGP of The Netherlands - Valkenswaard Round 3: 09 Aug MXGP of Latvia - Kegums Round 4: 12 Aug MXGP of Riga (LAT) – Kegums Round 5: 16 Aug MXGP of Kegums (LAT) – Kegums Round 6: 06 Sep MXGP of Turkey - Afyonkarahisar Round 7: 16 Sep MXGP of Italy - Faenza Round 8: 20 Sep MXGP of Emilia Romagna (ITA) - Faenza Round 9: 30 Sep MXGP of Città di Mantova - Mantova Round 10: 04 Oct MXGP of Lombardia (ITA) - Mantova Round 11: 11 Oct MXGP of Spain – intu-Xanadú - Arroyomolinos Round 12: 18 Oct MXGP of Flanders (BEL) - Lommel Round 13: 21 Oct MXGP of Limburg (BEL) - Lommel Round 14: 25 Oct MXGP of Lommel (BEL) - Lommel Round 15: 01 Nov MXGP of Trentino (ITA) - Pietramurata Round 16: 22 Nov MXGP of Patagonia Argentina – Neuquen
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