Show All

Spanish points haul for Red Bull KTM through Castilla-La Mancha MXGP mudfest

Top five results for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team as MXGP reconvened for the first of three 2025 Grand Prix dates on the Iberian Peninsula. Simon Laengenfelder was highest placed with 4th in MX2 at Cozar in central Spain as heavy rainfall created rough, slow, slick and difficult racing conditions.

  • Rain affects play in Castilla-La Mancha for the second appointment of MXGP and a sparse crowd surrounds the redesigned hardpacked layout as Red Bull KTM pick up more silverware
  • Lucas Coenen logs more race mileage with the KTM 450 SX-F in just his second appearance in the premier class. The 18-year-old Belgian rides to 9th overall
  • Simon Laengenfelder and Andrea Adamo secure 4th and 5th in MX2 with the KTM 250 SX-F while Sacha Coenen earns the red plate for the first time after his Saturday Quali Race result but is 13th on Sunday
  • The FIM Motocross World Championship will have only a few days to clean-up, reset and refocus before moving north for round three in France next weekend

MXGP was back in Castilla-La Mancha only a few months after the Cozar circuit debuted in the FIM World Championship as the final appointment of the 2024 season. This time, the Spanish venue hosted round two of the current campaign and the first European date for the series. The climate was ‘unspanish’ over the weekend with showers and cloudy skies creating a soft, soaking and deeply rutted terrain for the reworked course.

Red Bull KTM travelled to the site in central Spain with four fit runners in their roster. Lucas Coenen, Andrea Adamo, Sacha Coenen and Simon Laengenfelder had their goals for MXGP and MX2 fixed while Jeffrey Herlings was back in the saddle of his KTM 450 SX-F for his first training and practice laps of the year and anticipating a return to MXGP action in a matter of weeks. Marc-Antoine Rossi was also absent and will have shoulder surgery on Monday 17 March.

On Saturday Lucas Coenen ran to 6th place in the MXGP Qualifying Race after recovering from a crash and with the track in its driest and roughest state, compared to the ‘mudder’ of the morning. In MX2 Sacha Coenen and Andrea Adamo went P2 and P4 respectively.

Lucas, fitter and stronger compared to his MXGP debut in Argentina, was luckless at the start of the first moto and in more treacherously mud after rain overnight and through the morning. Sunday’s motos had a ‘lottery’ feel to proceedings. The Belgian had to pick-up from the carnage of the first corner and rode excellently to come back from last to 9th. In the second race he flew into the lead by the second corner but a slip dropped him to P4. He completed the gnarly contest with 9th as the rain fell again.

Laengenfelder fought from a slow-speed tumble to a top finish 5th in the first MX2 outing. The German was then consistent and cautious in the afternoon for P4 and only just missed the podium. He holds 3rd place in the championship standings. Adamo went down on the start straight of the first moto but returned to P9. The Italian’s technique helped to a decent 3rd place later on and he ranked 5th on the day. Sacha Coenen also had to retaliate from a difficult first lap of Moto1 and was P11. The Belgian then had a tough second moto and classified 15th.

MXGP marches on to France and the St Jean D’Angely circuit near La Rochelle for round three and the Grand Prix of Europe next week.

Lucas Coenen, 9th and 8th for 9th overall in MXGP: “I had the speed on Saturday but got a little tight and 6th was OK from the heat. We had a lot of rain for Sunday. I crashed in the start and had to come back from last to 9th in the first moto but the start was a lot better in the second race. It was a shame to have that little tip-over. The rest was history. P8: finito! Onto the next one.”

Simon Laengenfelder, 5th and 4th for 4th overall in MX2: “A difficult weekend in Spain but we worked well. I couldn’t get any points on Saturday: too many crashes and a bad start, but on Sunday better starts! Still some mistakes but I think this is normal in these conditions. 4th overall; not too bad and if I could have passed Andrea at the end then it would have been the podium. It’s still early in the season and already looking forward to the next races.”

Andrea Adamo, 9th and 3rd for 5th overall in MX2: “A special weekend. The track was quite dry but with many ruts on Saturday and then we had so much rain in the night and Sunday morning. We knew the races would be like a nightmare. You needed to be a bit lucky out there. The goal was to have two good starts and bring the bike to the finish. Unfortunately, I had contact with Sacha in the first race and filled myself and the bike full of mud! I gave everything I had to come back to P9, which was decent. The start was better in the second moto and I worked my way up to P3. Not bad. It’s only the second GP but I feel good, fast and fit. We will give 100% to be on the podium as much as possible in the next GPs.”

Sacha Coenen, 11th and 15th for 13th overall in MX2: “On Saturday I had a good feeling with the bike and the track but it was flooded on Sunday. I made a good start in the first moto but then slid-out and had to restart. I found my way up to 7th and then had a tip-over on the last lap, which was a shame. The start for the second moto wasn’t good and I crashed too much. I’m just happy to finish the weekend and leave this GP healthy.”

Joel Smets, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “Two GPs into the season and we’ve been dealing with some injuries, but, looking at the positives I’m happy to be working with Jeffrey again now that he is back on the bike. We’ve all been waiting for his return. Marc-Antoine will need more time and will have surgery tomorrow. We can then start planning his comeback. Andrea has shown a lot of positive things meanwhile and I don’t think we have taken all the championship points that he deserved. From the first qualifying moto in Argentina he has shown good speed and he did it again this weekend in conditions that are maybe not his favorite: that reveals how ready he is. He’s a player for the championship and we’re looking forward to the next races.”

 

Results MXGP Castilla-La Mancha 2025

 

1. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 1-1

2. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED), Fantic, 4-3

3. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA), Fantic, 8-2

4. Ruben Fernandez (ESP), Honda, 2-12

5. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 7-5

9. Lucas Coenen (BEL), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 9-8

 

Standings MXGP 2025 after 2 of 20 rounds

 

1. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 108

2. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 88

3. Maxime Renaux (FRA), Yamaha, 87

4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED), Fantic, 79

5. Lucas Coenen (BEL), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 57

 

Results MX2 Castilla-La Mancha 2025

 

1. Liam Everts (BEL), Husqvarna, 2-1

2. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna, 3-2

3. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA), Honda, 1-10

4. Simon Laegenfelder (GER), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 5-4

5. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 9-3

13. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 11-15

 

Standings MX2 2025 after 2 of 20 rounds

 

1. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna, 97 points

2. Liam Everts (BEL), Husqvarna 91

3. Simon Laengenfelder (GER), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 78

4. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 71

5. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 71

KTM NEWS

RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING THANKS AARON PLESSINGER FOR FIVE SUCCESSFUL SEASONS TOGETHER

View Profile
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing extends its appreciation to Aaron Plessinger following five successful seasons together, with the partnership delivering an impressive catalog of race results across AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross. ‘The Cowboy’ continues to be one of the most popular and engaging riders in the SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX), quickly establishing a strong connection to Red Bull KTM Factory Racing fans throughout North America and on a global scale. Over the course of five seasons with KTM, he earned 24 podiums – 11 in 450SX and 13 in 450MX – including two Supercross victories. Plessinger first joined Red Bull KTM Factory Racing ahead of the 2022 season, making an immediate impact with a second-place result at Round 2 of the 450SX series in Oakland, and he would go on to achieve two more overall podiums outdoors (Southwick and Ironman) in his first year aboard the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION. The 2023 season saw Plessinger make further progress, with the Ohio native recording two podiums in Supercross and an additional three podium finishes in 450MX on his way to third in the final championship standings. He also represented Team USA in the MXGP category at the 2023 Motocross of Nations (MXoN) in Ernée, France. Plessinger then opened the 2024 AMA Supercross Championship in outstanding form, capturing a first-career 450SX Main Event win in San Diego to take possession of the red plate, which he carried out of the following round with another top-three performance at Anaheim 2. He also took third in Arlington, before his indoor season was unfortunately cut short through injury. Another convincing Pro Motocross season – including six podiums at Hangtown, RedBud, Washougal, Unadilla, Budds Creek and Ironman – saw him finish third in the 450MX standings once more, and he carried that form into the SMX World Championship post-season to end the series in fourth overall. Those results led to another MXoN appearance to complete his 2024 campaign, this time in the Open category at Matterley Basin in the United Kingdom, where he contributed to Team USA’s second-place finish on the Nations podium. Plessinger's 2025 450SX season was highlighted by podiums at Daytona, Birmingham and Seattle, before achieving his second-career premier class victory in a convincing performance at Foxborough. He recorded another podium in East Rutherford, while a strong start to Pro Motocross that included podiums at Hangtown and Thunder Valley was later disrupted by illness. Always a fan favorite, Plessinger remained a valued member of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing throughout the 2026 SMX World Championship, bringing his trademark personality and commitment to the team across his final season in orange despite multiple injury setbacks impacting his season, which concluded at last weekend's SMX Final in Ridgedale, Missouri. Aaron Plessinger: "These have been some of the best five years of my life, and especially during my career – I've had a great time at Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and I'm going to miss everybody a lot. Looking back, our results together have been consistently solid over a good stretch of years, which we can be proud of as a team. And the KTM fans, too, their support has meant the world to me and I'm glad that we were able to have a good run for them. Above all, I'm thankful for these years that we were able to spend together. We'll see you at the races!" Ian Harrison, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: "Working with Aaron over the last five years has been a privilege. He brought with him a unique personality, always making those around feel like a part of his inner-circle, and his cowboy style made him a favorite with the fans and our team. From race wins and podiums to some challenging moments along the way, Aaron always represented Red Bull KTM Factory Racing with passion, professionalism, and determination. We'd like to thank him for everything he has done for the Red Bull KTM team, and we wish him and his family the very best moving forward. You are family, Mr Plessinger – see you at the races." Plessinger and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing will now officially sign off on a memorable five-year collaboration, with the entire team thanking Aaron for his contributions to the program and wishing him all the best for the future.

RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING'S JORGE PRADO CROWNED 2026 SMX WORLD CHAMPION

View Profile
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado has been crowned the 2026 SMX World Champion in Ridgedale, Missouri, tonight, following outstanding performances across the three-round post-season, underscored by an impressive regular season in AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross. Prado entered the season-finale holding the 450SMX Championship leader’s red plate, qualifying third around the high-speed Thunder Ridge Nature Arena course layout aboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION. After finishing fifth in Moto 1, a showdown in the second race saw Prado capture one of the most important holeshots of his career, putting forward 17 spectacular laps to claim the race victory and clinch the 2026 450SMX title in the process. The 25-year-old adds the premier class SMX World Championship to his impressive resume, which already includes two MXGP World Championships (2023, 2024) and a pair of MX2 World Championships (2018, 2019). Originally from Lugo, Spain, Prado relocated to the United States for the 2025 SuperMotocross World Championship season, reuniting with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing organization one year later to contest the 2026 series. A strong showing in AMA Supercross – made up of two podiums, a pair of 450SX fastest qualifiers and multiple Heat Race wins – was balanced by an impressive AMA Pro Motocross Championship campaign, where he finished fourth overall in 450MX. His outdoor season featured five podium appearances, highlighted by a 1-1 sweep at the Ironman finale. Those results saw Prado enter the SMX post-season as the number two seed, before taking over the points-lead courtesy of a third-place result at Playoff 1 in Columbus, and then extending his advantage with a victory at Dignity Health Sports Park at Playoff 2 last weekend. A 5-1 scorecard at the SMX World Championship Final secured second on the podium this weekend, enough to earn the 2026 450SMX title. Having captured this year’s 450SMX World Championship, Prado will use the upcoming off-season to further prepare for the 2027 season, having recently signed a multi-year contract extension with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. Jorge Prado: “One year ago I wasn’t even racing in the SMX post-season, but the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team did an awesome job preparing me all winter long, every single week, and I also prepared myself the best I could to bounce back. That’s what champions do, right? They bounce back, so [I’m] super-happy about this title – it’s my first championship here in the States. I’m a four-time world champion for a reason, and I think I showed that in this last moto where it mattered the most!” In his final race as a professional following a highly-decorated career, the legendary Eli Tomac posted the seventh-fastest qualifying time around the expansive Ridgedale circuit, signaling his final chapter on board the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION. Tomac finished 12th overall in Missouri, drawing a memorable end to a career that spanned nearly two decades. Eli Tomac: “It has sunk in – I was trying to have fun out there, but to be straight up, there were some stressful moments for me! What a ride it has been. I’ve gotten to literally live the dream, and it’s sure been a ride. I’m so thankful for everyone, and I’ve said this a million times, but I truly am grateful for the whole family of Supercross and Pro Motocross. Thank you to everyone.” ‘The Cowboy’ Aaron Plessinger was also on track for a strong weekend in Missouri, with the 30-year-old powering his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to seventh in Moto 1. He followed that with 15th in the final race of the year to finish 10th overall for both the round and in the 450SMX standings. Aaron Plessinger: "My first moto in Ridgedale went well, I made some good passes and finished up seventh. Then the second moto, I made a mistake off the start and ended up at the back, but didn't ride to my potential in that one. Either way, it was a really positive way to finish the season together, and congratulations the team!” Equipped with the KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, Julien Beaumer topped the 250SMX qualifying timesheets with a 1:15.001 lap-time, gearing up for the double-moto format as he too targeted championship success. The 20-year-old Arizona native battled hard throughout the opening race, racing for position inside the top-five before eventually securing fourth and carrying strong momentum into Moto 2. A tough start to the final outing had 'Juju' playing catch-up as rain began to fall, creating a slick surface for the 250SMX field to navigate. He climbed to ninth by race’s end, which was enough to record fourth position in the 250SMX series. Following nine months on the sidelines, Beaumer returned to competition at the Pro Motocross opener, delivering two round wins and second in the 250MX standings to enter the post-season as the fifth seed. He then won Playoff 2 in Los Angeles, highlighting what was an ultra-successful 2026 SMX campaign. He will now turn his attention to the FIM Motocross of Nations following a late call to represent Team USA in France next weekend. Julien Beaumer: "It was a tough day. It began really well with qualifying P1, and then I started around fourth or fifth in Moto 1 and stayed there the whole race. I got a terrible start in Moto 2 and was down in the first corner, but I rode really well from there – it was just a tough track to pass on. Overall, I'm proud of our efforts, and now we'll fly back to California and get ready for the Motocross of Nations!" Results 450SMX Class – SMX Final 1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 2. Jorge Prado (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 3. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 6. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna) 9. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna) 10. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 12. Eli Tomac (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) Standings 450SMX Class 2026 1. Jorge Prado, 158 points 2. Haiden Deegan, 151 3. Hunter Lawrence, 136 7. RJ Hampshire, 99 9. Malcolm Stewart, 83 10. Aaron Plessinger, 80 11. Eli Tomac, 78 Results 250SMX Class – SMX Final 1. Cole Davies (Yamaha) 2. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 3. Landen Gordon (Yamaha) 6. Julien Beaumer (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 7. Ryder DiFrancesco (Husqvarna) 8. Daxton Bennick (Husqvarna) Standings 250SMX Class 2026 1. Levi Kitchen, 153 points 2. Ryder DiFrancesco, 129 3. Cole Davies, 128 4. Julien Beaumer, 119 7. Daxton Bennick, 98

DOUBLE VICTORY FOR RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING AT LOS ANGELES SMX PLAYOFF 2

View Profile
SMX World Championship Playoff 2, staged at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles, saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing claim an emphatic double victory, with Jorge Prado and Julien Beaumer standing atop the podium in the 450SMX and 250SMX classes, respectively. Entering Playoff 2 as the 450SMX points leader, red-plate holder Prado powered his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to P2 on the combined qualifying timesheets, before launching to the holeshot in Moto 1. In contention for the duration of the race, the four-time world champion ultimately claimed a hard-fought second position. Again starting inside the top-three in Moto 2, Prado held P2 for over half of the race before an untimely crash relegated him to fourth. Upon remounting and putting on an inspired charge forward, the Spaniard climbed back into P2, with his 2-2 scores earning him the overall victory as well as maintaining the red-plate – now 16 points clear of his closest competitor entering next weekend's SMX Final at Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Missouri. Jorge Prado: “Well, we just keep improving! My jump out of the gate [in Moto 2] was good, I was right there with Hunter [Lawrence] and made an aggressive pass for the lead in the third corner. I then cased the quad and thought I was going over the bars, but the bike saved me – then cased it again three laps later! But man, I knew this race was going to be hard. We were all ripping. I rode it home safely after putting in a charge following my crash, but this is incredible. We’re in contention for the title – let's get it at the last round.” Equipped with the KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, Beaumer posted the fastest 250SMX qualifying time around the high-speed track layout, recording a 51.096 lap-time that put him almost half a second clear of the field to take confidence into the double-moto race format. After scoring the holeshot in Moto 1, the 20-year-old delivered a convincing wire-to-wire performance for victory to continue his momentum, before another holeshot in Moto 2 and a third-place finish secured the overall. As a result of this weekend's double-points round, Beaumer has climbed to third in the 250SMX standings, sitting just 16 points from the lead with triple points on offer at next weekend’s title-deciding finale. Julien Beaumer: “I saw Levi [Kitchen] and Jo [Shimoda] and knew they didn’t have the greatest of first motos, so I didn’t want to risk too much [in Moto 2], obviously. The track was pretty tricky, and the sun made things harder as well, but I’m happy to come out with the overall. I said I needed to win these last two rounds, so it’s a good start!” Also starting well in 450SMX Moto 1 was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Eli Tomac, battling for a podium spot on board his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION during the early stages. He would eventually claim sixth, while a 12th-place finish in Moto 2 earned him ninth overall. Sights now shift to next weekend's round, which will mark the conclusion of his decorated professional career. Eli Tomac: "I got a decent start in Moto 1 and I was somewhat in the mix before I lost two positions, but the riding was a lot better than the weekend before. In Moto 2, I was in a worse position off the start, and just didn't get a flow going. I was kind of happy with Moto 1 because it was an improvement, although I want to get a stronger result at my final race next weekend in Missouri." ‘The Cowboy’ Aaron Plessinger was also in action in Los Angeles, with the 30-year-old racing to a consistent P8 result in Moto 1. A 13th-place finish in Moto 2 saw Plessinger and his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION secure 11th overall for the second Playoff of the year. Aaron Plessinger: "I got a pretty good start in Moto 1 from the outside, and then started making passes to wind up in eighth place. Moto 2, I just didn't get off to the greatest start, having hugged the inside, and was pretty much last. I did what I could to make it back to 13th, but just didn't have it going in the second one. We made it out of LA in one piece, and now we'll look for a rebound in Missouri." Next Race: September 26 – Ridgedale, Missouri Results 450SMX Class – SMX Playoff 2 1. Jorge Prado (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 2. Hunter Lawrence (Honda) 3. Ken Roczen (Suzuki) 6. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna) 8. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna) 9. Eli Tomac (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 11. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) Standings 450SMX Class 2026 after Playoff 2 1. Jorge Prado, 92 points 2. Haiden Deegan, 76 3. Hunter Lawrence, 76 8. RJ Hampshire, 51 9. Eli Tomac, 48 11. Aaron Plessinger, 44 12. Malcolm Stewart, 44 Results 250SMX Class – SMX Playoff 2 1. Julien Beaumer (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 2. Ryder DiFrancesco (Husqvarna) 3. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 11. Daxton Bennick (Husqvarna) Standings 250SMX Class 2026 after Playoff 2 1. Levi Kitchen, 87 points 2. Ryder DiFrancesco, 84 3. Julien Beaumer, 71 5. Daxton Bennick, 56