Some of the best riders in the modern era of Grand Prix motocross have worn the colors of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Lucas Coenen is rapidly looking to add his moniker to the list. The 20-year-old Belgian talks talent, youth, attitude, competition and the USA.
By Adam Wheeler.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing began as a single Grand Prix team at the beginning of the century, and since then have developed champions as well as championship-winning motorcycles, like the peerless KTM 250 SX-F (a machine with 16 titles since 2004 won by 11 different riders from six different countries) as well as the genre-twisting KTM 350 SX-F that ruled MXGP from 2010-2014. The KTM 450 SX-F has then been a reference in the premier class from 2017 as three different athletes have brought five different crowns with the technical platform.
The FIM Motocross World Championship has even seen victorious families, like the three generations of Everts’, the Geboers, the Kings, the Pourcels and the Leoks. Red Bull KTM went one further by having the first grand prix winning twins in action.
From the (non-identical) Belgian pairing of Lucas and Sacha Coenen, it is the former who has created more of stir thanks to a record-breaking 2025 campaign where the-then premier class rookie became the youngest victor in the near-70-year history of the series. In 2026 – which is only the fourth full-time Grand Prix term for both Lucas and Sacha (who is competing in MX2) – Lucas has already stood on the top step of the podium once more, and is many people’s tip to become the first champ in the category for his country in almost two decades.
The perilous nature of motocross means that a world championship leader one week can become a sidelined and injured spectator the next, but there is little doubting Lucas’ pedigree. He entered the KTM racing family in 2023 and his fledgling talent and pace in MX2 pushed him to the role of front-runner by mid-season as he claimed his maiden win and two further podium finishes. 2024 saw him in contention for the gold medal alongside teammate Kay de Wolf until the final round in Spain. Leaping into MXGP with the Red Bull KTM 450 SX-F for 2025 and at the age of 18 was seen as premature by some (he could have raced another five seasons in MX2 before aging-out) but promising by others who had studied Lucas’ composed riding style, noted his mature (for his years) approach and his all-round ‘game’ that yielded very few weaknesses.
Again, he excelled. The 2025 MXGP championship story went all the way to the wire at round 20 of 20 in Australia where #5 missed out on a sensational crown by just 39 points (he scored 917 in total). Despite the disappointment, there was still the GP history-making success in France during the summer to go along with another five wins and nine further podium appearances, and the invaluable lessons gleaned from an educational term at the pressurized peak of the sport. Lucas also cemented his billing as Red Bull KTM’s new generational star, and a fresh contract extension both for him and his brother opened more doors to possible AMA Supercross and Motocross participation in the future.
2026 is not about establishment for Coenen, it’s about deliverance; even with his young age and against the depth of competition in the MXGP contest. Lucas brings youth, energy and intensity to his profession so we asked him about life in the elite ‘bubble’.
Lucas, why are you so good?
"[laughs] I really don’t know! I try to be the best version of myself…and that’s not easy. I guess I have something special."
Many say that you ride with an efficient flow…
"I know I’m smooth on the bike…but also perhaps I’m not the nicest rider to see. Speed-wise I think I’m finding myself a little bit. With more experience and in the coming years I think that will develop and get better. I think I’m developing my riding style still, and the speed it makes. It will improve more with time; I hope."
Despite your relative experience you come across as a rider very much in control…
"I just try to keep my feet on the ground. The competition is so high in MXGP that you cannot catch yourself thinking ‘I am the man’. You have to take every opportunity, race-by-race. This is my second MXGP season, and I’m coming into the year strong and happy with the team, happy with the bike: and that gives me confidence. I felt momentum was going in the right direction."
Do you feel the expectation around you now?
"Yeah, last year I could pretty much do what I wanted. I was the newcomer, and those guys are allowed to make mistakes and have crazy races if they stay on two wheels. This year they [fans, team, supporters] are waiting on me! Last year was already a big step, and I know I need to be at the front. There is pressure with all this...but I feel I get better when I have it. That’s a good thing."
The ‘season is long’ cliché comes because of fluctuations in form and health and then the variety of tracks. It’s a big mixed bag for seven months…
"Yes, everyone has tracks they like and prefer. The hard ones like Arco [Trentino, Italy] are not really my type and I don’t have much fun on them. Those are the weekends where you just have to ‘be there’ and do what you can. It’s hard because the fans watch and expect a win but they might not know that you’re not feeling great. They’ll just say: ‘he wasn’t any good’. I try not to overthink too much. Riding how I can is the key, and if I can do it as much as possible then we should be OK."
Are you getting better at dealing with adversity and those ‘bad moments’?
"I’m young…and I always want to win. So, it can be hard to handle…but I know we also have good and experienced people around us. It’s a learning process, and you pick the information you need."
How about dealing with the increased attention from fans?
"I like being at the races and seeing the fans but when I walk out of this tent I am just like everyone else. I’m very aware that the fans want to see a good show, good racing and see the riders. I like contact with people. You don’t see many riders hanging around but me and my brother get out and we’re about. We get stopped a lot but that’s enjoyable because it makes some people happy. I like to think I can walk in the paddock like normal."
Some of your rivals have been very complimentary about you. What do you think about mind games in MXGP?
"[smiles] I don’t care. It’s nice they say things…and when we are rivals it’s nice to have compliments, but I feel they are being honest, and they know the sport. I know they also want to beat me. I know - on that day – I was better but the next weekend it might be the other way around. I’m a calm person, so if there are any games then it doesn’t bother me so much."
Finally, there is a lot of chatter about your next chapter, the USA and SuperMotocross with Red Bull KTM…
"The dream has always been to go there. So, we will…sooner or later. Even if we win here then we’ll go there. We are going day-by-day at the moment. Something like supercross is a challenge for sure. I mean, you cannot go there and win, they are too good. It will be something new to learn and gain experience. The riders there are amazing with how fast they go. We’ll try to learn every time we go out."