MXGP victory for Herlings in Turkey as Red Bull KTM win both classes once more

MXGP entered the final three weeks and last three fixtures of the 2025 season with a trip to the flat, hardpacked Afyon circuit hosting the Grand Prix of Turkey. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings won for the second race in a row and for the fourth time with his 2025 KTM 450 SX-F. Simon Laengenfelder was the overall winner in MX2 with the KTM 250 SX-F – the sixth time the German has stood on top of the box in 2025 –as the series waved goodbye to European terrain. Red Bull KTM ruled both Qualification Heats and all four motos in Afyon.

  • Jeffrey Herlings owns the Turkish Grand Prix for the fifth time and raises his career win total to 111. The Dutchman went 2-1 in Afyon and stretches his podium streak to three on the bounce
  • Lucas Coenen finishes runner-up for his thirteenth trophy of his rookie MXGP season and wins the first moto in Turkey: his thirteenth 25-pointer of the campaign and the best tally of the entire field
  • P1 for Simon Laengenfelder and a tenth podium from 15 this campaign. The German wins the second moto after Sacha Coenen takes the first outing and finishes P3: the Belgian’s ninth trophy
  • A tough day for Andrea Adamo with small crashes and mistakes putting the Italian 9th overall in MX2
  • MXGP jets east for back-to-back events in China and Australia to finish the 2025 schedule. The Shanghai International off-road circuit is first on the list in two weeks

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing began the run-in to the MXGP and MX2 title disputes with the annual trip to Afyon and the purpose-built facility in eastern Turkey. Flat, jumpy, and formed from hard-packed soil, Afyon is a familiar (elevated) site for the Grand Prix paddock after its world championship inauguration in 2018.

On Saturday it was a Coenen brothers show for the Qualification Heats. Lucas started brightly under stormy skies and won the MXGP sprint for the seventh time in 2025. Sacha grasped a customary holeshot on the KTM 250 SX-F and rode clear to his maiden MX2 Pole. In MXGP Jeffrey Herlings was runner-up for a strong 1-2 for the Red Bull KTM squad. In MX2 Simon Laengenfelder was 6th and Andrea Adamo scored 10th after a brief tumble.

Sunday’s motos followed the same trend. Coenen holeshotted and won the first race as Herlings ran to P2. The teammates swapped roles in the second outing as Coenen had to come back from a top five start. Herlings had edged clear to go 2-1 and claim the overall and Lucas came very close to relegating from title rival Romain Febvre but took P3 and a 1-2 for 2nd on the day. Herlings now has four wins for the year and has two on the bounce after acing his home Grand Prix two weeks ago.

Sacha Coenen holeshotted and controlled the first MX2 moto. Laengenfelder rose from the top five to earn P3 by the end of the distance, and Adamo had to recover ground to P8. While Adamo labored again in the second race (P9 after a crash), Laengenfelder made a better start and was able to win (the tenth time in a moto this year). Coenen was 4th and climbed the lower step of the rostrum for his sixth champagne bottle from the last eight meetings.

A maximum of 124 points remain in 2025. Coenen is 26 from the red plate in MXGP and is guaranteed a top three classification in his maiden season while Herlings is 6th in the standings and with possibilities to rise to 3rd. In MX2 Laengenfelder fronts Kay de Wolf by 12 points and Adamo is now 62 from the peak of the table.

The 2025 EMX250 European Championship is over. Gabriel SS24 KTM team’s Max Werner finished 11th overall in Turkey. Gyan Doensen missed the trip due to his left leg injury and ends his first season in the competitive feeder class with P6 in the standings.

The penultimate Grand Prix of the year will fire into life on Saturday-Sunday 20-21 of September for only the third trip to China.

Jeffrey Herlings, 2nd and 1st for 1s overall in MXGP: “Super-pleased with this win. For a Dutch rider it’s a difficult track; one of the most difficult and very hard to pass but we managed to get it done and the weekend went better than I expected. We made some good changes for the elevation so a shout out to KTM for providing me with such a good bike. 111 now, so let’s go to China and to the final two. Let’s try and finish the year as strong as we can.”

Lucas Coenen, 1st and 3rd for 2nd overall in MXGP: “Not bad in the first moto. I took a good start but the first lap was a bit hectic. I settled in and focused on my rhythm. The track was slick and it was easy to make a mistake but I felt better and better. The second: not much to say. I had to come from the back and at one point I was sleeping. I was then a bit shy on the last lap. I’m young. It’s racing: I had an opportunity and I didn’t take it. I’ll keep learning. I’m looking forward to the last two races and we’ll do what we can.”

Simon Laengenfelder, 3rd and 1st for 1st overall in MX2: “I had a crash in the middle of the moto…so I’m really happy to be able to bounce back like this. Saturday was not great and it was quite tough to race here. I made a mistake with the first start but did better in the second, I think I was 3rd after the second corner. It was an intense track and you had to push everywhere. I like it when it was a bit more technical in the second race.”

Sacha Coenen, 1st and 4th for 3rd overall in MX2: “A really good first moto. I then had a good start in the second…but made some mistakes. It was pretty difficult so I’m happy to be on the podium. I’ve been working on my consistency, and it’s been going well.

Andrea Adamo, 8th and 9th for 9th overall in MX2: “You can have up-and-down moments through the year but this was not the time to have a bad weekend. Anyway, we move on, and we have two rounds to go so onto China and Australia.”

 

Results MXGP Turkey 2025

 

1. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 2-1

2. Lucas Coenen (BEL), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 1-3

3. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 3-2

4. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 4-4

3. Ruben Fernandez (ESP), Honda, 5-5

 

Standings MXGP 2025 after 18 of 20 rounds

 

1. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 885 points

2. Lucas Coenen (BEL), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 859

3. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED), Fantic, 638

4. Ruben Fernandez (ESP), Honda, 557

5. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED), Yamaha, 528

6. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 522

 

Results MX2 Turkey 2025

 

1. Simon Laengenfelder (GER), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 3-1

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

3. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 1-4

4. Guillem Farres (ESP) Triumph, 6-3

5. Mathis Valin (FRA) Kawasaki, 4-6

6. Liam Everts (BEL) Husqvarna, 5-5

9. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 8-9

 

Standings MX2 2025 after 18 of 20 rounds

 

1. Simon Laengenfelder (GER), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 833 points

2. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna, 821

3. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 771

4. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 648

5. Thibault Benistant (FRA), Yamaha, 575

7. Liam Everts (BEL), Husqvarna 538

KTM NEWS

ELI TOMAC TO RETIRE AT THE CONCLUSION OF 2026 SMX POST-SEASON

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American motocross and supercross legend Eli Tomac has announced that he will retire from professional competition following the 2026 SMX World Championship post-season, bringing a close to one of the most decorated careers in the history of the sport. At 33 years of age, Tomac has enjoyed a memorable season with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing this year, claiming four 450SX Main Event victories in the AMA Supercross Championship aboard the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION. Tomac will go down as one of the greatest competitors ever, with his career spanning 17 professional seasons between 2010 and 2026. The Cortez, Colorado, native is ranked second on the all-time 450SX wins list with 57 Main Event victories, and fourth all-time in the AMA Pro Motocross 450MX wins list with a total of 32. As a two-time AMA Supercross 450SX Champion (2020, 2022) and four-time 450MX Champion (2017, 2018, 2019, 2022), Tomac has represented Team USA at the prestigious FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN) on six occasions – captaining the United States to victory at RedBud in 2022. Earlier in his career, Tomac captured the 2013 250MX title outdoors after achieving 12 overall wins within the category – including his pro debut at Hangtown's season-opening round in 2010 – prior to transitioning to the premier class full-time in 2014. He also earned the 250SX West Divisional Championship in 2012. In addition, Tomac extended his Daytona Supercross record with an eighth-career victory in 2026, was notably crowned the 2024 FIM World Supercross Champion in the SX1 Class, and he was also recognized in 2022 as an ESPY Award recipient in the prestigious Best Athlete, Men’s Action Sports category. The entire Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team extends its gratitude and best wishes to Eli for the future, and looks forward to finishing the current season strongly together through the upcoming SMX Playoffs, culminating with the SMX World Championship Final in Ridgedale, Missouri, on September 26. Eli Tomac: "I will be stepping away from Supercross and motocross racing at the end of September, following the final three SMX rounds. This has been the hardest decision I’ve ever made in my professional career, but I know in my heart that the time is now and that the time is right. I’ve won races and championships beyond my imagination. Racing has been the only thing I’ve woken up to and known the last 25 years, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything." Ian Harrison, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: "Eli exploded onto the scene well over a decade and a half ago, and if he wasn’t on your team, you sure wished he was, because you’d ultimately be fighting against him to try and win. Over the years, Eli has become the second-winningest rider in Supercross history and has won multiple national and Supercross championships. We’ve had the privilege of working with him this year, and it was no different – he was fighting for the title and for wins each and every week. Eli is an amazing rider, and for the team and myself, to see how he operates and to get a better understanding of his sportsmanship and work ethic was a gift after all those years that we competed against him. But, like all good things, they do eventually come to an end, and with that Eli has decided to retire at the end of this season. Our team is grateful for the opportunity we’ve had and know that whatever he does in the future, it will be successful. Eli is a hard worker, disciplined and dedicated, and we truly wish him and his family all the best." Eli Tomac Career Highlights Two-time AMA Supercross 450SX Champion (2020, 2022) 57-career 450SX Main Event victories (second all-time) Four-time AMA Pro Motocross 450MX Champion (2017, 2018, 2019, 2022) 32-career 450MX overall victories (fourth all-time) 2013 AMA Pro Motocross 250MX Champion 2012 AMA Supercross 250SX West Champion 2024 FIM World Supercross SX1 Champion A record eight-time Daytona Supercross winner (2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2026) ESPY Award recipient in 2022 (Best Athlete, Men’s Action Sports)

DOUBLE VICTORY FOR RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING AT IRONMAN NATIONAL

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Red Bull KTM Factory Racing earned a double victory across 450MX and 250MX at the Ironman National on Saturday, with Jorge Prado and Julien Beaumer each claiming the overall wins at this weekend's final round of the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship in Indiana. Off the back of two consecutive second-place finishes, Prado qualified fastest aboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION with a 2:07.134 lap time at the season-finale Ironman National, and took control of the lead in the early stages of Moto 1. The four-time world champion steadily extended his advantage at the front of the 450MX field as the race unfolded, eventually delivering his first Pro Motocross moto win by a convincing 11.566-second margin. A holeshot in Moto 2 saw the Spaniard race to another commanding victory, with his 1-1 scorecard securing his first-career overall win in American competition. Coupled with four additional podium finishes throughout the season, Prado claimed fourth in the final 450MX standings. Jorge Prado: "It was a perfect day! We were fastest in qualifying and went P1 in both motos – we saw some progression over the past weeks, and I’ve got to give it up to the whole Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team for allowing me to perform this way. I’m happy with my hard work and everything fell into place today for my first overall in the United States. This is why I came here – and I’m super-happy to be here – so thank you to everyone.” Four-time 450MX champion Eli Tomac was eighth-fastest on the combined qualifying timesheets, powering his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to a seventh-place result in Moto 1. The 33-year-old improved to fifth position in Moto 2, earning the Colorado icon fifth overall for the weekend and completing what has been a convincing return to racing after missing the first half of the outdoor season. Eli Tomac: "Ironman was solid! It was one of my better rides of the season across both motos. I found a good flow in Moto 2, and it was nice to finish the day strong like that. I had a lot of fun on this track – it was one of the best tracks that I have ever ridden, in my opinion. For how technical it was, and the things that it offered for us to race, it shaped up well. So, I'm pretty happy with the weekend, and now we just need to work on some starts." Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Aaron Plessinger recorded the ninth-fastest time in the morning’s qualifying sessions, before converting his top-10 start into an impressive fifth-place score in Moto 1. P9 in Moto 2 saw ‘The Cowboy’ achieve eighth overall at Ironman, marking another solid result in his late-season return to Pro Motocross competition. Aaron Plessinger: "Ironman was a good day! Qualifying went alright, my bike was feeling pretty good, but the cream of the crop was the first moto. I didn't get the greatest start, but I made my way through the pack and got up to fourth. Then Coop [Webb] got by me, and I ended up fifth, but it was a solid moto – I was pumped with that! Then in the second moto, I felt a little flat, but I salvaged what I could and scored 5-9 on the day for eighth overall. The track was awesome and formed up really well, so it was a good day. Now, we'll take this week off to recover and then get back into it for SMX." Equipped with the KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION in the 250MX category, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing's Beaumer qualified seventh-fastest on combined times. A fast start in Moto 1 saw him charge to the holeshot, eventually crossing the finish line in a hard-fought second position. A top-10 start in Moto 2 saw the 20-year-old rapidly work his way through the field, working his way into the lead to go on and take a deserving victory. His 2-1 scorecard earned him his second 250MX overall of the season. Four podium finishes – including round wins at Spring Creek and Ironman – saw Beaumer climb to second in the 250MX standings, capping off what has been a highly-successful Pro Motocross campaign. Julien Beaumer: "It was a great day at Ironman! In Moto 1, I got the holeshot and finished second, even if I didn't ride the greatest, but we made some good changes going into Moto 2. My riding was really good in that one, even if my start wasn't as strong, but I worked my way through the pack to first in the end! I'm stoked with the work that we did over the course of the season – we made a lot of progress outdoors and it's been rewarding to be back racing. We'll shift our focus to SMX now." The SuperMotocross World Championship (SMX) post-season is up next on the 31-round schedule, set to commence with Playoff 1 at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on September 12. Results 450MX Class – Ironman National 1. Jorge Prado (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 2. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna) 3. Cooper Webb (Yamaha) 5. Eli Tomac (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 8. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 16. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna) Standings 450MX Class 2026 after 11 of 11 rounds 1. Hunter Lawrence, 474 points 2. Jett Lawrence, 472 3. Haiden Deegan, 404 4. Jorge Prado, 401 5. RJ Hampshire, 346 12. Aaron Plessinger, 159 14. Eli Tomac, 121 25. Lucas Coenen, 44 27. Malcolm Stewart, 41 Results 250MX Class – Ironman National 1. Julien Beaumer (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 2. Chance Hymas (Honda) 3. Ryder DiFrancesco (Husqvarna) 11. Daxton Bennick (Husqvarna) Standings 250MX Class 2026 after 11 of 11 rounds 1. Cole Davies, 407 points 2. Julien Beaumer, 369 3. Levi Kitchen, 364 5. Ryder DiFrancesco, 326 15. Casey Cochran, 146 16. Daxton Bennick, 142 21. Sacha Coenen, 83