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French MX2 Grand Prix victory and podium lockout at packed Ernee

Vive KTM! The Grand Prix of France permitted more MXGP spoils for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing crew at Ernee today as Lucas Coenen won another moto and finished runner-up in the premier class and Simon Laengenfelder, Andrea Adamo and Sacha Coenen filled all three steps of the MX2 podium respectively to prove the exceptional capabilities of the KTM 250 SX-F.

  • Lucas Coenen earned his fifth MXGP podium with P2 overall and tied on points for victory through the deeply rutted French mud
  • Jeffrey Herlings scored 4th position for his best result of the season so far and yet more clear progression with his race speed
  • Simon Laengenfelder performed brilliantly for his second win of the year and second 1-1 sweep of the MX2 motos in 2025. The German rose to the top of the standings and the MX2 red plate
  • Andrea Adamo led home a Red Bull KTM 1-2-3 on Saturday and then finished 2-2 on Sunday for a third consecutive podium. Sacha Coenen was 3rd for a second trophy in a row
  • The second part of another MXGP double-header means the hard-pack of Talkessel in Teutschenthal will bring the series to Germany next weekend

For the second time in 2025, MXGP jumped into French soil. Famed Motocross of Nations and established world championship venue, Ernee, packed the fans into the hillside setting, not far from Le Mans, for the ninth round of the season. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing aimed to continue their march of success in both MXGP and MX2 classes: the works line-up had won two GPs with the KTM 450 SX-F and four with the KTM 250 SX-F so far.

Ernee was overcast but busy on Saturday where the schedule included the ninth points-scoring Qualification Heat of the campaign. Coenen started well and led every lap of the MXGP race to ensure his third checkered flag and Pole Position. Jeffrey Herlings was 10th. In MX2 Andrea Adamo won the Heat convincingly after dealing with the threat of teammate Simon Laengenfelder and with Sacha Coenen in P3 ensuring a top three lockout.

The potential for performance continued into Sunday. Morning rainfall created a soft and very rough surface and where starts were at a premium. Coenen started ahead of Herlings in the first moto and the Belgian kept P1 all the way to the line. His win banked a seventh haul of 25 points and means he is now the most prolific racer in the division in his rookie term. Herlings 3rd place was a personal best of 2025 to-date. In the second moto Coenen could not stop Romain Febvre. His 2nd position behind the Frenchman ultimately meant the second step. Herlings was 5th and tied on points for the rostrum; just missing out on a first top three and ranked 4th.

Laengenfelder excelled on the bumpy and technical track. The German was a fast starter along with his teammates. He beat Adamo in the first moto as Sacha Coenen confirmed P6. Simon then got the better of the Italian in the second race as Coenen improved to P4. The post-race ceremony was a sweep for the team for the first time.

The upshot of the results in Ernee makes for bright reading in the championship standings. Coenen is 2nd and 47 points behind Febvre. Laengenfelder has the red plate by 11 points from Adamo with Coenen hovering in 6th.

Round seven of 2025 EMX250 pushed Gyan Doensen into the gate and the Dutch rookie took his Gabriel SS24 KTM 250 SX-F to a new milestone. Doensen was runner-up in the second moto for his highest classification yet. Gyan had been 3rd earlier in the weekend and his 3-2 card – the best of 2025 so far – allowed him to be P2 on the podium despite the muddy and slick surface on Sunday. Ernee also entertained round seven of EMX125 and more action for the KTM Racestore Factory Rookies squad. Nicolo Alvisi was perfect, going 1-1 on the KTM 125 SX for the first time this season and consolidating his championship lead ahead of teammate Aron Katona who did not pick up any points in France.

MXGP spins south and east for the Grand Prix of Germany and the halfway point of the 2025 calendar. Talkessel in Teutschenthal, close to the city of Halle, has been the constant home of world championship motocross in the country since the start of the century and the narrow hard-pack course will become rutted again for round ten next weekend.

Lucas Coenen, 1st and 2nd for 2nd overall in MXGP: “We had to put on a charge at times today and it was good for the fans here! I struggled with arm-pump a bit and got tired but, honestly, P2 and three podiums in a row: it’s really good. We’ll hope for some more strong races coming up.”

Jeffrey Herlings, 3rd and 5th for 4th overall in MXGP: “It was quite disappointing to have the same points as 3rd and not get on the podium. I was fighting for the lead for a long time in the first moto and at the end I had to back-it-off a bit because of arm-pump and took P3. It was a bit less in the second moto, and I then had to comeback from the start and the small crash. I just missed the pass for 4th which would have given me the podium. Very close. P4 overall and a good step. We are getting there every weekend.”

Simon Laengenfelder, 1st and 1st for 1st overall in MX2: “It’s a long time since I’ve had the red plate! For sure I’m happy to have it again on the bike but it’s still early in the season and there are so many fast guys in the title fight. We’ll keep trying our best. A few weeks ago, we made a few changes that have helped with my starts and it’s working out quite good for me but there are a few KTM riders here so we can all start well! Home GP now and I’m really looking forward to it; I think the German fans will make some noise!”

Andrea Adamo, 2nd and 2nd for 2nd overall in MX2: “It was a good weekend: a 1-2-2, so, solid. I tried my best. In the first moto I struggled a bit and didn’t find the best flow. I was better in the second moto. I had the holeshot but missed the triple when my line was cut. I charged to get back to Simon but it was not easy. We were both fast. 2nd in the championship is OK. We need to have the red plate at the end of the season, not now.”

Sacha Coenen, 6th and 4th for 3rd overall: “Being back on the podium is good but the results – 6-4 – are not really what I’m working for. I want 1st place…but we’ll take this today. We’ll continue to try and improve the speed.”

 

Results MXGP France 2025

 

1. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 2-1

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

3. Jeremy Seewer (SUI), Honda, 5-3

4. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 3-5

5. Andrea Bonacorsi (ITA), Fantic, 8-8

 

Standings MXGP 2025 after 9 of 20 rounds

 

1. Romain Febvre (FRA), Kawasaki, 441 points

2. Lucas Coenen (BEL), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 394

3. Tim Gajser (SLO), Honda, 305

4. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED), Fantic, 302

5. Ruben Fernandez (ESP), Honda, 292

11. Jeffrey Herlings (NED), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 163

 

Results MX2 France 2025

 

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

2. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 2-2

3. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 6-4

4. Oriol Oliver (ESP), KTM, 4-7

5. Valerio Lata (ITA), Honda, 3-10

 

Standings MX2 2025 after 9 of 20 rounds

 

1. Simon Laengenfelder (GER), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 424 points

2. Andrea Adamo (ITA), Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 413

3. Kay de Wolf (NED), Husqvarna, 399

4. Liam Everts (BEL), Husqvarna 343

5. Thibault Benistant (FRA), Yamaha 308

6. Sacha Coenen (BEL) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 305

KTM NEWS

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

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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

JORGE PRADO LEADS 450SMX STANDINGS AFTER COLUMBUS PLAYOFF PODIUM

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A weather-affected opening race of the 2026 SMX World Championship Playoffs at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado earn a hard-fought third position on the overall podium, with that result elevating him into the 450SMX points lead. Following a pair of dry on-track sessions during Friday practice, heavy rain in the region interrupted proceedings early on this morning, as the track crew worked tirelessly to prepare the circuit for the afternoon’s race schedule at SMX Playoff 1. When the gates dropped for 450SMX Moto 1, Prado powered his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION to the holeshot, holding the lead through the opening moments of the race. The Spaniard prioritized consistency in the mud, successfully navigating the conditions to secure a third-place result. The four-time world champion executed another strong start in Moto 2, battling for the final podium position during the race, and eventually crossed the line in P4. That saw him claim third overall for the round, taking charge of the 450SMX red plate entering Los Angeles next weekend. Jorge Prado: "I mean, I really don’t know what to say! Like I said after Moto 1, my worst races came in the mud this year, and now I finish up here on the box, which is amazing for me. It’s a big improvement, so I am super-happy, and proud of my progress, and the work from the whole team – if you look back a year ago to where I am now, it’s a huge difference. Now we are leading the SMX series and I can’t be more happy than this." Also up front off the start of Moto 1, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger crashed soon afterward, but displayed strong pace aboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION as he fought his way through the field to 10th place. Sixth in Moto 2 marked a convincing outing for ‘The Cowboy’ in his home state of Ohio, taking seventh overall and climbing to eighth in the 450SMX standings. Aaron Plessinger: "I feel like Columbus was a pretty big missed opportunity for me, since we had lots of rain and lots of mud, which is usually my cup of tea. We got off to a really good start in Moto 1, but then Jorge [Prado] slid and kind of jumped into my wheel, but no blame on him – it was a racing incident. I ended up going down, and then it was a struggle from that point on, getting up to ninth and then going down again. Moto 2, I got off to a horrible start and went to the inside of turn one, which worked out, and then ended up battling Joey [Savatgy] for fifth pretty much the whole time. I just feel like I should've been better all around – there were a lot of moments that I should've capitalized on. We'll focus on Los Angeles now and look for a stronger round." The retiring Eli Tomac raced to 15-13 results in 450SMX across the shortened double-race format aboard his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION in SMX Playoff 1, with his sights now shifting toward next weekend’s second round of the post-season, where double points will be on offer. He's currently ninth in the championship, with only two race weekends remaining in his decorated career. Eli Tomac: "It was a long day in Columbus. The conditions were tough, and I had a hard time getting going today when it counted, but the positive is that we were able to salvage some points, and it was an enjoyable weekend outside of the weather today. I'm looking forward to LA next week and fighting back toward the front in these next two races coming up." Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 250SMX contender Julien Beaumer crashed out of a top-five position on the opening lap of Moto 1, before mounting a comeback ride in challenging conditions to finish 16th on his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION. Another difficult outing in race two saw Beaumer finish 18th, placing him 10th in the standings heading into Playoff 2. Julien Beaumer: “It was a terrible day for me in the mud. We got a lot of rain – I felt great yesterday in the dry – but today was rough. It is what it is, we have double and triple points at the next two, so I need to execute across the next two rounds in what are hopefully some better conditions, and give myself a chance.” Next Race: September 19 – Los Angeles, California Results 450SMX Class – SMX Playoff 1 1. Haiden Deegan (Yamaha) 2. Ken Roczen (Suzuki) 3. Jorge Prado (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 7. Aaron Plessinger (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 11. Malcolm Stewart (Husqvarna) 14. Eli Tomac (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 16. RJ Hampshire (Husqvarna) Standings 450SMX Class 2026 after Playoff 1 1. Jorge Prado, 42 points 2. Haiden Deegan, 40 3. Cooper Webb, 38 8. Aaron Plessinger, 22 9. Eli Tomac, 22 12. RJ Hampshire, 19 14. Malcolm Stewart, 16 Results 250SMX Class – SMX Playoff 1 1. Levi Kitchen (Kawasaki) 2. Daxton Bennick (Husqvarna) 3. Ryder DiFrancesco (Husqvarna) 18. Julien Beaumer (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) Standings 250SMX Class 2026 after Playoff 1 1. Levi Kitchen, 47 points 2. Ryder DiFrancesco, 42 3. Cole Davies, 37 4. Daxton Bennick, 34 10. Julien Beaumer, 21