Jeffrey Herlings[1] (born 12 September 1994) is a Dutch professional motocross racer.[2] He has competed in the Motocross World Championships since 2010. Herlings is notable for winning the 2012, 2013, and 2016 MX2 Championships; and the 2018, 2021 MXGP Championships.[3] He has the most Grand Prix wins in MXGP history.

Jeffrey Herlings
Jeffrey Herlings in 2013
NationalityNetherlands Dutch
Born12 September 1994 (1994-09-12) (age 30)
Geldrop, Netherlands
Motocross career
Years active2010-Present
Teams•Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team (2009-Present)
Championships
  • •2008 85cc
  • •2012 MX2
  • •2013 MX2
  • •2016 MX2
  • •2018 MXGP
  • •2021 MXGP
Wins
  • •MX2: 61
  • •MXGP: 46
  • •AMA Motocross 450cc: 1

Motocross career

edit

Born in Geldrop, the Netherlands,

He competes in the MXGP Motocross World Championship for the Red Bull KTM factory racing team.[4]

2008

edit

In 2008, Herlings won the 85cc FIM Junior Motocross World Championship, & the 85cc European Motocross Championship.

2009

edit

2009 season' Herlings finished 2nd in the 250cc European Motocross Championship and 3rd in the MX2 Dutch open championship.

2016

edit
 
Herlings in 2016

Herlings' last season in MX2 class was in 2016. Herlings delivered a stellar performance throughout the season, showcasing incredible speed and consistency. Despite facing challenges, he secured multiple race victories and dominated the competition. Herlings ultimately won his third MX2 World Championship title, marking a triumphant conclusion to his MX2 career before moving on to compete in the premier MXGP class.

2017

edit
 
Herlings in 2017

In 2017, Jeffrey Herlings debuted in the MXGP class and finished second overall to Antonio Cairoli in the championship standings. Despite not securing the top spot, Herlings still demonstrated impressive riding skills and achieved notable successes throughout the season. Herlings also raced Round 12 of the AMA Motocross Championship at Ironman and went 1-1.

2018

edit
 
Herlings in 2018

Coming off an impressive 2017 MXGP debut season where he finished 2nd to Antonio Cairoli, Herlings was dubbed by many to dethrone the 9x world champion.

Herlings dominated the MXGP class that year. 20 rounds were contested, Herlings raced 19, won 17 rounds and finished 2nd twice. This is the most Grand Prix's any rider has won in a season. He finished the season with 933 points, from which 1,000 were obtainable. This granted Herlings’ maiden MXGP class title.

2019

edit

The 2019 season saw Herlings unable to defend his title due to injury sustained to his foot in January of that year. He missed the first 7 rounds but during moto 2 at round 9 in Latvia, he broke his right ankle after a rider rode over it from a crash, during a sighting lap.

He returned for the final 3 rounds where he finished 12th, 1st & 1st.

Later in the year, Herlings was a member of the winning Dutch team at the 2019 Motocross des Nations event that included Glenn Coldenhoff and Calvin Vlaanderen. Their victory marked the first Dutch win in the 73-year history of the Motocross des Nations.[5]

2020

edit

During the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship he won four of the first six rounds. At round 6 in Citta di Faenza, he crashed during practice and was virtually paralyzed for about 30 minutes before regaining control of his body.[6] In October, Herlings decided to not finish the season to recover from his fall in Italy as well as a previous foot injury.[7]

2021

edit

In 2021 Herlings missed one round after Kawasaki rider Ivo Monticelli landed his bike on his shoulder, fracturing his scapula but not preventing his race victory or stopping him from winning the 2021 MXGP World Championship. He won 9 Grand Prix's and finished the season 5 points ahead of Romain Febvre. This was his 2nd MXGP world title.

2022

edit

Herlings sat out the entirety of 2022 after suffering a foot injury. He also considered racing the AMA Pro Motocross Championship but opted against it, in order to allow previous injuries to recover fully.

2023

edit

At round 5 in Agueda, Portugal; Herlings gained his 101st Grand Prix victory which put him on par with 10-time champion, Stefan Everts. The following round at Intu Xanadu, Spain; Herlings broke Stefan Everts record of 101 Grand Prix wins by winning his 102nd.

During MXGP race 1 at round 9 in Germany, Herlings crashed and fractured his C5 vertebrae whilst battling for the lead. This put an end to his championship aspirations for 2023.

During practice at round 16 in Arnhem, Netherlands. Herlings fell and suffered a collarbone fracture, once again sidelining him for the foreseeable future.

2024

edit

For the first time since 2017, Herlings competed in every round and race of the MXGP World Championship. Herlings struggled through the first 5 rounds, finishing on the podium once. Round 5 to 20 saw Herlings finish on the podium 14 times, and collect wins at rounds 9, 12, 14 & 16. Herlings placed a distant 3rd in the World Championship standings for 2024.

He also captured the 2024 MX1 British and Dutch Motocross Championships.

MXGP results

edit
Year Rnd
1
Rnd
2
Rnd
3
Rnd
4
Rnd
5
Rnd
6
Rnd
7
Rnd
8
Rnd
9
Rnd
10
Rnd
11
Rnd
12
Rnd
13
Rnd
14
Rnd
15
Rnd
16
Rnd
17
Rnd
18
Rnd
19
Rnd
20
Average
Finish
Podium
Percent
Place
2010 MX2 4 3 1 2 12 14 5 13 1 2 2 11 OUT OUT OUT - - - - - 5.83 50% 6th
2011 MX2 3 1 2 1 4 1 4 2 4 2 1 2 4 3 1 - - - - - 2.33 73% 2nd
2012 MX2 1 2 1 1 7 1 1 2 2 7 1 1 2 1 1 8 - - - - 2.43 81% 1st
2013 MX2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 OUT OUT 1 - - 1.00 100% 1st
2014 MX2 1 1 OUT 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 OUT OUT OUT 11 - - - 1.76 92% 2nd
2015 MX2 1 1 7 2 1 2 2 1 2 29 7 OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT - - 5.00 73% 7th
2016 MX2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 OUT OUT OUT 1 2 1 - 1.06 100% 1st
2017 MXGP 15 17 9 12 8 2 1 2 7 2 2 2 4 1 1 10 1 1 1 - 5.15 58% 2nd
2018 MXGP 1 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 OUT 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1.10 100% 1st
2019 MXGP OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT 4 6 OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT 12 1 1 - - 4.88 40% 19th
2020 MXGP 1 1 5 3 1 1 OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT - - 2.00 83% 12th
2021 MXGP 2 3 1 9 OUT 2 3 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 11 4 1 1 - - 2.64 82% 1st
2022 MXGP OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT OUT - - OUT OUT OUT
2023 MXGP 2 1 4 3 1 1 9 1 DNF OUT OUT OUT OUT 5 4 OUT OUT OUT OUT - 3.10 60% 8th
2024 MXGP 8 4 3 6 9 2 3 3 1 2 2 1 3 1 3 1 2 6 3 3 3.45 75% 3rd

Achievements

edit
  • 2002 Dutch Champion 65cc Amateur federation
  • 2003 Dutch Champion 65cc Amateur federation
  • 2004 Dutch Champion 65cc KNMV
  • 2004 3rd European Championship 65cc
  • 2005 Dutch Champion 85cc Small wheels KNMV
  • 2006 4th Dutch Open Championship 85cc Big Wheels
  • 2006 2nd International Youth weekend at Heerde
  • 2007 2nd Dutch Championship 85cc Big Wheels
  • 2007 4th European Championship 85cc Big Wheels
  • 2007 6th World Championship 85cc Big Wheels
  • 2008 Dutch Champion 85cc
  • 2008 European Champion 85cc
  • 2008 World Champion 85cc
  • 2008 German Champion 85cc
  • 2009 2nd European Championship MX2
  • 2009 3rd Dutch Open Championship MX2
  • 2010 6th World Championship MX2 (2 GP wins, 6 podiums)
  • 2010 2nd Dutch Open Championship MX2
  • 2011 2nd World Championship MX2 (5 GP wins, 11 podiums)
  • 2011 Dutch Open Champion MX2
  • 2012 World Champion MX2[8] (9 GP wins, 13 podiums)
  • 2012 Dutch Open Champion MX2
  • 2013 World Champion MX2 (15 GP wins, 15 podiums)
  • 2013 Dutch Open Champion MX2
  • 2014 2nd World Championship MX2 (12 GP wins, 12 podiums)
  • 2014 4th Dutch Open Championship MX2
  • 2015 7th World Championship MX2 (4 GP wins, 8 podiums)
  • 2016 World Champion MX2 (14 GP wins, 15 podiums)
  • 2017 2nd World Championship MXGP (6 GP wins, 11 podiums)
  • 2017 AMA Motocross Championship 450 class (2 races, 2 wins)[9]
  • 2018 World Champion MXGP (17 GP wins, 19 podiums)
  • 2019 19th World Championship MXGP (2 GP wins, 2 podiums)
  • 2019 MxoN Champions Team Netherlands
  • 2021 World Champion MXGP (9 GP wins, 14 Podiums)
  • 2023 Dutch Masters Champion MX1
  • 2024 Dutch Masters Champion MX1
  • 2024 MX1 British Motocross Champion
  • 2024 3rd World Championship MXGP (4 GP wins, 15 podiums)

Personal life

edit

On 13 January 2019, Herlings was dubbed a Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau at the KNMV Motorsports Gala.[10]

He is nicknamed “The Bullet”, due to his next level speed he reaches whilst racing.

He owns a real estate business based in the Netherlands.

References

edit
  1. ^ "Official website Jeffrey Herlings".
  2. ^ "Jeffrey Herlings MXGP race results". mxgpresults.com. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  3. ^ "2018 MXGP Overall Standings". mxgpresults.com. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  4. ^ "Rider Profile: Jeffrey Herlings". Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  5. ^ "Dutch Delight in Assen as they Win the 2019 Monster Energy FIM MXoN". Youthstream. mxgp.com. 2018-09-29. Retrieved 2020-01-23.
  6. ^ "MOTOCROSS, HERLINGS RICORDA LA CADUTA DI FAENZA: "PENSAVO GIÀ ALLA SEDIA A ROTELLE"". eurosport.it. 2020-10-28. Retrieved 2021-09-08.
  7. ^ Tim Gerth (9 October 2020). "Herlings dit seizoen niet meer in actie, nieuwe operatie volgt" (in Dutch). motorsport.com. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020.
  8. ^ "World champion to make beach race debut". The Weston & Somerset Mercury. 5 October 2012. Archived from the original on 3 March 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  9. ^ "Jeffrey Herlings AMA motocross results". The Vault. Filter Publications LLC. n.d. Retrieved 2022-12-16.
  10. ^ "Jeffrey Herlings benoemd tot Ridder in de Orde van Oranje Nassau" (in Dutch). Algemeen Dagblad. 13 January 2019. Archived from the original on 14 January 2019.
edit