Rnd 2, FIM Hard Enduro 2023 - Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, Austria

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler has won the 27th edition of the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo. The result ensures Lettenbichler’s name goes down in history as one of the few riders to claim back-to-back victories at the iconic Austrian hard enduro. FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Trystan Hart secured the final podium position in his third participation at the Iron Giant.A strong qualifying ride in the prologue held over Friday and Saturday saw Lettenbichler take his 2024 KTM 300 EXC to seventh place and safely qualify on the front row for the start of Sunday’s main race. When the flag dropped, Mani made an excellent start, soon moving into the top three after the first few climbs.

It was Trystan Hart who moved into an early lead with Mani right behind his KTM teammate, but at around 20 minutes into the race Lettenbichler pushed back in front, only to then lose his advantage to long-standing rival Billy Bolt. As the race entered the woods, Mani came into his own and put in a masterclass of hard enduro skill, strength, and technique to retake the lead and open up a sizeable gap to the chasing pack.Riding smoothly and without incident, Lettenbichler completed the remaining kilometers of the course, including the tricky signature sections, to ultimately take the win by an impressive 11 minutes over the second-placed rider.

Mani now has two wins from two starts in his FIM Hard Enduro World Championship campaign and is well on the way to successfully defending his 2022 title.Manuel Lettenbichler: “I can’t believe it! After the start, I was following Trystan, just conserving my energy a little, but then Billy passed me and looked really strong. He opened up a bit of a gap, but I knew I had to stay focused and ride my own race. When we got into the dirt of the hills, I knew I’d be able to make up some time, and thankfully it all came good. I was able to get back into the lead. After that, I just continued to maintain that solid pace and brought it home at the end. The new bike was incredible. We worked a lot over the winter, and it seems to have paid off as it felt perfect out there today.”

Making his third appearance at the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo, FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Trystan Hart got his race off to an excellent start and moved into an early lead, which he held through the first five checkpoints. Dropping down to third, the Canadian held his podium position all the way to the finish, despite a few errors costing him some time.Happy with how he rode, but always wanting more, Hart now lies second in the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship standings, 12 points behind Lettenbichler, and now looks ahead to the next round of the series – Red Bull Romaniacs in late July.

Trystan Hart: “Taking back-to-back podiums is great, and a lot of people would be happy with that, but I’m a little disappointed as I really wanted to finish a little higher this year. I put myself into a really good position early on and was leading for the first 20 minutes or so. I made a few mistakes after that, even taking the wrong route and having to turn around – it’s all those little things that really sap your energy. It was a tough race and overall I’m happy with my riding, but my goal is to be here fighting for the wins with Mani and Billy, so I still need to work on some things and hopefully elevate things a little higher.”

Heroic race for the rider of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team who, despite the pain in his wrist, crosses the finishing line in P4. P8 for Marco Bezzecchi, second in the general standings

Scarperia (Italy), June 11th 2023 - Luca Marini hits a good fourth place in front of his home crowd who watched the GP from the hills of Mugello today. Eighth Marco Bezzecchi who, after a not bad start, lost the contact with the very first guys. Starting from the front row on the Ducati Desmosedici GP of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team, Luca immediately moves up to the third position and stays in the slipstream of the front duo for most of the race. Despite the pain in his right wrist, he keeps up the pace of the fastest riders and only left the podium in the final stages of the race. With today's points, he climbs to 72 in P6 in the general standings.

More complicated race for Marco who is unable to impose his pace after an excellent warm up. Forced to P8 after the first corners, he finish eighth and confirmed the P2 with 110 points (P2 also among the Teams with 182 points) on the eve of the German GP which will take place next week at the Sachsenring.

MotoGP 2023 - Round 6 of 20, Mugello – Race

MotoGP scorched around one of the fastest and most picturesque race circuits in the world for round six of twenty in 2023 and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing were lively players for the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley. Brad Binder and Jack Miller rocketed their record-breaking KTM RC16 to 5th and 7th respectively at a sunny Mugello.

• Binder moves from 10th on the grid to 5th and his second top five result of the season. The South African holds 4th in the MotoGP World Championship
• Miller spends the first half of the Italian Grand Prix in podium contention and then collects more valuable points with 7th place
• KTM depart the spectacular Mugello circuit with the new all-time MotoGP top speed record, set by Binder in the Saturday Sprint at 366.1kmph (227.4mph)
• Red Bull KTM Tech3 and Red Bull KTM Ajo own checkered flags as Daniel Holgado and Deniz Öncü are separated by hundredths of a second in Moto3™ and Pedro Acosta rules Moto2™

Thankfully, the heavy Italian rainfall that coated Mugello late on Saturday afternoon had dissipated for race day and as the popular Tuscan venue welcomed the best attendance of the weekend. Less than 24hrs after blazing to record-breaking feats along the sweeping 1.1km straight, Red Bull KTM took to the track with Jack Miller in the center of the second row of the starting grid (5th) and with Brad Binder in the 10th slot.

Across 23 laps it was Binder who was able to move through the order, and after the initial cut and thrust of action where Miller was a protagonist. The South African circulated just out of reach of the tussle for the final spot of the podium but Brad’s 5th represented his second-best classification of the year. Jack had his hands full in a duel for 7th but made sure of the position.Binder gained 11 points to hold 4th and now with a margin of 15 to 3rd spot. Miller is 7th. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing are currently the 3rd best team, according to the 2023 rankings, and the manufacturer lies 2nd in the Constructors table.From pace and power to tight turns: the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschlandtakes MotoGP to the popular and populated Sachsenring for round seven of the championship next weekend.

Brad Binder, 5th: “Quite happy with 5th place today considering we started in 10th but we want more! We had a stronger main race today compared to the Sprint yesterday where we lost the opportunity to make more points. I would say our highlight of the weekend is the fact that our guys have built a rocket! It’s working well and we cannot argue with the top speed. Going forward we have some small details to work on and I think we’ll be stronger than what we were today.”

Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Team Manager: “There was a lot of expectation around this GP because we know that Mugello is a very special track and it is very demanding. We were keen to get here and to understand where we are with our current race package. Brad’s 5th place was not bad but our expectations are higher. Still, the top five is our target every race. Jack did a good job today but said he lacked some feeling on the track from the start and couldn’t push as he wanted. Overall, the achievement of the top speed record is in the books. Let’s go to Sachsenring with a lot of confidence. We’ll be on track again very soon and hoping for good results.”Results MotoGP Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley

1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati 41:16.863

2. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati +1.067

3. Johann Zarco (FRA) Ducati +1.977

5. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +8.925

World championship standings MotoGP

1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati, 131 points

2. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) Ducati, 110

3. Jorge Martin (ESP) Ducati 107

4. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, 92

The 2021 FIM Superbike World Champion, Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, was reunited with the Yamaha R1 on which he won the world title during an emotional ceremony at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” on Saturday afternoon.

With the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team and an enthusiastic crowd watching on, Razgatlıoğlu was presented with the bike by Eric de Seynes, President and CEO of Yamaha Motor Europe, who was joined on the WorldSBK Paddock Show stage by Olivier Prevost, Vice President of Yamaha Motor Europe, Alessandro Ghezzi, President and Managing Director of Yamaha Motor Research and Development Europe, Andrea Dosoli, Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing Manager and Riccardo Tisci, Yamaha Motor Research and Development Europe Project Leader.

The presentation, compered by WorldSBK Paddock Show host Michael Hill, brought back memories of an epic 2021 season, in which the battle for the World Championship was only decided at the final round in Indonesia.And it was the bike on which Razgatlıoğlu secured his first World Championship after an incredible Indonesian showdown that the 26-year-old was presented with in Misano. A fitting gift to mark the indelible memories that Razgatlıoğlu’s title win created both for himself and everyone at Yamaha.

The atmosphere was one of gratitude and appreciation when the rider had his winning machine unveiled before being joined on stage by the entire team who took him to the title. Toprak jumped onboard the R1 for a photo before warmly embracing his team and the representatives from Yamaha Motor Europe.

Eric de Seynes, President and CEO, Yamaha Motor Europe

“It’s an emotional moment. First of all, every time we look back at the video from 2021 we can't help but remember all the things that we have achieved and experienced together. We returned to Superbike in 2016, and we were convinced that the R1 could be a winning machine in the hands of a top rider. It was lucky because I was in Suzuka in 2019, and I saw Toprak doing extremely well but not actually racing there in the end. I think it was a good opportunity to propose a deal with him and give him the possibility to become World Champion with us. And finally, this is what we did; in 2021 the dream became reality, Toprak won the championship and made our R1 a title winning bike. It wouldn't be possible to achieve this result if the rider wasn't fully connected with the bike - we wanted the R1 to become Toprak’s bike. It's also not possible to win if the team is not connected with the bike and knows perfectly how to find the optimum settings to make it perform at the highest level. It was super emotional to achieve all these things and the title, and this is why tonight is also an emotional moment because we always said to Toprak ‘if you win the title one day, you will get your bike’. Honestly, I was hoping we could give him his 2024 and also 2025 World Champion bike, but finally we have to accept that at least for now it's over. We recognise that today and this is why we would like to offer Toprak his bike in recognition of all his support and his contribution. It’s not our bike, this is his bike, so we feel happy that it will be in his hands.”

Toprak Razgatlıoğlu: Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK

“First of all, when I was watching the video from the 2021 season I was very emotional and I felt tears coming; it brought back so many memories - starting from 2019 when Yamaha showed their belief in me and we signed together. It took us two years to get the world title, but we did it and I will remember that feeling forever. Now, after four years, I’m very sad to leave, but at the same time I’m happy because Yamaha is a true family and we did it together, it wasn’t just me, there was a team of great people by my side. I want to say thanks for this unbelievable gift, I’m very surprised and touched to receive it, and thank you very much for everything Yamaha have done for me.”

NATIONAL ENDURO CHAMPIONSHIP | WINTERBERG

Husqvarna South Africa's Enduro team achieved outstanding success at the first round of the National Enduro Traditional Championship, held at Rover Motorcycle Club in Gqeberha, renowned for its sandy terrain and grueling endurance tests. Travis Teasdale, competing in the E2 class, and Heinrich Aust, riding in the E1 class, showcased their exceptional skills and fitness, securing remarkable victories for the team.In the fiercely competitive E2 class, Teasdale emerged as a force to be reckoned with, showcasing his outstanding skill and determination throughout the day. Fearlessly conquering the challenging sand tracks that Rover is known for, Teasdale demonstrated unwavering focus and great fitness. “Today was all about endurance, so I picked up the endurance training during the week” Teasdale commented. “They put a sneaky sixth lap in that really tested our fitness, but really happy with the bike and my performance on today’s race.” Teasdale's performance culminated in a well-deserved first-place finish in both the E1 class and overall, solidifying his position as a formidable contender in the national enduro championship.

Heinrich Aust, competing in the equally competitive E1 class, exhibited his exceptional talent and resilience as he tackled the rigorous tracks in Rover. Aust's commitment to excellence was evident as he skilfully navigated the bumpy sand terain and pushed his Husqvarna machine to its limits. His tenacity paid off, as he secured an impressive third overall finish and clinched the top position in the E1 class. “The track was awesome. I loved the breaking bumps, whoops and sandy corners. I don’t think they could have put a better track together.”A surprise from Cross Country man Ryan Pelser came in the form of a third place in the E1 class and rounding off the top 10 overall.

Teasdale and Aust, along with the entire Husqvarna South Africa Enduro team, are thrilled with their accomplishments at the National Enduro Championship. The victories in their respective classes and outstanding overall performances serve as a testament to their hard work and commitment.

Commenting on this weekends race group manager Grant Frerichs said," What a fantastic day of racing for the Husqvarna squad. Travis Teasdale put on a riding clinic and showed he is the man to beat onboard his te300 while Heinrich Aust showed his ability to make the fe250 work in all conditions finishing on the overall podium. We also had Ryan Pelser cross riding into the enduro championship who managed a fantastic 3rd in class."

National Enduro Championship - Round 2 | Winterberg

The Brother Leader Tread KTM Enduro team displayed an impressive performance at the inaugural  round of the South African National Traditional Enduro Championship, leaving a mark with their true grit. 

The team, comprised of William Slater, Dylan Jones, and Matthew Stevens competing in the E2, E1, and Highschool classes respectively, delivered outstanding performances on the tricky track, showcasing their prowess and tenacity.William Slater encountered a minor setback on the start line, resulting in a seven-minute delayed start and starting in 27th position. Undeterred by the situation, Slater exhibited his speed on his KTM 300 EXC through the challenging terrain. Overcoming the initial setback, he embarked on a remarkable journey, progressively advancing through the ranks. Slater's unwavering perseverance paid off, culminating in an impressive fourth-place finish in his class and an admirable eighth-place overall. “Considering how the day went, I’m frustrated, but happy to get valuable points on the board. We can only take it from here and work towards the next one.” Slater said.

Jones, on his KTM 250 EXC-F, riding with outstanding prowess and battling against tough competitors secured an impressive second-place finish in his class and a fourth place overall. Jones commented, “At the start of the last lap I was lying sixth overall, so I put a hard charge in and managed to bring it down to 4th overall and 2nd in class. So I’m super stoked with that”Meanwhile, Stevens displayed commendable maturity and riding technique on his KTM 150 EXC, ultimately achieving a notable third-place finish in his class and an impressive ninth place overall. “I’m not far off anymore, I’ve been working hard and the bike was amazing. Really a pleasure to ride”, Stevens said. 

The Brother Leader Tread KTM Enduro team's performance at the first round of the South African National Traditional Enduro Championship highlighted just how capable the team and the bikes are. Despite the challenges faced, the team showcased resilience and skill, delivering strong finishes in their respective classes and contributing significantly to the team's overall success.

KTM Group manager Grant Frerichs commented on the teams performance stating,” The team had a tough day out at Rover but I am proud of all 3 riders for their tenacity and “never give up” attitude doing what they needed to do to keep their respective championships alive." 

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo Kody Kopp and Max Whale charged hard at Round 8 of the 2023 American Flat Track Championship, with Whale finishing in fifth position and Kopp sixth in the AFT Singles Main Event. That result allowed defending champion Kopp extended his points lead to 15 following The Red Mile in Kentucky.

After qualifying in ninth, Kopp powered his KTM 450 SX-F to a fourth-place finish in the second Heat race of the event, with his sights set on the night's Main Event. A challenging 18-lap affair saw Kopp cross the line in sixth position, while managing to extend his lead in the AFT Singles series in the process.
Kody Kopp: "Had an up and down day here in Kentucky, struggled with a few things during the weekend, but as a team we worked hard together to try our best and we ended up with a sixth place. Considering where I was with seven laps to go, sixth is a positive – just need to keep chipping away and work hard over the three-week break."

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing teammate Whale finished qualifying in third position, before crossing the finish line in second place for the opening Heat race of the event, earning a place in the Dash-for-Cash, where the Australian would finish in P4. A measured ride in the Main Event resulted in a fifth-place result, which has the number 18 sitting fourth in the standings with 10 rounds remaining.Max Whale: "We made huge improvements here for the Kentucky Red Mile. We worked super-hard in the week and a half off, and I can’t thank the team enough for all the work they do. Started out today on the back foot, but we came through with third in qualifying, second in the Heat, and made it through to the Dash, which is great for extra track time. Then ended up with fifth in the Main after a few mistakes on my end, but I'm happy with the progress we’ve made, and we’ll come out swinging in a few weeks.”

Next Race: DuQuoin Mile – Du Quoin, Illinois – June 17, 2023

Round 8 Results

AFT Singles Main Event
1. Trent Lowe, Honda
2. Chase Saathoff, Honda
3. Tom Drane, Yamaha

The Dutch TT of Assen saw Britain’s Bradley Ray take his first steps in the 2023 FIM Superbike World Championship with the Yamaha MotoXRacing WorldSBK Team, and we were there with the cameras to follow him behind-the-scenes through every moment. 
Ray is participating in all the European rounds of this year’s WorldSBK Championship, and he is clearly adapting quickly; on just his second outing he had already scored points in three out of six races contested. Last year he sailed to the 2022 British Superbike Championship crown with nine wins on board a Yamaha R1, and the 25-year-old has a wealth of experience in various championships from his beginnings in the Red Bull Rookies Cup to a wildcard WorldSBK appearance at Donington Park in 2018.

With his ever-present smile and happy-go-lucky attitude, Ray explained: “I’m making progress all the time, understanding the bike and electronics. I’m feeling happy, I’m not feeling any pressure from the team or from Yamaha, and I already know where I want to be. As a racer I obviously want to be as high up as possible, but I’m keeping my goals realistic.”

Assen was the perfect place for the rider from Kent in England to debut with his new team, having already raced there in the British Superbikes. We followed him from Media Day on Thursday, through all the practice sessions and into the races, taking time to regularly catch up with Brad for chats and hear his thoughts and hopes.

After a slightly disappointing start with a DNF in Race 2 and two non-point scoring finishes at Assen, the Brit is primed for the coming rounds thanks to a solid weekend at the second round in Barcelona where he scored 13th, 14th, and 15th in the three races. “I’m feeling more and more comfortable on the bike with every session” states Ray. His adaptation to the new team, bike and paddock have been impressive so far, and we can’t wait to see what he has in store as the season continues.

The rider of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team crosses the finishing line alone and is only one point behind the P1 in the general standings. Forced to retire after a crash Luca Marini when he was fighting for the podium Le Mans (France), May 14th 2023 – Marco Bezzecchi and the Mooney VR46 Racing Team score the second victory of the season at the French GP, the 1000th race of the MotoGP era. Riding the Ducati DesmosediciGP, he crosses the finishing line alone and is now in the second place in the general standings (93 points) just one point behind the P1 (Bagnaia). Forced to retire after a crash, Luca Marini when he was fighting for the podium.Started from the seventh box on the grid, Marco immediately picked up the pace of the fastest guys and finished the first lap in P6. Able to move up the standings, he is first at 11 laps to go, a position he manages to defend until the finishing line. Great wins, just on the eve of the home GP (Mugello, in three weeks) and primacy also confirmed among the Teams with 147 points.

P4 yesterday in the Sprint and front row for Luca, forced to retire after a crash during the fifth lap, when he was in Marco's slipstream for the podium positions. An accident without consequences and the return into the pits prematurely.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing were close to adding another trophy to the shelves as Jack Miller led the SHARK Grand Prix de France at a sunny and capacity Le Mans and Brad Binder scored 6th for round five of twenty. Binder and the team both hold 3rd in their respective championship standings while KTM are currently the 2nd best constructor.

• Binder, runner-up in the Saturday Sprint, finishes 6th, climbing from 10th on the grid after running wide on the first lap and suffering a Long Lap penalty
• Miller starts from 4th, leads the Grand Prix but then slips out at Turn 4 with three laps to go
• KTM again competitive and highly ranked in various points tables
• Second Moto3™ victory of the season for Daniel Holgado and home Grand Prix spoils for Red Bull KTM Tech3

The short, tight but demanding Bugatti circuit within the vast Le Mans 24hr motorsport complex drew sunshine, spring temperatures and thousands and thousands of fans to round five of 2023 MotoGP. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing had already shown their competitiveness by topping Practice on Friday and finishing 2nd in the Saturday Sprint as both Jack Miller and Brad Binder respectively got down to pace with their KTM RC16.

Sunday meant the full Grand Prix distance and spectacle of 27 laps. It was Miller who made the more effective getaway and led the opening exchanges. The Australian slipped back the fringes of the top five as the laps ticked down and he battled to maximize the grip of the soft tire combination. With three circulations to go he met the gravel on the exit to Turn 4.Binder made a fantastic getaway as well but contact with another rider into La Chapelle pushed the South African wide and almost out of the top twenty. He pulled his way back to 6th, despite having to endure a Long Lap penalty for running across the inside of Turn 9.

As the checkered flag waved, the championship standings pivoted to reflect Brad’s status in 3rd. Jack is 8th. MotoGP now breaks for three weekends before anticipation of the Gran Premio D’Italia Oakley around the epic curves of Mugello in mid-June.

Brad Binder, 6th: “I had a really good feeling for the race and had a fantastic start but unfortunately in Turn 4 someone hit the side of me and I went from 6th-7th all the way back outside the top twenty. A tough one and then a tough fight to come through. I chipped away slowly but surely until I got an amazing slipstream on Jack and overshot the mark into Turn 9. I had to make a decision to save it and just shot across the inside of the chicane. I didn’t drop back far enough and from that mistake I had a Long Lap penalty: if bad luck comes in ‘threes’ then I think I spent them this race! It was important to keep my head down then and bring the bike home.”

Jack Miller, DNF: “Obviously not the way we wanted to end things here. We had great pace all weekend and led a decent handful of laps but when the other boys came past they seemed to be able to knock-it-up a gear and I knew my marks: I knew where I could push and where I couldn’t. I was fading a little bit but also preserving the left side of the tire and I knew I had a bit left at the end. I then used too much curb on the inside of Turn 4 and that was all she wrote. I cut it tight just a little bit too much. Really disappointing for myself and the team, they have been doing an amazing job and the bike was so good all weekend. It's a bummer to come away with no points but we’ll re-group for Mugello.”

Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Team Manager: “A positive weekend even if we did not get what we deserved today. Brad had contact on the first lap and was as far down as 18th and he recovered as strong as usual, even with a dubious Long Lap penalty. We have to analyze Jack’s crash as it was strange. It was a good weekend with both riders into Q2 on Friday and we’ll look forward to the next GP with confidence. We have two fantastic riders in this team and we will keep supporting them to the maximum, from the first to the last person in the factory and from the team mechanics to any person who touches this MotoGP effort. Many congratulations to Augusto [Fernandez] as this is another sign that our group project is going in the right direction.”