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Moto News Weekly Wrap
October 15, 2024

What’s New:

• AUSX 2024 Brisbane double-header gets season underway
• Pauls Jonass joins KRT’s MXGP efforts
• FIM SuperEnduro to add Electric & Youth classes from 2025
• Lucas & Sacha Coenen confirmed for KTM MXGP/MX2 efforts in 2025
• Daniel Sanders wins Rallye du Maroc
• Lettenbichler wins Sea To Sky Hard Enduro
• Desmo450 MX wins Italian Motocross Championship
• Strong ISDE opening day for Aussies
• First victory for Honda RTL Electric Prototype
• 2024 Australian Senior Dirt Track Championships won!
• Bohannon & Townley talk the bLU cRU SuperFinales
• Ross Branch wraps up Rally GP title in Morocco
• Halbert claims 2024 FIM Flat Track World Championship crown
• 2025 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Calendar (Provisional)
• 2025 FIM Motocross World Championship Calendar (Provisional)
• 2025 FIM S1GP SuperMoto World Championship Calendar (Provisional)
• 2025 Australian Track and Dirt Track Calendar
• 2024 Racing Calendars

AUSX 2024 Brisbane double-header

The 2024 Fox Australian Supercross Championship kicked off with a double-header at Redcliffe’s Kayo Stadium over the weekend, with Savatgy taking a narrow SX1 lead from Wilson and Clout; McElrath leading the SX2 ahead of Thompson and Connolly and Burchell claiming the SX3 lead on 50-points, well clear of Cannon and Woods.

For the full report and results see:
Recapping all the SX1/2/3/85 races from Brisbane AUSX double-header

Pauls Jonass joins KRT’s MXGP efforts

The Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP has welcomed on board Pauls Jonass, who will join the team to compete in the FIM MXGP Motocross World Championship. A former MX2 world champion the talented Latvian will be the teammate of Romain Febvre.

Pauls Jonass

“First of all I would like to thank my previous team for the amazing four years we spent together, and I’m super excited to join the Kawasaki Racing Team; every rider dreams of racing for a factory team. I have worked with Antti in the past and I see how well he runs the team so I’m delighted to be given this opportunity. It will be the first time that I will be working with a Japanese factory team and, having seen how well the bike has worked the last two years, it is a dream to be riding the KX450-SR. Now it’s time to go to work to achieve the best results and hopefully we can soon battle for some wins.”

FIM SuperEnduro to add Electric & Youth classes from 2025

Electric motorcycles will line up at the starting gate of the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship for the first time ever, marking a new chapter for the world of motorsport.

The 2024 season will also introduce a new Youth class, welcoming young riders aged 14–18, competing on 125cc motorcycles. The new FIM Youth SuperEnduro World Cup aims to nurture young talent, offering them opportunities to develop and race in the same arenas and on the same tracks as the pros, helping grow the next generation of SuperEnduro champions.

Lucas & Sacha Coenen confirmed for KTM MXGP/MX2 efforts in 2025

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing are thrilled to announce that exciting Grand Prix-winning Belgian twins Lucas and Sacha Coenen will steer KTM 450 SX-F and KTM 250 SX-F machinery respectively in the 2025 MXGP and MX2 FIM World Championship.

Lucas Coenen – MXGP

“It’s official! Red Bull KTM Factory Racing next year and I’m really looking forward to it. The team have so many titles. It’s a dream come true, and also to be in the same team as my brother. I’ll be working my butt off to have the best year possible. I’ll be racing the KTM 450 SX-F and it’s a new chapter with the big boys! Everybody is fast in that class and it will be interesting to see how much margin there is because the times are so tight. I want to learn as much as possible and get the most experience. I have support for what I want to do, and the people around me believe in this choice and this project. It will be really nice. I know the team will help me a lot. Right now I just need to get fit again after the operation to fix my left collarbone, which went fine, and then we can start work for next year.”

Sacha Coenen – MX2

“I’m really happy to continue in Red Bull KTM and to work with Davide and his crew next year. I’ve been learning a lot about the bike and the MX2 class these last two seasons and also my speed from the first laps of the moto until the end. We still have some work to do but we have made steps and I am ready to progress again. I’m really motivated and really looking forward to 2025, as well from having Lucas next to me! We’ll do the best we can.”

Daniel Sanders wins Rallye du Maroc

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Daniel Sanders has won the 2024 Rallye du Maroc. At the end of what has been a hugely successful event for the team with both riders on the podium, Sanders opened much of Friday’s stage five to ultimately secure the overall rally victory by just over 11 minutes.

See the full Rallye du Maroc final wrap here (link).

Lettenbichler wins Sea To Sky Hard Enduro

Manuel Lettenbichler has taken victory at the 2024 Sea to Sky Hard Enduro in Kemer, Turkey, for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing. Mani’s win further extended his Hard Enduro World Championship out to 17-points with a round to run, over opponents Wade Young and Mario Roman.

See the full Sea To Sky Hard Enduro final wrap here (link).

Desmo450 MX wins Italian Motocross Championship

Ducati’s Desmo450 MX has won the marque its first motocross title in its debut season in the Italian MX1 Championship. Ducati Corse Off-Road rider Alessandro Lupino wrapping up the crown at the final in Arco di Trento over the weekend.

See the full run down here (link).

Strong ISDE opening day for Aussies

Australia has made a solid start to the 2024 FIM International 6 Days of Enduro – ISDE in Silleda, Spain, with the World Trophy and Junior World Trophy teams both in fourth position after day one, while the Women’s World Trophy team is already locked in combat with regular foe, America, and sits second.

Led by a red-hot Jonte Reynders (Sherco), who was eighth overall in the individual standings and third in E2 in his ISDE debut, Australia (Reynders, Kyron Bacon, Josh Strang and Cooper Sheidow) trails leader France by seven minutes and 31 seconds (7:31) in the World Trophy, with America (2:31) and Spain (2:43) between them.

It’s tighter in the Junior World Trophy, with the gap between pacesetter Sweden and Australia (William Dennett, Korey McMahon and Angus Riordan) just 2:14.

In the Women’s World Trophy, Australia (Jess Gardiner, Tayla Jones and Danielle McDonald) is 1:39 behind defending champion America.

As well as Reynders, Bacon (Yamaha, fifth E1), Riordan (KTM, sixth E1), McMahon (GASGAS, 15th E2) and Strang (Beta, 12th E3) were standouts for Team Australia, while Jones (Husqvarna) and Gardiner (Yamaha) were the fourth and fifth fastest of the Women’s World Trophy brigade.

The fastest rider overall on the open trails of Silleda was world EnduroGP champion Josep Garcia (KTM) ahead of arch-rival Steve Holcombe (Honda) and Theophile Espinasse (Beta).

Reynders was right on the hammer of Garcia and Holcombe in the final special test of the day, the trio separated by just two seconds.

See the full ISDE 2024 Day One Report and class top-10s here (link).

First victory for Honda RTL Electric Prototype

Takahisa Fujinami has taken Honda’s new RTL ELECTRIC Prototype to a debut victory for Team HRC at round six of the 2024 All-Japan Championship in Wakayama’s Yuasa Trial Park.

Read more about the Honda RTL Electric Prototype’s win here (link).

2024 Australian Senior Dirt Track Championships won!

Fierce competition, last-gasp victories and stoic defence were the name of the game in the 2024 JR’s Motorcycle & Suspension Specialists Australian Senior Dirt Track Championship, held in Gunyarra (Qld) on October 5-6.

Promoted by the Whitsunday Dirt Riders Club, six Australian champions were crowned across the five solo and sidecar classes – including two Whitsunday club members in the shape of Brittaney O’Brien (Women’s) and Cooper Andersen (Pro 250).

Meanwhile, the only defending champion to retain silverware was Daniel Wicks in MX Open, while the other title winners were Kayden Downing in Pro 450 and Matthew Davies/Tom Northey in Sidecar.

In the blue-chip Pro 450 final, which bookended a massive 94-race program over two days, Jarred Brook crossed the finish line first before being demoted three positions for exceeding track limits, which saw Downing, Wicks and Dale Borlase all move up one position to lock in the top three spots.

The Women’s class was well supported by Queensland riders, necessitating two heats each round before the repechage and final – and with the absence of injured defending champion Tayla Street the competition appeared to be wide open.

However, O’Brien didn’t see it that way and became the new benchmark. She was unbeaten in the heats before leading home Claire Day and Kristal Land in the final.

The Pro 250 class is always intensely fought, and so it was again in the absence of defending champion Rory McQualter. Four riders shared the heat wins before Anderson defeated Paolo D’Amato-Barbaro and top qualifier Brayden Bradford in the decider.

After a long wait to win his first national belt in Gunnedah last year, Wicks successfully defended his MX Open crown. In the final he led home 11-time Australia dirt track senior champion Brook and Downing – who had been equal top scorers in the heats ahead of Wicks.

Matt Davies and passenger Tom Northey were unbeaten in their sidecar heats before completing their domination in the final from two teams which have returned to competition after recent lay-offs: Darren and Shaun Fien and Jim Jobling/Brodie Trembath.

Defending champions Corey Forde/Darren Fraudenstein qualified for the final but were excluded after a coming together early in the race.

2024 Australian Senior Dirt Track Championship Results

Bohannon & Townley talk the bLU cRU SuperFinales

Yamaha Junior Racing’s Blake Bohannon out his name up in lights after winning the Yamaha bLU cRU Superfinale, ran in conjunction with the Motocross of Nations, on his YZ65.

Blake Bohannon – YZ65 Superfinale Winner

“This has been so cool, and I can’t believe I’m here racing at the Motocross of Nations in front of so many people. The track is so good, and I had so much fun riding it I wasn’t even thinking about where I was coming. Thank you so much to Yamaha Australia for inviting me and Yamaha in Europe for running the bLU cRU Superfinale. Not only was the race awesome, but I got to meet so many people and get my photo with them.”

Just when the locals thought that had heard the last of the Townley name as it has been 20 years since Ben Townley won his World MX2 championship, along comes his son, Levi and shows the world just what he is capable of, charging to a second-place finish in the YZ125 Superfinale in what was an exciting race all the way to the finish.

Levi Townley – YZ125 Superfinale P2

“I’m really happy with that, I got a good start and was able to get the front early. I just focused on doing my thing and not worry too much about what was happening behind me. I could feel he was getting closer to me, and I made little mistake that allowed him to close right up. He passed by the pit board area and I know there wasn’t long to go, so I tried to stay with him and hope he would make a mistake or I could get by in the lappers. On the last lap I was close and I tried to get underneath him in the turn before the uphill triple but he had too much corner speed on the way out and stayed in front. It’s been such an amazing weekend and I’m so lucky to be here. Yamaha Australia and New Zealand invited us and I’m so glad we came. Thank you to them and my dad for all the hard work as well as the MJC Yamaha team for looking after me all weekend.”

Ross Branch wraps up Rally GP title in Morocco

Ross Branch had had his work cut out for him to withstand the Honda onslaught ever since he had seized the Rally GP lead at the end of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in March.

Ricky Brabec moved within nine points of the Botswanan after winning the Desafío Ruta 40 YPF Infinia, but a knee injury in stage 1 of the Rallye du Maroc knocked him out of the race and the fight for the title.

Branch turned on the autopilot. Cruising alongside his trusted Hero wingman Nacho Cornejo, he steered clear of turbulence and crossed the finish line in third place among the W2RC entrants, right behind Tosha Schareina and Adrien Van Beveren.

That made him the third Rally GP world champion — a historic moment for Botswana and Hero, none of whom had ever won a FIM title before. Silver went to Van Beveren and bronze to Schareina, whose Moroccan triumph catapulted him to the podium at the last minute.

The Spaniard claimed his second win of the season, after the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal, ushering in the promise of a thrilling 2025 season. Monster Energy Honda picked up its third consecutive manufacturers’ title.

The new Rally 2 champion also reigns down in Africa — specifically South Africa, which is joining the W2RC calendar next season. Bradley Cox scored a double whammy by winning the rally and the title.

Michael Docherty and Tobias Ebster helped to lock out the podium for BAS World KTM Racing. Cox snatched the championship at the eleventh hour from Romain Dumontier (Team Honda), who was riding a new mount. The Frenchman came in second and Konrad Dąbrowski (Duust Rally) third.

The Southern Cone stole the show in the Rally 3 championship, with the Chilean John Medina prevailing over his Argentinian teammate Eduardo Alan. Local hero Souleymane Addahri finished third thanks to his victory on home soil this week, the Africa Rallye Team’s third in Morocco.

Halbert claims 2024 FIM Flat Track World Championship crown

American star Sammy Halbert raced to the 2024 FIM Flat Track World Championship powered by Anlas, Kineo, Blackburst and HKC Koopmann this afternoon at Debrecen in Hungary to become the first non-European winner of the title following a campaign characterised by searing speed and ice-cool consistency.

With a seven-point advantage heading into the Perényi Pál Salakmotor Stadion for the sixth and deciding round, the thirty-seven-year-old was in command after his run of five straight podium finishes – including two wins – and knew that even if his main title rival and defending champion Ervin Krajčovič (KTM) was to win, third or better would mean the crown was heading home with him to the Pacific Northwest.

While the leading pair were virtually assured of the gold and silver medals, third place was on the line with Britain’s Tim Neave (Yamaha), two-time champion Lasse Kurvinen (KTM) from Finland and the Italian pairing of Matteo Boncinelli (Beta) and Kevin Corradetti (GASGAS) separated by just five points.

However, Boncinelli – who had won on the previous two occasions the series visited Debrecen – was a non-starter because of injury, reducing the battle for bronze to a three-way fight.

Krajčovič, carrying the momentum from a career-first Grand Final victory last time out in his native Czech Republic, got his afternoon under way with an important psychological victory from Halbert as Corradetti defeated Neave and 2022 champion Gerard Bailo (Zaeta) from Spain led home France’s Sébastien Jeanpierre (Kawasaki).

With the weather warm and dry, track conditions were fast and loose which certainly suited Bailo and Corradetti who maintained their unbeaten records through the second block of races with the Spaniard taking a point from Krajčovič and the Italian doing the same to Halbert after forty-five-year-old Kurvinen – who announced his Flat Track retirement at the start of the day – claimed his first win of the afternoon from Neave.

Bailo and Corradetti shared the lead at the halfway mark, one point ahead of Krajčovič and two clear of Halbert and Neave, as the leaders began to distance themselves from the chasing pack. With the top ten riders after the Heats earning an automatic place in the Grand Final, gate-pick and an all-important place on the front row were also at stake so every point was vital.

Corradetti dropped points in his third Heat when he was beaten by Halbert and Kurvinen before Germany’s Marcus Jell (KTM) ended Bailo’s win-streak and Neave defeated Krajčovič.

The Czech Republic’s Ondřej Svědík (Yamaha) booked his place in the Grand Final with victory in his fourth Heat before Krajčovič led home Kurvinen and Halbert and Neave defeated Corradetti with the other automatic qualifying positions going to Bailo, Jell, Britain’s Jack Bell (Honda) and Dutchman Menno Van Meer (Honda).

With the remaining riders contesting the Last Chance Heat, Argentina’s Santiago Arangio (KTM) and Giacomo Bossetti (GASGAS) from Italy finished one and two to make the cut before the twelve-rider field lined up in two rows for the twelve-lap Grand Final to decide the championship.

From the start Halbert muscled his way to the front with Kurvinen initially slotting into second before Krajčovič powered through and began to apply pressure on his American rival. The charging Czech rider then made a forceful move up the inside to take the lead and was pulling away when Van Meer crashed and the red lights brought the race to a premature halt.

When the decision was made that the Grand Final had progressed far enough not to warrant a restart, the title went to Halbert by just four slender points and Kurvinen, who was sitting one place ahead of Neave in third when the race was stopped, claimed bronze in his swansong season on a tie-break with the British rider.

2025 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Calendar (Provisional)

2025 FIM Motocross World Championship Calendar (Provisional)

Infront Moto Racing have revealed the provisional 2025 FIM Motocross World Championship (MXGP) Calendar, featuring a series of exciting events at some of the world’s most iconic motocross venues. The 2025 season will deliver a total of 20 rounds and will culminate with the prestigious Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations at Ironman Raceway, USA, from October 3rd to 5th.

2025 FIM S1GP SuperMoto World Championship Calendar (Provisional)

The FIM and XIEM have announced the provisional 2025 FIM SuperMoto World Championship calendar. The 2025 season will deliver a total of six Grand Prix and the prestigious FIM SuperMoto of Nations at Vysoké Mýto, Czech Republic, 21st September week-end.

2025 Australian Track and Dirt Track Calendar

The calendar is locked in for the 2025 Australian Dirt Track and Track Championships, with six events to be held between March and October – including the return of the popular classic and post-classic battles.

The calendar, in chronological order, is as follows:

• Australian Senior Dirt Track Championship: March 22-23, Mick Doohan Raceway (Qld), promoted by the North Brisbane Junior Motorcycle Club;
• Australian Junior Dirt Track Championship: April 19-20, Loxford Park (NSW), Kurri Kurri Junior Motorcycle Club;
• Australian Junior Track Championship: May 24-25, Fairbairn Park (ACT), ACT Motorcycle Club;
• Australian Senior Track Championship: September 13-14, Lang Park (Qld), Townsville Motorcycle Club;
• Australian Post Classic Dirt Track Championship: October 4-5, Mick Doohan Raceway (Qld), North Brisbane Junior Motorcycle Club; and
• Australian Classic Dirt Track Championship: October 4-5, Mick Doohan Raceway (Qld), North Brisbane Junior Motorcycle Club.

2024 FIM Hard Enduro World Championships Provisional Calendar

2024 FIM E-Xplorer World Cup provisional calendar