Five Questions: Jeffrey Herlings

Motoonline.com  Regulars Post: Kane Taylor

Five-time world champion outlines HRC transition.

One of the most intriguing moves of the MXGP silly season was long-time Red Bull KTM leader Jeffrey Herlings defecting to the Honda HRC Petronas program, signalling a major shift as the five-time world champion enters the latter stages of his career. In this Five Questions feature, the 31-year-old Herlings outlines this newfound transition and what we can expect in 2026.

Image: Supplied.

Jeffrey, obviously, you’ve only been with the team since January 1. How difficult has it been to have this short timeline and is the aim to be ready for Argentina or is it sort of more to be aiming to win a little later?

I mean, the team might have time, but I don’t, because I don’t have 10 years more of racing in me, so I need to deliver, and I need to deliver quickly. Obviously, as you said, because I was just starting on January 1 and we’re only in February, [I] had a very short notice to get my clothing set up, to get my helmet, boots set up, to get my bike set up, to get everything set up. I just had like five, six weeks until now, and so we’re still learning, discovering, but I think we’re already on a good base, also on the bike. I think there’s a lot of potential, a lot of possibilities on the new bike. It’s kind of a prototype, it’s a new bike, it just came out, so for sure like I said there’s a lot of potential, but I need to deliver, I need to deliver quick, I’m aware of that, so yeah I don’t have time to keep waiting through the season – I need a few races to get myself warmed up. I could see last weekend, once again, I didn’t have the intensity, but hopefully by [Argentina] I’ll be good to go, and then hopefully we can start fighting for victories quickly.

Having seen you on the Honda in videos, it looks like you’ve taken a liking to the bike. Is there any moment you wish maybe changed teams sooner to experience new machinery at a different point in your career?

It’s always hard to say. My time at KTM was good as well, you know, I’ve accomplished a lot with them, so no negatives to them. For sure, we had ups, we had our downs, but I look back at a good memory with them. But it’s always been my dream to race for Honda HRC. I remember back in the days we were already negotiating, I was really close to signing with Honda in 2016 already, and then for me, there was only one option if I were to leave KTM – it would be for Honda. It’s been my childhood dream, and now that I’m on the bike, I’m really surprised how good it is. I do get on a new prototype bike, so you know [it] would have been easier if I had stood on the other bike, the previous one, because they had so much experience and years of development in it already. So now it’s in its infancy, the new bike which I’m riding, so it also gives me a lot of hope that there’s so much potential left in the bike. But yeah, you know, coming to the team now, I know it’s the latest stage in my career, but I have no regrets about not coming earlier because, as I said, I had a great time at the other team as well. But it’s a blessing, and yeah, a thing I should I never wanted to miss is to go to Honda HRC, so I’m very happy I made this decision.

The last couple of seasons were marred by serious injuries before the season started. How did you approach this year to hopefully avoid that situation again?

Obviously, the first race hasn’t started in the MXGP series, but I mean motocross is a risky sport, there’s a lot of risk involved, so injuries are part of the sport. Last year, I missed the start of the season – it was the first two races, and then I got back racing with just a couple of days on the bike, and I really had to build myself back into it because the first races were a big struggle as I was six months out with an ACL injury. But for now, I’m feeling good, I’m feeling fit. I do feel the lack of racing, as I saw in Mantova, just the intensity wasn’t there, but that’s why I do these races to warm up and get ready for the first GP. As I said, I don’t have many chances left, so every chance I have, I need to take it with both hands, and yeah, just really feeling good and fit right now.

 

This year, it feels like the veterans versus the rookies in the class. Does this make it exciting for you?

I mean, it feels to me like it’s just the same guys over and over again, so I don’t see any big changes yet. There are a couple of guys coming up, but I think it will be the same guys who’ve been fighting for the championship this year, as it has been the last couple of years. Just the party will be a bit bigger because there are two or three more new riders getting involved. But yeah, definitely looking forward to it, I feel like I can still do it, if not, I wouldn’t have even started, you know? Like, if I look at the last few races last year when I was healthy, I won most of them and got like five podiums straight and won three out of the last five races, I think, so definitely super excited. This is a completely new adventure, a big new motivation, you know, after 17 years working with one team, then going into a new team for the last two or three years of your career makes things quite exciting and just brings a hell of a lot of new motivation. So yeah, definitely nice to race with the rookies, but at the end of the day, this championship is so long with 60 motos, so it’s about consistency. You saw in the past, you saw last year with [Romain] Febvre just being there every single weekend, being consistent. I think that’s the thing that will bring you a championship.

In America, Jorge Prado went from KTM to Kawasaki. Was that worrying for you, seeing someone of his talents struggling to cope with the change of bike, or did it provide a sort of motivation that you wanted to show that it is possible?

The change from KTM to Kawasaki is a different thing from the change from a KTM to a Honda. I think a Honda is a more proven bike, you saw even in the US with Jett [Lawrence], you saw in Europe with Tim [Gajser], so I think it’s different. Obviously, it gave me some time to think about it, because I never tested before I signed up with Honda HRC. So, I never tested the bike, and it was kind of a gamble, you know, so I never knew maybe it was not going to fit, maybe it was going to fit much better than my KTM. I didn’t know, but right now, as I’m on the Honda, I have no regrets. As I said, it’s a brand-new bike, and how good it is already, I think there’s much more potential in the bike, and yeah, definitely looking forward to this year’s racing.

Tom Vialle...MXGP calling

Double MX2 world champion talks debut premier class campaign.

The 2026 MXGP World Championship season marks a significant chapter in the career of Tom Vialle, with the 25-year-old Frenchman set to make his premier class debut with Honda HRC Petronas following three seasons – and consecutive 250SX East titles – in the United States. In this Check In feature, Vialle speaks about his European return and shares his initial impressions on the factory CRF450R.

Image: Supplied.

Tom Vialle, you’ve returned from America to join the Honda HRC team this year for the first time in the MXGP class. How has that transition been? Obviously, you were in Europe before, but what’s it been like being back in Europe, and how have you adapted so far?

Yeah, it’s been nice actually. I’ve been three years in the US and then I was four years before that here in Europe. It’s my first 450 season, so the winter so far has been pretty good. The goal is to obviously, in the next year, to be as successful as I was in the 250 class, so yeah I’m trying to work as hard as I can to get there, but there are still a lot of things to learn on the 450. So yeah, the goal is to work hard and get there as soon as possible.

Another world championship would put you with three world titles, something that no Frenchman has been able to do in the major classes outside Yves Demaria in MX3. Is this something that’s a goal of yours, or how do you feel about becoming possibly the most successful French world champion?

we have two days of racing, so a couple of things that I have to adapt again. But I’m sure it will be quick, and I did four seasons here in Europe in the 250 class, so I know how the system and the race weekend goes so it will be quick to adapt again.

Chase Sexton says he’s very excited to watch the GPs this year because you’re in it. You obviously had a very good relationship, but he says he wants to race you in Ernee [at MXoN]… Would you be excited for that, and are you looking forward to potentially being part of Team France?

Yeah, I mean, we all know the Nations is always a big race, especially in France in Ernee. I was there in 2023, and we won the race, so that was one of the best weekends of my life. It was really a crazy weekend with so many fans, so hopefully this year I can be able to race. Of course, it is Team France who decides the selection of the rider, and it would be nice to ride against Chase finally. I was in the US in the 250 class, he was always in the 450 class, so we’ve been training a lot together for the last two years, but yeah, if I’m selected to do the Motocross of Nations (MXoN), it would be nice to race against him.

I actually didn’t know that, but now it will be obviously my dream and my goal for the next years. This is my first year in the 450 class, so I have a lot to learn. It’s also a new bike, a new team for me, so a lot to learn, but hopefully we can achieve it, and as you said, that would be awesome if we can do it.

You had tremendous success in your 250 career with championships in America and in Europe, of course. Now you’re making the step up to the 450 class. What do you set as your expectations for this year, and what would be a successful year?

It’s hard to say. I’ve just done my first race in Mantova – my first 450 race – so it’s hard to say. GPs and the pre-season races are always quite a big difference, but try to build step by step during the season. Of course, the first step is to be on the podium and try to fight for [the] win if we can, that’s the goal and to be as consistent as possible. It’s a long season, we have almost 20 GPs, so a lot can happen and we try to be there every weekend, that’s my goal and try to be better and build through the season and see. I can’t really say my expectation because I haven’t raced a GP in the 450 class, so we will see after Argentina where we are, and then we try to improve for the next races and be better during the season.

After several seasons in the US, what do you think is going to be the most difficult thing to adapt to being back in Europe again?

I think the bike. This is a new class, like I’ve said, for me, so getting used to the power of the 450, racing new guys that I’ve never raced before. So there are a lot of new things that I need to get used to. But also the tracks, I mean, we all know the tracks in the US and in Europe are a little bit different. The good thing is I know the tracks [here], but I have to get a little bit back in the rhythm and get to know the type of tracks. It’s a long weekend in MXGP, we have two days of racing, so a couple of things that I have to adapt again. But I’m sure it will be quick, and I did four seasons here in Europe in the 250 class, so I know how the system and the race weekend goes so it will be quick to adapt again.

Chase Sexton says he’s very excited to watch the GPs this year because you’re in it. You obviously had a very good relationship, but he says he wants to race you in Ernee [at MXoN]… Would you be excited for that, and are you looking forward to potentially being part of Team France?

Yeah, I mean, we all know the Nations is always a big race, especially in France in Ernee. I was there in 2023, and we won the race, so that was one of the best weekends of my life. It was really a crazy weekend with so many fans, so hopefully this year I can be able to race. Of course, it is Team France who decides the selection of the rider, and it would be nice to ride against Chase finally. I was in the US in the 250 class, he was always in the 450 class, so we’ve been training a lot together for the last two years, but yeah, if I’m selected to do the Motocross of Nations (MXoN), it would be nice to race against him.

Whoops...We Don't Need No Stinkin Whoops!

Herlings Hauling on the Honda!

There was a time, he was the fastest man on the planet. From around 2016 until 2021, before his season of not racing due to yet another injury, no man could beat him if he was fit. When he was fit was the problem, because between the world titles and GP wins, he spent a hell of a lot of time on the couch.

In my mind, he should have been the GOAT, and it all came down to his preperation, which probably helped and hindered him. Working harder than anyone else in the sport, day after day, after day on the bike, speed that was blinding fast and a desire to destroy his opposition. At times he even made the likes of Eli Tomac, Antonio Cairoli and Tim Gajser look average.

We don't really know what Jeffrey Herlings we are going to get in 2026, but you can count on one thing, he isn't leaving a stone unturned on his quest for a sixth world motocross championship.

What I do know, he looks cleaner and classier now on his new bike, in his new gear and the fact the HRC photo shoot (for action pics) was washed out and we have hardly seen a good action photo of "The Bullet", just makes his arrival in Argentina and the opening round of the MXGP championship that much more of a mystery.

Prado Out for Arlington

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Jorge Prado will sit out Round 7 of the 2026 AMA Supercross Championship in Arlington, Texas, this weekend. Prado will continue his recovery after crashing heavily in the final qualifying session at Seattle, sidelining him for the remainder of the event in order to undergo further evaluation on his right shoulder.

While no major injuries have been determined, the four-time world champion will take a week off his KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION as a result of excessive swelling and irritation in his shoulder joint, prioritizing his health with the goal of returning for the Daytona Supercross on February 28.

Ian Harrison, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: "Following Jorge's crash in qualifying at Seattle, we had his right shoulder checked out, which he has injured previously. While there are no major injuries that have been found, other than the excessive swelling and irritation in the region, it has been decided that Jorge will take a week off the bike and his goal is to be back for Daytona if he is in a position to do so. We are not in a title fight with Jorge and his health is the absolute priority, so with some more therapy I am sure that he will be back and competitive again as soon as he is ready."

Prado has been exceptional since reuniting with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing for 2026 in the U.S.-based SMX World Championship, finishing on the Main Event podium in third at Anaheim 1, also achieving three Heat Race wins (Anaheim 1, Anaheim 2 and Glendale), in addition to qualifying quickest at both Glendale and Seattle.

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Sexton on fifth in Seattle

Monster Energy® Pro Circuit Kawasaki rider Levi Kitchen had the hometown crowd on their feet as he delivered a standout performance to take second place in the 250SX Main Event at Round 6 of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship in Seattle. Teammate Cameron McAdoo powered through adversity to secure a solid fifth-place finish. Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Chase Sexton put in a solid effort on the day to take home fifth place in the 450SX Main Event. Garrett Marchbanks rebounded from a late race incident, but without enough time left in the race, the No. 36 Kawasaki would ultimately finish 22nd.

Sexton stated he will do even more testing this week to find answers: “Today was a bit frustrating for me. I expect to be at the front right now, but we’re not there yet. This week we worked on starts a lot and it paid off, as we saw today. Right now, I’m headed back to Florida and the team is going to come out and test more with me this week. We’re hopeful to make some positive changes and come into Arlington ready to fight.”

Seewer & Ducati 2026: A game of patience or a warning sign?

January wasn't a typical preparation month for Jeremy Seewer, filled with endless training sessions, but rather a period of intense technical fine-tuning. While others were already gaining race experience, the 31-year-old spent many days in Sardinia in test mode – gathering data instead of waiting on the starting gate. The goal: to bring the Ducati to a level where he could not only keep up, but also be himself again.

Jeremy Seewer go with Ducati Corse into the next MXGP season – but there's little sign of euphoria. Instead, sober analyses, technical issues, and the hope for new parts dominate.

Lots of analysis, little racing experience

Seewer skipped the first pre-season races. A move that raises questions – but also reveals a lot about the current state of the project. The direction is clear: more groundwork than cosmetic results in February. But the downside is obvious. Race toughness isn't developed in testing programs, but in direct competition. And that's precisely where it will become clear whether the development work pays off.

According to Seewer, the Ducati is noticeably better than last year. Nevertheless, the final piece of the puzzle is still missing. That sounds like progress – but also like a project that isn't yet where a title contender should be in February. However, anyone still waiting for crucial frame components in February isn't in attack mode – but rather in development mode. And that's certainly debatable in the second year of a factory project.

Wilvo effect: More structure, more influence

With the operational switch to the Wilvo-led factory team, several things have changed internally. More manpower, clearer structures, fewer financial constraints. Ducati remains the technical driving force, but the team is more involved. For Seewer, this means: more of a voice – but also more responsibility.

His assessment of the internal dynamics is interesting. According to the Zurich native, his taller teammates have apparently been coping better with the Desmo450 MX so far. This delayed the problem analysis. Only when the Results during the Internazionali d'Italia EICMA Series 2026 When things weren't quite right in the race setup, it became clear that the limit wasn't solely due to the rider's skill. An honest, almost brutally honest assessment – ​​and an indication of just how fine the line is between "works" and "isn't enough" in MXGP.

The bike sets the limit.

Particularly revealing is his assessment that everyone is currently performing at a similar level at the absolute limit, and that additional speed is only possible through increased risk. This sounds less like the self-evident assessment of a contender for victory and more like the reality of a driver still grappling with the technical limitations of the package.

It's clear that for 35 minutes at the limit, he needs not only fitness but also confidence. Seewer intends to work on precisely that in Belgium before his first race in Sommières. Argentina is coming soon – and the competition is fierce.

Broad tip, small margin of error

The 2026 MXGP season promises an even closer competition. New faces like Kay de Wolf and Andrea Adamo will be in the mix at the front, while returning riders like Tom Vialle will bring additional quality to the field – the room for experimentation will shrink. In such a densely packed starting grid, every technical detail will become a factor. A bike that isn't perfectly suited won't just cost tenths of a second, but positions.

That's precisely why the situation surrounding Seewer and Ducati seems like a balancing act. In motocross, nothing can be forced. Anyone who tries to compensate for a lack of performance by brute force will pay the price sooner or later – either on the track or physically.

The focus is therefore not on grand pronouncements, but on substance. Crucially, the Ducati must function in such a way that Jeremy Seewer can once again ride intuitively – without overthinking, without constant corrections, without compromises when entering corners or braking. Only when this fundamental confidence returns can the foundation for consistency be built. And only on this basis can progress translate into genuine aggression.

Will the new parts make the decisive difference? That won't be revealed in the test, but in the first Grand Prix, when for 35 minutes no excuses will count.

And that's exactly where the real test begins – for Seewer and for Ducati alike.

When even FMF warns: The sound debate reaches a new level

The debate surrounding new noise limits in motocross has reached a new level of escalation. Not because the topic is new – but because one of the most important voices in the industry is speaking out openly. The criticism comes from FMF Racing, one of the world's leading manufacturers of off-road silencer systems and also the namesake of the EMX125.

FMF is stating what has long been a reality in the paddock: The current developments surrounding noise limits threaten to hinder the sport more than they protect it.

Stricter rules announced in advance – the new FIM limits

The regulatory background is particularly sensitive. For 2025, the FIM had once again significantly lowered the noise limits. Instead of the previously permitted 114 dB Bikes were allowed in 2025 only a maximum of 111 dB (including a 2dB tolerance). Three decibels less sounds harmless on paper – but in practice it represents a massive technical compromise. Because every further reduction becomes exponentially more difficult, expensive, and involves more compromises.

This is precisely the point of current criticism: The bar is being lowered faster than meaningful technical solutions can emerge.

Not a protest – but a deliberate signal

To state it upfront, we too do not want to return to facilities beyond tolerable levels. Excessively loud motocross was never the solution. A decision with high symbolic significance falls within this context: Kay the Wolf According to FMF, it will be in the 2026 MXGP We deliberately chose to start with the FMF standard header. Not an exclusive factory solution, not an MXGP-only prototype – but a near-production component at the highest sporting level.

For FMF, this is not a step backwards, but a clear statement against an excessive spiral of development and costs.

Production bikes pushed to their limits – racing as collateral damage

Particularly alarming: Even production motorcycles are increasingly failing sound tests. Bikes arriving from dealers no longer reliably pass measurements. Manufacturers are reacting with closed airboxes, reduced airflow, and increasingly significant compromises in performance and characteristics.

What is forced in top-level sports trickles down – including costs, limitations and technical dead ends.

Technical tricks instead of real progress

In professional racing, a clear pattern is currently emerging: development is no longer primarily focused on performance, but on measured values.

• Closed airboxes from several manufacturers
• Akrapovič “EVO3” header, specifically for frequency control
• MXGP-specific FMF header, designed for sound tests, not lap times

The fact that FMF – a specialist in exhaust gas technology – is publicly expressing doubts is telling. The message is: At some point, what is technically feasible is achieved.

Akrapovič as a pioneer – visible in factory use

That this development is not a theory is demonstrated by the approach of AkrapovichThe Slovenian manufacturer recently addressed the issue of sound reduction. very offensive and visible This was investigated – including during factory use by KTM last season. The focus was clearly on resonance volume, modified exhaust routing, and additional chambers – but even here, not all sound tests after the race could be passed.

The invisible avalanche of costs

What's rarely mentioned in regulations hits teams hard. Development costs explode – and ultimately end up with private teams, national championships, and junior categories. The sporting benefit? Minimal.

FMF sums it up perfectly: If, despite the already reduced 111 dB limit, further tightening of regulations is being discussed and even top drivers are consciously opting for near-stock performance, something is getting out of hand.

Road protection, yes – but with discretion

Of course, the goal remains the same: to secure routes, protect residents, and maintain public acceptance. But the crucial question is: Are blanket limits the right approach – or are more realistic, technically feasible concepts needed? When production bikes fail, racing technology becomes a cost trap, and even industry giants issue public warnings, more than just the next downward adjustment of decibel levels is required.

When the specialist brakes, you should listen.

FMF thrives on racing, performance, and sound – yet warns against current trends. The fact that Kay de Wolf, a top MXGP rider, will consciously use the FMF standard header in 2026 lends additional weight to this warning.

Motocross needs to become quieter. But not at the cost of skyrocketing costs, technical rigidity, and diminishing accessibility. Perhaps being closer to production models isn't the problem – but rather the only realistic way to ensure that motocross remains rideable, affordable, and vibrant in the future.

Seth Hammaker in for 250 East

Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker has went on an up and down journey throughout his career. He made his professional debut in 2021 and immediately put the sport on notice, winning his third career main event at Arlington. Multiple podiums and flashes of speed put Hammaker on the radar, but injuries began to pile up. 2025 was a return to the front for the Pennsylvania native after changing his program. With a move to Florida joining The Dog Pound, Hammaker rebuilt his career and returned to the top step of the podium. A pair of main event wins including an East/West Showdown triumph at Indianapolis and a runner-up finish in both the 250 East and SMX Playoff standings proved that Hammaker was ready to fight and showcase his true potential.

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When asking Hammaker about his shift last year, the two biggest aspects of his comeback were evident right away: preparation and confidence.

“I feel like I’ve been able to grow as a rider more than ever,” Hammaker said. “It started with the move to Florida. Working with Michael Byrne, coming up with a plan and goals to maintain health and solid rides throughout the year helped me a ton. Then, executing and gaining confidence helped me secure the best season of my pro career. The main priority of last year was to get through the full season healthy and nothing changes this year to be honest.”

Two wins last year and experience with the red plate showed Seth Hammaker’s progression and confidence in the 250SX East series.

Photo courtesy of Feld Entertainment.

Hammaker only missed one race last year after a big crash at Hangtown and put together his best season to date. While he remained competitive all year and healthy for most of the season, Hammaker underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum after his runner-up finish in the playoffs. I asked the 25-year-old about his progression back to standard practice, which he described as “smooth”.

“I got the surgery the Tuesday after SMX. Rehab went smooth and I was able to hit the three month goal to get back on the bike, which was ideal. I was back on the bike at the end of December and rode a few weeks of the turn track and outdoors, then hopped on Supercross and it felt great. I’ve been working on perfecting my technique more and being consistent throughout my motos.”

The sport of SuperMotocross tends to be a meat grinder, chewing up young, talented racers and spitting them out. While the mental and physical toll can crush dreams, Hammaker has stayed sharp and kept pushing with continued backing and support from Mitch Payton and the entire Pro Circuit team. Hammaker’s goal for the 250 East season is crystal clear: bring a #1 plate home.

“The loyalty means a lot to me. I really respect it and I want to get them a championship really bad,” Hammaker said. “I’m going to have to be consistent with my riding and put myself up front to stay out of the chaos. If I stay levelheaded and be the best I can be each race, that’s all I can ask for.”

Next weekend, the 250 East series kicks off at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the same venue where Hammaker claimed his first professional win. He will sport #10 this season and attempt to deliver the Pro Circuit team’s first championship since the summer of 2019.