Jeffrey Herlings

Last updated
Jeffrey Herlings
Jeffrey Herlings.jpg
Jeffrey Herlings in 2013
Nationality Flag of the Netherlands.svg 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

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.

Contents

Motocross career

Born in Geldrop, the Netherlands,

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

2008

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

2009

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

2016

Herlings in 2016 MXGP MX2 7216 Herlings 2016.jpg
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

Herlings in 2017 MXGP Villars- Herlings 84.jpg
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

Herlings in 2018 MXGP Herlings 2018.jpg
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

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

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

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

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

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

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

YearRnd
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 MX24312121451312211OUTOUTOUT-----5.8350%6th
2011 MX2312141424212431-----2.3373%2nd
2012 MX21211711227112118----2.4381%1st
2013 MX2111111111111111OUTOUT1--1.00100%1st
2014 MX211OUT1111111111OUTOUTOUT11---1.7692%2nd
2015 MX2117212212297OUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUT--5.0073%7th
2016 MX21111111111111OUTOUTOUT121-1.06100%1st
2017 MXGP15179128212722241110111-5.1558%2nd
2018 MXGP1121121111OUT1111111111.10100%1st
2019 MXGPOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUT46OUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUT1211--4.8840%19th
2020 MXGP115311OUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUT--2.0083%12th
2021 MXGP2319OUT23111211111411--2.6482%1st
2022 MXGPOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUTOUT--OUTOUTOUT
2023 MXGP21431191DNFOUTOUTOUTOUT54OUTOUTOUTOUT-3.1060%8th
2024 MXGP843692331221313126333.4575%3rd
2025 MXGPOUT

Achievements

Personal life

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

  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.