MURRIETA, Calif. – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Julien Beaumer will sit out the next two rounds of the 2025 Pro Motocross Championship, aiming to regain 100 percent fitness with a goal of returning for Round 9 at Ironman Raceway in mid-August.

Beaumer has been experiencing ongoing effects from his heavy crash during the second 250MX moto at High Point last month, with both the 19-year-old and the team collectively making the decision to miss the upcoming Spring Creek and Washougal Nationals.

With an additional two-week break in the series scheduled following Washougal, it's anticipated that Beaumer will benefit from that extended time on the sidelines before completing the final three rounds of the outdoors at Ironman Raceway, Unadilla, and Budds Creek onboard his KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION.

After finishing inside the top-five at the opening two rounds of the Pro Motocross season, Beaumer has faced adversity in the following races. After qualifying P5 at RedBud on Saturday, he recorded 16-13 moto finishes for 16th overall and is currently ranked 13th in the championship standings.

Ian Harrison, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: "The last few weeks we noticed Julien just seemed to be off his game and, after digging a bit deeper into his issues and in consultation with a doctor, it seems he is likely having lingering effects from his crash at Round 4 of the series. As our riders' health and safety is always our number one priority, we are taking the doctor’s advice and decided that at this point in time Julien will sit out both the Millville and Washougal rounds."

The Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team (YART), which regularly contests the Endurance World Championship (EWC), will race with a special red and white livery along with the factory Yamaha Racing Team (YRT) on their YZF-R1 race bike for the 46th edition of the FIM Endurance World Championship "Coca-Cola" Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race set to be held on Sunday, August 3, 2025.

Red and white colours were first seen on a Yamaha racebike in 1964, and in 1973, they adorned the YZR500 (0W20) for Yamaha’s first full season challenge in the 500cc world championship. Since then, it has become a symbolic colour for Yamaha race bikes.

This year, as Yamaha Motor celebrates the 70th anniversary of its founding in 1955 and returns to the legendary Suzuka 8 Hours with a factory team for the first time in six years, they have adopted a special red and white livery on the YZF-R1, based on the 1999 YZF-R7 production race bike.

As Yamaha’s top team in EWC, carrying on the manufacturer’s spirit of challenge, YART will feature this red and white livery together with YRT, as the two teams challenge for a podium and win in the legendary Suzuka 8 Hours.

The leathers worn by riders Marvin Fritz, Karel Hanika and Jason O’Halloran, along with the shirts worn by all the team staff, and the pit garage itself, will be fully coordinated in red and white throughout the 8 Hours race weekend.

Marvin Fritz
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team
“Every year we run a special livery for the 8 Hours, but this year’s is especially beautiful. I think everyone who sees it is going to get excited. I asked Mandy what colour the bike would be this year, and he told me to remember the classic R7, so I immediately knew. I used to watch Superbikes when I was a kid, and I remember Noriyuki Haga's R7 with the number 41. I’ve always thought that livery was special. For me, it’s really an honour to be able to ride our R1 with those same colours at Suzuka this year. To everyone watching, I want to say, remember that we’re red and white this year, not blue, and I hope you’ll cheer for us in the race!”

Karel Hanika
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team
“I love this year’s special red and white colour scheme, and I think it’s gorgeous to look at. I can't wait to ride it on the track. At this year’s 8 Hours our YART bike will look a bit different than usual, but I hope the fans will like it. This bike reminds me of Noriyuki Haga, who used to race in the 8 Hours and in Superbikes on the Yamaha factory team. We’ll do our best to achieve a big result like he used to, so come to the race and support us!”

Jason O’Halloran
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team
“I’m honoured to be riding the red and white R1 to celebrate Yamaha's 70th anniversary. I remember the old R7, and it was a really cool design, so I’m looking forward to seeing our bike with the same livery on the starting line at the 8 Hours. We usually race in the traditional Yamaha blue, which is also very nice, but to have our bike in these special colours makes it extra exciting. I hope all the fans will enjoy the race, and enjoy seeing this bike on track. To everyone coming to the race, we hope you’ll be cheering for all the Yamaha riders, and especially the number seven YART bike. I’m looking forward to seeing you there!”

Mandy Kainz
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team - Team Manager
“This year’s special livery for the Suzuka 8 Hours is truly amazing. I remember the OW02, called the YZF-R7, was the bike that inspired me to join the Yamaha family 26 years ago. I actually have an R7 displayed in my office, so every time I go to work, I get to see it. And now to race the R1 in the same colours in the 8 Hours is just awesome. These are my ‘dream colours,’ so of course it’s a present to the fans, but also a present to me! When I first started riding, Yamaha bikes were red and white, and those iconic machines were the ones I wanted to ride so badly. I still have vivid memories of that, and when I think about those days, the red and white Yamahas are what stand out. We’ve won two titles (2009/2023) with red and white Yamahas, and I hope to make it a third in these colours in 2025."

Honda HRC Progressive continued their impressive form in AMA Pro Motocross, this time at The Wick 338 in Southwick, Massachusetts—a unique track on the circuit that is famous for its brutal, sandy conditions. Jett and Hunter Lawrence once again swept the top two spots in the 450 class, with Jett delivering another perfect 1-1 performance and Hunter not far behind with consistent 2-2 moto finishes. In the 250 ranks, Jo Shimoda rebounded from falls in moto 1 to claim second in the final outing and secure fifth overall.

The first 450 moto saw the CRF450RWE race machines of Jett and Hunter cross the holeshot line first and second, respectively, and Jett immediately put in a sprint to establish a gap at the front. At the halfway mark, he had a cushion of 10 seconds, with Hunter an additional seven seconds up on the next rider. Jett mostly maintained his edge from that point, while Hunter continued to stretch his margin over third. At the checkers, the gap between the brothers was 13.786 seconds, with an additional 18.922 seconds separating third place.

Jett snared yet another holeshot in moto 2, with Hunter a couple spots back this time. While Jett opened an advantage on Jorge Prado, Hunter pressured Eli Tomac, muscling by in a corner to take third on lap 6. Hunter assumed second when Prado went down at around the midway point, and the Honda rider then fended off a couple of challenges from Tomac before going on to finish a commendable second, 20 seconds behind his brother and 12 seconds ahead of Tomac. Among the other Red Riders, Joey Savatgy (Quad Lock Honda) was 12^th overall, Cornelius Tondel (JWR Honda Racing) was 17^th, Michael Witkowski (Phoenix Racing Honda) was 28^th, Deven Sorensen (Sorensen Racing) was 34^th and Brandon Ray (Raylentless Racing) was 35^th.

Thanks to a first-turn crash, Shimoda began the first 250 moto nearly dead last, and another early fall penalized him further. The Japanese racer had no choice but to begin a race-long charge, and it eventually carried him up to a 10th-place result. Shimoda got a much better start in moto 2, exiting turn 1 in fourth place. From there, he executed a couple of passes and maintained the gap to the front, taking second in the moto for fifth overall. Other Red Riders included TJ Albright (Phoenix Racing Honda) in 27^th overall, Lance Kobusch (SPR) in 37^th overall and Mark Fineis (TiLube Honda) in 39^th overall.

A hard-charging Joan Mir found himself devoid of luck again, unable to avoid the fallen bike of another rider. Aleix Espargaro completed the Dutch GP and leaves with valuable insight for the Test Team.

The weekend in the Netherlands continued to be a one of promise masked by complications and external factors for the Honda HRC Castrol team. Joan Mir was able to make another strong start from 13th on the grid, able to join the battle for the top ten by just the third lap. Lapping at a similar pace to the race leaders, the #36 closed down the gap to Quartararo and the group ahead. Unfortunately, a high side from Fermin Aldeguer just ahead would result in Mir being unable to avoid Aldegeur’s stricken Ducati, ending Mir’s race with a heavy fall. The 2020 World Champion will return home for further checks after being cleared of any major injuries at the circuit medical centre.

Aleix Espargaro’s 26-lap Dutch Grand Prix followed a similar schedule to his Dutch GP Sprint. Starting well, the Honda HRC Test Rider found himself quickly in the point scoring positions and worked to defend himself from several other riders. As in the Sprint, the #41 had to shift his attentions to riding around the vibrations from his machine and crossed the line in 16th place as a result, just shy of the points. Although the final results were not as he wished, more seat time will only benefit him and Honda HRC in the future.

After an intense pair of races, Honda HRC Castrol will now have a brief period of rest before another set of back-to-back races in Germany and at the returning Brno Circuit. Both Grands Prix will be key for Honda HRC to find their early season form and continue progressing.

Brno will host a test ahead of the German GP where Luca Marini will assess his physical condition after his heavy fall in Suzuka.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Jeffrey Herlings, winner of the German and Latvian Grands Prix this season with his works KTM 450 SX-F, will miss round 13 of 20 of 2025 MXGP at the KymiRing and for the Finnish Grand Prix on 12-13 July.

The 30-year-old suffered a broken right collarbone while completing a team training session at Arnhem earlier this week - the sandy circuit that will host the Dutch GP on 24 August. After careful checks and diagnosis in the Netherlands, Herlings was advised to initially try a natural healing process, as opposed to surgery, which will be analyzed further next week.

Herlings has won three motos, scored two Pole Positions and walked the MXGP podium twice for his respective overall victories this season. The Dutchman entered the campaign late after recovering from a right knee reconstruction during the winter but has already gathered enough points to sit 6th in the championship standings.

Jeffrey’s convalescence means he will not travel to Finland. He and the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team will then assess the state of his recovery on a daily basis to plan a return to action.

The cold and wet Cape Town weather delivered one of the toughest Motocross Nationals of the season at Zone 7 this past weekend, but it didn’t stop the Red Bull KTM squad from lighting up the podium. Thanks to track owner Johann Spies and his crew for prepping a rideable and safe track despite the heavy rainfall leading up to race day. The conditions were gnarly, but the orange machines charged through.

In the MX1 and MX2 classes, Cameron Durow was in top form, topping qualifying and claiming a controlled Moto 1 victory. A heavy crash in Moto 2 dropped him to the back of the field, but he fought back to an impressive P3, securing the overall win in MX1 (1-3). Durow claimed second in MX2 as his two mistakes cost him the top step, finishing 2nd overall.
"Moto 1 went perfectly, I felt good and controlled the race," said Durow. "Moto 2 was tough after the crash, but I’m happy to salvage P3 and the overall. A bit frustrated with my mistake in MX2 but looking forward to make up for it in the next round"

MX2 delivered some of the most intense racing of the day. Luke Grundy grabbed the holeshot in Moto 1, with Durow reeling him in for the win. In a chaotic Moto 2 with multiple lead changes, Grundy kept it tidy and crossed the line first, claiming the overall win (2-1) and extending his points lead.
"2-1 with intense battles and wet, tricky conditions for the overall — I’ll take it!" Grundy commented. "Keen for Bloemfontein next. A big thanks to the team for the support this weekend."

Trey Cox had a standout day, delivering solid results across both the High School and MX2 classes. In the High School class, Cox was fastest in qualifying and rode to P3 in Moto 1 after a tough start. He bounced back with a dominant Moto 2 win to secure 2nd overall (3-1).

In his rookie season in the MX2 class, Cox impressed once again, putting in an awesome ride to claim 3rd overall (4-2) against the country’s best.
"It was an up and down day," said Cox. "First motos just weren’t good enough, but Moto 2 I managed to turn it around. Good experience and hungry for more."

Red Bull KTM Team Manager Kerim Fitz-Gerald was upbeat about the team’s performance: "All in all, it was a positive day for the team. The conditions tested everyone, but the boys showed grit and speed. There’s a couple of mistakes we need to iron out, but if we keep believing and stay patient, the big results will follow."

Red Bull KTM leaves Cape Town with silverware in hand and a clear focus on keeping the momentum rolling into Bloemfontein.

The Brother Leader Tread KTM Team came out firing at the second round of the National Cross Country Championship in Dalton, KwaZulu-Natal this past weekend. The riders tackled fast and dusty conditions to secure solid results and valuable championship points.

In the highly competitive OR3 class, Matthew Wilson claimed a hard-earned victory, fending off a determined chase from his competitors. Wilson showed his grit and composure throughout the day to secure the top step of the podium. “I’m stoked with today,” Wilson commented. “I knew I had a few seconds on Luke and I could do something with that. The bike felt great, and I’m happy to take this one.”

In the Open class, Scott Heygate added valuable points to his championship tally with a second-place finish. Heygate endured a challenging day in the saddle after a crash cost him crucial seconds but remained focused to bring home a podium result. “ I had too many mistakes today, I’ll try clean up and go forward from here. We’ll regroup and see how we can improve for the next round,” he shared.

In the Seniors category, Kerim Fitz-Gerald had a standout ride, taking top honours and flying the orange flag high. “I’m really happy with how my riding has improved; it’s getting better each and every time,” said an upbeat Fitz-Gerald.

Brother Leader Tread KTM Team Manager, Megan Prinsloo praised the riders for their commitment and results: “It was a tough, high-speed track and the guys put in a great effort. Proud of the way they handled themselves out there, solid points for the championship and some good momentum heading into the next round.”

National Cross Country Championship - Round 2 - Dalton KZN

It was a strong weekend for the Husqvarna Racing team as they tackled the second round of the National Cross Country Championship in Dalton, KZN. Despite the very dry, fast, and dusty conditions, the team delivered impressive results, as Davin Cocker dominated the field with a flawless performance.

In the Open class, Cocker put in a clinical ride to claim both the overall and class win, further extending his championship lead. He set the pace early and maintained his advantage through the demanding conditions. “Not much dust for me luckily but it was a very dusty day out,” Cocker commented. “Managed to bring it home and I’m very happy about that.”

In the OR3 class, Luke Walker had a solid outing, continuing his fight in the championship standings. Walker closed the gap on class leader Matthew Wilson and secured a well-earned second place for the day. “I managed to close the gap between myself and Matthew but it wasn’t enough unfortunately,” Walker shared. “Still had a great day out and happy to make up some points.”

Husqvarna Racing Team Manager, Megan Prinsloo, was proud of the team’s performance: “Both riders showed great control and pace in very dustyconditions. Davin’s ride was flawless, and it’s good to see Luke continuing to close the gap and stay in the title hunt.”

With strong results in hand, the Husqvarna Racing team now looks ahead to Round 3 of the championship, aiming to build on this weekend’s success.

2025 EMX125 European Championship protagonist and promising teenage motocross prospect Aron Katona has extended his contract status with KTM Factory Racing. He will continue the following phases of his career in orange thanks to a long-term agreement.

The Hungarian was a top ten runner in the European series in 2024 with KTM 125 SX power. From the framework of the Racestore KTM Factory Rookies team in 2025, the 14-year-old (15 in August) has progressed with his speed and fitness to grasp his first podiums, moto checkered flags and overall victories. He rose to the top of the popular feeder series that filters to EMX250 and then to the FIM Motocross World Championship.

The KTM MXGP Academy star celebrated his maiden race win at St Jean d’Angely in France for the European Grand Prix, round two of twelve in EMX125, and followed the milestone with a double moto success and his first ‘overall’ at the Grand Prix of Sardinia. Aron also ruled the recent fifth fixture at the Swiss GP until a knee injury proved to be disruptive, and he is now on the recovery trail.

Katona, who impressed with his smooth and efficient riding style while benefiting from excellent backing from a supportive family, has inked a fresh deal to stay as part of the KTM Factory Racing structure and to maintain his trajectory up the professional motocross pyramid.

Aron Katona: “I’m really happy for this contract because I am coming closer to my dream with every step. It is unbelievable to be part of the KTM family like this. Thank you very much to everybody who has made it possible.”

Robert Jonas, KTM Vice President Offroad Racing: “Aron has been a great discovery, a real rough diamond. What impressed us was his advanced technique and riding: it stood out for a 14-year-old. We then got to know more about his attitude and his ambition, and these aspects match his talent. Together with our experience, our KTM SX and KTM SX-F machinery and our team structures we feel we have a powerful combination. Aron will bring us a lot of joy in the future.”

Lecuona and Vierge explore new WorldSBK circuit Balaton during a brief test session aboard a stock CBR1000RR-R Fireblade

The Balaton Park Circuit in Hungary will host a World Superbike round for the first time over the weekend of 25-27 July. In preparation for that eighth championship round, the Honda HRC team and factory riders Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge completed a half-day riding session at the track, alongside several other SBK teams.

Accompanied by Team Manager José Escamez and supported by two Team LCR technicians, Lecuona and Vierge rode a standard CBR1000RR-R on a sunny day, with temperatures in excess of 30°C. They completed 20 and 26 laps respectively, gaining some initial insights into this new track, which only opened in May 2023. It was the first opportunity for both riders to experience the 4.075 km layout.

“Balaton Park has done an amazing job – the facilities are very nice,” commented Escamez. “That said, it’s a challenging layout, and from a safety perspective, there may still be some improvements to be made. The riders completed a few runs on the stock bikes to get familiar with the layout. We’re very grateful to Team LCR for their support with this test.”

Xavi Vierge tried to make the most of the outing: “The track could be better, but at least today we managed to make some laps. Riding a bike is always a good plan, so I learned a new circuit while enjoying riding the street version of the CBR. Also, I did a bit of moto training, which was useful as I continue my recovery ahead of Donington”.

Iker Lecuona, who also took to the track for some initial laps, added: “Within two weeks I’ve ridden three different version of the CBR – my race bike, the Suzuka 8 Hour version and now the street version. It’s been fun! Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for the Balaton track, I simply don’t like it!”