| Jeffrey Herlings | |
| Nationality: | Dutch |
| Birth Place: | Geldrop, Netherlands |
| Years: | 2010-Present |
| Teams: | •Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team (2009-Present) |
| Championships: |
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| Wins: |
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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.
Born in Geldrop, the Netherlands,
He competes in the MXGP Motocross World Championship for the Red Bull KTM factory racing team.[4]
In 2008, Herlings won the 85cc FIM Junior Motocross World Championship, & the 85cc European Motocross Championship.
2009 saw Herlings finish 2nd in the 250cc European Motocross Championship and 3rd in the MX2 Dutch open championship.
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.
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.
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.
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]
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]
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.
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.
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.
| Year | Rnd 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 MX2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 5 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 11 | OUT | OUT | OUT | - | - | - | - | - | 5.83 | 50% | 6th | |
| 2011 MX2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 2.33 | 73% | 2nd | |
| 2012 MX2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | - | - | - | - | 2.43 | 81% | 1st | |
| 2013 MX2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | OUT | OUT | 1 | - | - | 1.00 | 100% | 1st | |
| 2014 MX2 | 1 | 1 | OUT | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | OUT | OUT | OUT | 11 | - | - | - | 1.76 | 92% | 2nd | |
| 2015 MX2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 29 | 7 | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | - | - | 5.00 | 73% | 7th | |
| 2016 MX2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | OUT | OUT | OUT | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | 1.06 | 100% | 1st | |
| 2017 MXGP | 15 | 17 | 9 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 5.15 | 58% | 2nd | |
| 2018 MXGP | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | OUT | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1.10 | 100% | 1st | |
| 2019 MXGP | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | 4 | 6 | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | 12 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4.88 | 40% | 19th | |
| 2020 MXGP | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | - | - | 2.00 | 83% | 12th | |
| 2021 MXGP | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | OUT | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 2.64 | 82% | 1st | |
| 2022 MXGP | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | - | - | OUT | OUT | OUT | |
| 2023 MXGP | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | DNF | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | 5 | 4 | OUT | OUT | OUT | OUT | - | 3.10 | 60% | 8th | |
| 2024 MXGP | 8 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
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.