Red Bull KTM Factory rider Jeffrey Herlings made his return over the weekend after six months away from racing. While he didn’t win the overall at the Hawkstone Park international, he did finish with 4-1-1 results, and showed good speed. He finished second overall to countryman Glenn Coldenhoff and left England with a big smile.
With a career full of injuries, Herlings will set a goal in 2024 of making it through 20 rounds and just trying to stay healthy. Of course, a championship is possible and if he could add that sixth FIM Motocross World Championship, he would become the third most successful rider in the sport's history (in Europe), behind Stefan Everts and Antonio Cairoli.
Having reached the age of 29, Herlings knows that time is running out, and he needs to enjoy his racing and put less pressure on himself. Even when speaking of the AMA 450 Pro Motocross Champion Jett Lawrence, the Dutchman shows respect and even feels he wouldn’t have the speed to battle the young Aussie. At least, not at the moment!
The interview was conducted by Geoff Meyer of MX Large, but also check out a very telling post-race interview (video link below) from GateDrop.com.
MX Large: I want to say congratulations on yesterday and while you didn’t win, for somebody who hasn’t raced in like six months it wasn’t a bad effort?
Jeffrey Herlings: No, it wasn’t actually. It was a shocker, because the track was like, I wouldn’t say really rough, but I think they had a lot of rain at the beginning of the week, so there were a million lines, you know what I am saying. I was in the south of Spain for the entire winter, so I haven’t seen anything like that place in such a long time. It was fun, but the track was pretty tough. It was a good race, and we learnt a lot and it was good to get some racing under the belt.
The first race, you struggled a little bit and I think you ended the moto like 36 seconds off the pace of Romain [Febvre]. Did you worry at all, or you figured you had been out so long it was a bit expected?
Most of them had done multiple races already. It was my first race back and unfortunately my racing season last year finished a bit earlier than the other guys. I haven’t raced that much and the first moto I was behind [Pauls] Jonass, and we were like 15 seconds down and the track was one lined and I couldn’t really pass him. We were struggling with some lapped riders, and I couldn’t overtake them, then I basically just gave up mid-moto and I ended 36 seconds down. The second part of the moto I was basically cruising, because I had massive arm-pump. Most of all I was struggling with the arm-pump more than the racing rhythm. Throughout the day that got better and better.
Did you surprise yourself to win the second two races?
Actually, yes, because last year, although I didn’t race the full 2022 season, so I was off for 15 months, but last year I finished way worse, like 7-2-4 and now just 4-1-1, so a big improvement on last year and I think this year had more good guys. [Pauls] Jonass was there, [Jeremy] Seewer, Febvre and Coldenhoff. Apart from the Yamaha, Honda guys and Prado, everyone was there. I was surprised, because I know myself, when I haven’t raced for a long time, I always suck to be honest. Throughout the year I get better and better, so for me it wasn’t bad yesterday.
We ran an interview last week and also yesterday I watched your interview with Gatedrop, and it seems you have a completely different mentality. I have noticed on your social media, you have had some really nice holidays, you are really successful with the money you have invested [Herlings owns like 80 houses], using your money well. Are you in a better place than ever, as far as your personal life goes?
It is hard to say, but I feel happy, but I still love racing, I love doing it and getting the adrenaline and I don’t want to quit, in fact I can’t anyway, because I have a contract with KTM for 2024 and 2025. Even after that, I don’t know what I will be doing, but I feel happy doing what I love to do. It isn’t a must for me anymore, because I already had a really long career. It started in 2010, so over 15 years and I am only 29, but I just want to enjoy it. I had a lot of injuries, should have had many more championships than I already had. So far, many ups and down, but I have the records for most moto and GP wins and that is two of the biggest records you can have. It would be my dream to win another championship, but if I finish second or third, it will also be a good year. In the past, I had to win, I was expected to win, and everyone was saying I was the fastest guy, but I am getting old now. I am just here, trying to do my best. I am realistic and I know the competition is way better than say 10 years ago.
It must be good to have that mentality, but I wonder how long you can keep that mentality, because you are so motivated, still after 15 years. I don’t know how long you can keep that, it takes a lot of pressure off, makes you enjoy the racing more and probably makes you faster?
Yes, definitely, and when there is pressure on the line, well, it’s different. There is always pressure though, if I finish 15th, my sponsors, KTM, the team or everyone else, they will be asking what I am doing. You know Geoff, in the past, if I went to a race and didn’t win, it was a failure, but now, I will go, do my best and if I win, mega, but if it’s a fifth, it is okay. I had the same mentality last year, but I still got injured. Also last year, I hardly took any risks. Looks at Forkner last weekend, he did everything great, but he mistimed something and had a huge crash. Sometimes you need luck, and you need it on your side.
Watch the Gatedrop interview with Herlings below:
I was interested with your interview yesterday [Herlings told Gatedrop that Lawrence would smoke him], and your take on Jett Lawrence. I am a massive Jett Lawrence fan and I believe he can be the greatest of all time. What impresses you about him?
For me, it is impressive, he is 20 and when you see him ride, it’s like he has been doing this for 10 years. To me, he has everything, he is light, he has a great team behind him, the marketing around him, is just brilliant. With all the Lawrence show or whatever it is. His starts are good, his physics are good, his mentality is good. He is super talented, super gifted, has a magnificent technique, so he basically has everything. You normally find riders who are really good, but have something that isn’t that good, for me it’s my starts.
And your bones?
Yes, my brittle bones too. So also with me, I was so dominant, I won a lot, but have weak points. With him, I can’t find a weak point. For me, he is one of the best and he makes some slight mistakes this year, like last week, jumping on a Tuff Block, and in the whoops a couple of rounds ago, so he has made some mistakes, tiny mistakes, but they were costly. He lost seven points this week, lost points when he crashed in the whoops, but damn, he is 20 and I wouldn’t like to race him for another 10 years if I was the other riders.
But in saying that, you have always been known as the fastest man on the planet, the guy everyone knows for that, if you do an interview, people read it. Okay, Stefan [Everts] is the GP GOAT, but I would think you might even be better known than Stefan. I feel like in the last decade, you have been the guy to beat. If you can get some momentum up and get your speed like it can be, I can see you and Jett having a great battle at the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations in England. It could be one of the greatest battles the sport has seen.
Yes, it will, and I am a clean racer, and he is too and for sure, if it happens. Would I want to battle him tomorrow, he smokes my ass, but if I can get in shape, like I was in 2018, or 2021, or parts of last year, when I am building and racing, racing, racing, then I can, but I am not going to say I can beat Jett Lawrence, I am just not going to say that. It would be good if I am in good shape, at least try and battle him. Maybe if I have my 2018 form, I might have something for him, but for me, he is really good.
Is staying fit a bigger goal than the championship?
Geoff, let me tell you, I haven’t raced a whole season since 2012. I just want to finish the season without being hurt. It is a 20-race series, so it’s hard not to be hurt at some point, my main goal is to finish 20 rounds. I won championships where I missed a round or two, 2016, 2018, 2021. I think if I can race all the rounds, I finish top three or four. I will be first, second, third or fourth. Right now, the biggest goal is to finish the season.
Tim [Gajser] looked really good in those two Italian races he won. Do you expect him to be the toughest competition in 2024? I mean, you and Tim have been the two guys now for the last decade.
Yes, I mean, when we won championships, we were the best, but Tim, the years he won the championships, and I don’t want to sound arrogant, but I was hurt. 2015 I had a 150-point lead and got hurt, he won his first title, 2016, I was racing MX2 when he won his first MXGP title, but he was the best that year. 2019, I got hurt, he won the championship, but he was the best of the rest and might have beaten me as well. 2020, I was leading the championship by over 60 points, I got hurt, he won the championship, 2021 we raced together, and I won the championship, 2022, I didn’t race, he won the championship and last year, we both got hurt. Prado won last year, but Febvre missed a race, I missed half the season, Tim was injured. To win a championship that way, I wouldn’t like that. When I won, or when Tim won, or when Tony (Cairoli) won, we were the best. Jorge was the best last year, but from the top five guys, four were injured. It will be important for Jorge to win another championship, if we are all fit. Last year I was hurt, Tim was hurt, Renaux was hurt, Febvre got hurt. Tim looked fast in Mantova, he crashed in the start, was last and still nearly won the moto. I heard the bike is new and amazing. Let’s wait and see.
What is the plan for 2024, a lot of races again, racing every weekend?
Depends a bit what KTM wants. I would love to, but I am racing for a factory team, and I can’t race every weekend. For me, I would, because I feel better when I do race a lot. I struggle with arm pump if I don’t do enough races. I am doing the full Dutch championship and would like to do some races in England, France or Germany, but KTM have to agree.
No trips to America then?
I wanted to race Pala last year in May, but KTM didn’t agree and maybe that was the correct decision. No trips this year. They have a strong lineup with Chase Sexton, they have a great serious contender there.
