As usual behind the scenes these days things are happening in regard to who’s going where in 2025. We know, for example, that Garrett Marchbanks is heading back to Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki, Max Anstie and Pierce Brown are taking their talents to Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing, Jordon Smith is going to Triumph Racing, Jorge Prado to Monster Energy Kawasaki wearing Fox gear but there’s something else brewing out there when it comes to the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GasGas team.
TLD has been a partner with KTM since 2016 with either KTMs or recently the GasGas brand but from what I’ve learned recently that partnership is in danger of being no more for 2025. KTM has expressed a desire to bring the GasGas brand in house and team it with the existing Rockstar Energy Husqvarna squad. In combing the two teams into one, costs will be down across the board and can still highlight the two brands.
And this would work also in regard to riders under contract for 2025 as well. If this were to work, it would be Justin Barcia (on a GasGas) and Malcolm Stewart (on a Husqvarna) on 450s with RJ Hampshire (Hus), Ryder DiFrancesco (GG) and Casey Cochrane (Hus) on the 250s. Christian Craig and Guillem Farres are expected to move on and of course, Brown is going to Star Yamaha.
There’s been very little “buzz” about Rockstar Husky filling that second 450 spot alongside Stewart as well as who is replacing Brown at TLD on the 250 so this all lines up.
Now from what I’ve been told, KTM would like the TLD crew to still be involved but it would cost Lee some of his long-time sponsors so there seems to be some pushback on Lee carrying on with the KTM guys. We know that, like a lot of other teams, TLD has met with Ducati about running their program for a 2026 450 debut which would mean for most of 2025, TLD would not be going to the races. But putting Troy Lee as a company and Ducati together does seem to make a lot of sense, right?
Nothing is finalized as of right now and things could change but right now, this might be the most interesting sub-plot of the silly season. What does Troy Lee end up doing?
