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MXGP News: Joel Smets named Red Bull KTM Team Manager
Five times FIM Motocross World Champion Joel Smets will become Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager for the 2025 season and to replace Harry Norton who diligently guided the decorated title-winning crew through a year of transition in 2024. Words: Red Bull KTM
The 55-year-old has been a pivotal part of the Red Bull KTM Grand Prix structure since 2015 and when he joined in a managerial capacity, overseeing aspects of the riders’ preparation. His impact has been extensive in that time but perhaps best seen in his work with Tom Vialle and Andrea Adamo; helping both the Frenchman and the Italian to transition from promising riders to Grand Prix winners and world champions. He also played a significant role in the development of MXGP World Champion Jorge Prado, amongst others.
Smets’ connection with KTM runs deeper and earlier than 2015. The Belgian claimed his fourth and fifth world titles on factory KTM SX-F machinery.
KTM would like to convey their heartfelt thanks to Harry Norton for the managerial responsibility he assumed for 2024. Harry has a long history with the company back to his first professional years as a mechanic in Australia and then immigrated to Austria, going on to win two MX2 world titles with Tom Vialle in 2020 and 2022. He coordinated fresh staff incorporation, oversaw three of the four riders seize Grand Prix wins this year and helped solidify the structure through some important internal changes. Norton will retain a key position inside the KTM Motorsport Department.
Confirmation of the final 2025 MXGP Red Bull KTM Factory Racing line-up for both classes with the KTM 450 SX-F and KTM 250 SX-F will be announced soon.
Joel Smets, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “I have a long history with KTM. As a rider and in a management position it is now over twenty years! I will throw all my experience and my knowledge into the job to try and keep our riders in the winners’ circle. We have had a lot of success in recent years and that has been because of the group effort at the track and back at the factory so it will be an honour for me to lead that now and to keep pushing for all we can achieve.”
Robert Jonas, Vice President Offroad Racing: “We asked Joel to take on the task of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager to bring the team up another level again after Harry did a very admirable job this year. We have been in transition with some changes in the last three seasons and Joel is the best person for the role now for several reasons: he has the history and the knowledge of the company, he knows the team intimately and he has all that riding experience as well as expertise of pushing riders to higher performance goals in their careers. Joel feels ready to extend his usual work on a wider scale and we’re thrilled that he’ll be heading our MXGP effort as we aim to chase those titles again.”
Image: Red Bull KTM
Levi Townley signs for MJC Yamaha EMX125 team
Yamaha Motor Europe and the MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 team are thrilled to reveal their powerhouse four-rider line-up for the 2025 EMX125 Championship. The team will retain its talented trio of riders—Dutch sensation Dani Heitink, French rising star Mano Faure and Belgian standout Jarne Bervoets—while also welcoming the reigning Junior Motocross 85cc World Champion, Levi Townley, from New Zealand. Words: Yamaha
Dani Heitink had a breakout rookie season in the EMX125 class, scoring two impressive race wins and four top-five finishes. The young Dutchman has set his sights on an even stronger performance in 2025, aiming to challenge for the championship title.
Mano Faure burst onto the scene with a podium finish at the opening round of 2024 in Sardinia, demonstrating his potential early on. Despite a season-ending injury in May, Faure secured five top-five finishes and two podiums and is eager to bounce back stronger in 2025 to fight for the crown.
Belgium’s Jarne Bervoets faced his share of challenges in his rookie season but still managed to score seven top-10 finishes while battling injuries. Now fully recovered, Bervoets is ready to hit the ground running and show his full potential in 2025.
Joining this talented roster is 14-year-old bLU cRU graduate Levi Townley, fresh off an incredible season on the international stage. After capturing the 85cc title at the 2024 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship in Heerde, The Netherlands, Townley made a seamless transition to the YZ125 and capped off his season with an impressive second-place finish at the YZ bLU cRU FIM Europe Cup SuperFinale during the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations in early October.
Townley, the son of former MX2 World Champion Ben Townley, is set to relocate to France ahead of the 2025 EMX125 Championship, where he will prepare for his first European Championship campaign.
With this exciting mix of young talent, all competing aboard GYTR-kitted YZ125s, the MJC Yamaha Official EMX125 team is set for an action-packed and promising 2025 season.
Thorsten Lentink, Yamaha Motor Europe MX Racing Specialist: “We’re happy to continue into 2025 with the same three riders. These young talents were relatively new to the EMX125 class in 2024, but they demonstrated impressive potential. Our primary goal was for them to learn, gain experience and grow, and they achieved just that. While injuries set us back at times, their overall progress was very positive. We’re confident they’ll use what they learned in 2024 to chase top results in 2025. Adding Levi Townley to the team is also very exciting. His win at the Junior Motocross World Championship on his YZ85 was special. We immediately saw his natural skill and potential and wanted to give him this opportunity to take the next step in his career with our Official EMX125 team. We’d also like to thank Yamaha Australia/New Zealand for their support, as well as the dedication of his father, Ben Townley, and Josh Coppins in New Zealand, who have given Levi an excellent start to his career. We know the move to France will be a big step for Levi, but we’re confident he’s ready, and we’ll ensure he, along with Dani, Mano and Jarne, have all the tools necessary to succeed.”
Image: Yamaha / Ben Townley
Jake Cannon signs with Bud Racing
Having claimed the 2024 ProMX MX3 title and proven what a hugely talented rider he is over the years, it’s been confirmed Jake Cannon has joined Bud Racing Kawasaki.
“Very happy to announce that Jake Canon will ride for Team Bud Racing Kawasaki in 2025 for a multi-year contract. The 17-year-old Australian rider is more than excited to land in Europe for the EMX250 Championship, French MX2 Championship and some supercross. Welcome Jake, let’s make this season an unforgettable one,” the team stated.
Ready for the challenge that awaits in the stacked EMX250 class, this deal is a fine reward for all his hard work and caps of an excellent year for him, that also saw him race the AMA Pro Motocross and Scouting Moto Combine at Red Bud. “I take my hat off to him. Lining up against the people he looks up to, aspires to be, and beat, it was clearly overwhelming, but he didn’t shy away, and he has shown he has the potential to be something special,” explained Honda Racing Australia’s Yarrive Konsky following his strong Stateside effort.
Destined for an extremely bright future, it’ll be intriguing following his progress in this next step of his career on the Bud Kawasaki in EMX250, where he’ll race alongside Spaniard Francisco Garcia.
Image: Bud Racing
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