Jeffrey Herlings

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.

Jeffrey Herlings
Jeffrey Herlings in 2013
Nationality	Dutch
Born	12 September 1994 (1994-09-12) (age 30) Geldrop, Netherlands
Motocross career
Years active	2010-Present
Teams	•Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team (2009-Present)
Championships	•2008 85cc •2012 MX2 •2013 MX2 •2016 MX2 •2018 MXGP •2021 MXGP
Wins	•AMA Motocross 450cc: 1 •MX2: 61 •MXGP: 48 •MXGP Total: 109
GP debut	2010, GP of Bulgaria, MX2
First GP win	2010, GP of Netherlands, MX2

Motocross career

2008

In 2008, Herlings won the 85cc FIM Junior Motocross World Championship, & the 85cc European Motocross Championship.

2009

2009 season' Herlings finished 2nd in the 250cc European Motocross Championship and 3rd in the MX2 Dutch open championship.

2011

Jeffrey Herlings delivered an impressive performance during the 2011 MX2 World Championship, finishing second overall in the standings behind his Red Bull KTM teammate, Ken Roczen. Despite his young age—only 16 at the start of the season—Herlings quickly proved himself as one of the top riders in the class. Competing on the KTM 250 SX-F, he secured five overall Grand Prix victories and claimed 6 individual moto wins across the season. Known for his exceptional skill in sand, Herlings dominated at Valkenswaard in the Netherlands and Lommel in Belgium, showcasing his natural talent on rough, demanding tracks. While Roczen ultimately claimed the title, Herlings’ speed, consistency, and ability to challenge more experienced riders marked him as a future champion and one of the standout performers of the year.^[4]

2016

Herlings in 2016

Herlings' final 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.

2017

Herlings in 2017

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.

2018

Herlings in 2018

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.^[5]

2019

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.^[6]

2020

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.^[7] In October, Herlings decided to not finish the season to recover from his fall in Italy as well as a previous foot injury.^[8]

2021

Jeffrey Herlings' 2021 MXGP season was a testament to resilience and determination, culminating in one of the most thrilling championship battles in motocross history. Despite entering the season recovering from a foot injury and facing a fractured shoulder blade mid-season, Herlings demonstrated remarkable tenacity. After missing the Czech Grand Prix due to injury, he returned with a vengeance, securing nine Grand Prix victories and 15 race wins, and achieving 14 podium finishes over the season. The championship race was intensely competitive, with Herlings & Romain Febvre, separated by a mere three points heading into the final round in Mantova, Italy. In a high-pressure scenario, Herlings delivered a flawless performance, winning both motos to clinch his second MXGP World Championship title by a narrow five-point margin over Febvre. This victory marked his fifth FIM Motocross World Championship overall and his 99th career Grand Prix win. His season was further distinguished by leading 157 laps and securing 13 pole positions, underscoring his dominance and consistency throughout the year.^[9]

2022

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.

2023

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.

2024

For the first time since 2017, Herlings competed in every round and race of the MXGP World Championship. Herlings struggled through the first 5 rounds, finishing on the podium once. Round 5 to 20 saw Herlings finish on the podium 14 times, and collect wins at rounds 9, 12, 14 & 16. Herlings placed a distant 3rd in the World Championship standings for 2024.

He also captured the 2024 MX1 British and Dutch Motocross Championships.

MXGP results

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	2	6	3	3	3.45	75%	3rd
2025 MXGP	OUT	OUT	OUT	15	9	7	9	6	4	1	1	5	OUT	OUT	8

Achievements

• 2002 Dutch Champion 65cc Amateur federation
• 2003 Dutch Champion 65cc Amateur federation
• 2004 Dutch Champion 65cc KNMV
• 2004 3rd European Championship 65cc
• 2005 Dutch Champion 85cc Small wheels KNMV
• 2006 4th Dutch Open Championship 85cc Big Wheels
• 2006 2nd International Youth weekend at Heerde
• 2007 2nd Dutch Championship 85cc Big Wheels
• 2007 4th European Championship 85cc Big Wheels
• 2007 6th World Championship 85cc Big Wheels
• 2008 Dutch Champion 85cc
• 2008 European Champion 85cc
• 2008 World Champion 85cc
• 2008 German Champion 85cc
• 2009 2nd European Championship MX2
• 2009 3rd Dutch Open Championship MX2
• 2010 6th World Championship MX2 (2 GP wins, 6 podiums)
• 2010 2nd Dutch Open Championship MX2
• 2011 2nd World Championship MX2 (5 GP wins, 11 podiums)
• 2011 Dutch Open Champion MX2
• 2012 World Champion MX2^[10] (9 GP wins, 13 podiums)
• 2012 Dutch Open Champion MX2
• 2013 World Champion MX2 (15 GP wins, 15 podiums)
• 2013 Dutch Open Champion MX2
• 2014 2nd World Championship MX2 (12 GP wins, 12 podiums)
• 2014 4th Dutch Open Championship MX2
• 2015 7th World Championship MX2 (4 GP wins, 8 podiums)
• 2016 World Champion MX2 (14 GP wins, 15 podiums)
• 2017 2nd World Championship MXGP (6 GP wins, 11 podiums)
• 2017 AMA Motocross Championship 450 class (2 races, 2 wins)^[11]
• 2018 World Champion MXGP (17 GP wins, 19 podiums)
• 2019 19th World Championship MXGP (2 GP wins, 2 podiums)
• 2019 MxoN Champions Team Netherlands
• 2021 World Champion MXGP (9 GP wins, 14 Podiums)
• 2023 Dutch Masters Champion MX1
• 2024 Dutch Masters Champion MX1
• 2024 MX1 British Motocross Champion
• 2024 3rd World Championship MXGP (4 GP wins, 15 podiums)

Personal life

On 13 January 2019, Herlings was dubbed a Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau at the KNMV Motorsports Gala.^[12]

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.