KTM - Winning ways in int. MX competition and offroad sports motorcycle technology

KTM Sportmotorcycle AG, the world leader in the field of sports-oriented motorcycles and a cult brand recognized by offroad enthusiasts all over the world, has celebrated a fantastic close to the 2008 MX racing season.

The final GPs to conclude the MX1 and MX2 season were held in Faenza, Italy revealing the very best of what is exciting and challenging in top class international racing. That KTM was set to win the MX2 title was clear before the riders left the gate in the first moto on Sunday. The title was to go to one of the two leading MX2 riders in the Red Bull KTM factory Team, Tyla Rattray of South Africa or Tommy Searle of Britain.

Tyla went into the start gate of the first race with a handy point margin over the British teenager knowing he needed only a minor place to ensure the title. His second place was more than enough and as he threw his arms in the air in celebration as he crossed the line, the entire KTM team broke ranks and swarmed onto the track to help him celebrate.

It was a very worthy title for the South African who has worked incredibly hard on his physical, mental and riding preparation throughout the year. Tyla has come tantalizingly close to being world champion before, but injuries like the knee that required reconstructive surgery in the latter part of 2007 intervened. It was his moment; his last race in MX2 before going on to race MX1 for the Red Bull KTM team in 2009.

"I have had three tough years, some big injuries and to come back and win the world championship, that is an awesome feeling," he said. Tyla confirmed he had received great support from his parents and his trainer but he also praised KTM team boss Stefan Everts and KTM for its contribution in helping him to secure the title.

British teenager Tommy Searle said he never gave up hope on Sunday that he still might be able to win the title, surely a sign of a true future champion. But although the British teenager was denied his chance and had to settle for an excellent second place, no one doubts that it is only a matter of time before he will get his reward. Tommy too is saying goodbye to the MX2 GP circuit and is heading for the USA to race for KTM in 2009.

The season has seen Searle mature as a racer and a person and he has a very bright future in front of him. Deciding to go out on a high note, Searle won both motos in Faenza in a style that left no one in doubt about his ability on two wheels.

In MX2 KTM riders took four of the top five places in the world championship. Shaun Simpson of KTM UK was fourth and will move to the Red Bull KTM factory team in 2009. Rui Goncalves, the third Red Bull KTM rider was fifth.

Red Bull KTM rider Max Nagl also rounded off his season on a very high note. It was the young German's rookie year as a factory rider with the Red Bull KTM team under the guidance of the iconic rider and multi world champion Stefan Everts. Everts said at the beginning of the season that 2008 would be a learning year for Nagl but in the second half of the season, once he had recovered from a health sapping virus, he has increasingly delivered a message to other riders and observers about what his result might be in 2009.

Max gained in confidence from the time he raced in the sand at Sweden and has progressively looked more and more confident as the season drew to a close. In the final GPs it became obvious that Nagl was going out of the gates like a rocket and this culminated in two such starts in Faenza. He took the GP in a style that had marked his card as a rider to watch in the 2009 season.

Nagl finished the season in sixth place trailing KTM factory rider Jonathan Bar ragan of Team Silver Action by two places. Barragan who ride on the same factory machinery as Nagl, also went into top gear action as the season progressed. The Spaniard has re-signed with Team Silver Action for 2009 and will certainly be one of the top riders in the class.

While the MX1 and MX2 KTM squads were busy putting down their mark on the Faenza track, Belgian Sven Breugelmans, riding a factory KTM for the JMRacing Team was busy in Jauer, Germany, picking up his second MX3 world championship title. Like Rattray, Breugelmans settled the issue in the first race of the day, so when he was forced to withdraw from race two it was of no consequence to the final standings and he could simply rejoin the team's celebrations.

It was a red letter day for KTM and JMRacing at Jauer with Breugelmans' title being enhanced by the fact that their young French rider Valentin Teillert had already secured the European MX2 title before the final races.

To round up what has been a fantastic year of MX racing for the KTM orange Family, KTM-supported rider Steffi Laier was also second in the Women's Word Championship settled in Benelux. Because of a shoulder injury that put her out of the races in Bulgaria, Laier raced in only four of the five rounds. With the women's competition being extended to eight GPs next season, she will throw down the gauntlet to her challengers in 2009.

KTM factory teams, their riders and the entire Orange Family all got their shots of adrenalin during the 2008 racing season. It not only offered an outstanding series of highly competitive races; it also wound up with the kind of success that leaves no-one in doubt that KTM was, and is, the company that is always "Ready to Race".

Standings MX2

1 4 Tyla Rattray KTM 636

2 2 Tommy Searle KTM 613

3 131 Nicolas Aubin Yamaha 406

4 24 Shaun Simpson KTM 394

5 10 Rui Goncalves KTM 380  

- KTM-Sportmotorcycles , Mattighofen-