Aussie Harry Norton to lead Red Bull KTM in 2024

Australian Harry Norton has taken on the coveted role of team manager of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing for the 2024 MXGP World Championship season.

The 29-year-old from Adelaide replaces nine-time world champ Tony Cairoli, who left late last year to take on a role with Ducati.

“People have asked me how I feel about this, and the answer is simply excited,” said Norton on the new role. “It was a dream to work for this team, and to make it as one of the key figures and to have such an input into how we go racing is next level for me.”

Robert Jonas, KTM Vice President of Offroad Racing, explained that Norton was awarded the role based on “qualities” they the KTM Group “really appreciate and value”.

“Harry is passionate about the sport and dedicated to the brand,” said Jonas. “He already has a long KTM history and made a huge change to travel across the world and chase his professional dreams.

“Harry is open, friendly, and calm, and these are essential qualities for a race team that needs good organisation, a good atmosphere, and to face the drama that the sport can bring. He really believe in him.”

Norton steps up from his previous position of Technical Coordinator and will oversee the Austrian brand’s MXGP and MX2 efforts, which are spearheaded by Jeffrey Herlings, Andrea Adamo, Liam Everts, and Sacha Cohen.

Starting his career as a mechanic at Kessner Motorcycles in South Australia, Norton worked as a race team mechanic and also formed an association with KTM Australia.

He arrived in Austria in 2019 to take up a KTM role in Europe, and was assigned to MX2 rider Tom Vialle, with whom he won two world championships.

Norton was seen as a natural successor to Red Bull KTM’s Technical Director, Dirk Gruebel, and took on that role in 2023.

As the new Team Manager, he will now turn his attention to the 2024 MXGP World Championship, which begins on March 10 in Argentina.