Jeffrey Herlings crowned MXGP World Champion for 2021
The MXGP World Championship has been run and won for 2021, with Herlings and KTM taking the big prizeJeffrey Herlings has won the 2021 MXGP World Championship, with the KTM rider prevailing by just 5 points in a thrilling finish to the season.
The Dutch rider entered the final round in Mantova trailing championship-leader Romain Febvre (Kawasaki) by 3 points, with Tim Gasjer (Honda) another 12 points behind.
Another KTM rider, Jorge Prado, secured the holeshot in the first moto, preventing Febvre from getting an early lead. The battle at the front allowed Herlings to reel both riders in, soon taking the lead, winning the moto, and tying Febvre for points heading into the final race.
Prado took yet another holeshot in the second moto, but the championship trio of Febvre, Herlings and Gajser followed closely behind. Prado soon dropped to fourth, allowing the three title contenders the chance to battle it out.
Febvre’s time in front didn’t last long, however, with Herlings charging hard to take the lead in both the race and the championship. The Frenchman tried hard to take the lead back, but he crashed in the process, ultimately finishing third, with Gajser second.
Herlings crossed the line in first to take his second premier-class world title and KTM’s eighth since 2010. The win also marked Herlings’ 99th career Grand Prix win.
“I’m super happy but at the same time I feel gutted for the two next to me,” said Herligns after the race. “I know how it feels, I had it in the past. I want to thank both of them for a great championship.”
The final round in Italy also saw the final appearance by 7-time world champion, Antonio Cairoli. The Italian rider finished sixth in the championship.
Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
