Jeffrey Herlings (born 12 September 1994) is a Dutch professional motocross racer. He has competed in the Motocross World Championships since 2010. Herlings won the 2012, 2013, and 2016 MX2 Championships; the 2018, 2021 and 2026 MXGP Championships and has the most Grand Prix wins in MXGP history.
Motocross career 2008 In 2008, Herlings won the 85cc FIM Junior Motocross World Championship, & the 85cc European Motocross Championship.
2009 2009 season' Herlings finished second in the 250cc European Motocross Championship and third in the MX2 Dutch open championship.
2011 Herlings finished second overall behind his Red Bull KTM teammate, Ken Roczen. On the KTM 250 SX-F, he won five overall Grand Prix victories and claimed six individual moto wins across the season.
2016
Herlings' final season in MX2 class was in 2016, and he won his third MX2 World Championship title.
2017
In 2017, Herlings debuted in the MXGP class and finished second overall to Antonio Cairoli in the championship standings. He also raced Round 12 of the AMA Motocross Championship at Ironman and went 1-1.
2018
Herlings dominated the MXGP class in 2018, winning 17 out of 20 rounds, the most Grand Prix's any rider has won in a season. He finished the season with 933 points out of a possible 1000.
2019 In 2019, Herlings was unable to defend his title due to injury sustained to his foot in January of that year. He missed the first seven 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 three 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 was the first Dutch win in the 73-year history of the Motocross des Nations.
2020 During the 2020 FIM Motocross World Championship, Herlings 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. In October, Herlings decided to end the season, to recover from his fall in Italy as well as a previous foot injury.
2021 Herlings missed the Czech Grand Prix due to injury, but then secured nine Grand Prix victories and 15 race wins, and achieving 14 podium finishes over the season. Herlings and Romain Febvre were separated by a mere three points heading into the final round in Mantova, Italy, but Herlings won both motos to clinch his second MXGP World Championship title by a narrow five-point margin over Febvre. This was his fifth FIM Motocross World Championship overall and his 99th career Grand Prix win. During the season he led 157 laps and securing 13 pole positions.
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 Águeda, 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 while 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.
2024 For the first time since 2017, Herlings competed in every round and race of the MXGP World Championship. Herlings struggled through the first five rounds, finishing on the podium once. From round 5 to 20, Herlings finished on the podium 14 times, winning at rounds 9, 12, 14 & 16. Herlings placed a distant third in the World Championship standings for 2024.
Herlings also captured the 2024 MX1 British and Dutch Motocross Championships.
2025 Herlings entered the 2025 MXGP season recovering from an off-season surgery on his right knee, having missed the early rounds of the championship. He delayed starting his season debut until Round 4 in Sardinia.“Herlings set for first 2025 MXGP appearance (Sardinia)”
Herlings won his first GP of the season in Teutschenthal (Germany) where he posted a 2–1 moto result, his 108th career MXGP win.“More MXGP supremacy … Herlings gets back on top (Germany)” He also won the MXGP of Latvia with a 1–1 moto sweep.“Herlings goes 1-1 in Latvia GP” In Turkey (Afyon), he secured another overall victory with a 2–1 moto score.“MXGP victory for Herlings in Turkey”
Herlings missed Round 13 (Finland) due to a broken collarbone.“Jeffrey Herlings Out for 2025 MXGP of Finland with Broken Collarbone” In China, he won both motos (1–1) to claim another GP victory.“Herlings wins both motos in China GP” He recorded multiple Q-Heat wins, which contributed extra points in some rounds.“Herlings on his fifth win of the season (Heat / Moto wins)"
By the end of the season, Herlings finished fifth overall in the 2025 MXGP standings, accumulating 608 points.“MXGP 2025 Championship Standings”
2026 For the 2026 season, Herlings made a major change in his career by joining Honda HRC after spending his entire Grand Prix career with KTM. He quickly adapted to the Honda, winning the opening round in Argentina with a 1-1. After several technical problems during the first half of the season, he was 68 points behind in the championship. His season turned around at the British Grand Prix, capitalising on the misfortune of championship leader Lucas Coenen, then began a remarkable run of eight consecutive Grand Prix victories. Herlings went on to secure his sixth FIM Motocross World Championship, and third MXGP title, at the Grand Prix of Türkiye with two rounds remaining. He ended the season with 13 Grand Prix victories, 22 race and nine qualifying race wins, on 973 points and taking his career total to 125 Grand Prix victories.
MXGP results Year Rnd1 Rnd2 Rnd3 Rnd4 Rnd5 Rnd6 Rnd7 Rnd8 Rnd9 Rnd10 Rnd11 Rnd12 Rnd13 Rnd14 Rnd15 Rnd16 Rnd17 Rnd18 Rnd19 Rnd20 AverageFinish PodiumPercent 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 2 1 1 1 2 4.80 47% 5th 2026 MXGP 1 ARG 2 AND 10 SUI 2 SAR 1 TRE 1 FRA 9 GER 10 LAT 1 ITA 1 POR 2 RSA 1 GBR 1 CZE 1 FLA 1 SWE 1 NED 1 TUR 1 CHN 1 AUS - 2.52 84% 1st
Achievements
2002 Dutch Champion 65cc Amateur federation 2002 Czech Champion 65cc 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 (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 Dutch Masters Champion MX2 2016 World Champion MX2 (14 GP wins, 15 podiums) 2017 Dutch Masters Champion MX1 2017 2nd World Championship MXGP (6 GP wins, 11 podiums) 2017 AMA Motocross Championship 450 class (2 races, 2 wins) 2018 Dutch Masters Champion MX1 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 8th World Championship MXGP (4 GP wins, 6 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) 2025 5th World Championship MXGP (5 GP wins, 7 podiums)
2026 Dutch Masters Champion MX1 2026 World Champion MXGP (13 GP wins, 16 Podiums)
Personal life On 13 January 2019, Herlings was dubbed a Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau at the KNMV Motorsports Gala.
References
External links Jeffrey Herlings at MXGP