The Future Is Bright For Klein
A
merican Mason Klein was one of
the standout performers of the
2023 Dakar, taking a stage win and
leading the rally early on before a colli-
sion with Honda's Adrien Van Beveren
caused injuries that would eventually
lead to his retirement of the event.
Despite that, Klein impressed all the
right people while riding for the Dutch BAS KTM
team and is now a quasi-factory rider, according
to KTM Motorsport boss, Pit Beirer.
"We really still have time [with] Mason Klein,
he's still young, and the Dutch BAS team is doing
an extremely good job," said Beirer in an inter-
view with German publication, Speedweek. "We
may also need this second KTM team, which is
very close to us, in order to build up youngsters
there, as well. Skyler Howes drove there in 2021
before we hired him for the Husqvarna
Factory Team. Mason Klein is one of
us and will certainly be equipped and
supported by us with first-class mate-
rial.
"As far as Mason is concerned, we
also have to look at the age of the
other works riders. We don't want to
increase the numbers of the works team at the
moment, three riders are the absolute limit there.
We would only like to see personnel changes in
the rider lineup if one of the trio, Toby Price, Kevin
Benavides and Matthias Walkner, retires. On the
other hand, we will watch Mason very carefully.
He will not only get the best material from us, he
is also invited to every test of the three factory
riders and [to] do the Dakar preparation with
them."
CN
VOLUME ISSUE JANUARY , P43
Mason Klein's future
is set with KTM,
but there won't be
a factory ride until
one of the current
three riders retires or
moves on.
