Big MXGP Changes For KTM;
Everts To Husqvarna
A
lot has been going on
regarding KTM and its ef-
fort in MXGP. Recently, it was
announced that five-time FIM
Motocross World Champion
Joel Smets would be taking over
for Harry Norton as the new
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Team Manager. The 55-year-old,
Smets, claimed his fourth and
fifth World titles riding for the
KTM brand.
"I have a long history with
KTM," said Smets. "As a rider
and in a management position, it
is now over 20 years. I will throw
all my experience and my knowl
-
edge into the job to try and keep
our riders in the winners' circle."
KTM said, "[We] would like to
convey [our] heartfelt thanks to
Harry Norton for the managerial
responsibility he assumed for
2024. Harry has a long history
with the company back to his
first professional years as a
mechanic in Australia and then
immigrated to Austria, going on
to win two MX2 World titles with
Tom Vialle in 2020 and 2022. He
coordinated fresh staff incorpo
-
ration, oversaw three of the four
riders seizing Grand Prix wins
this year and helped solidify the
structure through some impor
-
tant internal changes. Norton will
retain a key position inside the
KTM Motorsport Department."
In other KTM moves, a long-
time member of the KTM family,
Liam Everts, the son of multi-
time FIM MX World Champion
Stefan Everts, has left KTM.
However, he didn't stray too far,
as he is still in the KTM fold with
Husqvarna. After being with KTM
for most of his racing career and
suffering a scary crash at the
final 2024 GP round in China,
where he temporarily lost feel
-
ing below his neck, the young
Everts has decided it's time for
a change, a change he hopes
will kickstart his racing results.
WIND
IN THE
P24
The Red Bull KTM
Factory Racing Team
has signed 18-year-old
Marc-Antoine Rossi to
its MX2 team for 2025.
