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Red Bull KTM has announced their exciting rider lineup at the first round of the National Motocross championship held at the Rover Motocross track in Port Elizabeth this past weekend.
The team, according to a statement obtained by AUTO REPORT AFRICA, sees multiple South African Motocross champion, Kerim Fitz-Gerald, as the senior rider on the team while the rest of the team consists of a number of youngsters that have come through the ranks.
“The team features some of South Africa’s up and coming talent. For most of them, Kerim is their role model and as the team’s main MX1 & MX2 rider, he’ll mentor Junior riders.”, said Darrel Fitz-Gerald. The Red Bull KTM team manager – and Kerim’s older brother – hung up his Motocross boots to focus on training South Africa’s current and future champions.
Red Bull KTM’s rider lineup consists of both Jonathan Mlimi and Nathan Mc Lellan racing the 85cc Junior MX class while 2015 South African 65cc Junior MX Champion Camden Mc Lellan is taking on the 85cc Pro Mini MX class in 2016. In the MX2 class title contender Kerim Fitz-Gerald continues to impress onboard his KTM 250 SX-F together with his team mate Joshua Mlimi, South Africa’s 2015 125cc High School MX champion. Changing from two stroke to four stroke for the first time, 2016 will be a big learning year for the talented Mlimi. Besides racing MX2, reigning MX1 champion Kerim Fitz-Gerald will continue to race the MX1 class in 2016.
Franziska Brandl, Managing Director of KTM South Africa, said he is enthusiastic at the prospect of further developing young talent through the team.
“We understand that by putting the two powerful names of Red Bull and KTM together we set ourselves the highest of targets. Focusing on the youth and the future of the sport has always been KTM’s focus. Having so many talented youngsters on our Red Bull KTM team is exciting and by supporting our youth in trying to achieve their goals and live their dreams, they will hopefully look back one day and remember us being part of their road to success”, Brandl said.
The riders knew that the first round would be the most difficult race of the season – the sandy track more suited to the coastal riders. Though challenged by the track’s tendency to get rougher and rougher throughout the day, Red Bull KTM still gave their best at all times and brought home the silverware, securing a number of podium finishes in their respective classes.
Jonathan Mlimi rounded off the 85cc Junior MX podium in third place, a great position to start the season off with. Jonathan and Ike Klaasen had one of the most exciting 85cc Junior MX races in years, going back and forth for the lead, leaving Jonathan with a 2-2 finish for the day.
Camden Mc Lellan had an outstanding ride in the deep sandpit of Rover and managed to secure a third place in the 85cc Pro Mini class, scoring valuable points for the championship. Being one of the younger and smaller riders in this class, making the move from the 85cc Junior MX class last year, Camden has proven to be a strong contender for the championship, especially once the racing circus moves to the hard-pack tracks.
In the senior classes Kerim Fitz-Gerald started his season off on a good note securing second place in the MX2 class. His teammate Joshua Mlimi however didn’t have luck on his side this time around – getting held up in a crash caused by other riders at the start of the first MX2 heat. As Rover is the roughest track for the season, the national proved to be a good learning curve for Mlimi as he gets used to the intensity of the MX2 class. Mlimi finished the day in 8th place overall.
In MX1 Kerim Fitz-Gerald unfortunately had some issues at the start and made mistakes throughout the race, missing out on a podium finish this time. Fitz-Gerald is looking to add good points to the championship scoring going forward with the first national out of the way.
In the Ladies class Red Bull KTM brought out the very talented Leah Heygate who for the first time has been exposed to National MX in South Africa. The 16-year-old lady rider from Chingola, Zambia, was exposed to terrain she had never ridden before, and even more so turned heads when she finished in second place in the Ladies class at her debut race in South Africa. While still focusing on her schooling, Heygate will try and make more guest appearances on the Red Bull KTM team in 2016.
The second round of the MSA National Motocross championship takes place at Zone 7 in Cape Town onSaturday, 2 April 2016. Make sure you don’t miss out on all the action if you are in the area, and pay the Red Bull KTM team a visit.
