Its that time of the season where riders start entering negotiations for their 2024 ride. Silly season, as its known, promises to be a big one this year, and in his second feature article Vital MX journalist Lewis Phillips gives us his insights from inside the MXGP paddock.
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Words: Lewis Phillips Images: Juan Pablo Acevedo
The on-track action in the FIM Motocross World Championship is wonderful, sure, but there is a better battle brewing in the confines of the paddock. There are so many contracts that are set to expire when the final chequered flag waves in the autumn – millions of euros can be shuffled from one rider to the next. This is a glance at where the top ten stars in the premier class find themselves, contractually, so that more depth is added to your viewing experience.
Jorge Prado (100 points): With Jeffrey Herlings’ services secured, one would think that Jorge Prado is the hottest property in the Grand Prix paddock. There was a rather high chance that he was going to jump over to the United States – that did not materialise though and one should expect him to be on track in the FIM Motocross World Championship next year. The colour of bike that he’ll be piloting is yet to be confirmed though.
Jeffrey Herlings (93 points): Jeffrey Herlings was going to be the commodity that would hold up all of silly season, yet Red Bull KTM Factory Racing made a rather swift move and secured his services in a two-year deal that will expire at the end of the 2025 FIM Motocross World Championship. Expect ’84’ to retire at the end of this deal unless he chooses to compete in 2026 Pro Motocross and tick another item off of his career checklist.
Maxime Renaux (78 points): It was rumoured that Maxime Renaux had already agreed on an extension with the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP team, but others suggest that no deal has been done yet. Truthfully, one would think that Yamaha will lock him into a long-term deal. There is interest from other manufacturers though and thus he should be preparing for a hefty pay rise, no matter where he takes his talents. Sticking with the bLUcRU sounds like a wise choice though.
Romain Febvre (78 points): This is interesting, because Kawasaki (or Kimi Raikkonen’s team that is at the steering wheel) has a lot of money to throw at elite stars. The current deal that Romain Febvre is close to completing is quite lucrative. Remember that he expressed interest in going to Husqvarna in the latter stages of the 2021 FIM Motocross World Championship and, according to rumours, followed the ‘green’ money. Will Kawasaki give an aging Febvre the same deal or back a younger stallion?
Glenn Coldenhoff (75 points): Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP have one athlete under contract for the 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship, that being Jago Geerts. Glenn Coldenhoff is already thirty-two years of age and will not be a priority for Yamaha, despite his recent run of form, as a rider like Renaux is a lot more valuable. Will ‘259’ chase a one-year extension, look elsewhere or retire? It seems that all options are feasible.
Calvin Vlaanderen (65 points): This is the fourth season that Calvin Vlaanderen has spent with Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha and, in all honesty, he deserves a factory seat. What more could he possibly do to attract attention from the top tier squads? It is rumoured that the Gebben outfit are set to make a fantastic change for the 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship, but will that be enough to maintain a relationship with Vlaanderen? Well, that depends on whether the factory teams open their eyes.
Ruben Fernandez (63 points): What a rarity. Ruben Fernandez is actually under contract until the end of next year, as is his teammate at Team HRC, and therefore he does not need to hop onto this insane merry-go-round. Would Fernandez have been able to increase his value, had his contract been set to expire? Maybe, but one misstep and the opposite could have occurred. Security is the greatest option in this situation.
Jeremy Seewer (57 points): Jeremy Seewer is nearing the end of his multi-year contract with those in blue and a desirable candidate in the Grand Prix paddock. Will he start a seventh season with Yamaha? It is hard to determine a direction to lean in, because he has quite the record and that is attractive to so many. Would Yamaha be able to pay hefty salaries to Renaux, Seewer and Geerts? Will they continue to field three bikes in the premier division? Those are questions that need more attention.
Pauls Jonass (56 points): Pauls Jonass, like Tim Gajser and Ruben Fernandez, does not need to engage in this silliness nor does he need to be concerned about the short-term future. Jonass has a two-year deal with Standing Construct Honda Racing. Brian Bogers is on a one-year contract, in contrast. There is absolutely no doubt that a lot of riders will vie for that second spot beneath Tim Mathys’ wing – his team is highly regarded in different corners of the globe.
Mattia Guadagnini (55 points): In the humble opinion of this scribe, Mattia Guadagnini must prove his worth in order to maintain his factory status. ‘101’ has shown some potential in the premier class, of course, but the Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing squad are capable of fielding two Grand Prix winners. If Prado extends his deal, will they make a run at someone like Renaux and make a significant bid for the crown that they have not held in six years?
