Jeffrey Herlings, who burst onto the MX2 GP season in 2010 as the rising star of the Red Bull KTM Factory Team and has proved himself as a top rider in the most elite company, is out for the rest of the season to heal an injured shoulder.
Jeffrey, just 15 years old, crashed heavily on his shoulder in the second moto in Loket, Czech Republic last weekend after a blistering performance in the first moto that saw him finish third and move into third in the championship standings behind factory teammate Marvin Musquin and rival Ken Roczen.
Everts confirms Herlings withdrawal from the last three GPs
Red Bull KTM team boss Stefan Everts told KTM Racing News that after a second medical opinion that established the shoulder injury was more serious that a simple dislocation, it had been decided that Jeffrey would not race in the remaining three GPs of the 2010 season. "The damage to the shoulder was worse that we thought and there is still some bleeding. He will need surgery and it is better that he concentrates on healing the injury and recovering to be completely fit for the beginning of 2011. Jeffrey is still very young and he has nothing more to prove about his performance on the bike. He has won two GPs and has proven that he is up with the best and the fastest on the world championship tracks. The injury is unfortunate but that's racing, and like all champions he will come back to the track stronger than ever," Everts said.
Time to heal, says Jeffrey
Speaking by telephone from his home in the Netherlands Jeffrey also said he considered that withdrawing from the last three GPs was the right decision. "Now I have to take at least six week's rest before I can have the surgery on my shoulder," he said, "The muscles are still very swollen and the swelling has to go down before the operation. After that I will need 2-3 months of recovery time but that means I will be fit and ready to race at the beginning of the 2011 season. I have had a lot of good races this year and I have shown that I can race with all the good guys and get good results. I know there will be a lot expected of me going into next season so now I'll have time to recover and to get really fit again in time for the first races."
Herlings delivers a stellar first season
Jeffrey has had a stellar first season with the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team. He had the pleasure of winning his first career GP at home in the Netherlands and followed it up with a second win in Latvia. He was three times second on the overall podium (Portugal, Sweden and Belgium) and was third in Lombardy, Italy. He won four individual motos, was placed second in four races and was third six times to underline that despite his entry into senior world championship level racing at such a young age, he is a professional that can deliver on all kinds of terrain.
The entire Orange family join in wishing Jeffrey a speedy and complete recovery and look forward to him being "Ready to Race" for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team at the beginning of the 2011 season.
