HRC factory rider, Jeffrey Herlings is a six-time world motocross champion, and without question, is very capable on the Honda machine to add two or three more world titles to his name.

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Similar to Stefan Everts, Herlings might just have started a second part to his career and climb even closer to Everts GOAT tally of 10 titles. It was back in 2001, that Everts after two years of injuries started his second reign, putting together championships number five, six, seven, eight, nine and 10. Stefan was 33 years old when he retired, but let’s not forget, he retired as an unbeatable force, still with championships in the tank.

Herlings, at 31 years of age, can easily go another two, three, four or five years out of his old body and the way he is riding this year, he is in a similar situation Everts was in 2006, when he hung up his helmet.

Having won his last title in 2021 and many of us figured was he going to ever get number six. Jorge Prado, Tim Gajser, Romain Febvre and even Lucas Coenen made it difficult for him, but as great champions do, he pulled of a record season and is now in the same list as Joel Robert, Antonio Cairoli and Everts, as somebody who claimed a sixth championship.

For Herlings, to finally wrestle himself away from number five, a total that a bunch of big names own, Roger De Coster, Eric Geboers, Georges Jobe, Joel Smets and Tim Gajser, it means Herlings, with his huge number of GP wins is now the third most successful GP rider of all time, and only Cairoli and Everts statistically better.

In my humble opinion and while I am very much a numbers guy when it comes to the GOAT list and nobody is replacing Everts as number one, you have to ask the question, is Herlings the fastest GP rider of all time. In my opinion, he is and it would be very much honest if he can end his career with two or three more world championships.

Kay De Wolf is coming, Tom Vialle is coming, as will others, but in his current form, his experience and that beautiful red bike, it is easy to see him win again in 2027, and the talk of him extending his career with Honda another two years, titles in 2028 and 2029 wouldn't seem impossible. He will be 35 years old, but that old broken body isn't showing signs of slowing down and as it is now, NOBODY is beating the Bullet.

That first world title in 2012, some 14 years ago seems like a million years ago, broken bones, heartache and drama have followed Herlings throughout his career, but one thing that has never changed is his desire to be the best, beat the best and reign at the top of the GP history books. He has taken another step in his legendary career, but believe me, this hungry young isn't finished just yet.

The Wait

Wow. What a ride it’s been to win this sixth world title. Even since my last one in 2021 to finally get number six is just an incredible feeling. Joining Honda HRC PETRONAS on January 1st and everything being new, new bike, new team, new gear, and it hasn’t always been easy but I think you can see all the work that we’ve done and you can see the results on the track. Just so glad to have made it happen and a big thank you to the team and to my friends and family who have supported me through some tough times.

His Weekend

“Its great and I’m really pleased about the weekend. Even though I had such a points gap, I was really stressed the last couple of weeks, the last practices, because I knew the only thing what could possibly ruin my championship was injury, and I’ve shown I was quite fragile in the past in my career when I had crashes. I tried to be smart, but at the same time, I just kept going as hard as I could because I knew when I’m front, I have the less risk. So, yeah, it was definitely nerve-wracking.

The Pressure

“I’m going to be honest; I haven’t slept much last night. I think I got three hours in. I was just like all kinds of scenarios, if this, if that, and just try to, you know, not crash. And actually, from all the scenarios I had in my head, I never guessed I was going to take two holeshots and led every single lap. So, no, I’m very pleased with it. It’s a sixth world championship, 123 GP wins, 11th of the year with Honda HRC Petronas

Great Champions

“I think that’s what some champions can do, I think, I mean, I hate being cocky or arrogant, that’s totally not my thing. But I think once you have won a couple of championship, you, at the moment when you have to pull it off, you’re able to pull that switch and send it when you have to and just don’t let the nerves take over. Days like today, I have all my family, all my friends, all my sponsors, basically, even very highly achieving Honda HRC. Mr. Ichion now is here for the championship. So, yeah, even though there was not that much public at this race, I had quite some pressure. And I just wanted to do good for everyone and let them have a good weekend with me winning.

Going For Records

“I’m very pleased with it. Obviously, I don’t really have time to take time off because, jeez, I’ll be back at the practice track on Tuesday because we’ve got a couple of races to go. But we keep going until the end, I mean, the season, even though I won the championship isn’t over. I just keep trying to now get the record higher and higher from the GP wins and moto wins, whatever. So, we keep going. I mean, the competition is still strong. Yes, there’s some guys injured, but you saw like Tom today, we were gone in the second moto. We had a massive gap, and you see every weekend someone, like last weekend Kay, this weekend Tom, every weekend, it’s never easy. It’s never easy to win.”

Celebration and 2027

Tom definitely didn’t make my life easy in that second race, but it was a great GP and to win the GP, win my sixth world title and keep my winning streak alive is something I am very happy with. It’s been a lot of work throughout the year to get to this point and I’ll make sure to celebrate tonight with all my friends and family who came here to watch. However, I’m already excited and motivated to keep this going in the last two rounds and even for next year as well.