Jordi Tixier gunning for an ADAC MX Masters hat-trick in 2022

Riders from 25 nations have registered. Guest starters can apply online now.

With roughly three months remaining until the start of the season in Dreetz on 21st/22nd May 2022, the permanently registered riders in the four classes – ADAC MX Masters, ADAC MX Youngster Cup, ADAC MX Junior Cup 125 and ADAC MX Junior Cup 85 – are now confirmed. Interest in the ADAC MX Masters remains high: More than 250 riders from 25 nations will battle it out for championship points and titles in the 18th season of this series. In total, more than 340 applications were received. The ADAC MX Youngster Cup is the biggest class, with 96 riders. Eight motorcycle manufacturers will be represented in the ADAC MX Masters: European brands KTM, Husqvarna, GasGas and Fantic, as well as Japanese manufacturers Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha.

New additions to the ADAC MX Masters

The 68 permanent starters in the ADAC MX Masters class include many potential title winners, led by reigning champion Jordi Tixier (FRA) from the KTM Sarholz Racing Team and his closest rivals from last season, Tom Koch (DEU) of the Kosak Racing Team and Max Nagl (DEU) from the Krettek-Haas-Racing-Team. “I am looking forward to a long season with a variety of different tracks. I expect Max Nagl to be my main rival, but there are a lot of other fast riders. With this strength in depth, the starts have become hugely important if you are looking to win. My goal is to defend the title again,” said Tixier.

Koch has set his sights on an overall victory and the title, having claimed his maiden race win © Photo: ADAC

German hopefuls Koch and Nagl also have their sights set on the title. “After finishing third and second in the last two seasons, I am gunning for the title,” says Koch. The 2021 runner-up has shown that he is capable of winning races, and is looking to build on the success of recent years.

In Adam Sterry (GBR), the KTM Sarholz Racing Team lines up with a newcomer to the championship. Sterry, who finished sixth in the 2019 MX2 World Championship, is just one of many strong international riders. Jorge Zaragoza (ESP) starts for the KMP Honda Racing Team again and is looking to convert his experience into top results in the ADAC MX Masters class. Gert Krestinov (EST), Nathan Renkens (BEL), Boris Maillard (FRA) and Bence Svoboda (HUN) are also established names, who will again be involved in 2022. More top riders from the MXGP World Championship have already expressed interest in making guest appearances at individual events.

Max Nagl led the 2021 championship until he suffered an injury © Photo: ADAC

A host of strong riders from Germany, Austria and Switzerland will roll up to the start gate. Stefan Ekerold is determined to finally make it back onto the overall podium as one of the top three in the championship. Lukas Platt has turned professional. Lion Florian is making his debut on the 450 cc bike. Other German-speaking riders looking for good results will include Germans Mike Stender, Tim Koch, Paul Haberland and Nico Koch, Austria’s Michael Sandner, and the Swiss duo of Louis Freidig and Romon Keller.

ADAC MX Youngster Cup

The biggest class is the ADAC MX Youngster Cup, with 96 riders. Maximilian Spies (DEU) would love to reclaim the title he won in 2020, and this year lines up on a 250 cc, four-stroke KTM for the new Schmicker Racing Team. To do so, he will have to overcome stiff international opposition from Camden McLellan (ZAF), Rick Elzinga (NLD) and Romeo Karu (EST), as well as Scott Smulders (NLD) and Bradley Mesters (NLD), who have stepped up from the ADAC MX Junior Cup 125. Strong opposition from within Germany will come from the likes of Noah Ludwig, Marnique Appelt, Paul Bloy, and newcomers Constantin Piller and Valentin Kees.

ADAC MX Junior Cup 125 and 85

Many talented youngsters use the ADAC MX Junior Cup 125 as a step between the ADAC MX Junior Cup 85 and the ADAC MX Youngster Cup. As such, many young riders step up to this class each year on their way to the top. More than 70 applications were received for the 49 places available. Maximilan Werner (DEU), Karlis Reisulis (LVA) and Cas Valk (NDL) will go into their second season in this class with title aspirations. Stepping up to the ADAC MX Junior Cup 125 are the impressive Vitezslav Marek, (CZE), Levi Schrik (NLD), Janis Reisulis (LVA) and Lotte Van Drunen (NDL), who last year became the first girl to finish on an overall podium in the ADAC MX Junior Cup 85.

With 95 registrations, there will also be a full field in the ADAC MX Junior Cup 85. The third-placed rider from last season, Gyan Doensen (NLD), has his sights set on the title, but top-ten rider Marius Adomitis (LTU) will also spend another year in the strong junior class, from which stars of the future progress each year. It will be fascinating to see how Germans Aaron Kowatsch and Jonathan Frank fare, as well as the reigning German champion in the 65 cc class, Max Meyer, who finished in the points on his first guest appearance in 2021.

Now that the registration deadline has passed, riders wishing to make guest starts at individual events can now submit their applications online.

The full start lists are available at adac-motorsport.de/en/adac-mx-masters/rider-info.