Max Nagl is aiming for ADAC MX Masters title hat-trick. Strong competition for reigning champion. Exciting junior classes.

The 2024 ADAC MX Masters season promises to be a thrilling and exciting contest. More than 350 applications have been received for the 20th season of the series in the four racing classes ADAC MX Masters, ADAC MX Youngster Cup, ADAC MX Junior Cup 125 and ADAC MX Junior Cup 85. 22 nations will be represented at the starting gate at the eight events from April to September. Nine motorcycle manufacturers are represented in the ADAC MX Masters, with the European brands KTM, Husqvarna, GasGas, Fantic and TM, and the Japanese manufacturers Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha. The standard of the top riders has risen even further for the anniversary season. But who has the best chance of winning the championship?

Max Nagl wants to win his third title

After winning his fourth ADAC MX Masters title, his second in a row, reigning champion Max Nagl is now aiming for a hat-trick of titles. The gamble of switching to the KMP-Honda-Racing powered by Krettek team has paid off for the Bavarian-born rider in 2023: on a new bike in a new environment, he was freshly motivated and announced his title ambitions at the season opener in Fürstlich Drehna with three race wins, two of them start-finish victories. In 2021, Nagl was already the man to beat until a training injury threw him out of the title race. After winning back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023, the veteran is also entering the 2024 season as the favourite. Together with the KMP team, he has fully tuned his Honda CRF 450 to his needs and is relying on proven material. Max does not yet feel too old for victories and the title, otherwise he would have hung up his helmet. With another title, he would draw level with record champion Dennis Ullrich.

Tom Koch: is consistency enough for the championship?

In his first ADAC MX Masters season in 2019, Tom Koch finished in the top five in the championship, and since then, he has always finished in the top three. In 2022, he achieved his first race victory, and in 2023, the Cossack Racing Team rider finally broke the mould in Randers to take his first overall victory of the season, which he followed up with another in Bielstein. ‘ToKo’ is extremely consistent and rides in a controlled manner, which means he rarely gets injured. The big question is: do you have to take risks to win the premier class, or will Tom be able to step it up a gear in 2024 without leaving his comfort zone?

Jordi Tixier, the French bulldog

The Frenchman proved early on that he is capable of winning major titles with his victory in the MX2 World Championship. He won the ADAC MX Masters in 2020 and 2021, but Max Nagl prevented Tixier's title hat-trick in 2022. ‘JT911’ has often proved that he rides with a lot of heart and grit and never gives up. Sometimes, however, he seems almost a bit too dogged. Although he had originally decided to concentrate solely on supercross, he nevertheless made a rather spontaneous decision to line up in the ADAC MX Masters with the KMP-Honda-Racing powered by Krettek team in 2023, without much motocross preparation. A technical problem right at the start of the season immediately forced him into the role of the title contender. But as the season progressed, he regained his old strength and seemed to be enjoying driving and racing a lot more. For 2024, he is fully concentrating on motocross again and, together with his ‘newfound composure’, he is a contender for the title and must be considered a contender for the title.

Henry Jacobi goes on the attack

Henry Jacobi won the ADAC MX Masters in 2018 before concentrating fully on the Motocross World Championship. He returned to the ADAC series for 2023 but was already competing in the season opener at Fürstlich Drehna with clipped wings in the form of a shoulder injury. Henry gritted his teeth and rode some strong races. But as the season progressed, he realised that the injury was bigger than his enormous willpower. The KTM Sarholz Racing Team rider had shoulder surgery in the summer, took the time to heal and is fully motivated again. His clearly stated goal is to win the title in 2024. If he remains uninjured and keeps his temper under control, the goal is not too ambitious.

Maximilian Spies, the next generation

Maximilian Spies has already shown what he is made of in his rookie season in 2023. Many experts had high hopes for the tall Kosak Racing Team rider in his first season on a 450cc motorcycle. He proved that this was justified as early as the third race in Randers, when he passed his training partner Max Nagl during the race and took the lead for a while. In Tensfeld, he followed up his first victory in his rookie season with his first event victory in the championship. He also proved in the world championship that he is not afraid of big names. With a year of experience, good fitness and plenty of self-confidence, he wants to consistently finish on the podium and fight for the title in 2024. He has what it takes.

Adam Sterry wants to shed British reserve

British rider Adam Sterry has switched to Schmicker Racing for the 2024 season. He hopes to improve on his fourth place overall in 2023. He showed that he has what it takes to win in Mölln, where he took victory after three races. However, a DNF and an arm injury took him out of the title fight at the halfway point of the season. He would like to turn the tide in his favour in 2024.

Dennis Ullrich, the big question mark

Five-time ADAC MX Masters champion Dennis Ullrich has taken his helmet off the nail and put it back on again. He is the big unknown in the 2024 title fight. The record title holder has more than proved that he knows how to win championships. But how well and quickly will he get back into his stride after taking a break from racing since the summer of 2021? He feels good and is confident, but he also admits that he is not yet fully fit again before the start of the season. Is that enough to compete for the title? One thing is for sure: the return of ‘Ulle’ to the KTM Sarholz Racing Team is an enrichment for all fans.

Other top international riders such as Kevin Brumann (CH/SixtySeven Racing Husqvarna), Davy Pootjes (NL/KMP-Honda-Racing powered by Krettek), Jakub Teresak (CZ/Enduro Koch Racing), the recovered Michael Sandner (A/HTS KTM), Petr Polak (CZ/SHR Motorsports by Hartje), Gert Krestinov (EST/JT Construction Motoextreme Honda) and more want to be in the mix at the front of the field.

The more than 100 registered pilots in the premier class also include a number of top local riders such as Nico Koch (D/Becker Racing), Noah Ludwig (D/KTM Sarholz Racing Team), Stefan Ekerold (D/Cat Moto Bauerschmidt Husqvarna), Tim Koch (D/Visualz Production), Lukas Platt (D/KTM Sarholz Racing Team), Paul Haberland (D/SHR Motorsports by Hartje) and Mike Stender (D/B&B Mallon Racing), who is returning to the starting gate after a long injury lay-off. We can also look forward to seeing how those who have been promoted in class perform, such as ADAC MX Youngster Cup champion Oriol Oliver Vilar (E/WZ-Racing KTM), Cato Nickel (D/Cat Moto Bauerschmidt Husqvarna), Mike Gwerder (CH/HTS KTM) and Marnique Appelt (D/Becker Racing).

The junior classes with the stars of the future

The cards are also being reshuffled in the junior classes. Some riders have moved up and are now competing in the next higher class, but other top pilots remain in their championship. Who are the hottest young talents of the 2024 season?

In the ADAC MX Youngster Cup, the top riders of the 2023 season had to move up to the ADAC MX Masters class according to the regulations, which reshuffled the cards for the favourite roles. With more than 90 riders registered, the KMP Honda team-mates Edvards Bidzans (EST) and Scott Smulders (NL), Peter König (D/KTM Sarholz Racing Team), Rasmus Pedersen (DK), Max Palsson (S/Becker Racing) and Bradley Mesters (NL/ Kosak Racing Team) are among the favourites. But the Cat Moto Bauerschmidt Husqvarna riders Nico Greutmann (CH), Lyonel Reichl (CH) and Liam Owens (AUS), Ryan Alexanderson (AUS/WZ-Racing KTM), Bence Pergel (HU /HTS KTM) and Jan Krug (D/SixtySeven Racing Husqvarna), Eric Rakow (D/Schmicker Racing) and many others have good hopes of getting a top result in a highly competitive field.

With 48 starting places available at each event, more than 100 riders have registered for the ADAC MX Junior Cup 125, a similar number to the premier class. The step up from the 85cc class to 250cc four-stroke machines is proving popular, with a high level of competitiveness at the front of the field and many riders in with a chance of race wins and top placings. Since last season's top riders have also moved up, riders like Kasimir Hindersson (FIN/Motovation Motorsport) and Maximilian Ernecker (A/F4E GASGAS Junior Racing) have high hopes of winning the title. Jarne Bervoets (B/Team MJC-Yamaha-Monster Energy), Jonathan Frank (D/Becker Racing), Jayson Van Drunen (NL/SHR Motorsports by Hartje) and up-and-coming stars such as ADAC MX Junior Cup 85 champion Dani Heitink (NL/Team MJC-Yamaha-Monster Energy), Dean Gregoire (NL/Schmicker Racing) and Aron Katona (HU/HTS KTM) are in with a chance of getting good results.

The ADAC MX Junior Cup 85 is the youngest race class in the ADAC MX Masters support programme and was reduced to 48 entrants per event again for 2024. During the registration period, there were almost 90 applicants for these starting places. Moritz Ernecker (A/HSV Ried Racing Team) is among the title contenders in the new season. From a German perspective, Mika Plaas (D/KTM Sarholz Racing Team) and Oliver Jüngling (D/Kosak Racing Team) could be among the best riders. The entry of top 65cc riders such as John Kranhold (D/SixtySeven Racing Husqvarna), Luca Nierychlo (D/AK Bouw Hutten Metaal Junior Team) and Nick de Jong (D/Twenty Suspension by Dellen Motorsport) also promises to be an exciting prospect.