KTM Junior Motocross Racing Team rider Jett Lawrence has earned the distinction of being Australia’s youngest ever World Motocross Champion, at last weekend’s 2014 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship at Lierneux in Belgium.
In wet and worsening conditions, Lawrence brought the 65cc world title to Team Australia, when he backed up a sensational Moto One victory with a second placing in the second and final Moto.
It was something of a belated birthday present for Lawrence, who turned 11 just three days before the victory, and is young enough to return next year and compete for the same title.
It was one of two brilliant podium appearances for Team Australia, with 2012 FIM World Junior Champion Caleb Grothues finishing second in the 85 cc class.
Grothues dominated the first of two Motos, and was unlucky to miss out on a second world title after he fell while attempting to pass for the championship lead in Race Two and was forced to accept the runner-up position.
For Jett’s older brother Hunter Lawrence – himself a Vice-Champion in 2013 – fortunes were not so kind. Hunter crashed awkwardly in the opening 125cc Moto and required hospitalisation, but was subsequently released in time to make his departing flight from Brussels.
Among the other Aussies, Mitch Evans placed 32nd in the 125cc class, while Liam Andrews was 34th in the 65cc class. Australia finished fifth on the Junior Nations overall tally, which saw the USA narrowly defeat Germany with France coming home third.
Team Manager Glenn MacDonald was ecstatic and justifiably proud of the result, and was quick to acknowledge the invaluable support of the German Kosak KTM Team, with whom the Australian team pitted.
2014 FIM Junior Motocross World Championship results:ium 65cc overall results: 1. Jett Lawrence (AUS) 47; 2. Jo Shimoda 43; 3. Jeremy Ryan 40; 4. Jett Reynolds 40; 5. Carter Biese 26; 6. Gerard Congost 25; 7. David Braceras Martinez 24; 8. Paul Bloy 22; 9. Kristians Freimanis 22;10. Nikita Kucherov 20; 32. Liam Andrews (AUS) 0
85cc overall results: 1. Kim Savaste 42; 2. Caleb Grothues (AUS) 40; 3. Mikkel Haarup 33; 4. Paolo Lugana 31; 5. Jago Geerts 27; 6. Calvin Fontvieille 26; 7. Conner Mullennix 25; 8. Taylor Hammal 25; 9. Gianluca Facchetti 23; 10. Brian Strubhart Moreau 22
125cc overall results: 1. Brian Hsu 50; 2. Gilberto Locurcio 42; 3. Alvin Östlund 42; 4. David Herbreteau 34; 5. Ivan Baranov 30; 6. Tomass Sileika 30; 7. Josiah Natzke 25; 8. Riccardo Righi 20; 9. Anthony Bourdon 16; 10. Miro Sihvonen 16; 32. Mitchell Evans (AUS) 0; 29. Hunter Lawrence (AUS) 0
Junior Nation overall results: 1. USA 21; 2. Germany 23; 3. France 29; 4. Sweden 33; 5. Australia 35; 6. Italy 37; 7. Norway 47; 8. Denmark 50; 9. The Netherlands 54; 10. Great Britain 58
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