Shaun Simpson will take a further role within the team in 2023, as he extends his role to become Team Coordinator as well was competing in the Arenacross UK, and British Championships. Following up from a successful spell in the UK in 2022, South African Tristan Purdon will join the team on a permanent basis for 2023. Tristan will compete in the British Championships, and in select rounds of the MXGP series.

Alongside Purdon, Taylor Hammal joins the team under the awning in the MX2 class, who will also be competing in the British Championships and select MXGP rounds. After a year out with injury, Taylor is looking to get back into the swing of racing, and we can’t wait to see his progression.

A big step for team Gabriel SS24 KTM as they step into the 2023 MXGP series with Purdon and Hammal, gaining the experience of racing on the World stage. Shaun Simpson has been involved in the sport for many years now, and will look to bring his expertise to assist them as they embark on their MXGP journey.

Simon Gabriel (Team Owner): “We are really looking forward to the 2023 season with our three rider lineup as an officially supported KTM UK team. I’m pleased to have Shaun continue with the team in an extended role as we embark upon our first foray into the MXGP series with Tristan and Taylor. Tristan has already shown some good speed and determination in the races he attended this season and we are sure that we can assist Taylor back to the top as he makes a comeback to racing after a full season away with injury.”

Shaun Simpson: “2023 looks like it’s going to be a fun one! I can’t thank KTM enough for sticking with me on this new venture to join forces with Simon Gabriel for next season. I’ll be racing British Arenacross & Motocross Championships as well as managing the team on a day to day basis. I’m looking forward to getting stuck in with my racing but equally looking forward to be working with Tristan and Taylor as we tackle some European MXGP races, which will be a big step forward for the team. A final thanks to my personal sponsors for their continued support.”

Tristan Purdon: “I’m feeling super excited to begin racing full time in the UK. It’s a fresh and much bigger field of competition, that I’ve not been able to experience back home. I can’t thank everyone enough for all the effort they’ve put into making this all happen, and to the team for believing in me and all their assistance so far. Looking forward to a good ‘23 season and hoping to build on what we’ve achieved already.”

Taylor Hammal: “I’m really happy to be with the Gabriel SS24 KTM team. After being out for a year and a half, I’m really excited to get going and can’t wait for the races to start. I’ve been riding just over a month now and really liking the KTM. Can’t thank Simon enough for giving me the opportunity, taking me on, and to be back doing GP’s again as I feel like I’ve got some redemption after my injury.”

A special thank you to all those who supported us throughout the 2022 season, and going into 2023. We are excited to be bringing a new lease of life into the team, pushing ourselves further to achieve bigger goals going into next year. We hope to see you at the track very soon.

“Couple fun months back at home but decided I couldn’t totally hang my boots up… see you at the British Championship,” said the 33-year-old Scot on a social media post. He has picked up backing from Dyce Carriers, Gabriel Insulation and MODU Project Services and KTM UK.

His season starts in France on Sunday as he contests the Lacapelle Marival International then he will race the Hawkstone Park international a week later. But he won’t contest the British GP on February 20.

Tickets are on sale now: https://www.mxnationals.co.uk/…/fatcats-round-1-tickets/

Sunday’s opening Revo British championship round at Lyng was a total sell-out so best get your tickets now to avoid disappointment.

The Scot is still the only British winner of a premier class MXGP Grand Prix in the last thirteen years. He is currently rehabbing from a trio of unfortunate injuries that have kept him on the sidelines after the resumption of the FIM World Championship in the wake of the initial COVID-19 enforced lockdown in June.

While the physical problems have meant a quiet start for SS24 KTM MXGP, Simpson is thrilled that his long association and positive work with the Austrian factory will mean further support for 2021 where he aims to be one of the very few representatives from the UK at the top level of the sport. Simpson, who began GP racing in 2004, will be nearly 33-years old at the launch of the 2021 term and will be in a position to use all of his experience and knowledge to continue alternative development work with the KTM 450 SX-F and push for the top five of MXGP.

#24 was able to classify 4th in the second race of the Grand Prix of the Netherlands at Valkenswaard in March (and had been running in the top five in the first race until a small slip saw him drop out of the points-scoring positions). 2020 was then put on hold directly afterwards as a result of the pandemic.

“2020 has been one of those weird years which has been memorable and instantly forgettable at the same time,” Simpson said from his home near Dundee while recovering from fractures to two vertebrae and a broken finger; repercussions of a training accident. “We put in a lot of effort to get the team set-up and running and the support and enthusiasm from the sponsors and everyone who backed me created this wave of optimism. Then the season stopped so fast, and I had to deal with these injuries. With the Grands Prix passing so quickly there was no time to get back on track and it was obvious we had to make a decision for 2021 and my message is this: we are all-in and we have the same goal of hitting our targets on the track. Nothing changes. I want to thank KTM for wanting to carry on this journey with me and for all the people who have already committed or expressed some interest for 2021. I know so much is still up in the air with the championships and the calendars, but we’ll be in the paddock and behind the gate wherever there is a race. I really hope we can put on a show again for the fans soon.”

“When we knew Shaun wanted to continue racing and also with the SS24 KTM MXGP team then we wanted to be a part of it. He’s a good ambassador for our brand and brings value on and off the track,” commented VP KTM Motorsports Offroad Robert Jonas.

Simpson has broken two thoracic vertebrae as well as fracturing and displacing the little finger on his left hand. Doctors believe the back injury will heal without surgery but a procedure will be required for the finger.

“It’s tough to find the words at the moment,” he said . “It was my first proper outing to see if I felt OK on the bike and could consider returning to MXGP in Mantova when I just got caught and landed on my head. I actually felt the two bones in my back crunch and my hand and finger as well. I’m having surgery tomorrow and I have support for my back.

“My first thoughts are to get well and to leave the hospital but it is impossible not to think how frustrating this is for my racing and for the new project with the team. Right now, all I can do is thank my sponsors, my partners and all the fans and people that follow me. This is another delay but we’ve been here before and will come back.”

Hitachi KTM new boy Sterry, who went down hard then was run over at the recent MX nationals at Landrake, is believed to have had a crash in testing this week so is sitting out the event to fully recover.

Simpson is also not fully recovered from crashes at the Latvian GP and will miss all three Italian rounds at Faenza which start on Sunday.

He said: ‘“It’s disappointing to share this news but I’ve been doing all I can to be fit after we had to withdraw from the GPs in Latvia and I’m still not right. I cannot react as quickly or as naturally on the bike as I want, and I know I’d be at a big disadvantage in MXGP at the moment. The only solution is to continue working and waiting. It’s such a shame to miss so many chances to race in one week and for the damage that it’s doing to my points total in the championship but I’m faced without much of a choice at the moment. We had a great Grand Prix in Holland earlier in the year where we showed we can still run top five in the world and that’s the goal to aim towards again. A big, big thanks to my sponsors and all the fans out there: I’m sorry I’m not on track yet but I’m desperate to be back as soon as possible.”

The Grand Prix of Latvia – with a new one-day format – did not go to plan for the Scot, who had spent time filming a revealing team feature on the eve of round three of the series and which aired during the live TV broadcast. The first moto across the rough and ‘sharp’ bumps ended before mid-race distance when Shaun had his front wheel clipped by another rider, damaging the front brake and wheel. The second race also result in an early DNF with a crash and the need for medical attention for the multi British Champion.

On Monday morning Shaun made the heavy and regrettable decision to withdraw from the Grands Prix of Riga and Kegums (on Wednesday 12^th and Sunday 16^th of August) to return to Belgium for check-up.

“I hit the side bank at an awkward angle in the second moto crash and suffered a big blow to my back but I also knocked my upper body and neck,” he said. “I woke up stiff and sore this morning but also worried about a few aches internally. We had a talk about what to do and with the next Grand Prix in two days I don’t think I could so myself or the team justice just to be trundling around outside the points. I need to get checked-out, and it means there is no time to be ready how I’d like to be for the next race. I’ve gone to the gate injured and in pain before in my career but this feels different. I know myself and my body by now to know that I wouldn’t be competitive and MXGP is the toughest I’ve ever seen it. Making even the top-ten now is a good result.”

“Obviously ‘gutted’ doesn’t come close to describing how I’m feeling. I’m also disappointed and angry. I feel bad for our sponsors but I’m hopeful that MXGP will move onto the step of the calendar and we can come back in a good way. There are some excellent tracks for us ahead and my focus now has to be reaching 100% again.”

Photo: JP Acevedo

Jeffrey Herlings will once again face Shaun Simpson this weekend in France, just seven days after they tied on points in the Hawkstone International.

The Lacapelle Marival international will celebrates its 10^th running this weekend on February 15^th and 16^th with many top riders and teams in both the MX1 and MX2 classes. 

The MX1 starting list is the best the club’s history, as Jeffrey Herlings (KTM Factory) will line up alongside Jeremy Seewer, Gautier Paulin and Arnaud Tonus (Yamaha MXGP Factory team), Clément Desalle and Romain Febvre (Kawasaki Racing Team), Pauls Jonass (Husqvarna Factory Team), Calvin Vlaanderen, Thomas Covington and Alessandro Lupino (Yamaha Gebben), Julien Lieber and Benoit Paturel (JM Honda racing), Shaun Simpson (SS24 KTM), Henry Jacobi (SM Action Yamaha), Evgeny Bobryshev (PAR Husqvarna), Kevin Strijbos (Suzuki) and most of the top French guys with Zach Pichon (Honda), French Elite champion Maxime Desprey (Yamaha), Christophe Charlier (Kawasaki SN) and Jordi Tixier (KTM) to name the top guys.

The MX2 line up is also really strong with the factory KTM riders (Tom Vialle and René Hofer), the factory Yamaha MX2 team (Jago Geerts and Ben Watson), Jed Beaton and Kay De Wolf (Husqvarna factory), the Hutten Metaal Yamaha duo (Thibault Bénistant and Gianluca Facchetti) Bailey Malkiewicz and Nathan Crawford (Honda 114), the factory GasGas team (Jeremy Sydow and Simon Laengenfelder) and some fast French kids (Calvin Fonvieille, Tom Guyon, the Miot brothers, Maxime Grau).

A 125 class is also scheduled, with a round of the regional championship; some famous kids got a ‘wild card’ and Liam Everts as well as the Yamaha MJC Team (Ivano Van Erp, Kay Karssemakers and Mairis Pumpurs) and Saad Soulimani will enter the two heats.

The race format is as usual with two races per class (20mn + 2 laps) and a super final for the best 20 riders of each class. 

The three times British Champion and MXGP ace has already sourced bikes, staff and sponsors for his SS24 team, alongside dedicating himself to hours of saddle time on practice tracks home and abroad to be ready for the 2020 season. The popular Scotsman is the sole rider in the team, but can count on experience and enthusiasm from within his new team to make sure he is ready when the gate drops on the 2020 season.

Simpson has been racing in the premier class of MXGP since 2011 and represented Team Great Britain seven times in the MXON. He has seen many victories in his career, and only has to look back to last year’s third overall at the MXON at Assen to show that he still is one of the finest racers Great Britain has ever produced. Despite a few setbacks over the years, Simpson remains a firm favourite with fans, with the ‘Simpson Army’ supporting him throughout his racing career.

At 31, there are few with as much experience as Simpson in the field. This, combined with his technical abilities, will be what sets him apart from a depth of talent in the MX1 class of the ACU British Championship this year. His talents allied to the Scotsman’s sheer determination will prove that he has the speed to comfortably run in the top 10 of the MXGP class of the FIM World Motocross Championship.

Shaun Simpson will be making his racing debut under SS24 this Sunday 9th February at Hawkstone Park. For riders who wish to have a photo with him under his new setup, he will be holding a photo and signing session between 11:30am-12:00pm.

Shaun Simpson: Rider and Team Principal
“SS24 is a result of getting to a point in my career where I feel I know enough people within this industry to really give it a good go by myself and to make myself happy. Gone are the days where I can ride for Factory teams, but I still feel and believe I can run in the top 10 at World Championship level and be in contention to win the British Championship. That really is my goal for 2020, to win the British Championship and to finish within the top 10 in FIM World Motocross Championship. I feel like in the years past that I haven’t been able to do things to the bike or change things as freely as I would like, and I know having my own team will allow me this freedom.

“To have backing from KTM UK, WP Suspension, Motorex, FXR, 6D, Leatt, Scott Goggles and everyone else that has come on board in that respect, including all the parts etc on my bike, has got me motivated to succeed. Essentially, I am taking a risk on myself here and I think people are getting onboard with that. I have been pushing the Simpson Army, which I appreciate has been a loose term for my fan base for years, but I transformed it into a way of helping me fund the SS24 MXGP team, for which I am very grateful.

“This weekend at Hawkstone, will be first official outing and I hope everything goes well so we can start the ball rolling. Who knows what the future holds but at the moment I am very content in the fact I am organised, prepared and physically ready. Everyone around me including my family, is onboard with this and we are going to get through this together. This is a good challenge and I know if I had not done this, I would have looked back and regretted it.”

The 31 year old has constructed his own squad for the twenty-round MXGP campaign and eight-race British Championship with KTM backing and support from a collection of new and loyal sponsors. The busy schedule begins with the Hawkstone Park International in the UK on February 9^th and is swiftly followed by the British Grand Prix at Matterley Basin in Winchester for the opening meeting of the ’20 FIM series.

Simpson will be showing off his new colours and set-up at both events and is now in the final phases of tests and logistics to launch his team. The ‘Simpson Army’ – set up in 2015 as a fan club – is part of his work to raise awareness, bring his supporters even closer to his racing activities and generate the last pieces of revenue needed for the exhaustive term ahead.

‘Recruits’ can choose from six levels to be part of the Army – 20, 50, 100, 250, 500 and 1000 pounds – and the benefits range from being included in an exclusive newsletter and on the rider’s website at the lower entry levels, up to t-shirts, caps, hoodies, access to a special WhatsApp group with Shaun for riding tips and news and race shirts and British Championship tickets and hospitality at the highest point. Curious fans can find the full details and easily sign-up through www.shaunsimpson.com/simpson-army/

“2020 feels like one of the key years of my career because we are taking on the best of the best with a set-up that we know and we trust,” the Scot said. “It has been a manic off-season getting everything in place, and we have been trying to take care of every detail. I’ve been happy to run the Simpson Army in the past and it’s been a good way to try and give something back for the support from fans. We wanted to step it up for 2020 because we have more control over what we can provide, and I think it is more personal and interactive than any other type of funding. We’ve raised a good total to be able to enter and compete in the races this year but we’re still looking for that last 15-20% to rightfully take our place in the MXGP paddock. I hope to see many fans at Hawkstone and Matterley and hopefully people will want to join-up!”