It’s been a tumultuous period for KTM AG, with the Austrian marque facing immense financial difficulties late last year that have already been highly documented. Despite that turbulence in the background, its global off-road racing programs continue to compete – and win – at the highest level, highlighted by its domination of Saturday night’s Birmingham Triple Crown.

The timing couldn’t have been any stranger to open the 2025 Monster Energy Supercross season, with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton powering to his maiden Anaheim 1 Supercross victory equipped with the KTM 450 SX-F FACTORY EDITION, while a backdrop of significant unnerving potentialities were operating within the broader business.

Overall management of the crisis was impressive, to say the least, relating to the racing organization. Despite the noise, KTM teams on a global scale have continued to thrive and, in running with the READY TO RACE moniker, this slogan rang truer than ever before with the group indeed ready, remaining so even when on the brink of collapse.

Image: Octopi Media.

As it has worked out, KTM received a lifeline in late February as creditors approved its instrumental restructuring plan, led by incoming Pierer Mobility AG CEO Gottfried Neumeister after he replaced Stefan Pierer at the helm of the company in a bid to lead the group into the future.

As for Saturday night’s 10th round of AMA Supercross, KTM AG’s stable of brands – KTM and Husqvarna in this case – took out all but one position on the 450SX and 250SX East podiums, which is a strong signal that its foot is heavily planted on the racing pedal.

Former champion Chase Sexton (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) stood atop the premier class podium in Alabama, followed by Tampa winner Malcolm Stewart (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) in second, and the next Red Bull KTM Factory Racing of Aaron Plessinger in P3. A podium sweep for the group, if you will.

Image: Octopi Media.

Adding to this narrative is the overall placings, with the group’s official riders mentioned above – plus the inclusion of Rockstar Energy GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia – occupying four of the top eight positions in the 450SX championship.

In the 250SX eastern regional division, it was RJ Hampshire (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing) and Red Bull KTM’s Tom Vialle who finished second and third in Birmingham’s Triple Crown, respectively.

Vialle – a two-time MX2 world champion for the brand – currently holds a 10-point championship advantage over Hampshire, with the sister KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION of Julien Beaumer also currently sitting second in the 250SX West division.

Image: Octopi Media.

Finally, across the Atlantic in MXGP, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders Andrea Adamo and Simon Langenfelder finished with a 1-2 result in the MX2 class, while MXGP class rookie Lucas Coenen secured a third-place overall finish with 3-3 at this weekend’s MXGP of Europe in France.

All this said, despite ominous times for the wider business to open 2025, the global racing operations have been firing on all cylinders under what has largely been uncertain times for all involved, and for KTM at least, READY TO RACE is a philosophy that carries the brand through the good times and the bad.