Few team managers in the MXGP paddock have overseen rider development as successfully as Rasmus Jorgensen. From guiding young talent through the EMX ranks to world titles and into the premier class, the Dane has helped establish the Nestaan Husqvarna team as one of the benchmark operations in motocross.
The 2026 season, however, has presented its fair share of challenges. Injuries disrupted the winter preparations of Kay de Wolf, forcing the team to adapt from the very first pre-season race. Despite those setbacks, de Wolf has impressed in his rookie MXGP campaign, while Everts continues to search for the consistency needed to fully showcase his undeniable speed in MX2.
We caught up with Jorgensen as he reflects on a frustrating start to the year, the unusual mid-season break, de Wolf’s encouraging progress in MXGP, Everts’ title ambitions, contract situations, and why he remains as motivated as ever to lead one of the sport’s most successful teams.
GateDrop: Rasmus, let’s start with the off-season. It wasn’t ideal, obviously, with Kay getting injured. How difficult was that to deal with, to start the season with? And since he’s came back, he seems to be getting better and better, which is probably what you expect to see anyway…
Jorgensen: Yeah, of course. Obviously, you never want to see your rider hurt and everybody puts in a lot of effort during the whole winter, and this happened at the first pre-season race that we did in France.
So this was obviously a big bummer, and we tried everything we could to make it, but it was just too short. I think coming back in Spain was already pretty impressive, to be back that fast into racing with this kind of injury. But ever since then he’s been lingering around fourth and fifth and always in the top five, which is something I think is a very, very solid place for the rookie season and just learning week by week. It was a difficult winter, but we’re here now. We had a long break and back to feeling healthy and it’s nice.
GateDrop: Just on the Liam, he made the first round, but he’s been riding with an injury. Just how bad was that injury, and did he get much of an off-season?
Jorgensen: Yeah, I mean, the injury happened in Spain so in Argentina, he was super, super sick, but he had a great winter, honestly. He had a really good winter, solid. The injury happened in Spain, and it was worse than many people thought, even we thought at one point, you know, and so we really did the examinations and stuff. It was really a tough time for him to go racing without practising and all of that.
He was really in need of that long break, and we took three weeks off for both of our guys to properly heal up. So that also means that they only had four days on the bike before we returned racing last week. I mean practice days and then we did that race in Markelo.
I’m just happy to not have to talk about these injuries and not having a strategy for painkillers and all of that during the weekends. It’s nice that it’s the past for us now and that we can just focus on the race.
GateDrop: And just after Arco, having the big break, I mean, that’s unheard of in MXGP. What was that like for you personally? I mean, was it a quiet time or were you still busy? Did you go home to Denmark or anything like that?
Jorgensen: No, well, obviously, in our situation, we’ve never seen it before. But for us, as a team, it was really good. It was a strange time because we felt like we had just started and then we’re going into such a long break and even more so because we were not practising. We felt like we were standing still and not doing much, but we needed to take the time so everybody took some time off.
I think that was important to take advantage of the time. I didn’t go back home but we went on a one-week holiday with the family, which is something we’ve never done so it was nice. I really enjoyed it. If it wasn’t for the injuries, I would probably prefer the break to be, let’s say, halfway in the real summertime but we’ll take it.
GateDrop: With Kay going up to the 450cc, he’s great to watch, isn’t he? He likes throwing that bike about it. He kind of brings an MX2 intensity into MXGP, but he seems to suit the bigger bike probably better. You must enjoy seeing him on the bike…
Jorgensen: Yeah, I mean, we’ve always seen him over the last few years on the 450cc, but there’s still a lot to learn. He’s aware of that and we are aware of that. We are just ticking off the weekends and trying to get as much information as we can. He’s like a sponge right now. What I really like to see is the effort that he’s putting in.
Weekends like here, where it starts working the best, he’s really putting the fight to the guys that have been there many years and it’s not easy to pass out there, but he made some good passes today. Like I said, the starts are definitely letting him down a bit, but overall the effort, you can’t say anything against it.
I think he’s in a very solid place. He’s performing really well and always in the top five right now. Obviously the idea is to slowly improve week by week, there’s a lot of racing left.
GateDrop: Just on the level of MXGP this year, I mean, in my opinion, it’s way higher this year than last year so it’s certainly not easy stepping up as a rookie, but I think he’s doing a good job…
Jorgensen: That’s what I mean as well. I think on paper there are eight or nine really, really good guys and that can really fight for podiums. Coming back from that injury, being a rookie season, the first year in the class, and being a really solid top five guy week in, week out already. It’s great science. We’re seeing great science and he’s learning a lot. I’m really excited for the rest of the season. It’s important to stay healthy and to keep feet on the ground. For him, there is, I think for anyone that’s a rookie in that class, you go riding a 450cc during the week, or you do a national race, and you’ll feel like, oh, this is not that bad. But to do it in a full weekend format like here in MXGP, racing with these, let’s be honest, in top eight, they’re all champions and have won many, many GP’s. It’s a very, very hard in class, and it’s super cool to watch.
GateDrop: Just on MX2, obviously Liam has the speed. What do you think he needs to be winning every week or more consistently? Obviously, Sascha’s really fast, and he gets the start so when he stays on, he’s hard to beat…
Jorgensen: Of course. I mean, with how the track was today, you need a start, this is clear. So their starts have been really, really good for us lately. And for some reason, today, both guys really kind of missed both of them, which was really a shame.
But Liam, you know, he has the speed, he has the skill, he has everything, and needs to put it together and put the fight to the dice. Again, today, you’re leaving with a feeling that riding was good, everything was good, nothing dramatic, but, yeah, just not good enough for what he can do but it is what it is. We have a new chance next week.
GateDrop: This team, Nestaan Husqvarna in the past, it’s fully focused on MX2. This year, and a few other times, the team have ran one MXGP guy and one MX2 guy. What’s that like from your side? I imagine it’s busier when you’ve got riders in different classes. Do you like it, or from your personal preference, would you rather the team focused on one class?
Jorgensen: I mean, it has its pros and its cons. For the dynamic in the team, it’s very hard to have two top guys, championship contenders, in one class, I would say. We’ve tried that for some years so the dynamic is for sure better with an MX2 and an MXGP rider. For the rest, it’s not much difference, you know.
During the week, there isn’t any difference. But, of course, on the race weekend, it needs to be a bit more structured with the people and what they need to do and where we need to be. We have the overlap of the races and stuff like that. We’re spending a lot of time on the field, on a Sunday like today, you know. There’s not much of a break, where with MX2, you just had a long time between the moto’s and now you’re staying out there. No, I definitely like the dynamic and I enjoy being in both classes and being competitive in both classes.
GateDrop: Kay has been with this team since his EMX125 days so he’s developed nicely. It’s a contract year for him. At this stage, how confident are you that you think you’ll be able to keep him, or is it still too early to say on that front?
Jorgensen: I think it’s too early to say. One thing I can say is that the story, what we have written and are writing, I think it’s pretty cool for the sport to take a rider from a 125cc to a world title and into MXGP, which we’re doing at the moment. The bond between Kay and the team after all these years is super, super strong. That’s all I can say on that and it will go whatever way it will go. But I’m very confident that we are a great package for him.
GateDrop: And Liam, I think he’s signed for next year with the team. Obviously, he’s good on a 450cc, we’ve seen that at Ironman. He probably has a bit of a decision to make if he’s going to go up or stay. If you were advising him right now, what would you say? To be honest, I think he could probably win a world title in MX2 next year if he stays…
Jorgensen: Yeah, and he’s not out of it this year either. I mean, we’re not talking too much with how the whole beginning of the season went for him. I think it’s important to really just focus on him at the moment and try to get the maximum out of him. We want to see what we see during the week on race days. At the moment, we are a little bit off from that. That’s for sure and he knows that. We know that but we are working our butts off. This guy it’s not like he’s not trying, I can tell you that much. It’s difficult and it’s early to say. I think fighting for a title is very, very important in terms of further development into this MXGP class. That would be an advice I would give to anyone. Whether they should move into MX2 early or not. Then I would also say, look, if you have the chance to win an EMX250 title and really get the pressure of leading championship, fight for wins, it’s very, very important to get that experience.
GateDrop: And the last question is on a personal level really. Obviously you’ve been team manager for a good few years now. Do you still enjoy it? Do you still love it?
Jorgensen: If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be here. Of course I do and the years are flying by. As long as the vision is there for me and there’s a great team. Let’s say the motivation by the whole team and the group and. Sometimes the group can change with mechanics and what not. We’re trying to keep to the same group of people as much as possible and we have been doing a really good job of that so it’s a very strong group of people. And like I say, as long as my vision is intact with the factory’s vision and my boss Kay Hennekens then I’m very confident that you will be seeing me for at least a few more years.
