Husqvarna extends contract with Covington & Olsen!
Husqvarna Motorcycles extends the contracts of both Thomas Kjer-Olsen and Thomas Covington. Thanks to these new agreements, Thomas Kjer-Olsen will remain with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team until at least 2020 (another 3 years), while Covington will remain with the formation of Jacky Martens and Kay Hennekens until the end of 2018.
The 20-year-old seasonal revelation Kjer-Olsen is currently third in MX2. With two series victories on the Husqvarna FC 250 machine, the highlight of the season so far is the Dane's overall victory in the MXGP of Latvia. Thomas Kjer-Olsen will go all out for the title in the MX2018 world championship in the 2 season, and TKO will remain a Husqvarna factory rider in 2019 and 2020.
Thomas Covington, currently sixth in the MX2 World Championship, will race for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory until the end of 2018. In the MXGP of Mexico, the American took overall victory in MX2. He was on the podium in both Ottobiano and Agueda. Covington is also aiming for the world title next year.
Thomas Kjer-Olsen: “I am very happy to continue my career with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team. I have worked very hard and the results we have achieved this year put us in a good position for the future. By being able to continue with such a well-organized and professional team for another three years, I strongly believe that I can take my performance to an even higher level. I will therefore continue to do my best to achieve even more series victories and GP victories this season. And then the plan is to be even stronger in 2018. Step by step I want to improve my speed while staying as regular as possible. Our goal for the current season is the MX2 final podium. I think I could be a strong candidate for the title in 2018.”
Thomas Covington: “I am very excited to stay with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing MX2 team and Jacky Martens for another year. Everything is well arranged for us and the atmosphere in the team is also excellent. I think that together with Thomas (Kjer Olsen) I will form a very strong team next season. We've recently made some major setup improvements to the FC 250, but we'll continue to work on the small details. Our hard work is now starting to pay off, but we naturally want to continue that upward trend. If we continue on this path and remain regular, there will be even more series victories in the coming matches.”
Jacky Martens – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team Manager: “We are very happy to continue with these two young and talented drivers. Kjer-Olsen is undoubtedly one of the biggest surprises of this season. As the reigning European Champion, it took him no time to show his speed in the MX2 GPs! He has been impressively fast since the first GP this season and we believe he still has room to become stronger. This is our second year together with Thomas Covington, who continues to show that he is a true professional. With these two riders under the tent for 2018, we really believe that we can fight for the MX2 title next season. “
Diego Clement – Head of Husqvarna Motorsports: “We are pleased to extend the contracts of both Kjer-Olsen and Covington. Despite their relatively young ages, they have both already shown what they are capable of. That's why we are happy to continue with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team. Kjer-Olsen has already made a big impression with his performance in his GP rookie season. Due to that combination of raw speed, regularity and a very professional attitude, we believe he has a very bright future ahead of him. Since we started working with Covington last year, we've seen what he's capable of. We look forward to further supporting him in his title ambitions.”
Photos: shotbyBavo
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