Germany’s Manuel Lettenbichler is ready to take on the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship and begin his title defence in the seven-round series.
The 25-year-old Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team rider claimed five wins from the seven rounds he contested last year to secure the championship and will be looking to make it back-to-back titles in 2023.
Lettenbichler will soon get his 2023 season underway with the first round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship – the Xross Hard Enduro Rally in Serbia.
The event marks the first race of this year’s seven-round series, which concludes with the young German’s home race, GetzenRodeo in early November. Among the championship’s highlights, both Red Bull Erzbergrodeo and Red Bull Romaniacs will take center stage – two of Mani’s favorite events and races he will be fired up to win this year.
After Lettenbichler’s 2022 HEWC season started late due to injury, he soon made up for it by winning all but two of the races he entered, completing the season with a seven-point advantage.
Heading into the start of the 2023 championship, Mani is ready and focused on getting his year off to the perfect start with success at round one in Serbia.
“Last year started tough – I missed the first round due to injury and came into the championship with little in the way of expectations, I just wanted to get back to racing,” said Lettenbichler.
“To then complete the season and go home with a world title was a really special moment – one that will always remind me to never give up. Now, looking ahead at this season, I’m definitely better prepared and that really helps my confidence, but I also have a lot more experience now, too. I might only be 25, but I already feel like an old guy in the paddock, and I think it’s that experience that helps me to overcome any unexpected challenges through each season.
“Anything can happen in racing, especially in hard enduro, so being able to stay focused is key, no matter what. The team I have working alongside me are great, and that’s really important when you are racing and traveling like we do.
“Everyone works so hard towards a common objective, and it feels great when it all pays off. The goal for this year is simple – go out, have some fun, and try and repeat what we did last year. Hopefully we can win the title again, but as always, my plan is to take things race by race and above all, enjoy it.”
Joining Lettenbichler in the HEWC, FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Trystan Hart will be competing in all seven rounds and looking to truly make his mark on the championship.
Hart is the reigning AMA Hard Enduro Series Champion and despite missing multiple HEWC events last year, still finished in seventh overall, including taking the win at Red Bull TKO in Tennessee.
Photo courtesy KTM Europe
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