KTM Pulls the Plug on Hard Enduro World Championship Funding
KTM will no longer back the series due to its ongoing financial issues, which has been confirmed by WESS Promotion GmbH
KTM has long cut its teeth as a powerhouse in off-road racing and is the most successful brand in Enduro racing, but its current problems are having seismic effects that no one could have imagined.
KTM, despite persistent rumours that its MotoGP project was in dire straits, which is very much true, claimed that it will remain in the series last week. But it has now pulled its financial backing of the Enduro World Championship, leaving WESS Promotion GmbH in a very difficult position.
The promotional company is set to undergo liquidation after KTM retracted its financial backing, while Red Bull also reduced its support for the HEWC. WESS Promotion GmbH were the inventors of the WESS championship, which later became the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship (HEWC).
The championship will continue to go ahead in 2025 as new management will take over as the funding source.
Speaking to Speedweek, FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Series Manager Winfried Kerschhaggl said this about the current state of play on the official Enduro World Championship website: “The WESS Promotion GmbH is set to undergo liquidation. This development affects us not only as an organization but also on a personal level.
“Despite this, our management team is determined to continue the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship under a new legal entity. The WESS Promotion GmbH existed to cover our operational costs and was primarily funded by KTM.
“Without a doubt. It’s painful right now, but all the effort we’ve put into the championship over the years is something we don’t want to let go to waste. The energy we’ve invested in developing individual events should also not be in vain.
“We’ve learned a lot and see significant potential. This fresh start offers us the chance to fundamentally improve and evolve the championship. The constraints we faced before are now behind us, allowing us to operate more freely.”
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After graduating with a sports journalism degree, Robert joined Crash.net to lead the WorldSBK coverage in 2021, while also providing MotoGP coverage. Fulfilling that role for over three years, Robert was able to put his knowledge about all things racing to the test.
