Effective immediately, the five-year partnership between Queenslander Nathan Crawford and the KTM Racing Team has ended.

No reason was cited in KTM’s official media release for the abrupt – and slightly puzzling – end to the relationship after just one round of the 2026 Penrite ProMX Championship presented by AMX Superstores in Wonthaggi, where 28-year-old Crawford was clearly below his best in the Kawasaki MX1 class with inexplicable 9-18 results.

Crawford first joined KTM in the latter part of the 2022 season as part of its MX2 effort, finishing second the following year before graduating to MX1 in 2024. He finished third in the 2024 MX1 title and then went one better in 2025.

Crawford will not be replaced at KTM, which will channel its MX1 focus into emerging talent Zac Watson and the MX2 lineup of Byron Dennis and Dylan Walsh.

Round two of the 2026 ProMX Championship will be held in Canberra on Sunday, Apri 19. To purchase tickets, click here.