Starting in 2024, the renowned North German motocross team SHR Motorsports will enter national and international race gates as “SHR Motorsport by Hartje.”
In 2023, the SHR Motorsports team already had a successful start in the MXGP World Championship. In 2024, the team will continue to expand its commitment. The collaboration with HARTJE represents a significant and logical step for both companies from the Nienburg district of Lower Saxony, especially as HARTJE plans to expand the B2B distribution of its off-road motorcycle products in 2024.
Hermann Hartje KG, as a leading full-range supplier for the motorized two-wheeler sector, stands for innovation, technical diversity, and a passion for motorcycle racing. HARTJE will not only venture into off-road motorcycle sports for the first time but will also bring the renowned Italian clothing brand UFO back to Germany. As part of this partnership, the SHR team will compete in the 2024 season wearing high-quality clothing from UFO.
The Moto Offroad range from HARTJE also includes professional racing brands, some of which are exclusively distributed in Germany, and these will also be used by the SHR team at the highest levels of motocross. In addition to UFO, the team led by owner and mastermind Steffen Hünecke relies on braking technology from Spanish specialist GALFER, which has been proven for decades in MotoGP and MXGP. The Italian racing product portfolio of WRP, which will also be available at Hartje starting in 2024, and Unibat as a battery partner from Italy, known from MotoGP (Gresini Ducati), will also be featured in the Yamaha motocross machines for the 2024 season.
The SHR Motorsport driver lineup is top-class and currently includes three riders in the International German ADAC MX Masters racing series as well as in the Motocross World Championship (MXGP). With Petr Polak from the Czech Republic, Paul Haberland from Germany, and Mike Bolink from the Netherlands, along with youth class riders Jayson van Drunen (125) and Sigurd Thomsen (85), SHR is bringing top talent to the starting gates.
Team leader Steffen Hünecke comments: “The geographic proximity between SHR’s team base and Hartje, just 20 kilometers apart, makes this collaboration particularly effective. Jens Engelking and I have known and appreciated each other for many years. We share a love and enthusiasm for motocross racing. HARTJE is a top address in Germany. The partnership between SHR Motorsport and HARTJE promises an exciting 2024 season and sets new standards in motorsport. Both companies are optimistic about a successful collaboration and are ready to tackle the challenges of the racing season together.”
Jens Engelking, Head of the AutoMoto Division at Hermann Hartje KG, adds: “We take our commitment to motorsport very seriously, continuously expanding our range and offerings for the German specialist trade with internationally successful brands at the highest technical world-class level. Therefore, it makes sense to use our brands’ products with a top team like SHR Motorsport. In 2024, HARTJE and SHR, together with our joint partner Yamaha Germany, will appear as a team in national and international paddocks. We are excited to meet many of our dealers and customers personally for ‘petrol talks’ in the catering or workshop area under the tent of SHR Motorsports by Hartje.”
About Hermann Hartje KG
HARTJE Moto is a full-range supplier of spare parts, tires, oils, accessories, clothing, helmets, tools, and workshop equipment and a reliable partner to over 4,500 motorcycle and scooter workshops and shops in Germany. The offering is rounded out by various IT components, service offers, and sales concepts. Hermann Hartje KG is a family business since 1895, relying on its own logistics, extensive warehousing, and broad support for the specialist trade.
About SHR Motorsports
SHR Motorsports from Heemsen, Lower Saxony, has been operating as the official Yamaha Germany motocross team since 2020. With an impressive track record, SHR Motorsports has established itself as an outstanding team in the motocross scene. Under the leadership of team manager Steffen Hünecke, the team consistently relies on close cooperation, which always leads to a strong partnership and is extremely important to us. The team’s successes on an international level are reflected in numerous podium placements and victories. “We are proud to have a partner like Hartje by our side. The passion for motocross drives us to strive for excellence constantly,” says team manager Steffen Hünecke.
The upcoming season promises further exciting challenges and victories for SHR Motorsports. The team is ready to further solidify its position as a leading motocross team.