KTM Racing Team and Nathan Crawford have mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately following the opening round of the 2026 Australian ProMX Championship.
Crawford joined the KTM Racing Team in 2022 as part of its MX2 program before successfully stepping up to the MX1 class in 2024. The Queenslander has been a consistent front-runner in recent seasons, finishing inside the top three in the premier class outdoors for the past three years, including a runner-up result in last year’s championship behind Kyle Webster.
However, the 2026 season began on a more challenging note at Wonthaggi. Crawford qualified eighth fastest before placing 10th in the Shootout, and went on to record 9-18 moto results, leaving him 13th overall for the round.
“It was just a hard day, and it’s a bit unfortunate, but they are the cards that we were dealt this weekend,” Crawford said at the time. “We have some work to do between now and Canberra to get back to where I know I can be – fighting up front – and that is what we are aiming to do together as a team.”
Despite a similar slow start to his 2025 campaign before charging back to finish second in the championship, both parties have now opted to go in different directions early in the new season.
Following Crawford’s departure, KTM Racing Team will shift its focus to emerging MX1 talent Zac Watson, who joined the official KTM program for 2026.
Watson impressed in his debut with the team at Wonthaggi, highlighting his potential with a strong fifth-place finish in moto two, while the team also celebrated success in MX2, where both Byaron Dennis and Dylan Walsh claimed podium finishes in second and third respectively.
