Red Bull KTM signs DiFrancesco, Bennick for 2027
NXTbets Pro | Published On: October 14, 2026
Red Bull KTM
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing has added DiFrancesco and Bennick for the 2027 SMX World Championship season, giving the team a four-rider 250 lineup. The move strengthens a program that already includes Julien Beaumer and Sacha Coenen and puts KTM in position to attack three major championships with a deeper roster. The new group will race KTM 250 SX-F FACTORY EDITION bikes in AMA Supercross, Pro Motocross and the SMX Finals.
The additions give KTM a clear blend of continuity and change. Beaumer is back after extending through 2027, so the team keeps a proven piece in place. Coenen joins after a strong run in MX2 World Championship competition, where he finished third in 2026. DiFrancesco and Bennick bring fresh momentum from the American 250 ranks, and both arrive with results that show they can matter right away in a bigger environment.
KTM’s decision also sharpens the team’s direction in the 250 class. A four-rider setup creates more depth across the season and gives the organization more options as it moves between Supercross, motocross and SMX events. The expanded lineup is set to debut at the opening round of the 2027 AMA Supercross Championship in Anaheim, California, giving the team an immediate chance to show how the new structure fits.
DiFrancesco
DiFrancesco enters the KTM program after a 2026 season. He finished runner-up in the 2026 250SMX World Championship, a result that placed him among the top riders in the class and gave KTM a clear reason to make him part of its future. He also finished fifth in 250MX and fourth in the 250SX Western Division, which shows a rider who delivered across multiple disciplines and on different tracks.
Those results matter because they point to consistency as much as speed. DiFrancesco was close to the top in SMX, stayed in the mix through the motocross season and remained competitive in Supercross on the West side. That profile fits a factory program looking for riders who can handle a full championship calendar and contribute across the board. KTM now gets a rider who has already proven he can run near the front in each phase of the 250 schedule.
His addition also adds another layer to KTM’s line of talent. With Beaumer staying on board and Coenen coming in from Europe, DiFrancesco gives the team another rider with championship-level experience in the American system. The result is a lineup built around riders who can score in different formats, adapt quickly and keep pressure on the front of the class throughout the season.
Bennick
Bennick joins KTM after a season that gave him a breakthrough moment and a strong finish in the East Division. He placed third in the 250SX East standings in 2026, a result that marked him as one of the top riders on that side of the Supercross schedule. He also earned his first 250SMX podium at SMX Playoff 1 in Columbus, a milestone that added another line to his 2026 resume and showed he can deliver in the postseason stage as well.
That combination of results makes Bennick an important addition to KTM’s growing 250 group. He is not joining as a long-term project without proof. In a lineup that already includes Beaumer, Coenen and DiFrancesco, Bennick gives KTM another rider who has shown he can score when the competition gets tight.
The four-rider structure also gives KTM a chance to spread its strength across the series calendar. Bennick’s East results, DiFrancesco’s across-the-board 2026 season, Beaumer’s return and Coenen’s move from MX2 create a roster with depth and range. When the program opens its 2027 campaign in Anaheim, it will do so with a mix of returning talent and new faces, all on the same machine and all under the same factory banner.
