Interview with Manuel Lettenbichler: "I'm super proud of what we achieved as a team!"

From start to finish, Manuel Lettenbichler ruled supreme in the 2023 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship. Stamping his authority on the season from the outset, the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider not only went on to successfully defend his world title, but he did it in absolute style. Achieving what few believed possible, Lettenbichler won all six rounds of the championship to secure a deserved perfect season.

From round one in Serbia in May, right through to his home race in Germany in November, Manuel Lettenbichler led the way. Initially setting out with the goal of fighting for the world title, not even Lettenbichler himself believed a perfect season was on the cards.

Mani, what a season! Let’s wind the clock back… did you feel any extra pressure coming into 2023?
Manuel Lettenbichler: “Honestly, I was a bit nervous coming into the season. Although things looked unchanged, I was on a new bike. We did a lot of testing during the winter to get the KTM 300 EXC set up how I wanted it. You never know how things will go coming into round one. But by the time it had rolled around I felt that with the homework we’d done it would be a good year.”

In the back of your mind, did you ever consider that you might go on to win every race?
“There was never any expectation to have a perfect season. That would be too much. That stuff sort of happens itself. It’s hard just to win one race, let alone them all. But my goals were to have a solid year, show that I was capable of winning, and fight for the title once more.”

You went on to win the Red Bull Erzbergrodeo following an incredible back and forth battle with Billy Bolt. How did that unfold from your point of view?
“I always carry high expectations for myself coming into a race like Red Bull Erzbergrodeo. In some ways it’s sort of like a home race for me. I’m a Bavarian guy, racing for an Austrian brand in one of the biggest races in Austria. It’s special and nerve-wracking all at the same time. For sure I wanted to win. But so did everyone else. I got a good start and when things began to settle down after the initial madness, it was Billy and myself out front. He overtook me at Carl’s Dinner and pulled a pretty decent gap. I was a bit tired there but knew when we got back into the woods that I could come good. I closed the gap and got by him on a tough climb. I didn’t look back after that and nailed it to the finish!”

It’s no secret that Red Bull Romaniacs is one of your favourite races. But on Offroad Day One you guys got more than you bargained for with that storm, right?
“That was a surreal moment. Easily the wildest of the entire championship! It had already been a hard day, but then that storm rolled in. I could feel something strange was going on. The sky went black, and the wind was crazy. I had never raced in something like that before, and I never want to again. But it’s one for the memory bank, for sure!”

So, how early in the year did you begin to consider that a perfect season was on the cards?
“After Red Bull Outliers talk began to increase a lot about the possibility of a perfect season. I didn’t try to get involved though. In my mind I still needed to win the championship. That was always the most important thing. Becoming world champion was my focus.”

After winning Red Bull Outliers, clinching the title was a real possibility at the penultimate round at 24MX Hixpania Hard Enduro. How did you manage that race knowing that winning it would see you become world champion?
“Coming into 24MX Hixpania Hard Enduro wasn’t easy, knowing the title was a real possibility. I really had to put my head into race mode on Sunday morning. Thinking back, starting third probably helped as I needed to catch Billy (Bolt) and Wade (Young) straight away. I took the lead on lap one and went on to win the race and the title. To go back-to-back meant a huge deal to me. It was hard to stop my emotions coming through.”

With the title now secure, surely the final round at 24MX GetzenRodeo must have been all about making history and nailing that perfect season…
“For sure, there was no way to avoid it then. I was happy to win the title going five wins out of five, but to get a perfect season at my home race was the dream scenario that I had to go for. I love that race. I get treated like a rockstar, it’s so wild. It’s so special. I really wanted to win!”

All weekend you were doing everything right, but then Billy passed you with about 10 minutes to go. Did you panic?
“We were racing hard, and Billy was riding so good. He was hungry to win. For most of the race I was holding a gap over him. But I got so tired, and he passed me. Then he crashed on the rock step, and I got up it clean. That gave me some extra fire and I gave it all I had for those last two laps. I was so tired coming over the finish line, but we made it. The perfect season happened!”

Now that the mud, sweat, and tears from the 2023 season have been wiped away, have you managed to digest everything that’s happened? Any thoughts about 2024 yet?
“Wow! It’s been a heck of a year. One that will be hard to top. I’m super proud of what we achieved as a team, and I know these great memories will always stay with me. 2024 will soon be here and I’m looking forward to defending my title. The championship looks really good, and I’m sure I’ll have lots of great battles again.”