LUKE CLOUT REJOINS KTM RACING TEAM

Luke Clout on orange again. It’s been a while – eight years, in fact – since the Sydneysider last swung a leg over a factory-supported KTM 450SX-F in anger. And now, at 31, he’s heading straight back under the same awning for the 2026 Australian Supercross Championship.

The numbers behind the signing stack up better than you might remember. Three SX1 series podium finishes across his career, including career-best runner-up campaigns in both 2019 and 2023, and fifth overall in last year’s championship – with podium results at Rounds 1, 3 and 5 along the way. That’s not a bloke fading out of relevance. That’s a bloke who keeps parking it inside the top five and simply hasn’t yet strung together the one season where everything lands at once.

What’s arguably more interesting is the shape of the KTM Racing Team effort around him. Clout joins Zac Watson in SX1 – with Watson set to make his first Australian Supercross start for the team – while Byron Dennis and Dylan Walsh stay on the KTM 250SX-F in SX2, off the back of a solid ProMX outdoor campaign earlier this season. Four riders across the two classes is a serious commitment to a series that has spent the past few seasons rebuilding its depth.

Clout reckons the 450SX-F suits his style, which is exactly what you’d expect a rider to say in a signing announcement. In his case, though, there’s a bit of history to back it up – he was part of the KTM Racing Team back in 2018 and bagged a pair of Australian Supercross podiums during that season. Here’s what KTM Australia has divulged about the signing…

KTM Racing Team is proud to announce the signing of Luke Clout for the upcoming 2026 Australian Supercross Championship, with the experienced Australian set to pilot a KTM 450SX-F in the SX1 category alongside team regulars Zac Watson, Byron Dennis and Dylan Walsh.

The highly rated 31-year-old has been a regular front-runner in Australian Supercross throughout his career, claiming SX1 series podium finishes on three occasions, including a career-best second in both 2019 and 2023. Clout finished fifth in last year’s championship, with podium results at Rounds 1, 3, and 5.

Clout was also previously part of the KTM Racing Team in 2018, scoring a pair of Australian Supercross podiums during what was a competitive season together with the team. He returns to the fold this year targeting championship success across the SX1 series.

Luke Clout: “I’m excited to line up for KTM Racing Team in 2026. I’ve been riding the KTM 450SX-F lately and have been feeling really good already. I didn’t know what to expect since it had been a while since I’d ridden a KTM, but I was pleasantly surprised because the engine is amazing, and it really suits my style. With the team, there are a lot of new people, but also some who were here when I was last, so it’s a bit of a reunion of sorts, which makes me excited to go racing. It feels like a bit of a fresh start for me, which I think is always good – a new environment, a new team – and we’re ready to get to work.”

Kyle Blunden, KTM Group Australia Motorsport Manager: “Luke has consistently proven himself as a front-running contender in Australian Supercross, and his experience, speed and approach to racing make him a great addition to our SX1 program. We’re looking forward to combining Luke’s skill and determination with the strength of our team, as we prepare for the season ahead. We are excited to build momentum together for our fans and put ourselves in a position to challenge for strong results throughout the championship.”

Clout will join Zac Watson in SX1, who is set to make his first Australian Supercross Championship start with KTM Racing Team in 2026, while the capable SX2 pairing of Dennis and Walsh completes the roster aboard the KTM 250SX-F following what was a successful outdoor ProMX campaign earlier this season.

Full round dates and venues for the 2026 Australian Supercross Championship are yet to be finalised, as is the length of Clout’s KTM deal. What is confirmed is that an SX1 gate with Clout back aboard factory-supported machinery is a better watch than one without him – and after two runner-up campaigns, he’s got plenty of unfinished business worth turning up for.