Joel Smets knows better than anyone, what is it like to race for KTM and then move over to the Japanese machines. The five-time world motocross champion, who had won world titles on Husaberg and KTM machines in 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2003, then moved to Suzuki and while he remained a top rider in the MX1 class, he never again would win a world motocross championship.

As for his Red Bull KTM factory racer Jeffrey Herlings going to Honda, of course the Belgian legend cannot report if its true or not, due to contracts, but when he spoke with NOS media from The Netherlands, it was obvious he wasn’t happy to see his fellow five time world champion leave the KTM team.

"You have to be realistic," Smets said. "I cannot confirm at this stage whether Jeffrey is leaving us, but there are sharks in the water. His contract is expiring, and we have offered him a new deal. It is up to him to make a choice. We're going to miss him. Jeffrey is a rider of high peaks and sometimes deep valleys, especially physically. But you know one thing for sure with him: there's always life in the mix. Even when he's injured. Jeffrey Herlings still has his value, even on a different brand."

Smets joined Sylvain Geboers' Alstare Suzuki Team for the 2004 season but, suffered a major injury at the season opening round in the Mantova International. The injury saw him miss his assault on any title in 2004.

The 2005 season was another season he would not reach his true potential as he battled to match Everts on the track. He did win races but could never get that Grand Prix overall. He announced his retirement from international competition at the age of 37 after injuring his knee at the Gaildorf circuit in Germany.

“Riding for a Japanese brand is different. One rider needs more time to adapt than another. I don't think it's realistic to expect Jeffrey to win his first Grand Prix on a new brand. How well are you able to express in technical terms how you want the bike set up? For me, it went pretty smoothly back then, but look at Spanish world champion Jorge Prado, who, after ten years with KTM in MXGP, started riding for Kawasaki in the American championship this season. The enthusiasm with which Prado started, turned into one big problem. He couldn't communicate his wishes properly.”

So, while the rumours of Herlings departure continue to swirl around and while those in the paddock have known since the German Grand Prix a couple of months ago, that Herlings name was in the short list for racers who HRC wanted (along with Vialle, Coenen and Gajser), it only became a rumour in the media a month or so later, when one overexcited media source wants to be a hero.

Don't expect anything official until 2026, but the rumbles are getting stronger and the idea of seeing Jeffrey Herlings on a Honda, well, it might be one of the most exciting seasons in the sports long history, if "The Bullet" can relate to the red machine as well or better than he did on his reliable KTM.