The British Motocross season properly and actually begins in earnest this weekend on the model new circuit of Oakhanger in Hampshire. Arrange on MOD land in an association made by the crew behind the Michelin Nationals sequence, it’s the first true collaboration between the 2 largest promoters of outside Motocross within the UK.
Phrases: Ben Rumbold | Featured Picture: RHL Actions
The Michelin Nationals had been attributable to run right here final weekend, however the climate put them again to the week after the Revo sequence kicks off, on the identical venue. Initially, the brand new circuit was to be flattened after the final race had completed, but it surely would possibly now be used for a coaching facility for the armed forces as an alternative.
Whoever units eyes on this circuit can’t fail to be impressed. It’s merely gorgeous, and it will be extraordinarily difficult. One high rider strolling the circuit was heard to say that it appears to be like deeper even than common Dutch and Belgian sand circuits, that his participation in final 12 months’s Weston Seaside Race was good coaching for it!
Right here’s your team-by-team information to who’s lining up this weekend!
MX1:
Kawasaki:
GTCI Revo Kawasaki
#100 Tommy Searle – 2022: Champion, 4th time. 5 General Wins, 8 Motos (from 16).
Phoenix Evenstrokes Kawasaki
#277 Jay Hague – 2022: 2022: 18th (MX2), Better of 6th General @ Foxhill, 1 x 3rd-place moto
Modu Kawasaki
#211 Billy Mackenzie – 2022: 19th, Better of 1 x 9th-placed Moto @ Whitby
Honda:
Crendon Fastrack Honda
#3 Josh Gilbert – 2022: 4th, Greatest of twond General (Canade Heights, Landrake), 1 Moto Win
#426 Conrad Mewse – 2022: MX2 Champion, 4 General Wins, 8 Motos (from 14), 4th at Landrake MX1
C-Res Bikesport Newcastle
#714 Brad Todd – 2022: 6th, Better of 5th General at Blaxhall, 1 x 5th-Positioned Moto
S Briggs Commercials Honda –
#162 Stuart Edmonds – 2022: 13th, Better of 4 x 8th-Positioned Motos
Final Wheels Thunder Street Honda
#17 Luke Smith – 2022: 25th, Greatest of two x 14th-placed Motos (Canada Heights & Landrake)
#7 Louie Kessell – 2022: 40th (MX2), Better of 13th (Race 2 Foxhill)
Retailer 114 Racing
#511 Steven Clarke – 2022: 32nd, Better of 1 x 9th-placed Moto at Lyng
TRU7 Honda Racing Academy
#49 Callum Inexperienced – Championship Debut
Yamaha:
Cab Screens Crescent Yamaha
#151 Harri Kullas – 2022: 2nd, 2 General Wins, 6 Moto Wins
#184 Jamie Carpenter – 2022: 2nd MX2, 2 General Wins, 2 Moto Wins
KTM
Gabriel SS24 KTM
#24 Shaun Simpson – 2022: 3rd, 1 General Win, 1 Moto Win
#141 Tristan Purdon – 2022: 15th, Better of 5th General at FatCat, 2 x 6th-placed Motos
Gabriel KTM
#134 Liam Knight – 2022: 7th, Better of 1 x 6th-placed Moto at Blaxhall
TALK Templant KTM
#115 Ashton Dickinson – 2022: 16th, Better of 4th General at Foxhill, 1 x 3rd-placed Motol
Husqvarna:
SC Sporthomes Husqvarna
#91 Charlie Putnam – 2022: 18th, Better of 1 x 13th-placed Moto at Whitby.
#147 Miro Sihvonen – Makes British Championship Debut
Apico Husqvarna
#50 Martin Barr – 2022: 8th, Better of 4th General at Whitby together with his finest moto of 4th in Race 1
AJP Geartec Husqvarna
#21 Jayden Ashwell – 2022: 27th, Better of 1 x 13th-placed Moto
PP Sport Southside MX/Bickers
#425 Drew Anderson – 2022: 30th, Better of 1 x 16th-placed Moto at Landrake
GASGAS:
ASA United GASGAS
#2 John Adamson – 2022: 5th, Better of 4th General at FatCat together with his finest moto of threerd in Race 1
#128 Ivo Monticelli – 2022: 24th in MXGP, Better of 1 x 11th-placed Moto at Lommel
Chambers Racing
#16 Tom Grimshaw – 2022: 3rd (MX2), Greatest of two x 4th-placed total, 1 x 3rd-placed Moto at Foxhill
#95 Dan Thornhill – 2022: 11th, Better of 1 x 7th-placed Moto at Landrake
Moto Cycle Racing
#10 Jason Meara – 2022: 17th, Better of 1 x 9th-placed Moto at Canada Heights
So the whole high three of final 12 months’s MX2 Championship – Mewse, Carpenter, and Grimshaw, be part of the elite of the MX1 class to provide us what should absolutely be a titanic 12 months of battling up entrance. Mewse is an extremely-talented pure rider, who defeated none apart from Tom Vialle firstly of the 2022 season at Hawkstone and but solely has a better of 4th total at GP stage. Mewse transferring to Honda appears to be like like a great transfer, though the dynamic with him and DT will likely be very attention-grabbing if outcomes don’t fairly go their method.
Searle is an especially robust nut to crack, going for his fourth straight British title, one thing that hasn’t been accomplished for the reason that Eighties by the workforce supervisor he leaves behind, Dave Thorpe. Heading again to Kawasaki, Tommy does really feel at dwelling and completely executed the Arenacross sequence, though he did trace there that he may not be round for for much longer.
Kullas remains to be within the combine, on a Yamaha that’s supposedly massively improved, though the workforce hasn’t had a lot time with it. Gilbert transferring again to Honda might additionally do him good, while abroad wildcards Monticelli and Sihvonen might sink like Petar Petrov or swim like Kullas. Adamson is one other hard-charger value watching, whereas his countryman Simpson is perhaps in his final season however nonetheless has huge capability as a doable winner. His new teammate Tristan Purdon has gained seven South African titles so might very a lot be a darkish horse to place a shock in.
MX2:
Kawasaki:
GTCI Revo Kawasaki
#53 Dylan Walsh – 2022: 6th, 4 x 2nd General, 2 Moto Wins
Phoenix EvenStrokes Kawasaki
#6 Carlton Husband – 2022: 12th, Better of 6th General at Whitby, 2 x 5th-placed Motos
#127 Sam Atkinson – 2022: 17th, Better of 1 x 7th-placed Moto, Landrake
Blades Bikes
#82 Charlie Cole – 2022: 11th, Better of 5th total at Lyng together with his finest moto of 4th there
KTM:
Southside MX
#20 – William Farrow – 2022: No Factors Scored
Gabriel SS24 KTM
#23 Taylor Hammal – 2022: 33rd, Better of 5th General at Culham
#411 Shaun Mahoney – Championship Debut
426 Motorsport
#28 Charlie Griffiths – 2022: 17th (125cc Youth), Better of 1 x 6th-placed Moto
WPH/SBE/Pure/Redline KTM
#40 Jamie Wainwright – 2022: 14th, Better of 4th General at Canada Heights
Algas Medical
#57 Kyle McNicol – 2022: 27th, Better of 4th General at Culham with 1 x 3rd-placed moto there
PSU Designs Ltd
#63 Dan Arkell – 2022: 6th (125cc Youth), Better of 6th General at FatCat
Verde Shiloh KTM
#119 Bailey Johnston – 2022: 32nd, Better of 1 x 14th-placed moto at Whitby
#303 Jake Millward – 2022: 12th (MX1), Greatest of threerd General at Culham
RSR Plant Providers
#122 Jake Sheridan – 2022: 16th, better of 1 x 9th-placed Moto at Landrake
Matt Gardiner MX
#410 James Barker – 2022: 4th (125cc Youth), Better of 4th General at Canada Heights
GRT Influence KTM
#419 Joe Brookes – 2022: 9th (125cc Youth), 2 x General Wins & 2 Moto Wins
Staff PP Sports activities Powered By Southside
#500 Callum Murfitt – 2022: 8th (250cc Youth), Greatest of threerd General at Blaxhall, 2 x 2nd-placed Motos
TALK Templant KTM
#616 Ollie Colmer – 2022: 2nd (125cc Youth), Greatest of twond General at Culham with 1 Moto Win
Husqvarna
Geartec Husqvarna
#44 Elliott Banks-Browne – Semi-retired 2012 & 2013 MX2 Champion
Apico Husqvarna
#131 Henry Siddiqui – 2022: 48th, Greatest of two x 18th-placed Motos at Foxhill
#433 Jack Lindsay – 2022: 25th, Better of 1 x 12th positioned Moto at Lyng
SC Sporthomes Husqvarna
#261 Jorgen-Matthius Talviku – 2022: 13th, Greatest of twond General with 2 x 2nd-placed motos at FatCat
GASGAS
Stebbings Automobile Superstore / 426 Motorsports
#517 Isak Gifting – 2022: fifth, 2 General Wins, 4 Moto Wins
Chambers Racing
#10 Harvey Cashmore – 2022: 5th (250cc Youth), Greatest of two x 3rd General
#300 Ben Franklin – 2022: 30th, Better of 1 x 8th-placed Moto, FatCat
#731 Alfie Jones – 2022: 15th, Better of 1 x 6th-placed Moto at Landrake
723 Race Bikes / Westsole Fencing
#75 Aaron Ongley – 2022: 35th, Greatest of two x 16th-placed Motos at Canada Heights
ASA United GASGAS
#163 Ben Mustoe – 2022: 7th (125cc Youth), Greatest of two x 3rd General
#579 Bobby Bruce – 2022: 34th, Better of 5th General at Whitby
AJP GASGAS
#719 James Margetson -2022: No Factors Scored
Honda:
TRU7 Honda Racing Academy
#422 Charlie Heyman – 2022: 125cc Youth Champion, 3 General Wins, 15 Wins from 20 Motos
Wulfsport/Marsh MX
#99 Howard Wainwright – 2022: 38th, Better of 1 x 13th-placed Moto at Culham
Oakleaf Worx Motorsport
#166 Josh Taylor – 2022: No Factors Scored
Southside Motocross
#687 Jake Rackham – 2022: 17th (250cc Youth), Greatest 1 x 8th-placed Moto at Canada Heights
Yamaha
Cabscreens Crescent Yamaha
#365 Sam Nunn – 2022: 19th, Better of 4th General at Whitby
Croft Storage / Goggle Tek
#11 Rob Holyoake – 2022: 52nd, Better of 18th at Whitby
DS Lausnir Yamaha
#49 Eidur Orri Palmarsson – 2022: 16th (250cc Youth), Better of 6th General at Blaxhall
GMR Magic Mushroom Yamaha
#74 Tom Murphy – 2022: 33rd, Better of 1 x 14th-placed Moto at Canada Heights
The MX2 Class is totally huge open. Dylan Walsh will certainly have the velocity to win, however there have been critical questions concerning the bike’s reliability and there are additionally date clashes together with his most popular AMA Supercross profession to take care of. A very good begin is crucial. Jorgen Matthias Talviku will likely be robust in sand so ought to take pleasure in Oakhanger, and will flip the impression he made final season into a significant title problem.
A sensational late entrant comes within the form of Isak Gifting, the Swedish GP hotshot who was left and not using a experience after Hitachi KTM pulled out of 2023 racing. Amazingly the late saviour of his season comes within the form of Conrad Mewse’s last-minute setup from final 12 months, Stebbings Automobile Superstore with 426 Motorports within the workforce title! Instantly MX2 simply bought that little bit of a better stage.
Main curiosity in MX2 comes with the arrival of an entire wave of quick rookies, to go along with promising younger stars coming back from harm.
Within the latter column, the likes of Bobby Bruce, Taylor Hammal, Kyle McNicol, Ben Franklin, and Sam Nunn will likely be trying to get their careers again on observe by successful domestically earlier than taking over Europe. The rookies are led by dominant 125cc Youth Champion Charlie Heyman, who impressed on debut on the closing spherical at Landrake final 12 months, taking fourth total and main a lot of the final moto. Ollie Colmer was a distant 2nd within the Youth, however was proper up there on the Hawkstone Worldwide and will develop to be a drive. Joe Brookes, James, Barker, and Ben Mustoe are additionally trying to make a great impression, as are second-year former youth Champions Alfie Jones and Bailey Johnston, together with Phoenix Evenstrokes Kawasaki rider Sam Atkinson.
Many veterans like Jamie Regulation have moved on, however Carlton Husband returns on one other Phoenix Evenstrokes Kawasaki and appears robust after successful in Scotland, while Elliott Banks-Browne appeared good in Arenacross and will nonetheless impress amongst the youthful lads. Former AMCA Champion Jamie Wainwright returns to his household set-up and may very well be a significant challenger in a cheerful atmosphere. Jake Millward & Glenn McCormick transfer down from MX1, with Millward campaigning a screaming two-stroke KTM which ought to please followers of the oil-burners.
It’s all to play for in each lessons and we are able to’t wait to get the season began!
