After a successful rookie year in the EMX250 European Championship with fifth-place in the championship — which included two moto wins and a podium spot at round one in Bulgaria — the talented British 17-year-old pilot has topped off his season with a new two-year contract with Hitachi Construction KTM.
Although there has been no official press release from the team, Ben posted on Instagram and Twitter last night (September 23) that the deal had finally been done.
“I am happy to be able to say that I have now signed a two year contract with Hitachi KTM UK and will be racing the Maxxis British championship and MX2 world championship! The team have been great so far and I look forward to 2015-2016! Thank you to everyone involved in the team this year and @redbull for all your help! #hitachiktmuk #revo #redbull,” said Ben.
In August Dirt Bike Rider reported that Hitachi KTM team owner, Roger Magee was keen to support Ben Watson. Roger told us at the time: “Ben can move up to the next level and MX2 and I feel that he has to.
“At his age there is nothing to gain by spending another year in the Europeans. We would not put any pressure on him and he’d have a year to learn all the tracks. He has a lot of talent and we want to nurture that.”
Dirt Bike Rider exclusively revealed at the start of September that Ben had a contract waiting for him to sign that would see the exciting young rider jump into the MX2 class. Magee believes that “Ben is good enough” to race Grands Prix, adding: “If he stayed in EMX250 and didn’t win it then he should have!”
We look forward to seeing Ben rock up at Hawkstone Park in February and then the first GP of the 2015 season in Qatar.
