2015 was an up-and-down season for former MX2 Grand Prix winner Dean Ferris but the 25-year-old Australian still showed enough speed to be considered as a solid Grand Prix runner for 2016.
After failing to find an acceptable team and contract however the former factory AMA Red Bull KTM rider is now heading back to his country and leaving Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna’s Todd Waters as the Aussies’ main hope in the premier class of the FIM Motocross World Championship.
“I couldn’t find what I needed and wanted and if I was going back to Australia then it would be with ‘Dacker’ and at that level,” said Ferris at last weekend’s Motocross of Nations where he publicly talked about his choice to leave Europe and compete for Craig Dack’s prolific Yamaha team and for Josh Coppins in New Zealand. “I’ve been here four years, who knows if I will be back but I was quite settled and happy when I made my decision.”
Coppins overseas Yamaha’s national team and business interests in NZL and he’s happy to secure Ferris: “To have a rider on Dean’s level is a really big deal for us,” Coppins said.
Ferris broke his femur towards the end of 2014 and then coped with food allergies and shin splints during 2015 while riding the FC350 for Jacky Martens Wilvo Nestaan Lommel-based crew.
Martens will convert again to a full MX2 effort for 2016 allegedly with Max Anstie and Thomas Covington together under the awning.
Waters will remain with the IceOne crew for a third successive year in MXGP.
