In a surprise move Elliott Banks-Browne and Geartec will switch to Yamaha for 2016.
Yamaha used the 2015 International Dirt Bike Show to launch its new-for-2016 British Motocross team line up.
With MBO Sport moving to a youth set up, Rob Hooper, in a surprise move has switched to Yamaha under the Geartec Yamaha banner.
Geartec Yamaha will fly the blue flag for the Japanese manufacturer in the ACU British Championship, MX1 and MX2 classes as well as at selected GPs and other UK championships.
With a long history in the sport, racing at British and world level, followed by team management and now team ownership, Rob Hooper will be fielding a brace of riders aboard cutting-edge Yamaha machinery for the first time.
Two-time British MX2 champion Elliott Banks-Browne and Ashley Wilde are confirmed to ride the innovative, reverse-cylinder, MXGP championship winning YZ450F, but the seat for Yamaha’s latest YZ250F has yet to be confirmed.
“We’re really excited with this move to Yamaha and looking forward to a new challenge, said Team Owner, Rob Hooper at the Dirt Bike Show.
“We’ve been impressed by Yamaha’s motocross results from around the world in recent years and it gives us great confidence in the bikes. The bar has been set high in the UK, but we will be making every effort to continue to deliver the results for Yamaha,” Hooper added.
Yamaha UK’s Motorsport Coordinator, Karl Radley said: “It’s a real pleasure to welcome Rob Hooper and the team on board.
“Since the introduction of the game-changing YZ450F in 2010, Yamaha has enjoyed a huge amount of racing success with its YZ-Fs, both here in the UK and worldwide, so with Geartec Yamaha we look forward to continuing this trend into 2016 and beyond. With the team’s heritage, two title challengers on board and Yamaha’s latest YZ-Fs, we are confident that the partnership will deliver.”
It’ll be the first time in blue for popular British rider, Elliott Banks-Browne.
EBB won consecutive MX2 British championships in 2012 and 2013 on board HM Plant KTM UK machinery, before making the switch to MX1 and Buildbase Honda Racing in 2014.
The 2014 season never really got going for Elliott but the former champ ended the season at Foxhill with a second, first and third for his maiden MX1 overall win.
He switched to Geartec Suzuki for 2015 and started his season in the UK Arenacross series with some impressive results but his AX run got cut short when he and Thomas Ramette – who would go on to win the AX title – clashed at the Glasgow round, which left EBB with a broken tibia and fibia.
EBB had a long road back from his injuries and only raced three rounds in the Maxxis British championship during 2015 but is now fit and ready for 2016.
