The Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna factory racing team run by Jacky Martens will be led by Russian Alex Tonkov in 2015 but the Belgian crew are still waiting on final word for their racing budget to be able to confirm the second rider.
Former world champion Martens remarked that the high profile MX2 set-up are unlikely to field a third athlete on the FC250 due to financial constraints and the pressure to employ an individual who is capable of challenging for podium finishes and even victories means that the possibility of a youngster entering the team is remote.
This is not fantastic news for teenager Ben Watson who was heavily linked to the space next to Tonkov for a first year in MX2 in 2015 and who is highly rated after some eye-catching performances in the European EMX250 series this year.
The difficulty for Martens lies in finding a capable rider to fulfil the criteria. At the Grand Prix of Czech Republic last weekend there was not a single name in the category with experience of standing on the top step of the podium and only eight that have actually walked a world championship rostrum. Britain’s Steven Clarke is close to winning the 2014 EMX250 series but his age of 24 means he is ineligible for MX2.
Some of the more wild rumours involved an approach for former AMA 250MX Champion Blake Baggett to be wearing white in Grand Prix next year. Petar Petrov’s name has also been linked.
