Riley Yamaha Racing have had a good season contesting the MXGP World Championship with Belgian talent, Brent van Doninck finishing fifteenth in the world despite missing the oversea Grand Prix’s.
However, we believe for the 2023 season, the Riley Yamaha team will fully focus on the MX2 World Championship. Joel Rizzi has made good some progress this year despite an injury along the way but he is expected to stay with the team.
Håkon Fredriksen who was with the team in the past contesting the EMX250 series has also been linked with a move back to the team. Despite making the move up to the MXGP World Championship this year before an injury ruled him out for the season, the Norwegian is expected to race the MX2 series once again in 2023.
Even though it looks like van Doninck won’t be part of the Riley Yamaha team he is in demand and has some offers. He is a rider that the Gebben van Venrooy Yamaha team admire having worked with him in the past but a move to the JM Honda team is looking more likely as of right now.
The JM Honda team were expected to fully focus on the MX2 World Championship in 2023 but as well as running two MX2 riders it looks like they will also run an MXGP rider if they can attract van Doninck for the 2023 season. If they do secure van Doninck an option they might take is to run one MX2 rider.
Article: Andy McKinstry
Podcast! Andy McKinstry and Jonathan McCready review the 2022 MXGP season with that unbelievable MX2 title decider in Turkey as well as looking back at a great AMA season and 450 last round title decider between the rapid Eli Tomac and Chase Sexton.
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