Reigning EMX250 Champion, Andrea Bonacorsi, will step up to the premier class with the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP Team for the remainder of the 2024 FIM Motocross World Championship season, replacing Maxime Renaux who is currently sidelined through injury.
Bonacorsi, alongside Calvin Vlaanderen, will race a YZ450FM in the premier class following his impressive 450cc debut last year, where he finished third in the Open class at the Monster Energy Motocross of Nations in Ernee, France.
The recently turned 21-year-old Italian steps up to the premier class off the back of his best result in his MX2 debut season last time out in Trentino, where he claimed third place in Race Two. Bonacorsi is now fully focused on testing his new YZ450FM, as he looks forward to making his MXGP debut at the fifth round of the Motocross World Championship in Agueda, Portugal.
Andrea Bonacorsi said: “I’m looking forward to moving up to the 450 class. It wasn’t an easy decision after showing that I can run up front in MX2 in Trentino, but I feel like the 450 suits me much better, and my potential is much higher on this bike. My goal will be to learn the bike as quickly as possible and to improve weekend by weekend like I was already doing in my rookie season in MX2. So, for me, the approach will be the same, just in a new class.”
Also in the MXGP class, Roan Van de Moosdijk has split was HRC Honda after just joining them! He has a long term knee injury which will keep him out of action for the rest of the season.
In the AMA series, Ken Roczen is out for remaining supercross races after it was found he broke his leg in the supercross at Nashville after his shock exploded. He said: “After further evaluation it looks like I will be out for a little bit. It turns out I broke my tib plateau, my foot and my toe. No surgery is required as of right now but we are still gathering some information and further evaluation. That’s really all I have for now. Bye bye SX24 you were pretty cool! My fans and partners, you guys make it super fun and it’s a joy coming to the races and get that support you guys give us.”
Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker is back after taking a weekend off to let his shoulder strengthen, and he’s fired up to be amongst his Pennsylvanians at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. With two podium finishes under his belt, the rider out of Bainbridge will use his local fandom to enjoy a needed boost to go after podium number three this season at the series’ first-ever trip to the city of Brotherly Love. Cameron McAdoo suffered a shoulder injury last weekend in Nashville, but thankfully, he didn’t endure anything serious and will be lining up in Philadelphia.
In the British championships, Liam Knight crashed hard at the Fastest 40 series at Foxhill and is unlikely to start at Lyng on Sunday.