British champ Tommy Searle looks very unlikely to return to action for the second round of the Maxxis British championship at Lyng on April 9, he has exclusively revealed to MotoHead.  He is still recovering from knee surgery after he pickled up an injury in pre-season testing in California in December.

“I want to be back on the bike as soon as possible but I don’t want to take a backward step in doing so,” said DRT Kawasaki man Searle. “The knee just needs a little more time before I make my return. I feel I can ride, but the knees obvious take a lot of pressure when riding and I need to be ready for a dab. 

“I’m feeling good though and I’ve been keeping my fitness and training going – it’s just required bike time now I need.”

It’s a blow for Searle who injured his MCL ligament just a few weeks before he was due to start racing the UK Arenacross series. It means he will have missed the first two rounds of the British championship. The opening round at Culham was dominated by Jake Nicholls who took a double win. The third round of the eight-round series is at Canada Heights on April 30.

The first European MXGP round is at Trentino in Italy on April 16, followed by Valkenswaard in Holland a week later. It’s not known whether he’ll try to ride at these events, but it seems unlikely he’d come back from such a long rehab period by going straight into GPs.