Joining Michele Cervellin in HRC MX2 at the weekend’s Dutch GP is 22-year-old Dutchman Lars Van Berkel who will be filling in for the injured Chihiro Notsuka.

Coming just one week after the MXGP of Trentino as the European season starts to come thick and fast, the MXGP of Europe represents the first real sand race of the year. Located just over the Dutch / Belgian border, Valkenswaard is old-school motocross and equally popular with the fans as it is challenging for the riders. 

Fresh from his MX2 debut with Honda Europe team Vamo Racing in Argentina and Trentino, Van Berkel is graduating to HRC for the next two rounds of the MX2 Category in Valkenswaard and Latvia. As a good sand rider, these two races should suit him well, and he is no stranger to Honda having won the Dutch championship on the Honda CRF150R in 2009. Vamo Racing have released Van Berkel to HRC to give the Dutchman the opportunity to showcase his talent as the Honda Racing Family continues to search for and promote new talent. This will be his last year in MX2 before moving up to the MXGP class next season. 

Following a Grand Prix career-best qualifying in Trentino despite nursing a hand injury, Michele Cervellin will be looking to continue the form he showed in Italy and climb back up the championship table this weekend in Valkenswaard. He is familiar with the popular Belgian sand track having raced there in the European rounds last year.

Dutchman Micha Boy De Waal will replace Van Berkel at Vamo Honda for the next two races. He’ll be riding alongside the team’s regular rider Michael Ivanov in Valkenswaard and Latvia.