Image: Ray Archer.

Reigning MX2 World Champion Jordi Tixier will take his number one plate from Red Bull KTM to Monster Energy Kawasaki in 2015, it has been confirmed by the Kawasaki Racing Team.

The 21-year-old will complete his MX2 career on board a KX250F in the official factory team alongside fellow Frenchman Dylan Ferrandis and American Thomas Covington.

“I’m very happy to have signed with the Monster Energy Kawasaki MX2 Racing Team; they approached me during the season and I saw how motivated they were to sign me,” explained Tixier. “It will give me further motivation to defend my world title on a new bike.

“I know that everyone in the team is motivated and so am I. The team have the support of the Kawasaki factory in Japan, we spoke a lot with the technical staff and I know that they are able to provide us with the best material for every situation.”

Steve Guttridge, Kawasaki Motors Europe, said: “It’s fantastic that Jordi is coming back into the Kawasaki family for 2015 in MX2. I truly hope he can take the final step in his MX2 career and get another world champion title with Team Green before moving up to the MXGP class in 2016.

“The team has a great line-up of riders again for next season and we are all motivated to give them the very best tools and equipment to win at world level on the KX250F.”

The news comes alongside the breaking news that Ryan Villopoto will spearhead Kawasaki’s MXGP assault in 2015 alongside Tyla Rattray.