Image: Jeff Crow.

Longtime Serco Yamaha crew chief Michael Marty will make a shock switch to the NPS Monster Energy Kawasaki team in 2015, taking on a new challenge in the MX1 ranks working with Adam Monea and Jake Moss.

Commencing his new role in December, Marty is coming off the back of two consecutive MX2 MX Nationals titles with Luke Styke (2013) and Luke Clout (2014) after over 13 years at Serco. Styke also won the 2013 supercross title before Yamaha quit the series this year.

Marty’s arrival comes amidst a number of structural revisions at the Troy Carroll-run factory Kawasaki team, which has this week completed the move from Carroll’s hometown of Toowoomba to a Brisbane base at Rocklea.

It’s one of the most high profile team personnel changes witnessed in recent history of Australian motocross, leaving the Serco Yamaha team to source a replacement for Marty in the broad operational role.

“It will be a very similar role to what I have been doing at Serco and I will start with Kawasaki in December,” Marty explained to MotoOnline.com.au. “I’ve been with Serco for 13 and a half years now, so I believe it’s time for me to move on and try something different.

“I want to have a crack at working for an Open team, I’ve been in the Lites since joining Serco in 2001 and the timing’s right. We’ve had a lot of success with the YZ250F and won championships as a team, so it is a major change, but one that I am very excited for.”

Carroll believes the addition of Marty at NPS Monster Energy Kawasaki will be a strong one, familiar with the riders after previously winning the 2007 MX2 title with Jake Moss at Serco and also working with Monea on various occasions.

“It’s fantastic to have Michael Marty come across to us,” Carroll told MotoOnline. “It’s a big change for him of course, being with Serco for so many years, but when we first spoke about it we were speaking about another guy to take the job on.

“And then Michael said he wanted another challenge, that he would be committed to coming and winning championships with us, and that for us puts our best foot forward for the 2015 season coming up.

“We’ve moved to Brisbane where it’s easier to find places to test, easier for riders and mechanics to fly in and out of, and with Michael coming across now to help develop the bike there’s a lot of positives for us. It’s great to have someone with so much knowledge and experience to join the team.”

Serco Yamaha team owner Gavin Eales said that the defending champion outfit is “working on bits and pieces” moving forward into 2015 without Marty, where it will be fielding Clout and rookie Jed Beaton.

“All good things come to an end,” Eales commented. “We had a good team, we were good mates and unfortunately he wanted a change, but that’s all part of life. In the short term it will be a challenge, but life is a challenge and that’s just how it is.”

Marty will replace outgoing NPS Monster Energy Kawasaki chief mechanic Luke Jones for next season.