Image: Jeremy Hammer (Foremost Media).

Yamalube Yamaha Racing team manager Scott Bishop has backed Motorcycling Australia’s decision to select team rider Mitch Evans as the MX2 replacement for this weekend’s FIM Motocross of Nations in Italy.

DPH Motorsport’s Jed Beaton was slated to represent the country in the MX2 category, however a practice crash in the lead-up to the event forced the recently crowned Australian champion to withdraw his entry.

A combination of injuries amongst the country’s top MX2 athletes and alternative riders unavailable due to a variety of reasons has led reigning MXD national champion Evans to become the most plausible option to fulfil the position.

“We really feel for Jed, he has been through our team so we really understand his emotions,” Bishop explained to MotoOnline.com.au. “Mitch and Jed are quite good friends, and it’s not the way you want to get an opportunity like this with someone else being injured.”

“Mitch was the first guy who was available to ride at the event on a Yamaha, which had already been organised by Gary Benn (Team Australia manager) through Kemea Yamaha in Europe for Jed. It was the most logical and realistic choice to select Mitch.”

Bishop stated that it’s vital for the Queenslander to take in the experience, rather than focus on gaining a strong result considering his current position and lack of experience at a world-class level.

“He is only a 17-year-old kid who still in grade 12 in high school and he’s about to go up against the best riders in the world – I don’t think it’s about a result, it’s about an experience of an event of that magnitude.”

“My advice to him is to just enjoy the experience – you never know when this opportunity will present itself again. He need’s to enjoy the opportunity of being there at an event of that size and to also just focus on what he does – riding his best laps and races, not concerning himself with that is going on around him. If he can come off the track and say that’s the best I’ve got, well then he can hold his head up high,” he continued.

Evans will be joined by experienced international riders Todd Waters and Dean Ferris in the Australian three-man squad at the Maggiora circuit this Sunday, 25 September.