Image: MXN.

Australia’s Brett Metcalfe will this weekend commence his first full-time season domestically since 2001 as he prepares to enter Wonthaggi’s season-opening 2017 Motul MX Nationals round on 2 April.

An exciting prospect for the SD3 Husqvarna rider, this weekend’s start of the 10-round series will provide multiple challenges for the experienced South Australian.

“Being back for the whole championship has got me excited more than anything,” said Metcalfe. “It has been like eight or nine months since I have been behind a gate. Even though I have been doing this a long time you still get the first round jitters.

“A big part of this one is learning our setup and seeing where we’re at, because it is all new. The Husqvarna this year is an awesome bike again but it just takes time to learn and develop a few things.

“My first full season out here since 2001 is the most exciting part, last year was a pretty last-minute decision to ride the first four rounds so this year it will be good to progress throughout the season. We have data from last year that will put us in a good place automatically and we can go from there.”

Top five results in both of the 30-minute motos will be the goal for Metcalfe, although the former AMA motocross and supercross contender isn’t counting out the possibility of victory.

“A couple of top-fives this weekend would be good, if I can be on the podium, really good and if I can pull off a win that will be excellent,” he explained. “But we won’t know until we get out there alongside our competition and see how the bike performs.

“It would be quite a challenge to find a more competitive season here in Australia than this one is going to be in the 450 class, that alone is going to make this series great for everybody.”

Metcalfe will be joined at the SD3 Husqvarna team by MX2 contender and fellow South Australian Luke Arbon and in the MXD category Kaleb Barham will again return with the now factory-supported outfit.