Image: Jeremy Hammer (Foremost Media).

Penrite Honda Racing has revealed it will seek a replacement rider for the remaining rounds of the Australian Supercross Championship following today’s news that current SX2 points leader Gavin Faith will return to America in order to repair a wrist injury.

Team own Yarrive Konsky confirmed the outfit will look overseas for a replacement that can continue winning aboard the CRF250R, a decision largely due to local Honda talent already locked into conflicting partnerships with the team.

“Definitely,” Konsky replied to MotoOnline.com.au when asked if the team will source a replacement. “The commercial reality is that we are supported by many industry and non-industry partners, and there’s an expectation that we’re going to put someone on the motorcycle – we need to put that bike in a competitive position and proves its worth where we can fight for race wins.

“I think the riders currently in Australia that are on Honda motorcycles have really good programs and there personal partnerships conflict with ours, and to derail that for two weekends of competition would be unjust knowing that these privateers are reliant on these personal sponsorships. So therefore, we will look overseas.”

Konsky expressed his views on Faith – who was in his seventh year with the team – departing the series, stating his relief that the injury wasn’t any more severe.

“We sought advice from professionals, we’re not experts in this field,” he continued. “Everyone’s response was the same – if he could ride through the pain, then he could race, and if he couldn’t, then he would either need to get an operation to improve the chances of the scaphoid healing, or he needed to let it heal naturally.

“We felt he was going to be able to compete and contend for the championship after he raced with it broken at Bacchus Marsh and then again at Virginia, however the pain following Virginia, he deemed unbearable – only he can determine that. Whilst it hurts because we were leading the championship and we were in the same position last year, I’m grateful the injury wasn’t any worse.”

The team is slated to finalise it’s plan ahead of Sydney’s Monster Energy AUS-X Open, which will host rounds four and five of the championship on 11-12 November.