Image: Foremost Media.

The outbreak of Covid-19 in Victoria will see Luke Clout travel to Western Australia for the 2021 Berry Sweet Manjimup 15,000 without any permanent staff from CDR Yamaha Monster Energy.

The Victorian-based squad, which has freighted over bikes and equipment, was forced to pull out of the event after Western Australia’s strict border restrictions prevented staff from travelling to Perth, including Hayden Mellross.

Sydney-based Clout will still make his way west for the prestigious race without the extended CDR crew, where he’ll have the assistance of his race day mechanic and brother Aaron Clout, who is not a permanent CDR Yamaha staff member.

CDR Yamaha Monster Energy team owner Craig Dack said it wasn’t ideal for the MX1 contender to be without any permanent team staff, however indicated it was important to adapt under the current circumstances.

“We had to shut the Manjimup event down as a team,” Dack told MotoOnline.com.au. “We freighted everything across there – we have something like 400-500kg of freight sitting at Yamaha in Perth for that race.

“Obviously, CDR and our personnel, including Hayden [Mellross], can’t do it because it’s too close to the bone in terms of the shutdown.

“Luke Clout will still continue to do it, although it’s not our ideal situation, because although his brother Aaron [Clout] is his mechanic and he’s fine, but CDR not having any permanent staff there concerns me a little bit. But in these times, we have to take these different routes I guess.”

The Manjimup 15,000 has only had a minor impact as a result of the border restrictions, with Mellross the only major competitor forced to withdraw. Victorian-based Western Australians Regan Duffy (KTM Racing Team) and Connor Tierney (SB Motorsports Suzuki) made a dash for Perth prior to the Victoria lockout.