Image: Foremost Media.

Former MX2 champion Jay Wilson intends to return to New Zealand following this weekend’s fourth round of the 2021 Penrite ProMX Championship in Maitland, New South Wales.

The Yamalube Yamaha Racing rider travelled to New Zealand prior to Canberra’s second round before returning after his podium performance, and was due to move back to Australia for Gillman’s third stop, which was ultimately postponed due to heightened border restrictions in South Australia amid the Covid-19 outbreak in Melbourne.

The postponement has allowed the 2015 champion to remain in New Zealand for an additional month, and he’s now hoping to continue training overseas with Ben Townley after this weekend’s ProMX event.

“I’m currently still based in New Zealand and we’re living with Ben Townley at the moment,” Wilson explained to MotoOnline.com.au. “The initial plan was to move back home for Gillman, but when that round was postponed we decided to stay here as there’re plenty of new tracks to ride – there are at least six within an hour’s drive of me – and new people to ride with, plus Ben has been helping me out with coaching.

“I’m playing it all by ear, but the current plan is to fly back for Maitland and then return to New Zealand. While it sucks to have this big gap in the championship, I’m not going to complain with my current location, the people I have around me and the work we’ve been doing. It’s been very beneficial being here.”

Wilson is ranked fourth in the MX2 championship standings, just three points shy of teammate Rhys Budd (Yamalube Yamaha Racing) who holds down second place.