Image: Supplied.

The future of Australian champion Daniel Milner has been made official, joining Italian manufacturer Fantic Motor for the 2022 EnduroGP World Championship.

Milner, 30, will reignite his international career with Fantic D’Arpa Racing factory team after it was confirmed last month that he would be departing KTM.

Fantic’s XEF 450 is largely based upon WR machinery in a direct collaboration with Yamaha Motor Europe, which is part of an increasingly-strong strategy between the pair of brands. Milner will be aligned with Scott Lillis as his mechanic in the project.

“This has been a goal of mine for years, so getting this opportunity to help grow this brand and team was a no-brainer,” Milner confirmed. “Also, getting Scott Lillis alongside me will make it way easier to push to chase our dream and goals. Bring on 2022.”

Milner has established himself as a great in Australian off-road competition, winning championships with Yamaha during the early stages of his professional career and then continuing that trend when transferring to KTM in 2017.

Two years were spent in the US riding Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) in between his stints at Yamaha and KTM, however, it is his individual victory in the 2018 International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) in Chile as part of the winning Team Australia that he’s more widely-noted for overseas.

The Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC) has been largely affected by covid in 2020 and 2021, with only one event being staged this year at Golden Beach and dominated by Milner. He also went on to win the Hattah Desert Race in July.