Image: Foremost Media.

Yamalube Yamaha Racing has announced its 2023 line-up which will see Jayce Cosford partner Alex Larwood on a YZ250F, as reigning MXW champion Charli Cannon remains with the squad to defend her domestic crown.

Cosford stepped into the team for Australian Supercross this year as a replacement for Larwood, who was forced out of ProMX contention after round four, requiring a shoulder reconstruction.

The number 754 ultimately finished ninth in the SX2 standings, notably scoring moto podiums as a privateer in MX2 earlier in the year at Coolum and Coffs Harbour. He effectively takes the place of Rhys Budd in the team, who has transferred to Serco Yamaha for 2023.

As for Larwood, the 19-year-old will enter his second campaign with the outfit and was second in the MX2 standings this year before undergoing surgery.

Making a dominant entrance into the national senior ranks, Cannon delivered a 100 percent strike rate on her way to the MXW title this year, also making her grand prix debut at Afyonkarahisar with JK Racing, later securing a full-time ride in the world championship for 2023 with the team.

Based in Australia for next year, Cannon will have plenty of race time as she defends her domestic MXW title with Yamalube Yamaha and takes on the Women’s Motocross World Championship with JK Racing.

“Alex, Jayce and Charli are a young, energetic and motivated team of riders who aren’t afraid to put in the hard work to get the best out of themselves,” Yamalube Yamaha team manager Mike Ward states.

“Both Alex and Charli have already proven there are national championship contenders and I think with another year of experience, they will only be better for 2023.

“Alex has missed a lot of racing with Covid and injury, but he has been annoying us for weeks to get him a bike, so I know just how desperate he is to be back racing again. Charli is a machine and 2022 is just the beginning for her as she works as hard and is a dedicated as any rider I have seen.

“For Jayce, I was attracted to his fight on and off the track as a privateer and how much he dedicated himself to racing. Now with a team around him, we can lessen the burden between balancing work with riding and training and think he can continue to improve and be a podium contender in the MX2 class. March 5 will come around in a hurry, so we are already in full swing for the 2023 season to begin.”

The new-look eight-round 2023 Penrite ProMX calendar commences on 5 March at Wonthaggi, with the MXW championship expanding to four rounds next season and also getting underway at the Victorian complex.