Stepping up to premier class of WSX aboard Yamaha machinery.
Australian international Matt Moss has confirmed that he’ll transfer to MDK Motorsports for the 2023 World Supercross Championship (WSX), stepping up to the premier class for the new season aboard a Yamaha.
The 34-year-old lined up in the SX2 class last year as part of the Bud Racing Kawasaki team in what was the two-round WSX ‘pilot season’, where he finished ninth in the overall point-standings.
Last year, Moss switched between riding a KX250 in the SX2 category of WSX and a YZ450F at home in the Australian Supercross Championship (AUSX) – including on the same weekend in Melbourne. To date this year he’s lined up on a BarX Suzuki RM-Z250 in the Monster Energy Supercross Championship at Oakland, plus rode a WBR Yamaha YZ450F in the Appin round of Penrite ProMX.
“I just want to put my head down and work and make the most of it,” Moss told MotoOnline. “This deal came about the same way most of my deals do. I messaged the MDK guys on Instagram during WSX last year and told them I was interested in riding for them. After switching from 450 to 250 and vice-versa, I just really wanted to get a solid deal together and race a 450 this year. We went back and forth for a while, and they were really keen.
“The deal has been done for a while now, we just had to keep it quiet while we confirmed some other things. I’m so excited to officially be riding MDK equipment, I’ll be on a Yamaha YZ450F and I really think these guys can build me a really solid package with how great the Yamaha is straight out of the crate. Another thing I’m super-excited about is, I won’t be swapping bike brands back and forth.
“I’ll race a Yamaha in Australian Supercross Championship, as well. I’m stoked to have things confirmed early this year, I feel like ever since I’ve been back in the sport, I’ve been under-prepared or on the back foot, so I’m pumped. I just want to put my head down and work and make the most of it. Overall, I’m pretty happy to be sticking on the same bike for the most part this year [laughs], it was pretty damn hard switching brands and capacities last year.”
Moss has also confirmed that he will continue with the WBR Bulk Nutrients Yamaha team outdoors for the upcoming rounds of ProMX at Wodonga and Maitland, but will then switch his focus to WSX. It’s still unclear if he will return to the US for any additional AMA rounds.
“I’m still going to race the next two rounds of ProMX with WBR, we’ll finish up at Maitland,” he added. “Another thing I’ve got coming up is a round of the Chinese Supercross Championship, I think that’s two weeks after Maitland, and I’ll also race a YZ450F there too. That’ll kind of kick off my supercross preparations somewhat – I won’t get back on a motocross track after that.”
The FIM World Supercross Championship will be a six round series in 2023, set to commence 1 July. Villa Park in Birmingham, UK, will play host to the British Grand Prix.