Source: Supplied.

Five rounds in to the 2016 Motul MX Nationals series current MX1 championship leader, Kirk Gibbs, has identified which riders he feels are most threatening to his premier class championship defence.

Holding a 17-point lead over his closest rival Todd Waters, the KTM Motocross Racing Team rider admits that it is Waters, CDR Yamaha’s Dean Ferris and National Pump Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Matt Moss who he needs to be aware of during the second half of the season.

“I think it’s definitely Dean and Todd, and even Matt Moss is still in a position where he can threaten the title too,” said Gibbs. “Dean has probably been the most dominant rider race win wise, but Todd is right there and he’s not going away either. All of us don’t seem to really want to separate from each other and it’s only a point here, and a point there that we’re giving away.”

The depth of talent in the MX1 category is evident in 2016 as the Queensland-based rider prepares for a fight down to the wire in comparison to his 2015 championship winning campaign.

“Last year after round one I pretty much had a 10-point lead and it just kept getting bigger after every round,” he said. “By the end I obviously had a decent gap on the field. This year, I think it’s going to be a fight the whole way to the last moto. To have the red plate is good, but I definitely feel like it’s going to be a tough fight.”

As the series ramps up for this weekend’s sixth round of the 10-round championship in Nowra, New South Wales, Gibbs hopes his past experience on the circuit will give him the upper hand against his returning MXGP rivals Waters and Ferris.

“I believe its a pretty simple track to go fast on, but racing on it is different,” he added. “Having raced there last year I know what it takes so hopefully that plays into my favour this weekend.”

A further 10 points behind Waters in the championship chase is Ferris closely followed by Moss in fourth another 10 points in back of the Yamaha-mounted rider.