Image: Alex Gobert (Foremost Media).

MAD Peter Stevens Racing Team’s James Alen will be making the most of the increased support he’s receiving during the 2017 Motul MX Nationals series in the MX1 category.

Landing a seat on the new Joe Stevens-managed outfit for the upcoming season, the former privateer from Maffra in Victoria will enter this year’s series with a completely new outlook on racing.

“It’s awesome, we had a little bit of support last year, but having the support from Joe this year and not only as a team manager, but also a mentor to us, he’s helping in a big way,” Alen told MotoOnline.com.au. “He has given me a new outlook towards riding and I’m starting to enjoy it a lot more now.

“I’m still working five days a week, but I’ve been riding a lot more than I did last year. Joe has given me that base and structure, which is what I needed, so it’s really good to have that and hopefully I won’t let this opportunity go to waste. I’ve obviously never had anything like this before and it’s all new to me, so I’m just loving every moment of it.

Scoring multiple top 10 finishes during the 2016 season and with a completely revised program for 2017, the 20-year-old is confident he can continue to log stronger results throughout the 10-round series amongst a deep field of premier class contenders.

“Last year as a privateer I made it into the top 10 a few times, so I know I can get up there,” he explained. “This year I know there’s more MX2 guys going into the 450 class and it’s going to be a little bit harder to get into that top 10, but I do feel like I have the speed to do it and run with the factory boys.

“Over the past few months I’ve been riding with a few of the faster boys and trying to keep tabs on guys like Kade Mosig at Frankston and it’s been pretty good. I’ve got the confidence at the moment because I know I can run it close to what their times are at the practice track, so I feel like there’s no reason why I can do that on race day.”

Alen will be joined at the MAD Peter Stevens Racing Team by Karl Claridge in the MX2 category and Josh Brewster in MXD.