Source: Supplied.

Australian international Caleb Ward has cut short his rookie MX2 World Championship assault following a difficult first part of the 2017 season with 8Biano Racing Husqvarna.

Ward, 20, has been absent from the grand prix gates since the MXGP of Europe at Valkenswaard in the Netherlands, but has been reluctant to speak about the situation at this point when contacted.

It’s now been confirmed that Ward has returned home in Far North Queensland and he’s indicated he won’t be returning to the world championship for the remainder of the year. It’s uncertain what he will do to cap off the season, however an interview is set to go ahead with MotoOnline.com.au in the coming weeks.

Ward’s departure from the 8Biano Racing Husqvarna team comes almost directly following 2015 MX2 national champion Jay Wilson’s decision to return home, also ending his maiden world championship season with JK Racing Yamaha prematurely and leaving teenage standout Hunter Lawrence (Team Suzuki) as our sole MX2 representative.

The opening rounds of the season were no doubt immensely challenging for Ward, with his best result of a seventh place coming in the rain-soaked opening moto of Indonesia. He struggled through injury during much of the first six rounds, forced to sit out the Mexican GP after a major qualifying crash in Argentina the week prior.