Yamaha Motor Australia press release:

Serco Yamaha’s Mitch Evans has claimed third place in the MX2 championship after the 10th and final round of the championship was ran at the Coolum Pines Circuit, over the weekend.

Evans entered the final round 14 points of the lead and a realistic opportunity to snatch the championship win if things fell his way. But it wasn’t to be as Evans rode well but never in a position to challenge for race wins around the gruelling Coolum track.

Evans bought his Serco Yamaha YZ250F home in fourth place in race one and fifth place in race two to take fourth for the round and cement his third place in the championship.

But when viewing Evans’s season as a whole, there is a lot to like about his development as a racer and his dedication to training. The 2016 MXD champion shaved off some weight, took on a serious training program and was rewarded with six moto wins throughout the year and at one time holding the championship leaders red plate.

“To finish third in my first year in MX2 is a good result,” Evans explained. “I’m a little disappointed with the way things went in the last couple of rounds but looking back over the season, I think there are a lot of positives I can take away and there is a lot I have learned about racing and training that will only help me in the future.

“Last year I was still at school and struggled to manage my time between study and racing but this year being a full time racer allowed me to be far more dedicated to racing and it showed.

“I have enjoyed it. It was my goal to be a professional motorcycle racer and while there is still a lot more I want to achieve, it’s pretty awesome waking up every morning and doing something you love.

“Thank you to everyone at Serco Yamaha for the massive effort they put in during the MX Nationals and now I can’t wait to get started on supercross,” Evans ends.

Evans was the lone ranger for the Serco Yamaha team at the final two rounds of the MX Nationals as team mate, Jackson Richardson, was sidelined due to injury. At this point, Jackson is on track to return to racing at the opening round of the Australian Supercross Championships at Jimboomba on September 23.