Yamaha Motor Australia press release:
Armed with two of the hardest working, talented and dedicated riders in the MX2 division, Serco Yamaha have set their sights high for a successful 2018 motocross and supercross season.
Wilson Todd and Nathan Crawford will form one of the most formidable MX2 teams in recent memory, racing with the Yamaha supported Serco team on the championship proven YZ250F. It is a regrouping of the pair who were team mates in the Queensland Yamaha Junior Racing team all the way back in 2013.
Wilson Todd, second in both the MX Nationals and ASX in 2017, returns to the Serco Yamaha team with one goal in mind. Win! Todd has grown to become one of the nations premier racers over the past 18 months and fell agonisingly close to securing both MX2 championships in 2017. But the heartbreak of the narrow loss has only fuelled the fire in the 20year old North Queenslander and he is hell bent on making every post a winner in 2018.
“I have a really good feeling about returning to Serco Yamaha for 2018,” Todd advises. “I have had such a long and successful relationship with Yamaha over the past 10 years and I wanted that to continue and then in discussions with Serco, they were able to provide me with what I believe it takes for me to win, so we got the contract done and I will be ready to go with the season rolls around.
“I will learn from what I did wrong last year as well as develop what I did right to be a better racer in 2018 as no rider can afford to sit on their hands. Each year there are a heap of guys that can win races in MX2 and I still believe that I have a long way to go before I have reached my potential in racing so I’m working hard to make 2018 my best season yet,” Todd ends.
Joining Todd, will be Brisbane based Nathan Crawford, who steps across from the MX1 class after an encouraging season on the 450cc machine. Crawford proved he is the real deal with some head turning results on the bigger capacity bike but elected to race the MX2 class in 2018 and his introduction to an already stacked class will really set the field alight.
Catch Nathan on his first day riding his Serco Yamaha YZ250F : https://youtu.be/FQvDjiLbvTA
“When looking at my options for this year, the previous team I was on shut down and the remaining good rides in the MX1 class were already taken so I looked at what was available in MX2. Living in Brisbane, I have had a good relationship with Serco in the past and in speaking with Gavin Eales, he was interested in putting something together for me,” Crawford explains.
“We were able to make that happen and I’m excited to be back on Yamaha and with the Serco Yamaha team. Having the team near by makes life much easier and I can’t wait to get the season started.
“I feel I have unfinished business in the MX2 class so I’m pretty determined to take care of that. We have a good group of people on board at Serco this year and it will be great to have Wilson as my team mate again,” Crawford signs off.
Investing in two A list riders has team manager, Gavin Eales, excited for what lies ahead but he also understands that plenty of work needs to be done to ensure he gets the most from his riders.
“Having both Wilson and Nathan with us for 2018 is an exciting prospect but one that will be rewarding. Both riders demand a lot of themselves and those around them and we have made significant changes in 2018 to ensure we give these two riders exactly what they need for success.
“One thing I don’t need to worry about is the work ethic and dedication of both these two guys. They are the hardest working riders in Australia and put in huge hours on and off the bike. I know these two riders will turn up prepared and ready to compete for national championships and that’s all any team manager can ask.
“I’m looking forward to 2018 and know that it will be a great year with Wilson, Nathan and all our team and sponsors at Serco Yamaha,” Eales said.
With both riders Queensland based, they will enjoy a couple of pre-season hit outs in regional races before tackling round one of the MX Nationals in Victoria in April.
To follow Serco Yamaha on social media; @serco_yamaha or www.facebook.com/sercoyamaha