Yamaha Motor Australia press release:

CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team star, Dean Ferris, has started the 2018 MX Nationals Championship in exactly the same manner in which he finished off the 2017 season. Dominating!

Ferris signalled his intentions clearly at the opening round of the national motocross championship at Newry in Victoria yesterday when he continued his winning form and sent a clear message to his rivals.

He isn’t prepared to hand over to his red number one plate and started the season in impressive fashion, taking both moto wins on a rough and challenging circuit.

But it wasn’t an easy ride in either moto. Ferris had to fight off spirited challenges from long-time rival, Kirk Gibbs, but kept his nose clean and did what was required to get his Yamaha YZ450F to the front of the MX1 field and keep it there for the duration of the two 30minute motos.

Ferris took moto one by just over three seconds over Gibbs and the close battle kept the crowd entertained from start to finish, while moto two saw the margin at seven seconds.

“It was a good start to the year and just what myself and the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team were looking for,” Ferris begins. “The track was quite tough to ride and Kirk kept the pressure on me all the way but I enjoy racing like that and was satisfied with how things turned out.

“The team again did a great job and my bike worked well on a track that was tough to get the right set up.

“If I had to pick something I need to improve, it would be my qualifying positions. I didn’t get a great lap in qualifying and then I didn’t generate enough speed in the superpole lap but its hard to get too angry after winning both motos,” Ferris ends.

Team mate Dylan Long didn’t have the opening round he was looking for, taking eighth overall on the back of his 10- 6 results. Long struggled in the opening moto and was clearly disappointed with his 10th place finish but bounced back strongly with a very respectable sixth place in moto two and take some confidence into the next round.

“I just couldn’t find my flow in race one and I wasn’t happy at all with the way I rode. But, the team were able to make a couple of changes, and I went to the line in moto two determined to get a better result, which we were able to do, so that is positive heading into the next round.

“Still, eighth isn’t where I should be and I will work harder to ensure my results improve in the coming rounds,” said a determined Long.

The championship opener was also the first opportunity for the fans to see the striking new CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team look and stunningly prepared YZ450F’s of Ferris and Long in the flesh.

Round two of the MX Nationals moved to the clay based and rutty circuit of Appin, just south west of Sydney on April 28.