CDR Yamaha Monster Energy team owner Craig Dack has indicated it’s unlikely reigning MX1 champion Dean Ferris will return to the Penrite ProMX Championship this season, the four-time premier class title holder still recovering from a hand injury sustained at Maitland.

Ferris had initially targeted a return to racing at Toowoomba’s sixth round last weekend when he broke numerous metatarsal bones in his hand – along with suffering a concussion – at Maitland’s fourth round in May.

A statement from Yamaha in the lead-up to round six indicated Ferris would remain sidelined, where it was later revealed his injured hand had failed to heal in time and could now very well spell the end of his season.

“He went back to his surgeon about three weeks ago and had it x-rayed [again], it was supposed to be healed up by then, but it actually hasn’t healed properly or healed enough to be able to ride this weekend,” said Dack during the weekend’s live broadcast.

“So at the moment, it looks like another two or three weeks, which takes him right up to the Gympie round. So it’s unlikely he’ll do those two rounds as well. At this stage, it’s not real good.”

Ferris, who has come out of retirement on two occasions now, is understood to be in a motocross-only arrangement with CDR Yamaha Monster Energy and his probable absence at MX Farm and Queensland Moto Park next month likely means we’ve seen the last of the New South Welshman in CDR colours, with his future beyond 2024 still up in the air.