Portuguese veteran Rui Goncalves will replace Australia’s Dean Ferris in the Bike it Yamaha Cosworth team for the 2014 FIM Motocross World Championship.

Goncalves will ride the team’s YZ450F in MXGP, alongside MX2 title hope Max Anstie, while Ferris has departed to join Red Bull KTM in the US.

“I’m really happy to have sorted this out with Bike it Yamaha Cosworth,” said the 28-year-old. “Steve [Dixon] has a reputation for building fast bikes and the Yamaha YZ450F is something new for me to work with.

“Honestly, I am excited and motivated to get to work. I want to turnaround the bad luck of 2013 and I’m extremely motivated to build myself up through the season and show again my potential.

“I always felt I have more to show in GP and now I’ve been given a great chance to make that happen. I cannot give enough thanks to Steve, Laurens at Yamaha Motor Europe and also Filipe at Yamaha Motor Portugal for putting this together.”

Goncalves in Porugal’s most successful rider in history, his career highlight coming with second in the MX2 World Championship during 2009.