Image: Fourohfour.

The CDR Yamaha Off Road team has signed Tom McCormack alongside Chris Hollis for 2015, it has been announced this morning.

Hollis will again contest the premier E2 class, switching from a WR450F to YZ450F, in a campaign that includes the Australian Off-Road Championship (AORC), Australian Four Day Enduro (A4DE) and other selected events.

Hollis will also defend his Australian Enduro-X Championship on the all-new WR250F alongside McCormack.

“It’s great to be back with CDR Yamaha again for 2015 and I look forward to a better season with them,” Hollis said. “2014 was okay, but I really want to step it up in 2015 and lead this team to championship success.

“I have spent some time recently on board the YZ450F and I really enjoy riding it at the moment. The power is strong but manageable and it suits a wide variety of conditions and terrain.

“The season gets underway early in the year with the three round national Enduro –X series and I’m ready to go.”

Partnering Hollis in 2015 will be 2014 AORC and A4DE E1 class champion, McCormack. He had a breakout season in 2014 winning every major championship in the E1 category and as a reward makes the big step up to the factory CDR Yamaha squad for the coming season.

McCormack will again contest the E1 class for 2015, this time mounted on the WR250F. The YZ250F-inspired machine is soon to take the market by storm and McCormack is the man hand-picked to take care of business in the E1 class on the all new bike.

“I’m really excited to get the opportunity to work with Craig [Dack] and the CDR Yamaha team,” McCormack said. “It is no doubt the most professional and best team in off-road and to have these guys in my corner is a huge boost for 2015.

“Racing the new bike for Yamaha is also a huge honour. After racing the YZ250F in 2014, I know just how good this bike is and now being purpose-built for off road, it will only get better.”

Dack is already hard at work preparing for the new season and believes it will be another success year.

“Having Chris with us is a huge asset for the team – hee has years of off road racing experience all around the world and his knowledge plays a vital bike in bike set up and development,” Dack explained. “He is an ultra-fast racer and still capable of winning races and championships and I think you will see the best of Chris Hollis in 2015.

“Tom comes to us via the Active8 Yamaha team after a stand out season winning all before him in the E1 class. His domination of the class means he was the perfect rider to show case the new WR250F and our guys in the race shop have their hands on it and are ready to put it on the track.”

The new rider line up will be unleashed at Moto Expo Melbourne on 28-30 November, where both riders will give the 2015 WR250F its debut in the Enduro–X feature event during the show.