GPs for Searle and Anstie
By TMX Archives on 11th Aug 10
CLS Kawasaki Pro Circuit has now confimed that Tommy Searle and Max Anstie are to head the green challenge in the 2011 MX2 World Championship.
Tommy, runner-up in the 2007 and 2008 MX2 World Championship before moving to the USA, is over the moon to be back next season in the Green family.
"I'm very excited and happy about this opportunity to join Team CLS Kawasaki and Pro Circuit; they have proved on both continents how competitive they are. They offered me the possibility to race the US Supercross on the West Coast and then compete again in the MX2 World Championship next year; that's a fantastic programme that I will prepare closely with the team this winter,” said the 21-year-old.
His team-mate will be Max Anstie, another of the best young prospects in the world who has also raced in the USA for the past two years.
Only 17-years-old and son of former GP winner Mervyn, Max was a promising Team Green rider in Europe before he moved to the US two years ago, twice winning the prestigious Bercy Supercross on an 85cc Kawasaki.
Max will focus on the GP scene in 2011 after signing a two-year contract with CLS Kawasaki Pro Circuit.
For Jean Jacques Luisetti who created the CLS team five-years ago, it's another step forward for his squad: "At the beginning of its history our team was mainly French, but thanks to Kawasaki we have never stopped growing since our debut on the GP scene.
"Our venture with Pro Circuit has further upped our status in the World Championship. It's exciting to have such a great connection with Mitch Payton.
"We are proud to see Tommy racing for us next season on both sides of the Atlantic, and with Max we will have one of the fastest kids on our bikes. I'm convinced that they will come to the GPs even stronger after racing two years in the US, and the team is ready for this great challenge.”
Owner of Pro Circuit and boss of the most successful MX2 team in the USA, Mitch Payton is confident for next season: "I am very excited to have Tommy in the team, and I think we have a good chance to win the world title with him.
"It is great to see how we are working together with Harry Nolte and the CLS people in Europe to make this project work. During our first year of cooperation we have already got great results, and we'll be even stronger in the future.”
Steve Guttridge, the European Race Planning Manager at Kawasaki Motors Europe spoke enthusiastically about the announcement which brings back great memories: "It's really exciting for me to see these two riders coming back to Kawasaki; they grew up in Team Green Kawasaki in the UK so I know both pretty well and I know how good they can be.
"Both riders have a great potential for the World Championship, and we are pleased with the collaboration we started this season with Mitch Payton and Pro Circuit.”