It's official! Ryan Villopoto to race MXGP in 2015
By Alex Hodgkinson on 1st Oct 14
Kawasaki confirmed today (October 1) that nine-time US champion Ryan Villopoto will contest the FIM MXGP World Championship for the Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team in 2015, while Jordi Tixier will defend his MX2 world title in Green.
Having won the Monster Energy FIM Supercross world title for the last four years, 26 year old Villopoto, a loyal Kawasaki rider throughout his professional career, will take on the challenge of the world's premier outdoor motocross series with the intention of bringing Kawasaki their first World Championship in the MXGP class; the worldwide series will host 18 rounds on four continents in 2015.
"I am ready for the next chapter in my career and to accomplish new goals,” said Villopoto. "I've never been one to look at the record books so when an opportunity like this comes around, to race against the best in the world and represent USA, I have to see it through. It will be a major change of pace, but I am extremely excited about the opportunity and also to be joined by a former champion like Tyla (Rattray). He knows what is needed to succeed on the world championship stage and I know I can learn a lot from him.”
Racing alongside Villopoto for the Kawasaki Racing Team in the MXGP class will be Tyla Rattray; the 28 year old South African won the MX2 world title in 2008 and was a regular race winner during a highly successful career in the USA with Kawasaki.
For Kawasaki Motors Europe, Racing Manager Steve Guttridge commented: "Ryan Villopoto is a truly global motocross star; for fans around the world to see him race on their home tracks will indeed be a privilege. After such dominance in Supercross it is refreshing and characteristically brave to see Ryan take on the world's best MXGP riders and set his sights on supremacy in this class as well.”
MX2 world champion Jordi Tixier, who clinched the title in an epic duel at the final round in Mexico last month, will bolt the number one plate to his KX250F in the Monster Energy Kawasaki MX2 Racing Team next season; his teammates will be Dylan Ferrandis and Thomas Covington.
2015 will be Tixier's final season in the MX2 class due to the age limitation ruling and will mark a welcome return to green machinery as he clinched a French junior title on a KX125 during his youth. Monster Energy Kawasaki MX2 Racing Team will focus next season exclusively on the MX2 class with the full support of the Kawasaki factory.
"I'm very happy to have signed with the Monster Energy Kawasaki MX2 Racing Team; they approached me during the season and I saw how motivated they were to sign me," explained an enthusiastic Tixier. "It will give me futher motivation to defend my World title on a new bike; I know that everyone in the team is motivated and so am I. The team have the support of the Kawasaki factory in Japan; we spoke a lot with the technical staff and I know that they are able to provide us with the best material for every situation.”
The 21 year old will be joined in the team by fellow French youngster Dylan Ferrandis (20) and the 18 year old American talent Thomas Covington. Each of them has already shown his competiveness this season as Ferrandis raced to a career first GP moto victory on his way to fourth in the final standings, while Covington proved his speed with a moto podium on his debut in Qatar in March.
Steve Guttridge, Kawasaki Motors Europe, said: "It's fantastic that Jordi is coming back into the Kawasaki family for 2015 in MX2. I truly hope he can take the final step in his MX2 career and get another World Champion title with Team Green before moving up to the MXGP class in 2016 ! The team has a great line-up of riders again for next season and we are all motivated to give them the very best tools and equipment to win at world level on the KX250F."
