Germany’s Max Nagl to join Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna, Dean Ferris to Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna for MXGP class.
Husqvarna Motorcycles GmbH unveiled its FIM World Motocross Championship factory teams today.
The Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing will again be the factory-backd team in the MXGP category with Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing will be the factory-backed team in the MX2 class. Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing has signed Germany’s Max Nagl, formerly with Honda, to race alongside the returning Todd Waters of Australia on factory Husqvarna FC 450s.
Nagl, 27, has been a consistent perforer in MXGP since 2008, and he finished second in the 2009 MX1. Last season, Nagl claimed five MXGP race wins. Nagl has signed a two-year contract.
“It’s always exciting to embark on a new chapter in racing and I’m very much looking forward to joining Husqvarna and Red Bull IceOne Racing for 2015,” Nagl said. “They are a very passionate and hard working group of people and like myself are focused on winning races. Ending the 2014 MXGP season on a high with race wins and podium results has given me a great boost of confidence heading into the winter. I know that the championship will be tough next year – the competition will be tight. Also we have six overseas races to contend with – but I believe that we can do a very good job.”
Waters, 24, struggled with injuries in 2014, but Husqvarna says that he showed great promise during the opening rounds of the series. He scored a sixth-place result at the GP of Thailand and regularly placed inside the top 10 when healthy.
“I’m excited for 2015,” Waters said. “It’s my opportunity to set things right from this season. Although 2014 started out very positively things just didn’t go to plan when I suffered some serious injuries to my leg, hip and collarbone. But getting back on a bike as allowed me to put all that bad luck behind me and focus on what’s ahead. I feel like I’ve got a tight bond with the team, I feel settled in Europe and no longer have any nerves entering the races. My goals for 2015 are simple. I want to be at the front of the pack, running inside the top five and pushing for the podium. With IceOne Racing and Husqvarna these results are possible.”
Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing has also added a third rider to the fold. Great Britain’s Nathan Watson, 20, will compete in the MXGP class at the European rounds of the series.
Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing–managed by former 500cc Motocross World Champion Jacky Martens–is branching outside of the MX2 ranks for 2015. The team will field just one rider in the MX2 class, Russia’s Aleksandr Tonkov, and it will field Australia’s Dean Ferris as a supported rider in the MXGP category.
Tonkov, 21, was close to a breakthrough result in 2014, and Husqvarna is hoping that he will have the experience as well as the talent to become a contender for the MX2 World Championship in 2015.
“[The] 2014 [season] has been a very useful season,” Tonkov said. “We learned a lot also in terms of training. Together with the team we modified many things and we found a good setting during the season, because we were a bit behind in terms of setup at the beginning. It was nice to feel that everything we changed started working for me; at the MXoN it was already a different story, it was the highlight of my season. I think it’s better late than never, so we’re really looking forward to 2015. Starting with this good knowledge-base will be very helpful to be where we all want to be.”
Ferris impressed Husqvarna when he stepped in to replace former team member Tyla Rattray last season. His performances earned him the invitation to stay in MXGP with factory support from Husqvarna through the Wilvo Nestaan team.
“I’m really grateful for the opportunity of staying in MXGP for 2015 that both Wilvo Nestaan and Husqvarna have given me,” Ferris said. “I really enjoyed my return to MXGP in 2014, and it’s fantastic to know that it will continue. The Wilvo Nestaan team are very enthusiastic and motivated for the year ahead, and I know that with the FC 350 we can achieve great results.”
Husqvarna is also beefing up its presence in the MXGP paddock in 2015 by officially supporting the Ricci Racing team, which fields Rui Goncalves (MXGP), Christopher Valente (MX2), Michael Ivanov (MX2) and Filippo Zonta (EMX125).
Robert Jonas, Head of Husqvarna Motorsport, said that the company is very excited about the new season.
“I think we have a very strong rider line-up, especially in MXGP,” Jonas said. “After a tough 2014 season in MXGP, I truly believe that with Todd, Nathan, Dean and Rui we will be in a position to fight for some really good results. With Max on board, nearly everything can be possible. We’re very pleased to see Todd back fully recovered and ready to attack the new season. Also, we’re very proud to have Max joining us. Our MX2 factory rider line-up is not as big as in 2014; we are putting all hopes in Aleksandr. Being the ‘number one’ rider in the team seems to give him a boost, which we already experienced at the MXON in Latvia. Both of our factory teams, Red Bull IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing and Wilvo Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing, are doing a fantastic job, and the 2015 race season in general promises to be a very exciting one. We can’t wait to see our riders placing their Huskies behind the start gate.”
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