Wyatt Avis to Honda in 2008
Wyatt Avis confirmed today that he will be switching to Honda Motorcycles for the 2008 motocross world championship season. The 23 year old South African will join the LS Motors -Honda Vangani Racing team, and will r emain in the MX2 class in the world serie for 2008. Apart from this, he will participate in the Open Class in the Belgian Championship serie, as well as in the Dutch Championships in the MX2 class.
Avis will make the formal switch upon expiration of his current contract. He will return to South Africa during the off-season and will start his preparations there. He is due to return to Europe early in 2008 for some testing and preparation with the team. "I am delighted to form part of this major new initiative," Avis said after signing the agreement. "A combination of injuries and other factors kept me from achieving my full potential in 2007, and I felt that I was stagnating a bit in my current situation. I relish the new challenge and will go all out to achieve my full potential in 2008."
LS Motors is one of the foremost Honda Dealers in Belgium. The company established a world championship team in 2007 with Dennis Dierckx as its main rider. The team invested heavily in upgrading its facilities and team profile leading up to the 2008 season, with two fully equipped structures participating in the world - and European championships respectively. The team has secured support from Honda , and intends to become one of Honda's most prominent representatives in the world championship arena. The team has entered into an agreement with Vangani Racing, whereby the latter will lend its experience in developing top level world championship riders as well as providing managerial and administrative support. Vangani Racing has a rich history of identifying and developing top level riders from and early age.
Team owner Steven Lettani was equally pleased at having secured the services of a recognized GP rider. "We have embarked on a very ambitious project, and are determined to make the most of it", he said. "Our intention is to build up one of the most prominent teams in the GP paddock over the next couple of years, and we think that by signing Wyatt, we have made a good start. He is known as a good rider and a fighter, who has yet to achieve his full potential in the world championship arena. We will give him all the support that he needs to enable him to do this. The team line-up is virtually complete now, and a further announcement about all our plans will follow in due course."
