Team Honda HRC’s Brian Bogers has been cleared to return to racing, the team announced. The Dutch rider will make his MXGP debut next weekend at his home race in Assen.
“I have been waiting for this for a long, long time. It has been a ten-month period with a lot of downs and a very few ups, but I never gave up because I knew the time would have come for me to finally join the team and make my MXGP debut,” he said in a statement. “I have been riding my Honda CRF450RW for two weeks now and I’m feeling good. Obviously, it’s not going to be an easy debut given my lack of racing time, but the idea alone of being out there with Tim [Gajser] and all the other guys make me so happy!”
Bogers, who signed with HRC this off-season and moved up to the MXGP class, has been sidelined since November due to a foot injury. He was set to return to racing in May, but sustained another injury to the same foot, which required surgery.
With Bogers set to return, Australian Todd Waters will move to Team Honda Redmoto Assomotor for the final two rounds of the championship. Waters had been filling-in for Bogers at Honda HRC.
“While my time at Team HRC is coming to end, I am extremely excited to finish off these last two MXGPs of 2018 under the Team Honda Redmoto Assomotor awning,” Waters said in a statement. “With Brian Bogers coming back from injury, it would have been a real shame not to have rounded out the season properly but thanks to the great family here at Honda, they found a spot for me and I’m looking forward to racing at Assen and Imola on this new, but familiar machinery.
“It was a massive opportunity for me to come and ride for Team HRC here in the MXGPs. I got the call whilst I was preparing to race as a privateer in America and I’m so grateful for everything that they have done to make me feel welcome and to help me perform as best I could. Unfortunately, injuries have taken their toll and I don’t feel like I’ve shown my best, but I am still proud of what I have achieved and can look back fondly on my time riding the Honda CRF450RW. Thank you to both teams and to all my fans and supporters who have backed me on this rollercoaster ride.”
