Ken Roczen is in for 2022 FIM World Supercross Championship
Now this is some huge news. SX Global, the group that will operate the the FIM World Supercross (WSX) Championship, today announced that Ken Roczen is in for the 2022 campaign. The series did not yet announce what team Roczen will compete for, as the traditional factory Honda HRC team is not expected to line for the series, and racers are expected to be contracted to one of the 10 private "exclusively licensed" teams that are approved for the championship. Roczen, then, will have to become a member of one of those teams for this series.
Said today's press release:
Roczen is currently in negotiations to finalize an agreement to compete for one of the 10 exclusively licensed teams, with details to be released by the team once an agreement is finalized.
Adding an addition wrinkle to this is the fact that Roczen's current Honda HRC contract is up at the end of this season, so he will be a free agent for 2023. Roczen revealed recently that he had delayed negotiating his 2023 deal because he had spent much of supercross on the sidelines dealing with illness, and deciding his own future in racing. Riders of Roczen's status ofter have next year's deals already signed by this stage of the season. Now that he has returned for the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship (and is even back to race-winning status) he has indicated that his full commitment is back into the sport and continuing racing for the future. We'll see where this WSX team and schedule situation fit in with those plans.
This first go-around for the new 2022 WSX Series is considered a "pilot" campaign, expected to run somewhere around three races, beginning in October.
Here's the full Roczen press release from SX Global
Ken Roczen Officially Commits to Compete in the 2022 FIM World Supercross Championship
in WSX (450cc) Class
-- Two Time 450 Motocross Champion to Stake His Claim for the FIM World Supercross Championship --
SX Global, the Australian sports and entertainment company spearheading the FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX), is pleased to announce that two-time 450 motocross champion Ken Roczenhas officially committed to compete in the 2022 FIM-sanctioned World Supercross Championship, slated to begin in early October.
One of the most successful and prominent riders in the sport, Roczen, a 28-year-old German native, comes to WSX boasting an impressive resume, including 48 combined professional 450cc and 250cc victories at events around the world. The 2022 WSX Global Championship will see Roczen bring his incredible talent and championship pedigree to thousands of die-hard fans in stadiums around the world throughout the three-round championship.
Roczen is currently in negotiations to finalize an agreement to compete for one of the 10 exclusively licensed teams, with details to be released by the team once an agreement is finalized.
“The WSX is a unique opportunity to compete on a truly global scale, and I’m thrilled to be a part of that,” said Roczen. “I haven’t raced overseas in a very long time so I’m looking forward to bringing supercross to die-hard fans at these international events in 2022, all while competing for an FIM-sanctioned world title. I’m thrilled for what will no doubt be an unbelievable experience and a fantastic springboard for a full assault on my 2023 Supercross and Motocross championship goals.”
“Ken Roczen is an absolute superstar of supercross, recognized across the globe. To have him compete in our inaugural season as we usher in a new, global era of supercross, is nothing short of incredible,” said Adam Bailey, Managing Director - Motorsport of SX Global. “Ken embodies all the qualities that make supercross athletes, the toughest and most inspirational athletes in the world. It’s only fitting that he becomes one of our marquee challengers for the 2022 FIM World Championship crown.”
The FIM World Supercross Championship will annually take place in the second half of the year, with 2022 events from late October through November. 2022 will serve as a “pilot” season, allowing the championship to establish itself and build momentum going into 2023. From 2023 onwards, the FIM World Supercross Championship will expand annually between June and November, with up to twelve events in 2023.
