After a season in Europe racing the MXGP’s, Nathan Crawford has returned to Australia and will take up a seat on the Serco Yamaha team for the 2021 season.
The 23 year-old, Brisbane resident, is back on Australian soil and already back in the saddle of a Yamaha YZ250F as his preparations have already begun for the 2021 Australian motocross and supercross championships.
He has returned a more mature person after the 12 month stint in Europe where he had to grow up fast in his year contesting the MX2 (250cc) championship. Ultimately, injury and a desire to come home were the reasons for his return to Australia but is still grateful for the international experience and racing at the highest levels.
“Racing the world championships for a manufacturer supported team has always been a dream of mine and I’m glad I got to experience racing the best riders in the world firsthand. It was an amazing experience, and despite COVID, a year I will never forget,” Crawford explains.
“Travelling from country to country and racing on tracks that I had only ever seen on video or YouTube was awesome and I’m so glad I got to do it. I would love to have stayed longer, but a few things didn’t work out and I began looking at my options racing back here in Australia.
“Joining back up with the Serco Yamaha team is cool as we have a good working relationship from my time there in 2018 and 2019. The same mechanics are still there and not a lot has changed so it was nice to walk back into familiar surroundings and feel welcomed.
“It was much the same way stepping back onto the YZ250F. The bike feels so good and as a production bike, it is the best in the class.
“It’s great to be back. I feel motivated and determined to get my career back on track and I have unfinished business in the MX2 class, so I’m really looking forward to getting things started in 2021,” Crawford ends.
The second rider on the Serco Yamaha Team will be announced in the coming days.
Racing for the newly restructured ProMX championship gets under way on April 11 and will run eight rounds to a double header conclusion at Coolum in August. The Australian Supercross Championship is pencilled in to start in September with five rounds to make up the series.
2021 Pro MX Calendar
Rd1 – 11 April – Wonthaggi, Vic
Rd2 – 2 May – Canberra, ACT
Rd3 – 30 May – Gillman, SA
Rd4 – 27 June – Maitland, NSW
Rd5 – 25 July – Wodonga, VIC
Rd6 – 9 August – TBC, QLD
Rd7&8 – 14/15 August – Coolum, QLD.