KTM MX team expands to MX2 class for 2016
Fresh from the success of Kirk Gibbs in the MX1 class this season, the KTM Motocross Racing Team will field Caleb Ward as a factory entry in the MX2 class next season.
For 2016, Ward will join newly-crowned Australian Champion Kirk Gibbs and Luke Styke under the factory team awning and ride a factory KTM 250 SX-F
The 18-year-old's new factory ride means he will not only have the benefit of access to factory parts, but plentiful testing time with Team Manager Rob Twyerould and Crew Chief Danny Apro.
From Ravenshoe in North Queensland, Ward was without doubt one of the most impactful players in this year's MX2 championship, recovering from an early season knee injury to go on a four-round winning streak aboard his KTM 250 SX-F.
Ward slipped well outside the championship top 10 after a non-finish at round two and missing round three with injury, but overall victories at Murray Bridge, Coolum, Raymond Terrace and Shepparton, as well as second place in Toowoomba helped him to claw his way back to a credible fifth place at season's end.
Behind his friendly and unassuming demeanour, Ward had a reputation as an assassin on sandy tracks, however this year he set about modifying that reputation to make himself a more complete championship package, and his determination to do so paid off handsomely as he scored victories on hard surfaces as well.
For 2016, Ward will join newly-crowned Australian Champion Kirk Gibbs and Luke Styke under the factory team awning and ride a factory KTM 250 SX-F upon which he will have the benefit of not only factory parts, but plentiful testing time with Team Manager Rob Twyerould and Crew Chief Danny Apro.
Rob Twyerould KTM Motocross Racing Team Manager - "Caleb will be the third rider on the in-house team. It's a full factory MX2 ride, and we'll be preparing his bikes and hopefully taking him to the next level.
We will bring a lot of expertise, particularly with his bike - although his bike this year was very good. It's a more personalised sort of environment, so he will have a dedicated mechanic and hopefully draw on Luke and Kirk as well to help him with his riding and his approach to racing and really aim to have a good shot at the championship next year.
He is only 18, but it already showed this year that he is incredibly competitive, and I really think he is a future talent. I really like his riding style and his attitude. He rides on the balls of his feet and has really good throttle control, and he rides the bike in the torque rather than over-revving it. The only thing we've got to work on is his starts, which are inconsistent. I also like the fact that everyone considered him a sand rider, but he was so determined to also go well in the hard pack, he just concentrated on that and proved this year that he can ride both surfaces. He has high expectations of himself and he has a goal to ultimately race in the world championships."
Caleb Ward (KTM 250 SX-F) - "It's pretty awesome, this is something I've dreamt of since I was a little fella' riding KTM 50s and 65s and stuff. It's always been the dream to be on the KTM team, I've always looked up to the guys that were on the team, like Todd Waters who grew up near me, and he was on the team so it's been one of my goals for a long, long time. So to finally be on the team is pretty cool, that's for sure. Danny and Rob T and everyone they really helped Todd out a whole heap, and I think everyone who's been on the team, like Gibbsy, Styke, everyone seems to go there and really progress a lot. I think it will definitely help me out a whole heap and I should learn heaps. Hopefully I'll put all the pieces together and get a championship next year. I'll have access to a whole lot more different parts, and a lot more time for testing, and it will all make a huge difference I think. The bike will be amazing I think, obviously I haven't ridden a full factory bike before, but there's so many more different parts and things that'll be on it, that it will make a massive difference, so I'm really, really keen to get on the bike. The 2016 models are meant to be really awesome just from standard, so I think with all the bits and pieces on it will be amazing!
Next year I'd really like to try to win the championship and get a ride in either Europe or America, but if I can't do that, I'd really like to stay in Australia for another year and move up to the MX1 class, stay with the KTM team, and try to get a title on the 450s. Obviously though, I'd really like to go overseas at some point, and the earlier I can get over there the better it will be for me, so I think the KTM team in Australia is obviously the best stepping stone to getting over there as well. I think I will learn heaps and heaps next year, and it will be a really good experience for me and really improve me as a rider."
For more information on KTM Motorcycles, visitwww.ktm.com.au
