Rhys Budd, second in the 2022 MX2 championship, will join Jesse Dobson on the Serco Yamaha team and make for a strong combination as the opening round of the 2023 championship draws closer. While Budd has moved to a new team, he still remains on Yamaha and the YZ250F, so the transition has been an easy one for him.

Budd has landed on the MX2 championship podium for the past two seasons and has been on the YZ250F for three years and feels he is primed and ready to make the next step in his riding and go after that elusive number 1 plate in the MX2 division.

“Each year I have improved my result in the championship and also improved my speed and fitness, so the next goal is to take it to the top step and get that number 1 plate for both myself and Serco Yamaha. The transition to the Serco Yamaha team has been smooth and working with Paul Teasedale has been good. He has been super supportive and encouraging and already we have a great relationship. The bike feels super strong, we have done plenty of testing to ensure its right for me and now is the time to get after it on the track and notch up some race and round wins.”

“Its less than 10 days to round one at Wonthaggi and we are ready to go. The track there is always tough but I think I have improved my riding in sand and have set my goals high to get the season started on the right foot,” Budd said.

Back for his third year on the team is Jesse Dobson. Coming to the team in 2020 to fill in for an injured rider, Dobson cashed in on that opportunity and remains with the Serco Yamaha team three seasons on. Finishing second in the 2021 championship, his 2022 campaigned was dogged with injury and ended in him getting shoulder surgery in the weeks after the final round at Coolum last season. Dobson has been back on the bike for a couple of months now and working his way back to his best form with no pain in his troublesome shoulder.

“My shoulder was pretty beat up at the end of last years’ ProMX championship and I realistically didn’t have any other option but to have surgery on it and get it sorted. A shoulder construction takes in a four-month recovery process and as I had time, I was extra cautious with it to make sure I am 100% when the season starts. My riding and fitness is coming along and I feel improvements each week. I would like to have got in a couple of local races prior to round one just to get behind the gate and get used to race intensity but I just needed to keep preparing and think my experience will take over once I’m on the start line at Wonthaggi.”

“I like the Wonthaggi track as it has a lot of similarities to my home track at Coolum with the dirt and the surface, so my plan is to get off to a good, solid start, log a good result and continue to build into the championship as the rounds progress,” Dobson ends.

With over 20 years in the game, team manager Gavin Eales, is excited to go racing in 2023 and looks forward to a great season from his troops.

“We have new mechanic on board this year with Matt coming in to replace Ben who took up an offer to world for a team on the MXGP tour. It is a great opportunity for Ben, and we wish him well. Matt has blended in well and his knowledge has already shown benefit within the team.”

“Rhys has come through the Yamaha program and already had a good friendship with Jesse and the team. Both riders have a huge work ethic and are determined to make 2023 their best season yet and with a strong preseason behind us, we head to round one in good shape and ready to go racing.”

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Dobson had been a journeyman racer from the moment he turned pro in 2013 but found a home at Serco Yamaha in 2020 and has come on in leaps and bounds since joining the team. His speed, results and consistency has been on the upswing since day one and culminated with a strong second place finish in the 2021 Pro MX Championships MX2 class.

He has also matured off the track and is a dedicated professional racer who now prepares as well as anyone. Dobson takes his racing seriously and has put the right people around him to climb the ladder and for 2022, that means nothing short of championship success.

“Serco Yamaha has been the perfect fit for me, and my career has changed for the better since coming on board in 2020. Gavin, Ben, and Paul all work hard and put in the hard yards to ensure we have what we need to be successful, and we all are driven by winning,” Dobson explains.

“There is good chemistry in the team and with each season, our relationship gets stronger, and our results continue to get better. Last year, was good but this year is going to be better. We have started the pre-season earlier, the race bikes will be better, and I feel 2022 is my chance to really make it happen. I’m more motivated than ever and the team are right behind me so I can’t wait to get back behind the gates again and go racing,” 

After two seasons of racing in Europe, Bailey Malkiewicz returns to Australia for a full season of domestic racing and looking to re-establish himself as one of the worlds best up and coming racers. At 19 years of age, with a junior world championship already to his name, Malkiewicz’s talent is undeniable, but injuries have slowed his progress for the past two seasons.

But a change of tack in 2022 will see Malkiewicz based not only in Australia but a move to Queensland is on the cards so he will be closer to his Brisbane based team. He is now injury free and able to complete a full pre-season of training, it will allow him to be primed for a long season!

“Since winning the world championship in 2018, I haven’t had the results I have wanted or expected so it’s time to take stock, make some smart decisions and get the right people around me to get things back on track. Serco Yamaha has a great track record and have proven championship results so the opportunity to work with such a successful team was one that I couldn’t pass up. Also being on a YZ250F gives me a lot of confidence as I know just how good that bike is and with the knowledge in the team, I know we will have the best package on the track. I’m ready to go to work and repay the faith Yamaha and Serco have in me,” Malkiewicz said.

Pre-season events get underway in February while the Pro MX championship roars to life in March at Wonthaggi in Victoria. Keep up to date with all the action here.

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