Mitchell Evans is being tipped as the man to team up with world champ Tim Gajser in the HRC Honda team in the MXGP world championship next season after he raced for the team in the last round of the Japanese championship.
The Aussie finished 11th in the world MX2 championship this year after missing several rounds due to injury, but had some third place race finishes. Honda sent him to the final round of the Japanese 450 series in Sugo at the weekend and he won both races.
He’s still young enough to stay in MX2 but like Gajser, is keen to move up to the big bike class early. If he gets the ride, it means Honda will have snubbed Calvin Vlaanderen who helped Holland win the MX of Nations last month.
As Evans won in Sugo, his HRC team-mates battled for the overall championship which went to Kei Yamamoto thanks to 4-3 race finishes. His title rival Akira Narita, who started the day 28 points adrift, had disappointing 3-9 finishes.
