Monster Energy Yamaha has retained Jeremy Van Horebeek for the 2017 MXGP World Championship alongside reigning world champion Romain Febvre.

The 27-year-old Belgian first joined Yamaha in 2014 and made his MXGP debut on the YZ450FM with success, including 12 podiums and a victory in the Czech Republic for his first win in the premier class.

“I feel really good in this team and in the three years since I came here I have been second, fifth and now again fighting for a top five in the championship,” Van Horebeek said.

“And that’s all because I’m comfortable here and I’m comfortable on the bike and this is what is really important. All of that makes it an easy choice to stay with people I consider to be part of one big family.

“I want to thank the staff of managers and mechanics from Yamaha and also Eric De Seynes at Yamaha for their trust in me. They all work very hard to keep us at this level, and at the end of the day I am really happy that we can do another year together.”

Coming off the July break, Van Horebeek currently sits sixth in the championship ahead of races in the Czech Republic and his home track in Lommel, Belgium.