Monster Energy Yamaha’s Dean Ferris is celebrating a first career Motocross World Championship round victory, joining Jeff Leisk, Chad Reed and the late Andrew McFarlane as an Australian to win at a grand prix level.

The 23-year-old dominated the Grand Prix of Belgium over the weekend, winning Saturday’s qualifying race before capturing both moto wins on Sunday for the MX2 overall at Bastogne.

It was a phenomenal performance for Ferris, capitalising on an injury to multiple world champion Jeffrey Herlings and becoming the first GP winner from Australia since McFarlane back at the British Grand Prix during the 2005 season.

“It was a perfect weekend really and it was key to get two good starts here, which is what I did,” Ferris explained.

“The first moto was tough and it took me a long time to get around my teammate. My goggles were finished and as soon as I passed him I threw them off and that was a relief for me.

“I clocked out some good lap times and controlled the race. In the second moto I immediately passed [Glen] Coldenhoff and we jostled for the lead a little bit until I could drop the hammer and make a gap of around seven seconds. I managed that the whole way and nothing crazy happened and I didn’t make any mistakes.

“The track seemed to suit me both days. When Jeffrey [Herlings] went home last night I think all of the guys in MX2 thought they would give it a really good go today and I’m proud that I took both motos. I’ve won a GP now so the ‘monkey is off the back’ and I think the Matterley Basin track up next will be good for me.

“I haven’t raced there but was a spectator in 2011 and there are plenty of ruts and hopefully I can carry this form into next weekend. It is special that we broke the KTM streak in the class and gave Yamaha our first win of the season, so I’m also proud of that.

“I am one of four Australians to be on a GP podium and also to win and to be in the record books with Reed, McFarlane and Leisk is pretty special. At the beginning of the year I had a goal of winning a grand prix. I knew I’d be super-stoked if it happened and I’m pumped that I actually got one.”

It was only the second time in the history of the sport that an Australian scored 1-1 results. McFarlane was the first in 2004 when he won the Italian GP, while Reed scored a moto win in the single-moto format of 2001 when he won in the Netherlands.

Ferris now sits sixth in the world championship, just three points outside of a top five position ahead of Great Britain’s penultimate round on 25 August.