Australian teenager Hunter Lawrence’s rookie European 250 Motocross (EMX250) Championship campaign is over after suffering a season-ending knee injury.

The Monster Energy Kawasaki rider will undergo surgery next Friday to repair his knee, in which was injured in the recent Spanish round.

“After much deliberation we’ve decided for the long term I will sadly pull out of the European championships to go into surgery next Friday on my knee after the crashes at Talavera De Reina in Spain,” Lawrence confirmed.

“Super-gutted as I was loving the racing and riding all the different tracks and learning the race craft required in Europe, but the bigger picture is MX2, so i want to be 100 percent healthy and have no niggling injuries coming into MX2.

“Thank you to my main crew for helping me progress through the year, but sometimes one step back has to be made to go two steps forward.”

Lawrence also revealed that he had been contacted by Motorcycling Australia (MA) to represent Team Australia at the 2016 Motocross of Nations in Italy during September.

“Also bummed out that I will miss out on Motocross of Nations in Maggiora, Italy, later on this year,” he added. “Getting the email asking if I would represent my country at des Nations is the coolest thing ever – looking forward to next year!

“Massive thank you to all of my supporters in Australia and Europe, this is one of the coolest feelings in the sport knowing people are behind you. They know i will be back.”

Lawrence is currently second in the EMX250 title-chase, his highlight coming via a dominant double victory at Teutschenthal in Germany last month.