Popular Australian motocross and supercross regular Nathan Crawford has declared his return to the MX2 category in 2018 is not a step backwards, emphasising that he intends to finish what he started in 2016 when an injury in the days leading up to the MX Nationals finale denied him of a championship.

Crawford graduated to the premier class in 2017 with the now defunct Carroll Motorsports factory Kawasaki outfit, recording a number of impressive results including a main event victory at Jimboomba’s Australian supercross finale.

Signed with Serco Yamaha to contest this year’s MX2 championship, it signifies a return to the manufacturer of who he spent his final years of junior racing with.

“I think to a lot of people it looks like a step backwards, but personally I don’t think so,” Crawford told MotoOnline.com.au. “Stepping back to MX2 this year I have a really good team and people behind, so I’m really looking forward to it. I’d like to finish what I started in 2016, I had a really successful year in the MX2 class, but obviously the planets didn’t align for a MX2 ride in 2017.”

Despite stepping into a new team, there are plenty of familiar faces in the Serco camp for Crawford, with the Queensland-based squad enlisting former Carroll Motorsports mechanics Paul Teasdale and Ben Dutton, while also extending its partnership with Ken Wheeler of Factory Spec suspension, who’s been a long-time supporter of the number 199.

“It definitely makes it easy, Paul is a really good mechanic and he’s been nothing but great so far,” he added. “It definitely gives me more motivation when I’m working with someone like that, and as far as Kenny goes, wherever I go, if I can take him I will. He’s been on-board with me for four years now, so he know’s what I want and we obviously have a great relationship.

“It’s been easy, it’s not like I’ve had to step into a team with all new people and that, it’s been really easy and I’m gelling with the Yamaha quite well – I really like the Yamaha.”

Crawford will be joined by fellow MX2 contender Wilson Todd under the Serco Yamaha awning, with the duo both title favourites for the upcoming Pirelli MX Nationals, which is due to commence on 15 April at Newry in Victoria.