North Queenslander Mitch Evans’ 2020 MXGP World Championship deal with Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) has been made offical in Honda’s presentation at the Milan show.

The 20-year-old impressed in MX2 this year as part of Team Honda 114 Motorsports, scoring multiple podiums and 11th in the standings despite missing almost a third of the season.

As expected, Evans will join reigning MXGP world champion Tim Gajser in the premier class aboard the factory CRF450RW and will move to Milan, Italy, to work closely with the Gariboldi-operated Team HRC.

“It is just amazing to signing for Team HRC,” Evans said. “The history that this brand has with all the great riders who have ridden Hondas and to now be a part of that, it is unbelievable.

“This is something that you grow up dreaming about when you first swing your leg over a dirtbike, to be under the HRC awning riding a full-factory CRF450RW. I really can’t wait to get started and I am really looking forward to showing people what I can do in the MXGP class.

“I know it won’t be easy because there are a lot of talented people in the class, but I’ve got the best possible teammate with Tim, because he’s the world champion and he knows exactly how to go about things.

“I hope to learn a lot from him and from the team and use all of that to put in my best performances when the season starts. Now though, it’s time to knuckle down and put in work so that I can come out swinging in round one.”

While Evans doesn’t turn 21 until next week, he is experienced on 450 machinery, having ridden to second in The Australian MX Nationals as a rookie in 2018 and then starring at the RedBud Motocross of Nations (MXoN) that year.

Evans recently made his low-key debut with HRC on the CRF450RW in the All-Japan Motocross Championship, winning overall at Sugo Sportsland in another impressive step for his international career.