Ken Roczen has today confirmed his commitment to the FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX), announcing via a virtual media conference he will race in the Championship until 2025.
Already a rider for the Dustin Pipes-led Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki team in the US, Roczen will compete under the Pipes Motorsports Group banner in 2023, where he’ll defend his current WSX (450cc) class World Title.
Roczen says returning to the World Supercross Championship for the next three years represents his commitment to becoming a supercross specialist and growing the discipline around the world.
Ken Roczen | Defending WSX 450cc World Champion
“For supercross to grow as a sport around the world, I think it’s really important that more riders focus solely on the discipline, which is why I’m concentrating on the World Supercross Championship and the AMA Supercross Championship in the coming years. I feel like my riding this year has been as good as ever, and I’m excited to see what I can do when focusing on one speciality.
“I’m particularly proud of what we’ve achieved this year with the Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki Team. Dustin, Larry and the whole team have put in a huge effort to make me as comfortable as I have been to race at the front all season long.
“For us to continue our supercross momentum together and take the sport we love to fans around the world is an amazing opportunity that I’m very grateful for. I’m ecstatic to have the opportunity to compete for a World Title at home in Germany, which is something I could only dream about until now.”
SX Global CEO Adam Bailey said that today’s announcement was not only a huge win for the sport but for fans who might not have had an opportunity to see one of the biggest names in supercross race in their country before.
“Supercross has an incredible following across the globe, and we know Ken is one of the most popular riders in the world, so having him commit to WSX for the next three years is a fantastic step towards our mission to build a truly global World Supercross Championship that fans, athletes, teams, sponsors and media partners are passionate about.
“I can’t wait to see fans in new regions enjoy the best sport in the world firsthand. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing the enjoyment they get witnessing these incredible athletes race in person,” said Bailey.
Pipes Motorsports Team Principal Dustin Pipes said Roczen’s professionalism and experience are qualities the team is already familiar with. Now, they can build on that foundation as they embark on a new season of WSX racing.
“Ken is a champion in supercross both on and off the track, and we’ve already seen what he can achieve with our team in the States. That relationship and consistency now transfer to our World Supercross Championship team, so we’re confident that Ken can deliver another World Title win, this time on a Suzuki, in 2023,” said Pipes.
Watch the full press conference here.
Fans can witness Roczen defend his WSX World Title at six World Supercross Championship rounds in the United Kingdom, France, Southeast Asia, Germany, Canada and Australia. To buy tickets, visit WSXChampionship.com
The FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX) is an international Championship led by SX Global in Australia. The World Supercross Championship was primarily based in the USA before the world governing body for motorcycle sport, Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), awarded SX Global the exclusive organisational and commercial rights to stage and promote the World Supercross Championship from 2022 onwards.
Last year, the WSX pilot season was launched at Principality Stadium in Cardiff to over 35,000 fans before it headed down under, where 50,000 fans witnessed the finale across two nights at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia. The 2022 Championship saw Ken Roczen from Germany win the WSX class, and Shane McElrath from the USA win the SX2 class.
WSX offers the biggest prize money in World Supercross Championship history, with US$250,000 to be won at each round across the two racing classes – WSX (450cc) and SX2 (250cc). Under its independent team franchise model, the Championship also features unprecedented financial support for teams and riders. WSX provides an elevated experience for fans through unique race formats, broadcast innovations, and in-stadium entertainment suitable for people and families of all ages.
Source: FIM World Supercross Championship
