Image: Octopi Media.

Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha’s first season as the factory 450 effort for Yamaha is proving to be successful, with all three riders in the top five at round four of the 2021 Pro Motocross championship at RedBud.

When it was announced that the Star Racing team was taking over as the factory effort in the premier class, team manager Jeremy Coker had his work cut out for him, with Yamaha struggling to find the front in the previous two seasons.

With four rounds in the books, their class rookie Dylan Ferrandis has taken three out of four overall wins, while teammates Aaron Plessinger and Christian Craig helped put all three Star Racing Yamaha 450’s in the top five at RedBud.

“It was a great day for the team,” Coker explained. “All of the guys rode amazing! With all of the hard work that our team and the riders are putting in, everything is starting to fall into place.”

“Dylan got his third overall win, and AP got another podium. Christian has improved every week and is getting up to the front. We will work hard this week to keep our forward momentum and do it again next weekend.”

The team recently acquired Ricky Carmichael’s training facility in Florida, planning to relocate, along with all their riders to train year-round. Ferrandis shared his thoughts on the facility following his win at RedBud.

“In Florida, we’re doing the same thing [as California],” Ferrandis explained. “The facility over there is really good and the dirt is so good that we can really build ruts and berms lap after lap, compared to California where it’s more hardpack.”

In terms of what the move did for his performance Saturday, the Frenchman said found it easier to push after two weeks of training in the humidity at the new facility.

“I kind of felt like, especially this morning, riding at RedBud without the humidity compared to Florida was just so much easier,” he continued. “So I felt like it was easier to push and the demand on my body was less hard and I could push more.”