Image: Octopi Media.

Reigning 250SX East champion Jett Lawrence has outlined why he didn’t make the step to a 450 for the 2023 Monster Energy Supercross Championship, eager to refine mistakes made before transitioning full-time to the premier class.

Lawrence, 19, has experienced immense success in the quarter-liter category across the last two years, winning back-to-back outdoor titles and securing the 250SX East crown in 2022.

His second outdoors championship came smoother and with fewer mistakes than both his supercross and maiden Pro Motocross crown, however, the Australian is determined to further polish his riding in the upcoming campaign.

“One of the obvious ones [reasons], last year I feel like people look at the end result and go oh yeah, you dominated and are like you should move up, but last year in supercross I made just as many mistakes as I did in 2021,” Lawrence explained.

“I’m still making those silly mistakes and I still need to learn for the 450, obviously those boys are no joke on the 450s and I think a lot of people still miss that I am still a teenager, I’m still 19.

“It might not show on a dirtbike much because I feel like I have kind of created a much more mature rider on a bike, which is lucky that I have this, but I feel a lot of people forget that I am 19 still.

“At this point I feel like age doesn’t really matter anymore for me, but I still have a lot more to learn before I get to the 450 and make sure that I come in and make sure I’ve learned everyone I learn in 250s, so when I come to the 450 it’s kind of like another blank canvas and build up again.”

Lawrence debuted on a 450 at the Motocross of Nations (MXoN) last year at RedBud, impressing to win the Open category and playing a pivotal role in Team Australia’s podium charge. He will step up to the premier class for Pro Motocross this season.

“In outdoors for me to move up to a 450 is a lot easier than supercross, because technically I only really started riding supercross like three years ago,” Lawrence added.

“I’ve been riding motocross all of my life, so it makes more sense for me to go 450 in outdoors and supercross just kind of start where I am most comfortable, which is a smarter decision for me to make sure I build the year in outdoors so then in 2024 we can come in more looking for a title hunt, instead of trying to keep on learning from the mistake of getting injured or something like this.”

Team Honda HRC manager Lars Linstrom also stated that Lawrence will not likely compete on a 450 this year in east coast supercross rounds, however, Lawrence has indicated that he would like to score enough points in the premier class outdoors to race a 450 at the SuperMotocross World Championship finals.