Image: Octopi Media.

Dylan Ferrandis says his recent relocation to Florida has given him a significant boost as he battles for the 2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship in his rookie 450MX season.

The Frenchman spent the first five seasons of his career in the US on the west coast, training on the hard-packed tracks in Southern California.

With the Monster Energy Star Racing Yamaha team’s recent acquisition of Ricky Carmichael’s ‘Goat Farm’ training facility in northern Florida, Ferrandis relocated ahead of round four at RedBud.

The 450 rookie who’s currently leading the championship says he noticed improvements straight away as he hit the track at the fourth round of the championship.

“I kind of felt like riding at RedBud without the humidity compared to Florida was just so much easier,” Ferrandis explained. “So I felt like it was easier to push and the demand on my body was less hard and I could push more so that was funny.

“But in Florida, we’re doing the same thing [as California], 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.”

When asked on Monday night’s PulpMX show, Ferrandis further detailed the benefits he’s finding from the move, saying he’s been looking to be east coast based for some time.

“I was looking for this move from a long time ago,” he continued. “Pretty much since my first season in motocross when I learned what it was to wake up at 6am on the east coast when you’re on west coast time, it’s like three in the morning.

“So my first season in motocross when I learned that I was like okay, I really need to be on the east coast. It took five years but finally, we’re here and I really like it.

“I’m not someone who really feels comfortable in a big city, so now we are out in the middle of the forest and pretty much in the middle of nowhere so I enjoy this.”

His favorite part of it all is arriving at the farm where Carmichael spent his entire career training, noting the water truck still has the number four decal on the side.

“The best thing we have is that we train where Ricky Carmichael trained his whole career, so it’s his home track, and the farm is amazing. As a rider when you arrive over there you’re just like a kid at Christmas, it’s crazy.

“It’s so beautiful, there are jumps and corners everywhere, different tracks, so pretty much I love my life right now, being in Florida is really good.

“I think the 450 [class] is a different level, the competition is even higher and I think for us it was a good choice [to move to Florida] and it’s paying off so I’m glad we did it.”

Ferrandis leads the championship by 14 points over Ken Roczen as the series heads to Southwick on Saturday for round five of the season.