Image: Octopi Media.

Still finding comfort onboard the all-new 2023 YZ450F outdoors, Dylan Ferrandis continues to make progress with the platform and is certain that second overall at Hangtown was another step in the right direction.

Fox Raceway marked the first time that 2021 champion Ferrandis competed on the new bike in Pro Motocross, continuing to test different settings through the opening rounds.

“For sure, we did testing this week, obviously last weekend was a big learning experience for us,” explained Ferrandis. “We tried more this week at The Farm in Florida, and we showed up to this race with a new set-up.

“Again, I struggled a little bit with arm-pump all day. In the last moto we changed the shock, we had tried this shock before, but with the new set-up, we changed the shock and the bike was way better. I think now we are getting close to what I like, what I want on the bike.”

Ferrandis entered Hangtown third in the 450MX standings after he raced to 3-3 results during Pala’s season-opener. The number 14 qualified fifth fastest in Sacramento, and overcame Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger to land runner-up in moto one.

Taking advantage of a late mishap from Plessinger, Ferrandis finished third in the second moto behind Jett Lawrence (Team Honda HRC) and Cooper Webb (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), which saw him second overall for the round on 42 points.

“I was a little bit disappointed in the second moto,” he added. “I gave the holeshot to Jett and Coop, because yeah, I had it. I think in that second moto with the set-up I had, I could have done something better, just stuck behind the KTM boys and couldn’t find a way to pass.

“Obviously, at the end of the moto, I was just tired and gave up a little bit in the last lap. But yeah, one more step in the right direction. We knew with the team that the beginning of the season would be difficult. On paper it looks not too bad, P2 in the championship – 18 points is a lot, but it’s not too bad.

“If you had asked me this question two weeks ago, I would have said, ‘yeah, I’m going to be outside of the top five’. I think we have a good base now, this week we are going to need to make sure this set-up works in practice and if it does we will finally start to train instead of doing testing.”

Ferrandis moved past the absent Chase Sexton (Team Honda HRC) in the 450MX standings and trails red plate-holder Lawrence by 18 points entering the third round of the 2023 Pro Motocross Championship this weekend at Thunder Valley.