Roczen shocks by joining new championship

Ken Roczen has confirmed his participation in the all-new FIM World Supercross Championship, making him the biggest name yet to join the controversial series.

The German-born superstar has committed to the 2022 season and is in talks to join one of the 10 exclusive team licences in order to secure a spot on the grid.

Run by Australian promoters SX Global, the new FIM World Supercross Championship has made waves in the industry, with fears it could affect the success of the established AMA Supercross Championship, as well as AMA Pro Motocross and MXGP.

Related Reading:
FIM World Supercross Championship secures $50 million in funding
World SX: First teams announced, provisional schedule leaked
CDR Yamaha to add Aussie flavour to World Supercross Championship
SX Global dumps restrictions for 250cc WSX

For 2022, the WSX will run as a ‘pilot’ season with only three rounds and will not clash with any other major championships. But from 2023 onwards, the series is likely to begin in June and will overlap with Pro Motocross and MXGP.

Many pundits believed that WSX would find it hard to attract big name riders, especially for the first season. But Roczen’s commitment could open the floodgates for other superstars to join.

Roczen currently rides for the Honda HRC factory team, however that contract is set to conclude following the current Pro Motocross season. It is unclear if he will sign a new contract with Honda, but his commitment to WSX is certainly an interesting development.

With Honda HRC unlikely to take one of the ten WSX license, Roczen will have to join a new team for the three-round series, with a few possible outcomes.

Firstly, Roczen could sign a new deal with HRC and be ‘loaned’ to one of the Honda-backed WSX teams for the three-round series before returning to America ahead of AMA Supercross.

Another possibility is that he could switch manufacturers, while a more unlikely scenario is that he establishes his own race team in the new series (like Chad Reed did with TwoTwo).

Whether Roczen’s participation in the WSX is a one-off remains to be seen. However, with the 2023 WSX season set to clash with Pro Motocross, he will have to choose one or the other.

Given his age and injury history, it is very possible that the German rider will sign a supercross-only deal for 2023, riding both the AMA Supercross and WSX championships.

Seven of the ten exclusive team licences have been announced (including Australia’s CDR Yamaha), but only one team – MotoConcepts Honda – has revealed its rider lineup. That team will include Justin Brayton, Vince Friese, Cole Seely and Mitch Oldenburg.

The remaining three licences remain a mystery, but with no European manufacturers announced just yet, it is possible that one or all of KTM Group brands could join. It is also rumoured that local stalwart Yarrive Konsky could field a Honda-backed team, further emphasizing Australia's influence on the new championship.

Originally, the organisers had indicated the 2022 series would have five rounds around the globe, but according to the official website, that number has been revised to 3 rounds. It is expected that the series will expand in 2023, with up to 12 rounds on the cards.

The new championship is an official FIM World Championship, with SX Global securing the rights after they were let go by AMA Supercross and Feld Entertainment at the end of 2021.

SX Global have promised a whole new approach to supercross, with bigger prize money, more marketing and sponsorship opportunities, and better fan engagement. The new series will draw inspiration from the overwhelming success of Formula One and MotoGP in recent years.

Dates and venues for the 2022 FIM World Supercross Championship are yet to be announced, but the series is expected to kick off in October.