Britain’s Shaun Simpson will make his return to MXGP action this weekend at the Swedish Uddevalla race and will ride the 2018 YZ450R after a successful race test in Belgium yesterday.

The Wilvo Yamaha rider put in a pretty solid performance against a stacked line-up of sand specialists at Keiheuvel. The twenty-eight-year-old admitted he was a little ring-rusty out there, but still managed to come home in fourth overall.

“I feel like I am in good shape off the bike at the moment, but on the bike I’ve been wanting to take a bit more time than I did heading into my original ‘come-back’ in Ottobiano back in June. This time I’ve tried to get some laps under my belt before lining up at the GP, so I can continue to develop the 2018 YZ450F,” said Simpson.

“We are wanting to work hard on getting the bike right over the next few weeks so we have some real good data for the winter time. Race data, not just ‘riding data’. My main goal is to come out swinging in Assen because I know I can ride well there, but for this weekend my goal is to have some time on the bike and make it through the weekend. I will still be trying my hardest but I don’t want to set any goals that may be unachievable.

"I am definitely looking forward to this weekend. I have checked the weather and it looks like it's going to rain which is perfect for me because I wasn't really looking forward to it being hard slick and dusty like it has been in the past. Now with the way the weather is looking it could be a bit more loamy, which I like and am looking forward to.”