MACKENZIE GOES IT ALONE FOR FINAL THREE GRAND PRIX RACES

It has been announced that Billy Mackenzie will be the sole CAS Honda pilot for the remainder of the 2008 season, as the team looks to focus its efforts on the Scotsman in readiness for its World Championship attack in 2009.

Following Mike Brown's return to America earlier this year, Steve Boniface boarded the second CAS Honda CRF450R at the Grand Prix of Germany, and was employed on a race-by-race basis. However, the Frenchman injured his knee in the first moto at the Belgium round of the World series, which has hindered his progress, and with this in mind it has been agreed that it is best for both parties not to continue for the final part of the season.

With the majority of Grand Prix level riders already having contracts in place which would be a conflict of interest with those of the team, CAS Honda has decided that for the final three World Championship rounds it will focus its efforts on 23-year-old Mackenzie.

The Scottish rider has demonstrated great speed and promise throughout this year, at some stage taking the lead in nearly every race, but so far has not managed to turn this into the consistently strong results he is more than capable of achieving. Mackenzie scored a superb pole position last time out at the Czech Republic Grand Prix, but sustained damage to his hip and back after crashing heavily out of second place in the opening moto.

Mackenzie, however, has dominated the British series this season aboard the Monster Energy-backed CAS Honda, and despite missing one round through injury, the CAS Honda pilot currently leads the title stakes by 22 points heading to the last event at Hawkstone Park.

Mackenzie will remain with the team in 2009 where it is hoped that now he has fully familiarised himself with the factory Honda machinery, he will be able to go on to fulfil his World Championship ambition with the CAS Honda outfit.

CAS Honda's next outing is at the Grand Prix of the Republic of Ireland this weekend.

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