Nichols, Wilson and Barham to miss Abu Dhabi GP, Ramette, Tanti and Nicoletti to race in season finale

Thomas Ramette will replace Colt Nichols at PMG for the 2024 FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX) season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Having taken third in the SuperFinal and fourth overall at the Canadian GP, Nichols’ season was off to a promising start. Then, in Race 1 of the WSX Australian GP, the American was thrown over his handlebars and sustained injuries that have ruled him out of this year’s season finale.

With Nichols unable to compete, PMG have drafted in the experienced hands of Ramette to ride in his place. The French rider has raced for Team GSM over the past two seasons, with a best result of 5-17-7 in the 2023 WSX Abu Dhabi GP to go ninth overall.

Ramette has been competing professionally for over nine years. With his past WSX experience, multiple French Supercross titles and four UK Arenacross championships on his CV, he will have no trouble getting up to speed at the WSX Abu Dhabi GP on 4 December.

Over at Fire Power Honda, there’ll be another WSX super-sub in the form of Aaron Tanti stepping in to fill the shoes of Dean Wilson.

The Glasgow native had kicked off his 2024 campaign in earnest in Round 2’s SuperFinal, taking his first podium of 2024. The next day though, it would all unravel when a clash with Vince Friese ended with a dislocated shoulder.

Wilson was therefore resigned to the sidelines, and the Australian specialist Aaron Tanti will take his place for the last round in Abu Dhabi. Tanti is a known quantity on the WSX circuit, with an Australian GP podium and fourth in the 2022 SX2 standings to his name. Unfortunately, his 2023 campaign was brought to an early end when he broke his ribs on his first 450cc start.

The Sydney born rider’s WSX and SX2 experience makes him a natural fit for Fire Power Honda in isolation, not to mention his record in domestic categories where he claimed the Australian Motocross Championship back in 2022.

CDR Yamaha Supported by Star Racing will also feature a revised line-up for the season finale, with Phil Nicoletti replacing Kaleb Barham in SX2.

Barham had also started his season in good form finishing eighth overall in Vancouver, but, like Nichols and Wilson, he was injured at his home event in Perth. As a result, he will miss out on racing in the season finale hosted by Etihad Arena on Yas Island.

CDR have taken a similar approach to PMG with their last-minute call-up, recruiting Phil Nicoletti who is well versed in both the SX2 and WSX classes. Two rounds of the headline category in 2023 were preceded by a full 2022 SX2 campaign, in which he took a best result of seventh at the Australian GP.

With a career spanning 18 years, American-born Nicoletti can draw on all his experience which helped him to the 2019 Canadian 450cc Supercross title and fifth in the 2016 AMA Motorcross Championship.