Russell Gomez leaves 250cc World Championship

Rider Russell Gomez has withdrawn from the remaining six races of the 250cc World Championship, to be replaced by Manuel Hernandez in the Blusens Aprilia quarter-litre team. Gomez has decided to return to the CEV Buckler Spanish Championship for the remainder of the year, in the Formula Extreme category, owing to what he felt was a lack of experience with two-stroke machinery.

`It wasn´t an easy decision to make, but it sometimes pays to take a step back to catch one´s breath,´ says Gomez on his reversion to the CEV branch of the Blusens Aprilia set-up. `It was the time to change, because I had stopped enjoying getting on the bike –the worst thing that can happen to a rider. I was also hit by my injury in Qatar, which meant that I was always playing catch-up with my rivals.´

Hernandez rode in the place of Gomez at the opening round of the season, during his fellow Spaniard´s convalescence from injury. Now he will have another chance to ride the Aprilia two-stroke this weekend at Misano, alongside 250cc teammate Eugene Laverty.

Gomez´ departure from the World Championship follows the decision of former titlist Manuel Poggiali to also withdraw from the 250cc series last week.