Arminas Jasikonis retires from pro motocross racing for remainder of 2022 MXGP season
By Andrew Hill on 7th Jun 22
Arminas Jasikonis has retired from motocross racing for the remainder of the season. And with the agreement of the Gebben van Venrooy Yamaha team, he will bide his time in deciding his post-2022 future.
The Lithuanian, who resides in Balen in Belgium, suffered severe head trauma in October 2020 while on world championship duty at the Grand Prix of Lombardia with his former team Rockstar Energy IceOne Husqvarna Factory Racing.
Although AJ bravely recovered to return to the MXGP gate with his factory Husky, his results were understandably erratic.
The former #27, who switched to #7 and was considered one of the rising stars of world motocross, signed with the satellite Yamaha outfit for the 2022 season but results from this term could only have felt deflating for the 24-year-old.
Last week, the team revealed in a statement that Arminas was still suffering the effects of his head injury and that he would "take some time away from MXGP racing and racing at the highest level" with the team's full support.
"This has been a tough decision to make but together with my team I feel for my career it is important to take time off from the highest level of racing," Jasikonis said.
"My head injury together with the little setbacks I have experienced in the past months need time to be assessed. I'm still young and only when I am 100 per cent confident with my health, I will then make a decision for what my future GP racing will bring. I just want to give a big thank you to all our Gebben Van Venrooy Team partners, and also to Klaas, Emile, Ruud and the rest of my team for supporting me in these difficult moments."
Team-mate Calvin Vlaanderen has seen his results go in the wrong direction after his high of a double-win at the MXGP of Sardinia.
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