KTM have announced that their 2010 rider line up in the United States will consist of Tommy Searle and Mike Alessi.

For Searle, the move is a shift from the factory-supported MDK squad to a newly formed factory team under the control of Race Director and former Grand Prix star Pit Beirer with the whole project to be overseen from the manufacturer's Austrian headquarters.

Former world number two Searle will again campaign the 250 class, but the Brit will be joined by Mike Alessi, who rejoins the KTM team to compete in the 450 class after two seasons with the Makita Suzuki squad.

American Alessi is rumoured to be racing a new prototype KTM 350 - the bike won't be eligible for the Supercross series from the start of the year, but should be homologated by the time the AMA National Motocross series starts.

By Paul Harris