Brown signs for CAS Honda.

Former 125cc AMA Motocross champion and GP winner Mike Brown will return to grand prix racing in 2007 after signing a one-year deal to ride for the frontrunning CAS Honda team in the premier MX1 championship.

It was 12 months ago that Brown last lead the 125cc AMA series, a championship he has lead (at one point or another) every year since his victory in 2001. Brown also finished third in the 1999 and 2000 125cc World championship, while battling the likes of Alessio Chiodi, Grant Langston and James Dobb.

Brown returned to American in 2005 after a controversial split with RWJ Honda and has struggled in 2006 on a Rockstar Suzuki, citing a lack of competitive machinery. Nevertheless, Mike is sure he can come back and fight for the championship and will be taking the place of 2005 MX1 runner-up Josh Coppins, who is moving to the Factory Yamaha team.

"I am really excited to be racing back in Europe," said Brown. "I have always tried to do my best over here, and while I might have had some problems in the past that is now all behind me and I look forward to working with the CAS team. I rode the bike last week and it's a big difference from the bikes I am riding at the moment. The Honda 450 machine is so powerful and I felt comfortable on it straight away."

"The team I am in at the moment have had their problems, and it's been difficult to go to the races knowing that the chances of running up front are not there," he admitted. "Last year I was leading the American 125cc championship and problems I would rather not talk about caused my results to slip. I know that I can still win races and I am sure with my dedication and my work ethic that I will be able to run with the top MX1 riders. I would love to finish my career in Europe, at the moment I have a one year contract with CAS, but if I do well then I hope to be able to stay and end my career racing over here."

Neil Prince, manager of CAS Honda, is excited to have Brown riding for the team. Prince has long been a fan of Brown and first tried to sign him last year.

"Mike is a rider who will give you everything he has. We are sure that he won't give anything less than 100% and that is what this team expects from their riders," he said. "We work hard to give our riders what they need to win, and I am sure that Mike will fit into that well. If you look around the paddock there are riders who to me are not giving 100% and that will be Mike's advantage for sure. We took him to a practise track in Belgium last week and he impressed everyone in the team with his speed and preparation of the bike, we all knew straight away that we had to sign him."

Brown will visit the Motocross of Nations as a spectator and his new European career will begin in early 2007 when he will compete against the likes of Coppins, Steve Ramon, Kevin Strijbos and Ken de Dycker.