Former Grand Prix winner Dean Ferris, a factory rider in both Europe and America, is seriously thinking of finally giving the game away. Known for his sensational performance at the 2013 Monster Energy Motocross of Nations in Germany and multiple Australian championship victories, Ferris, who had retired a few years ago is in a similar situation, coming back from injury and with the thought, of what to do next year.

“Unfortunately,” Ferris said. “It didn’t work out this year, but it sure wasn’t from a lack of trying. I’m getting asked a lot if I’m going to go around again… [to be honest], I don’t know. At the moment, I’m not sure I want to race again next year, but as we’ve learnt, you never know with me.”

Whatever the Aussie does, his career will go down as one of the best in Australian motocross history. One of just four Australian men to win a Grand Prix (the others are Jeff Leisk, Chad Reed and Andrew McFarlane), that German MXoN performance in 2013 will also go down as one of the best by an Australian, only really being bettered by names like Jeff Leisk, Craig Dack, Chad Reed and the Lawrence brothers, Jett and Hunter.

After finishing second in the MX2 qualification race behind local rider Ken Roczen and ahead of American Eli Tomac, Ferris went 4-5 on track (beating a number of World class 450 riders) to finish second overall in the MX2 class, again behind Roczen, but ahead of Tomac.

Of course, he has also finished on the MXoN podium with Jett and Hunter Lawrence, a final grand performance for this veteran Australian legend.

In 2017 Ferris starred in his one-off Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship appearance at High Point, claiming second in moto one. Ferris was third on combined qualifying times and then stunned when he moved into the lead in the mid-stages of the opening moto. A crash in moto two dropped him to seventh overall, but he has already shown he was World class.

In 2019 Ferris rode for the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing team during the 2019 Lucas Oil Pro 450 Motocross Championship. With original rider Aaron Plessinger on the mend from a heel injury Ferris filled in for the team. He was inside the top ten in the 450 championship points when he returned back to Australia.

A great bloke, Ferris was a breath of fresh air when he arrived in Europe, racing for the Honda, KTM, and Husqvarna factory teams, before lining up for KTM in America. A broken wrist would ruin his career and see him return back to Australia, where he would win more Aussie titles.

Outside of names like Reed, McFarlane, Metcalfe, Jett and Hunter Lawrence, there were not too many other Australian riders who have been better over the last two or three decades. Like many riders, injuries really made a mess of his career, a career that could have seen him a top three man in either Europe or America. He was that good.