Kawasaki OUT of MotoGP

[Unforgiven]

http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=35264

[Maleficent]

Jeesh! This is not good.
:protest::nono::mghissyfit::badday:

[Luna Tique]

:gaah: :omg: http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-signs103.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org) :mgbanghead: say it isn't so :cry1:

[KansasKawboy]

It's official they are out.

http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2009/Jan/090109a.htm

[ridingAK]

:(:

[Inky]

Bummer.

[Maleficent]

I really hate to see Hopper lose his ride. These are difficult times and Kawasaki hasn't really brought their A game lately. :badday:

[Unforgiven]

Damn! I guess that means another manufacturer is going to have to be in last place this year. :dodge:

[Luna Tique]

Ouch ....
:smack:


I feel very badly for the riders that have lost their rides for this coming season :(:

[Lucky_Devil]

So wouldn't this cause problems for Dorna? I thought there was a required number of bikes to be on the grid (18 I think)... with Kawasaki out, the number of bikes would fall to 17... which is below the minimum said to be guaranteed in contracts with the FIM.

Are we on the brink of MotoGP not happening at all? :eek: :gaah: :(: :badday:

[Inky]

If Kawi can't pay for a team, then I bet they can't pay Dorna either. That's why there was a big meeting. I'm sure it was a bunch of suits debating costs and contract adjustments.................but if you don't have the money, then you don't have the money! I guess the Japanese Stock market is in just as bad shape as ours is. Scary place for the world right now.

[Inky]

I got this from Sport City Riders..............

09/01/2009 - For Immediate Release

KAWASAKI PRESS RELEASE
Tokyo, January 9, 2009 -- Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. announced today that it has decided to suspend its factory MotoGP racing activities from 2009 season.

Amid quickly changing business environment, Kawasaki has been promptly taking countermeasures to cope with the situation. As the world economy is not likely to recover in a short period due to the major impact of the financial crisis, Kawasaki decided to suspend its MotoGP racing activities from 2009 season onward and reallocate management resources more efficiently.

Kawasaki will continue racing activities using mass-produced motorcycles as well as supporting general race-oriented customers.

Kawasaki would like to thank all the fans and all those who have forwarded us great help.

Mr.Yoshio Kawamura, the Managing Director of Kawasaki Motors Racing B.V. deeply appreciates the contribution and the dedication brought by staff members of the MotoGP team.

[Lucky_Devil]

The plot thickens....

"Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta has warned Kawasaki that its ZX-RRs must race in MotoGP (http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/home/) this season - something that is looking more likely after a subsequent revelation that factory test rider Olivier Jacque will be on track with the ZX-RR in Australia.

Kawasaki, which officially announced that it was suspending its factory MotoGP activities on January 9, has a contract with Dorna to race in MotoGP until the end of 2011. Ezpeleta told La Gazetta dello Sport that he was willing to release Kawasaki from the final two years of that agreement, providing its bike are on the 2009 grid.

"There is an agreement until 2011, which Dorna has with all the factories," Ezpeleta told the sportspaper. "It cannot just be discarded.

"I have told Kawasaki that I would not accept this contract being broken and, since they have said that the costs for this season are budgeted, I have proposed that they race in 2009. In exchange I will release them from 2010 and 2011.

"The problem with this is that Kawasaki says it only has engines built for 25% of the championship and that they don't want to develop the rest. Therefore I am searching for a structure, in France, to do this for them. The final obstacle will be to get the Japanese to meet these people and agree to this scenario."

When asked how optimistic he was of success, Ezpeleta declared "I think that it will all be resolved" then stated that Kawasaki are testing in Australia and that he expects the current team structure to remain.

"Today Olivier Jacque is testing at Eastern Creek, in Australia [Update: The test has not yet started]. The team will continue to be managed by Michael Bartholemy and it is important to safeguard the futures of John Hopkins (http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/racer_bio/1578/john_hopkins.html) and Marco Melandri (http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/racer_bio/383/marco_melandri.html)."

Despite such optimism, Ezpeleta once again warned Kawasaki that it cannot simply walk away: "If Kawasaki will not race, I will take them to court."

Those words could also be seen as warning to any other manufacturers thinking of quitting.

Ezpeleta also added that he wants a series of cost cutting measures - such as a reduction in testing, and engines that last for two or three grand prix weekends - agreed before the start of this season and is aiming to boost grid numbers to 20 riders for 2010.

Kawasaki's apparent withdraw had reduced the 2009 MotoGP field to just 17 riders.

linkie (http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/173245-0/dorna__kawasaki_must_race,_testing_now%21.html)

[ridingAK]

Interesting turn on things!

[Maleficent]

Thanks for the interesting find, LD! So many hidden agendas behind those words in the article...it's quite entertaining. Although my favorite seems to be the 'outsourcing' of bike development. A concept IT people like myself are all too familiar with.

[Luna Tique]

:mgbanghead: This hurts my head trying to figure out what is REALLY going on and how it will REALLY play out.

Everyone take a pay cut. Get the riders on the starting line. Do it for the love of the sport and get back to the business of racing PLEASE :shrug:There I just straighten the whole thing out :D:

[ridingAK]

LT FOR PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD












.:D:

[KCDakar]

LT FOR PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD
.:D:

I'd Vote!:wootrock:

[Luna Tique]

:redface1:

[KansasKawboy]

I'd Vote!:wootrock:
Me too!:wootrock:

[Luna Tique]

Stop it everyone
Your making my head go all pointy

:Star:


:rofl:

[Astir]

I'll vote for ya too LT! :wootrock:


Sorry about the pointy thing, but that hat looks nice on you.

[ridingAK]

:rofl:

[Unforgiven]

You can run on the campaign slogan "A motorcycle in every garage!"

[Luna Tique]

You can run on the campaign slogan "A motorcycle in every garage!"

I like it :wootrock:

[KCDakar]

You can run on the campaign slogan "A motorcycle in every garage!"

I am voting twice! :fridayparty:

[Maleficent]

And the epic 'Tale of Two Riders' continues.....


Marco Melandri (http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/racer_bio/383/marco_melandri.html) has revealed that he is expecting to know the exact format of Kawasaki's MotoGP (http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/home/) future - if there is to be one - on Wednesday.

The Italian, who was planning to make a new start at Team Greenhttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif (http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/173377-0/melandri__i'll_know_on_wednesday.html#) after a disastrous 2008 season at Ducati, has a contract in place for 2009 and 2010 - but that counts for little if, following the factory's withdraw, there are no Kawasakis in MotoGP next year.

The only hope of ZX-RRs remaining in the premier-class is if they can be run by a 'privateer' team, something previous factory team boss Michael Bartholemy is attempting to put together with support from Dorna. "On Wednesday I'll get a telephone call from Michael Bartholemy to say if he has arranged to run the 2009 bikes as a privateer team," La Gazzetta dello Sport reports Melandri, a former MotoGP World Championship runner-up, as saying.

"Then on January 31st a proposal should arrive from Kawasaki saying what they will offer me; a full salary, a gratuity or nothing. I hope that the proposal isn't to go and work in a shop in Japan!" he joked.

Melandri, a five time grand prixhttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif (http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/173377-0/melandri__i'll_know_on_wednesday.html#)winner with Honda, dismissed talk of a return to Fausto Gresini's satellite RCV team or a switch to the World Superbike Championship.

"I spoke with [Gresini] after reading that they might be able to offer me something, but they do not have the resources to run a third bike," said Melandri, who had made a promising start to his Kawasaki career during post season testing. "What is certain it is that I will not ride an uncompetitive motorcycle and I'm not thinking about World Superbikes. I'd rather sit out 2009 and return to MotoGP in 2010."

The future of John Hopkins (http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/racer_bio/1578/john_hopkins.html), who also has a Kawasaki contract in place for 2009, is equally unknown.

Kawasaki's development team is testing the 2009 ZX-RR in Australia (see separate story).


linky (http://www.crash.net/motorsport/motogp/news/173377-0/melandri__i'll_know_on_wednesday.html)

[Luna Tique]

:cry1: :shrug:they didn't listen to me :(: