Bench Racing Kawasaki leaving MotoGP

motciclismo.es: Confirmed Kawasaki leaving MotoGP

Rumors have been speculating about how big the MotoGP grid would be in 2009. It is one team smaller now.

Sorry to hear this. I hope Hopper finds another ride. I always rooted for him to do well.

Here is the other article sourced by various writers commenting on the pull out by Big Green from MotoGP

autosport.com: Kawasaki poised to quite MotoGP

uk.reuters.com is reporting that Aspar Team chief Jorge Martinez is in negotiations with Kawasaki to take over the MotoGP team. Kawasaki has remained silent about leaving MotoGP and is not expected to say anything until next week.

MotoGP 2009 season in doubt???

moto-station.com is reporting that their will be an emergency meeting between MotoGP and the teams to see if there is a way to solve the economic issues hitting MotoGP and the teams. The focus of the meetings will be revenue sharing in an effort to offset developmental costs. This is very reminiscent of what F1 has recently gone through.

The French site implies KawasakiÔÇÖs departure is official, although yet unannounced to my knowledge, but that Kawasaki will be present at the meetings. The article strongly implies that it is not KawasakiÔÇÖs participation alone that is at risk, rather the entire season may be in doubt.

I was unable to get more information from MotoGP at this time.

In a related story. The economics of racing appear to be getting even more complicated. Dutch site moto73.nl suggests sitting on the fence may be the place to be right now.
moto73.nl: Alice stops as main sponsor of Pramac Ducati

motociclismo.it: Joge Martinez, owner of Team Aspar confirms its interest in the Kawasaki MotoGP team.

KawasakiÔÇÖs withdrawal from MotoGP remains unofficial. Talks are going forward to field the team and meet the teamÔÇÖs commitments to MotoGP, drivers and others until 2011. Formal announcements are next expected until Monday at the soonest.

Mika said:

moto-station.com The article strongly implies that it is not KawasakiÔÇÖs participation alone that is at risk, rather the entire season may be in doubt.

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Yikes...I've got my Indy hotel reservation for the GP next August. I went last year and was planning on returning this year. I haven't bought my ticket...maybe I'll wait and see what happens.

I would make my reservation. There will be a great deal of drama over the next week but I believe there will be a season. I will keep following this.

January 5

motociclismo.es: Aspar ÔÇô ÔÇ£I am interested in Kawasaki, but I will not say yeas to all costsÔÇØ

The anticipated formal announcement from Kawasaki withdrawing from MotoGP was not made. Talks continue with the Aspar Team but there is speculation that Kawasaki may be seeking another option.

The Aspar Team has confirmed that they are interested but with conditions. The deal breaker may come in the form of rider contracts. Aspar, a Spanish based team, wants a Spanish driver and does not want to shoulder the burden of the Kawasaki rider contracts. Aspar feels it needs a Spanish driver to attract sponsorship from its Spanish base. KawasakiÔÇÖs rider contracts are a major undefined expense due to performance clauses and sponsorship money promised to riders.

French is the language of diplomacy. Kawasaki used the language of diplomacy by using Agent France Presse to make a statement acknowledging it is considering leaving MotoGP but stating it has not made a decision yet.

Kawasaki appears to be finding out that MotoGP may be expensive but walking away can cost even more. The expenses count up in performance clauses in contracts with Dorna, the MotoGP organizers, running through 2011, rider contracts, and a long list of support service contracts. With no team on the track there are no sponsor dollars, no prize money and no deductions to offset expenses.

Aspar continues to show interest in taking over the Kawasaki Team. However; the issues of driver contracts and sponsor dollars keep Kawasaki from making the savings needed to justify withdrawing in the first place.

Dorna is committed to the 2009 season and will run a 17 bike field if that is what is available. Discussions continue in Japan with the factory teams to try and work out cost saving rules and develop needed sponsorship strategies and sources for the teams. Cost savings center around engine development being spread over two seasons instead of the current one season, cutting back or eliminating Friday practice and development practice sessions.

What does this mean to the fan?

For all the drama the season looks to be going ahead. Dorna itself has too much to loose not to go ahead with the season. The fan will have plenty to read about in the off season and still have racing to follow during the season.

Source: crash.net

The exit drama may be over but the mystery lingers on.

The manager for Kawasaki riders Marco Melandri and John Hopkins received a call reassuring him that they will have a ride in MotoGP for 2009. There will be the full compliment of 19 riders for 2009 as was the case in 2008 has been maintained. The season drama appears to be over.

The mystery lingers on because it was not made clear who will be managing the team and what they will be managing. The current information is only there will be a two rider team but stops there. GPone.com offers some options in its report.

Nothing like a good mystery to keep your motorcycle interests going over the winter months.

Seems as though a 20,000,000 Euro a year fine for breach of contract will change your mind. The contract with Dorna is through 2011.

Mika said:

Nothing like a good mystery to keep your motorcycle interests going over the winter months.

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Kind of like the hot stove league for baseball I guess.

The mystery looses one of the characters. Reuters is reporting that Kawasaki has announced they are with drawing from MotoGP.

reuters.com: Kawasaki quits MotoGP to cut costs.

What should follow is an announcement that someone is taking over the team, if the Dorna report from gpone.com is correct.

KAWASAKI PRESS RELEASE
Published: 9 Jan 2009
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.
-End-


The team itself has been turned over to team manager Bartholemy to run during the season while new ownership is being sought.
sportmediaset.com: The Kawasaki [team] entrusted to Bartholemy
The team manager will create the structure for running


GPone.com covers the news territory covered by others then gives a historical focus reminding us this is not the first time GP bike racing has faced this situation.
gpone.com: Kawasaki leaves the scene, the bikes remain


Cyclenews.com gives the perspective from the Kawasaki U.S. racing operations. No formal announcement has been made about Kawasaki Superbike efforts. They seem to tip their hand with the line in the press release, ÔÇ£Kawasaki will continue racing activities using mass-produced motorcycles as well as supporting general race-oriented customers.ÔÇØ

cyclenews.com: Road Racing ÔÇô Kawasaki out of MotoGP

Huddle around the hot stove and read the latest chapters in the Kawasaki MotoGP mystery.


The riders play a key role and they seem to be at a loss right now.
motorcyclenews.com: Marco Melandri not surprised at KawasakiÔÇÖs withdrawal.

The team manager is the current protagonist in this mystery but is he the main character?
gpone.com: Bartholemy seeking buyers, Future of Melandri and Hopkins

A bit of perspective.
motorsport.com: Economy hits Kawasaki, riders left stranded

If Deep Throat were around he would tell us to follow the money. The current bag man in this mystery appears to be Ezpeleta, head of Dorna
motogp.com: Dorna CEO Ezpeleta on Kawasaki withdrawal


What about World SuperBike? Kawasaki signed on with Paul Bird to take over its team for the 2009 season. bikesportnews.com: Paul Bird confirms Kawasaki is World SuperBike commitment.

Just when you thought Kawasaki and this thread had gone away the head of Dorna has something to say.

autosport.com: Ezpeleta expects Kawasaki bikes to race

ÔÇ£KawasakiÔÇØ ZX-RR testing in Australia

The lead article in this post is from the MotoGP website with three follow up pieces from other sources. The secondary pieces each give a bit of analysis.

Is this a MotoGP promotion, testing, or an on going sales demonstration?

Winter testing for MotoGP is done at a variety of tracks and then moves to Phillips Island. This is done to showcase the bikes and give MotoGP attention. Dorna appears to taken on something of a brokers role after the Kawasaki withdrawal. The 2009 bike was ready when this started. Dorna seems to be spending some of its funds to put on this test. They have a vested interest, as the promoter, in fielding as many bikes as they can for the show. The fan has to ask then, is this just part of the promotion?

Picking up on the bike being ready and Dorna acting as broke theme, this may well be testing. Discussions with possible buyers continue. To protect the value of the ZX-RR to anyone in any sense as a bike to a buyer or a viable member of the grid for Dorna and MotoGP the bike needs to be sorted out before the start of the season. So this scheduled appearance is part of that process even if the only thing accomplished is collecting data and no real development work results until sale.

Is it a sales demonstration? The simple answer is yes. The information gathered in this round of testing will be plumed by potential buyers to see what value they place on the purchase and finish their negotiations.

The first test day was cold and the track time limited. Tests are scheduled to resume on Saturday.

motogp.com: Eastern Creek test for Kawasaki 2009 Ninja ZX-RR


gpone.com:Here is the Kawasaki 2009 running at Eastern Creek


crash.net: 2009 Kawasaki on track in Australia


motorcyclenews.com: Kawasaki testing 2009 MotoGP bike in Australia!