Kawasaki quits MotoGP 2009 season. Riders shocked
Written on January 1, 2009 – 10:55 am | by BikersUnite
2009 starts with a shocker for MotoGP fans as Kawasaki has pulled out of MotoGP World Championship effective immediately. Kawasaki has informed MotoGP organizers Dorna Motorsports of their decision a few days ago and an official announcement is expected by 5th January.
Hopkins with Kawasaki ZX-RR
The move coming in lines of Honda’s F1 & AMA withdrawal comes after a dismal performance in 2007 & 2008 seasons by the green team which was mostly relegated to the back of the grid combined with an severe global economic downturn.
The news has come as a shock to Marco Melandri & John Hopkins who had been signed on to ride the ZX-RR’s by Team Green for 2009 season. They will now be left in lurch with all other teams having already signed and confirmed their riders. “I have to wait and hear some words, as at the moment I hear nothing,” Melandri told autosport.com. “If it is true, then I can only hope that when I wake up on January 1st it is all a nightmare.” Marco Melandri is going to be badly hit with the news since switching over to Kawasaki after a terrible year with Ducati in 2008 season.
MotoGP bosses at Dorna must be in a troubled spot now being left with only 4 factory teams in fray while WSBK has added two more factory teams of Aprilia & BMW this year.
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Tags: 2009, dorna, hopkins, kawasaki, melandri, motogp, Motorsports