Melandri will race Kawasaki in MotoGP!

[xx CURVE xx]

looks like we will have a backmarker after all...

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MOTOGP » Melandri will race Kawasaki in MotoGP!

Marco Melandri will compete in MotoGP this season after a deal was struck between Kawasaki and Dorna to enter a one-rider team.

Although most eyes were set to be on whether Melandri would make a decision regarding his future during the upcoming pre-season test in Qatar, Kawasaki have confirmed that they compete in 2009 with the Italian rider.

The short statement is as follows:

Kawasaki announces that after constructive talks between Kawasaki, Dorna and other involved parties, a new one-rider Team will participate in the 2009 MotoGP Championship season.

This decision was made after negotiations that followed Kawasaki's January 2009 announcement to suspend its factory supported MotoGP activities due to the economic crisis. Rider for the new MotoGP team will be the Italian Marco Melandri.

The team will be equipped with Kawasaki motorcycles and supporting materials.

That Kawasaki has come to this new team approach is the result of on the one hand the need for a strong reduction of MotoGP racing investments and on the other hand the necessity to come to constructive solutions for all related parties.

The new team will disclose more details about its 2009 season's plans on a short notice.

Full story to follow

[Mr Lefty]

soo.... where's that leave Hopper?

[xx CURVE xx]

Originally Posted by ebbs15

soo.... where's that leave Hopper?

laughing his ass off drinking some brews


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Melandri To Make Decision At Qatar Tests

Submitted by Kropotkin on Wed, 2009-02-25 16:24.
in Kawasaki Marco Melandri MotoGP Losail, Qatar
Episode 673 in the Kawasaki saga, as Marco Melandri used his Facebook profile once again to announce his intentions to the world. According to the Italian press, Melandri wrote "for the moment, we will test the bike at Losail, we will see whether it's going to be worth racing the bike after the test: if the bike's a disaster, we will all go home."

More interesting news about just which bike Melandri will be testing. GPOne.com is reporting that the Italian will be riding the updated 2008 version of the bike at Qatar, which was tested at Valencia and Phillip Island earlier. Melandri had previously rejected trying to race this bike, but the prospect of a year on the sidelines may have persuaded him to give the bike one more chance.

Whether this is just idle speculation or a genuine plan, we will see soon enough. The Qatar tests take place this weekend, and if Melandri is there on a Kawasaki, we will finally get an inkling of how this story is to end.

[askmrjesus]

I was wondering who was going to blink first. Carmelo Ezpeleta (head cheese at Dorna) was threatening to sue Kawasaki for breach of contract when they dropped out, (they had contracted to have at least two riders on the grid through 2011).

Ezpeleta himself was on the hook, because Dorna's contract with FIM, guarantees 18 riders on the grid.

JC

[Mr Lefty]

so great... they run a 1 rider team this year... what happens next?

as has been mentioned they're at the 18 min. and does that mean every race? what happens if someones hurt...

[Dave]

very interesting

[askmrjesus]

Originally Posted by ebbs15

so great... they run a 1 rider team this year... what happens next?

as has been mentioned they're at the 18 min. and does that mean every race? what happens if someones hurt...

I don't know the intimate details of Dorna's contract with FIM, but I would imagine that they would get a pass on the 18 bike minimum in the event of injury.

JC

[smileyman]

This could work out to Melandri's favor.

#1 Dorna $$ backing them may mean Kawisaki could put some more of there $$ into development and render a faster bike.

#2 the revised 08 may be a better platform to try for results on since an all new 09 would mean considerable shakedown time. Quite worrying about the concept and ride the bitch.

#3 one rider team means a focused effort. No conflicting R&D paths to chase, no distractions...

[askmrjesus]

Originally Posted by smileyman

This could work out to Melandri's favor.

#1 Dorna $$ backing them may mean Kawisaki could put some more of there $$ into development and render a faster bike.

#2 the revised 08 may be a better platform to try for results on since an all new 09 would mean considerable shakedown time. Quite worrying about the concept and ride the bitch.

#3 one rider team means a focused effort. No conflicting R&D paths to chase, no distractions...

I agree with #2 and #3, but I believe Kawasaki and the other teams have to pay Dorna, not the other way around. Dorna has paid out money to certain Brit riders in the past, in order to keep the BBC interested in buying TV rights for MotoGP from Dorna, so it's possible they waived the fees for Kawasaki, or worked out some other sort of deal to keep the grid filled, hard to say.

JC