Kawasaki MotoGP Test On

Henny Ray Abrams | January 14, 2009
MADONNA DI CAMPIGLIO, ITALY, JAN 15: If Kawasaki is out of MotoGP, then why are they about to start testing in Australia?

That was the question when it was revealed that test rider Olivier Jacque was on his way to Eastern Creek, the track outside of Sydney, for the first of two tests of the updated ZXRR. Jacque will continue on to a test in Phillip Island.

That Kawasaki would be testing makes little sense since they announced last Friday that they were withdrawing from MotoGP activities to concentrate on production racing.

Asked about the apparent contradiction, a team spokesman said that the test was proceeding because all of the equipment had been shipped to Australia ahead of the announcement and that Kawasaki wanted to test their development parts, which include a new motor and revised chassis.

In an interview in Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport, Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta said he expects them to race and noted the upcoming test. But he also said legal proceedings could be launched if no resolution is reached.

Henny Ray Abrams | Contributing Editor

Abrams is the longest-serving contributor at Cycle News. Over the course of his 35-some years of writing and shooting photos, he’s covered events from MotoGP to the Motocross World Championship - and everything in between.