If John Hopkins thought last season was bad, 2009 could be worse because it appears he might not have a team to race for next year.
According to Autosport and other sources originating in Europe, Kawasaki is set to announce its plans to pull out of the 2009 MotoGP season. If the rumor is true, it will be a major disappointment to riders John Hopkins and Marco Melandri, but the impact will be much more traumatic for event organizer Dorna who will only have 17 riders in this season's lineup. This number is below the minimum number of riders required by their contract with the FIM, and with the season just around the corner it may be difficult to field another team in this time of financial duress. If the rumors are true, the announcement should come on January 5, 2009, again according to Autosport.
Things have not exactly gone well since Kawasaki re-entered the MotoGP scene in 2003. A trio of second-place finishes and a half decade of getting beat-on by their rivals certainly could be a factor in any decision to pull out of the world’s premier motorcycle racing scene. From a fan’s perspective, the prospect of this actually happening will be disappointing to say the least. From a business standpoint it would make sense. Why throw millions of dollars away so your brand can be a consummate mid-pack finisher?
Stay tuned as we wait for an official announcement from Kawasaki.
