MotoGP Series In Crisis - Pit Pass

Ezpeleta, the genial head of MotoGP rightsholders Dorna, flew to Japan in early January on a recovery mission. He pointed out to Kawasaki's management that Dorna has a contract with the MSMA (Motorsports Manufacturers Association) that obliges Kawasaki to field a team through 2011. The company assured him back in September that it would be racing in '09, and now it was almost too late to find replacements for the grid, which was now one entrant below the specified 18 minimum for Grand Prix. He tried to broker a deal that would keep them racing with an existing team, while development costs would be borne by an outside entity. And if Kawasaki didn't agree to the idea?

"It is clear the contract has to be respected," Ezpeleta said. "If we can't resolve this situation then there is no question that we will look to claim our rights, and that could mean court." Would it come to that?

The worldwide financial crunch has hit motorcycle racing hard. In the U.S., Honda dropped their AMA Superbike team, then sort of returned with a one rider de facto team under Corona Extra colors. Kawasaki let go of their in-house AMA Superbike team, instead partnering with satellite team Attack Racing in the less expensive Daytona SportBike class. KTM dropped their support of the Red Bull Rookies program, killing the American version and shrinking the number of European dates. American Suzuki drastically reduced the support of their satellite teams. Yamaha's MotoGP personnel no longer have the luxury of flying in the front of the plane on the long haul (although with the reduced testing schedule they'll have to endure roach class less often).

"We understand the difficulties of the companies, but they must understand the signed agreements in place," Ezpeleta said. "If we obtain the possibility that Kawasaki can run two bikes in 2009, then we have agreed to leave them free not to participate in 2010 and 2011 without any penalty. But right now it is too late for them to say they can't participate." But it's not too late to look ahead at the very difficult choices that need to be made, not only to secure the future of the sport, but to return it to the spectacle it once was.