Suzuki: MotoGP needs major changes

Suzuki team boss Paul Denning says the MotoGP manufacturers are now agreed that the championship needs major changes in order to survive the economic downturn.

Although no firm details have yet been released, minor cost-cutting adjustments - such as reducing the amount of practice and test mileage - have been agreed for 2009.

But the sport's governing body, the FIM, has called for a dramatic re-think of MotoGP's technical regulations in order to reduce costs and entice new entrants, and Denning agrees that this is necessary.

"There is a generic agreement that cutting costs is a fundamental requirement," he told the official MotoGP website.

"It is not a wish, it is a fundamental requirement to safeguard the future of the championship.

"Some of the short term measures that have already been suggested are not going to be very effective, but they may be a minor help.

"The key point is that with the manufacturers, Dorna, IRTA, looking at things from a promoter´s perspective, an organisational perspective, a private team perspective and so on, all factors have to be considered in terms of priority and that big changes are needed, rather than small tweaks.

"I think there need to be some fairly fundamental, sweeping changes, to take a decent percentage out of the costs, in order to make the decision making process easier for manufacturers and teams, for participation and making it more attractive to provide further bikes and expand the championship in the future. That has to be the ultimate target."

MotoGP is currently down to 17 entrants and four manufacturers after the withdrawal of Kawasaki, although the Japanese manufacturer's ex-works bikes could yet reappear with a private team.

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Honda remains committed to MotoGP

Honda Motor Co. has no plans to leave MotoGP, but the company admitted it is considering withdrawing from other categories.

"We have not formally decided yet but we have been looking into the option of pulling out," Honda spokesman Akemi Ando told Reuters.

"It is something we have been thinking about for a while since we pulled out of Formula One.

"We have no plans to leave MotoGP."

Honda announced at the end of last year that it was withdrawing from Formula One racing with intermediate effect because of the world's financial crisis.

The Japanese manufacturer, who announced an operating loss of $2.1 billion for 2009, said its involvement would be mainly reduced in motocross and other forms of off-road racing.

Ando admitted also that there would be no works team at the Suzuka eight-hour World Endurance Race at the circuit owned by Honda.

"It's not strictly accurate to say Honda are pulling out of the Eight-Hour race," said Ando. "It is true that our works teams will not take part.

"But Honda supplies bikes and technical support to many of the teams and 60 percent of the bikes on the grid will still be Honda bikes."

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Tech 3 say riders must earn new deals

Tech 3 team boss Herve Poncharal says there is no reason why Colin Edwards and James Toseland can't earn extensions to their current one-year deals, but emphasised the need for both to score podiums this season.

Double Superbike world champion Toseland made a strong start to his MotoGP rookie season last year, but struggled for results in the summer and was disappointed to fall to 11th in the championship.

Although Edwards took two podium finishes and a pole position in 2008, there were persistent rumours about his future at the satellite Yamaha team - and Poncharal admitted that the American had initially been set to lose his ride after last season.

"Nothing goes on forever in life, especially in sport and in MotoGP," Poncharal told the official MotoGP website.

"Both James and Colin are now on one year contracts. Colin was due to leave MotoGP at the end of 2008 but because of the great season he had he managed to get one more year and maybe he is going to be even better in 2009 and will therefore still be with us in 2010. That is what I hope.

"James has been discovering MotoGP and has had to overcome a lot of problems, learning new tracks, getting used to a new bike and a new format of racing. He did really well when you have all that in mind.

"But clearly both of them are under a lot of pressure to perform, like we are and like everybody is in MotoGP."

Poncharal is hoping for a step forward from both riders in 2009.

"We are expecting from Colin that he will continue at the level he is and maybe be even better," he said.

"We are expecting a major improvement from James and I think he is capable of it.

"It is difficult to reach the top and both of them are at the top level in their sport, but sometimes it is even more difficult to remain there. They know the game and it is a tough environment, but this is the life, you want to be there and you have to prove that you are worth being there.

"I can't see why we won´t get the results we are looking for, but of course we also know that there are some young riders knocking at the MotoGP door and our riders know that too. Our riders understand that we need to get podiums."

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Melandri ready to take year out

Marco Melandri says he is ready to take a year off racing in MotoGP if Kawasaki is unable to find a team to run its bikes this year.

The Japanese manufacturer announced this month that it was pulling out of the sport before the start of the 2009 season.

There have been ongoing talks to try to find an independent team to run the bikes this year, but Melandri admits missing the season would be a possibility.

"It wouldn't be great but... to stop for a year would not be a huge problem," he was quoted as saying by Reuters on Monday evening.

"I'm waiting. I hope the date is not put back because it is better to know for sure that you won't be racing, rather than carrying on with uncertainty."

Melandri joined Kawasaki from Ducati at the end of last year. He was expected to be partnered by John Hopkins.

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New Kawasaki starts testing

Kawasaki have begun testing their 2009 MotoGP machine at Eastern Creek, despite the factory team being withdrawn from the championship.

Test riders Olivier Jacque and Tamaki Serizawa gave the Ninja ZX-RR its debut at the former Australian Grand Prix venue in a private test yesterday.

"I only had a quick first run but the first impression with the bike is quite positive," Jacque was quoted as saying by the official MotoGP website.

"Overall it seems lighter and more agile, so the work done over the winter has definitely been positive. Now we have to rack up some miles to have a better idea of the bike's potential."

Although Kawasaki will definitely not participate in the 2009 MotoGP season as a factory entrant, efforts to place the former factory bikes with a private team - possibly one formed from the former works squad personnel - are ongoing.

Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta confirmed earlier this week that he would allow Kawasaki to disregard its commitment to MotoGP through 2011 provided the company helped to keep its bikes on the grid for 2009, and hinted that he would take legal action if the Japanese manufacturer did not comply.

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Ducati reveal Desmosedici GP9

Ducati have released the first official images of their 2009 MotoGP challenger, which features a radical carbon fibre chassis.

The Desmosedici GP9 replaces the traditional tube frame with a carbon design, an innovation first tested by the team last summer.

"Some changes we've made to the cycle part could seem more revolutionary than others but in reality we continue to evolve the initial concept that we designed with the GP3," technical director Filippo Preziosi said after the initial tests in June last year.

"So it's not a change in the direction of development, but another step forward in the same direction.

"The fact we've used carbon fibre in the production of the chassis is not the most relevant point, it is more the shape that is different from before."

The bike will be officially unveiled to the media during the traditional 'Wroom' event at the Madonna Di Campiglio ski resort in Italy tomorrow.

Ducati are looking to reclaim the MotoGP title in 2009 after Casey Stoner lost his crown to the resurgent Valentino Rossi and Yamaha last year. The Australian has been joined by 2006 world champion Nicky Hayden this season.

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New Ducati aims to be 'more rideable'

Ducati say their 2009 Desmosedici will be a more rider-friendly machine than the powerful but aggressive bikes used for the past two seasons.

While Casey Stoner revelled in the power of recent Ducatis and won the 2007 title before finishing second to Valentino Rossi last year, his teammates Loris Capirossi and Marco Melandri struggled to tame the GP7 and GP8 bikes.

Ducati Corse CEO Claudio Domenicali said that the latest GP9, which will be unveiled to the press in Italy tomorrow, should address this problem, without any loss of straightline speed.

"One of the most relevant (changes) is an evolution of the engine management system, with a new combination of airbox and mapping that should provide a flatter power curve and improve rideability, as well as improving outright power, which currently remains more or less the same as last year," he said.

The most notable innovation on the Desmosedici GP9 is a carbon fibre frame, which was first evaluated by Ducati's test rider Vittoriano Guareschi last summer.

"It is a change we have thought about and tested for a long time, firstly with Vittoriano, who is always our first point of reference," said Domenicali. "He gave his approval to the new system and then the official riders tested it at Barcelona.

"We won the MotoGP world championship with the trellis frame so it clearly a very effective design but we have been looking to take another step forward that can help us overcome some of the problems we've had, specifically with the MotoGP bike."

Ducati were unable to hang on to their championship title last season, but Domenicali reckons this was due more to an incredible performance by Yamaha's Valentino Rossi than any shortcomings of the Italian bikes.

"When you look at the numbers we won six races, set pole position on nine occasions and set the fastest lap in eight races," he said.

"If it wasn't for probably the best Valentino ever, coming back from two difficult seasons and rediscovering the strength to have an exceptional season, those numbers would have surely added up to a successful defence of the world title.

"When you consider these excellent results and the fact that Casey is still only 23 years old, with plenty of potential to improve even more, once the disappointment is out of the way we can't be anything but satisfied with 2008 and confident about the season to come."

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Ezpeleta expects Kawasaki bikes to race

Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta says he expects a Kawasaki team to race in 2009, having confirmed that he has agreed to let the company withdraw from its commitment to stay in MotoGP until 2011 provided it participates this season.

Kawasaki has ended its factory involvement in MotoGP due to the global economic downturn, but Ezpeleta is working on a deal for the firm's racing team to continue running for a further year in a semi-private capacity, with existing team manager Michael Bartholemy set to remain at the helm.

In exchange for proceeding with the 2009 programme, Kawasaki would not have to honour the MotoGP manufacturers' previous agreement to all support the championship through 2011.

"It's an agreement until 2011 that Dorna has with the manufacturers' association: in September each of them told us how many bikes they would race with. Kawasaki included," Ezpeleta explained to Gazzetta dello Sport.

"There's no penalty, but an agreement can't be broken.

"I reaffirmed that I wouldn't accept the contract being broken. And, since they told us all expenses were covered, I proposed to them to race in 2009. In exchange, I would let them off for 2010 and 2011.

"The problem, they said, is that they have engines only for 25 per cent of the season, and that they didn't want to develop the rest. So I've looked for a structure, in France, able to do this job. The final obstacle is for the Japanese to meet these people and accept their work programme.

"I think everything can be solved. Besides, (test rider) Olivier Jacque is testing in Eastern Creek today. The team will be managed once again by Michael Bartholemy and it's important to safeguard (Kawasaki's contracted 2009 riders) John Hopkins and Marco Melandri.

"In any case it's Kawasaki's problem: if they don't race, I'll take them to court."

Although this deal simply postpones Kawasaki's exit, Ezpeleta is confident that the cost-cutting discussions currently being held will ensure a full grid in 2010 even without Kawasaki.

He believes that if the manufacturers cut back to one spare bike per team rather than the present one spare per rider arrangement, they will be able to expand their line-ups.

"Before the start of the season I want the 2010 rules, which I think will increase the field to 20 bikes," said Ezpeleta.

"I'll be back in Japan to meet the Honda and Yamaha bosses and ask a bigger effort of them. By abolishing the spare bike, we'll just need each manufacturer to make one bike more than today to have a full grid."

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MotoGP to make radical cost cuts

Ducati team boss Livio Suppo says that the MotoGP manufacturers will follow Formula One's example and make radical cost-cutting changes, but that most of the measures will have to wait until 2010.

The constructors met in Japan last week, but so far the only proposals to have leaked out have been reductions to race weekend mileage and suggestions of how to prolong engine life - whereas the F1 teams and the FIA have already agreed on major revisions to their sport to reduce budgets.

Suppo confirmed that grand prix weekend sessions were likely to be shortened and that changes to the engine rules were on the agenda, with more drastic action set to follow in future years.

"There are some limitations for 2009 but the bikes have already been built, so miracles can't be done," he told Italian magazine Motosprint.

"However, we tried to understand where something could be done without damaging anyone. In practice, since the highest expense comes from wearing material, in particular the engine, we realised that the only thing to do now is to make the bikes spend less time on the track. So it's less test days, shorter free practice and qualifying sessions, and engines able to last at least two grands prix.

"Servicing the engine, and obviously component replacements of any kind, are some of the most important elements of the balance sheet: to cut costs you need to start there. These days an engine is serviced after each racing weekend, that is after having run about 600km. Maybe it gets to 700km, but it's unthinkable for it to reach 1000km. This is the same for everyone.

"This year instead, at least according to our proposal, we should manage to do at least two races with the same engine. In 2010, even three. But for 2010 there is time to intervene in a radical way; that's not the case now.

"I must say that while we all agree on the cancellation of the Monday tests and the reduction of session times, we at Ducati are still waiting for a reply from the Japanese regarding the issue of the engine having to last two races. Let's just say this is technically the most delicate problem, so some manufacturers asked for some time to think. They are evaluating whether they can do it or not. Nothing strange about it."

He said the next phase of discussions - which will take place at the Sepang test - would focus on what could be done for 2010.

"There are many proposals, we are thinking about them now," Suppo said.

"For example, we can move to steel brakes. We can reduce the number of bikes for each team, so two bikes plus a single spare one. And the engines must do more than one race before being serviced, which means making big changes on next year's project."

Suppo added that Kawasaki's decision to withdraw from MotoGP with immediate effect had come as a wake-up call to the rest of the field.

"Looks like, finally, everyone has realised the difficulties we all have to face," he said. "So I saw the will from everyone to work in the same direction, in a serious and fair manner.

"Now everybody has on the table what can be done already this year, so we wait for the GP Commission in order to transform the proposals in proper regulations."

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Hayden confident he can adapt to Ducati

Former world champion Nicky Hayden is confident he will be able to get to grips with the Ducati GP9, but admits that he is not yet up to speed at his new team.

Casey Stoner has comfortably out-paced recent teammates Marco Melandri and Loris Capirossi as they struggled to adapt their riding style to the powerful Ducati, and although Hayden did not threaten the top of the timesheets during his initial Ducati tests, he believes he will be better suited to the machine than his predecessors.

"So far everything has gone really well," he said.

"Obviously I need to get faster in order to be truly competitive but I already love the bike. I can't say it's easy to ride, it gets pretty loose on corner exit sometimes but the engine is powerful and that is important, especially in a race situation.

"The chassis is nice and stiff so you get plenty of feedback and I like the feeling with the front, which is really stable in the fast corners.

"So far we have only had two test sessions at Valencia and Jerez, which are tight and twisty tracks, and I think that at places like Malaysia and Qatar it will be even better."

Hayden has had a lean time since winning the 2006 title, taking only five podiums in his final two seasons with Honda. He said he was keeping his expectations for his first year at Ducati under control.

"I still have a lot of faith in myself and in what I'm capable of," he said. "The first objective is to get back to the same level I was at in 2006, challenging consistently for the podium and trying to start winning races again."

The American added that he expected to form a strong partnership with Stoner.

"I'm happy to be working with Casey - we've known each other for a few years now, you could say we've got similar backgrounds having not come up through European competition and having started out racing in dirt-track," said Hayden.

"We're both competitive and we're going to want to beat one another but we'll also work together to make a strong team."

Stoner echoed Hayden's sentiments.

"I'm really happy with the addition of Nicky to the team," he said. "He has always been kind to me, even when I was racing in the smaller classes, and I think we can work well together.

"The communication between us is great and I think we can work together on fixing certain situations and getting the most out of the GP9 so that we can both be competitive."

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Stoner 'shocked' by Kawasaki exit

Former MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner says he was shocked by Kawasaki's exit from the sport, but the Australian reckons it is no reason to start panicking.

"It's shocking, to be honest, I really didn't expect it," Stoner told a news conference at Ducati's ski retreat.

"We are trying to keep as many bikes on the grid as possible. I miss the days when there were 25-30 bikes on the grid," the 23-year-old was quoted as saying by Reuters.

"But Kawasaki leaving isn't a reason for everyone to start panicking. I think they are leaving not just because of financial reasons," added the 2007 world champion.

Kawasaki's exit is likely to leave the MotoGP with 17 bikes unless a deal is reached for the bikes to be run by another team.

Stoner added that he did not think reducing the riders' salaries would solve any problems.

"It's not me that needs to give a handout. It's not me sapping the sport. (Money) isn't why I'm in the sport," added the Australian.

The Ducati rider, who had surgery on his wrist following the end of last season, said his recovery was progressing well.

"So far everything is good," he said. "The bone is healing perfectly. I have to take it easy for the next month or so. I don't know if I'm behind schedule but I'm not as far on as I thought I would be."

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British round to move to Silverstone

MotoGP is set to announce that the British round of the world championship will move from Donington Park to Silverstone, autosport.com has learned.

The series has raced at Donington since 1987 - when it took over from Silverstone - but will lose the race back to the Northamptonshire circuit for at least five years from 2010.

The move follows the switch of Formula One's British Grand Prix in the other direction, from Silverstone to Donington, for next year. It is expected to be well received by MotoGP with complaints about Donington Park's facilities having escalated in recent seasons.

One source close to the deal told autosport.com: "It has been rumoured for some time and it looks like it's going to happen. It's good news for Silverstone, to have a high-profile event in place of F1. It's another quick circuit, which will be nice.

"Donington has been an embarrassment for years and MotoGP have been unhappy with it for some time, because of the paddock mainly.

"That's on its way to being fixed now with all the work for F1, and it could be that the new version of the circuit would be better for bikes than the old one, but I suspect MotoGP became a second priority as they focused on F1. It's quite difficult these days to have a circuit that suits both bikes and cars."

Modifications will have to be made to Silverstone in order to hold a MotoGP round, although details of what they will be are yet to be confirmed. The World Superbike championship raced at Silverstone from 2002 to 2004 on the Grand Prix circuit but used the full-speed corner at Abbey rather than the chicane.

WSB then used the International circuit layout from 2005 to 2007 with an unpopular temporary chicane added at Woodcote.

"There is a certain paranoia in motorcycling about the amount of run-off in high-speed areas," the source added. "The subject of run-off goes all the way back to Daijiro Kato's fatal crash at Suzuka (in 2003) when he hit a barrier. The barriers around the bridge at Bridge Corner for example, could be an area they want to look at."

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MotoGP confirms Silverstone deal

MotoGP has confirmed that it has signed a five-year deal with Silverstone to host the British round of the championship from 2010.

The announcement follows autosport.com's news of the deal earlier today, and Carmelo Ezpeleta - boss of MotoGP promoter Dorna - says he is pleased to take the series back to Silverstone for the first time since 1986.

"We are delighted that the MotoGP World Championship is returning to Silverstone as of 2010," he said. "The venue has excellent facilities and a circuit with a great heritage, having hosted some superb grand prix racing in the 1970s and 1980s.

"We are sure that MotoGP's visits to the UK will continue to be highly successful when we make the historic move back to Silverstone next year."

Silverstone's managing director, Richard Phillips, added: "Silverstone is the UK's premier motor racing venue and we are thoroughly looking forward to hosting the world's premier motorcycle racing event from 2010. We have worked closely with Dorna Sports to bring MotoGP to Silverstone and both parties are extremely excited about the opportunity to take this world-class event to another level.

"Silverstone is a unique UK race circuit; rich in heritage and unrivalled in terms of what we are able to offer fans, championships and teams. The Grand Prix circuit offers a combination of high-speed straights and technical corners, presenting a real challenge to the riders, while the facilities for teams and spectators are second to none.

"The circuit is also recognised as being one of the most easily accessible in the world. All of these factors, along with Silverstone's vast experience of hosting world class international events, contributed to MotoGP coming to Silverstone."

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FIM calls for major changes to MotoGP

The president of motorcycle racing's governing body, the FIM, has called for major changes to MotoGP in order to safeguard its future.

In the wake of Kawasaki's departure from MotoGP, FIM president Vito Ippolito said he is concerned that further withdrawals could cause major problems in 2010.

The manufacturers met in Japan last week to discuss cost cuts, but no concrete proposals have emerged so far, and Ippolito believes the time has come to re-think the technical concepts behind MotoGP so that budgets can be dramatically reduced.

"The problem isn't 2009, when one way or another we'll manage to have a full grid, but it's 2010," he told Corriere dello Sport.

"There's the risk of more defections, especially among privateers, who could leave us with just 14 bikes.

"That's why I'll repeat to the Japanese manufacturers the absolute need for going back to the past. That is going back to the building and selling of 'road production prototypes', like the ones that used to be raced in the eighties.

"The FIM will speak through a press release next Monday."

Dorna is working to place the factory Kawasakis with a private team to ensure that the grid stays at 19 bikes - which would be one more than in 2008 due to the arrival of the Onde 2000 Ducati team.

Kawasaki's exit leaves just Ducati, Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki as factory entrants, with all bar the latter also supplying at least one customer squad.

Ippolito added that he opposed moves to create more separation between MotoGP and the supporting 125cc and 250cc world championships, and urged the teams and Dorna to plan for the sport's long-term future.

"The sport needs the FIM, as motorcycling can't be just business," he said. "That's why I'm openly against the split paddock set up by Dorna: the world championship isn't just MotoGP, there are also the other series.

"Innovating is fine, but we also need to think long term and lower the costs."

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Dorna working on private Kawasaki plan

Dorna boss Carmelo Ezpeleta has confirmed that efforts are underway to place the former factory Kawasakis with a private team for the 2009 season.

The official announcement of Kawasaki's exit from MotoGP came on Friday, but even before the Japanese manufacturer confirmed its intentions it had already emerged that leading 125cc and 250cc team Aspar were in talks to run the bikes this year.

Although Ezpeleta did not mention any specifics, he said Kawasaki had agreed to co-operate with finding a new team to run its bikes.

"We had a meeting in Osaka on Thursday where Kawasaki explained their problems and the difficulties they had with continuing as a factory team," Ezpeleta told the official MotoGP website.

"Under these circumstances we agreed to co-operate collectively, in order to find a possible solution to their problems which may allow them to continue as a privateer team."

There have also been suggestions that Kawasaki racing team boss Michael Bartholemy could be involved in a rescue bid.

Kawasaki riders John Hopkins and Marco Melandri's hopes of finding new seats appear to depend on the outcome of Dorna's talks with private teams, as the existing MotoGP squads have all completed their 2009 line-ups.

Melandri's manager Alberto Vergani said that there had been no progress with his rider's 2009 plans since news of Kawasaki's exit first leaked out.

"We are still at the point of the end of 2008 communication," Vergani told Gazzetta dello Sport. "We don't know what the future holds."

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Kawasaki confirms its exit from MotoGP

Kawasaki has officially confirmed that it will withdraw its works team from MotoGP with immediate effect.

News of the Japanese manufacturer's departure had already leaked out shortly after Christmas, but there had been suggestions that the company might be reconsidering its decision after an anticipated official statement failed to appear on Monday.

However, following a meeting of the MotoGP manufacturers in Japan, Kawasaki has now confirmed its departure.

"We took the final decision not to continue in MotoGP yesterday," Kawasaki's Katsuhiro Sato told the Reuters news agency. "It is something we have been considering since mid-December."

Kawasaki blamed the global economic downturn for its decision.

"In the current economic climate and unless the situation improves it is difficult to say if we will return," Sato said.

The team's departure leaves their 2009 riders John Hopkins and Marco Melandri looking for new employment, although efforts are already underway to place the former factory bikes with leading 125cc and 250cc team Aspar, who had come close to a satellite Kawasaki MotoGP deal last autumn.

Kawasaki finished at the bottom of the constructors' championship in 2008, and had failed to score a victory since returning to motorcycle racing's premier class in 2003, with a handful of podium finishes their best results.

But they had hoped to make a breakthrough this season, having signed former race winner Melandri to partner the determined Hopkins, whose 2008 season had been wrecked by injuries.

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Aspar team boss Jorge Martinez says he wants a long-term deal to run Kawasakis rather than just a short term fix to ensure a full MotoGP grid in 2009.

Kawasaki is set to pull out of MotoGP as a factory entrant, and has entered talks with Martinez with a view to the Aspar team running its ex-works bikes this season, which would keep the championship field at 19 bikes. Withdrawing from MotoGP would also leave Kawasaki liable to pay penalty costs to the series organisers.

Martinez said he was still waiting for more information from Kawasaki, but that his preference was to run a two-bike team for an initial three-year period.

"I offered my help to find a solution for Kawasaki, but up to now they haven't come up to me with any precise proposal, including details," he told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I'd prefer to have two riders, but if it was to be just one for the first year, I'd accept that.

"What's clear is that I'm not interested in a project limited to just this year: I want a programme for at least three years."

The Aspar team came close to a deal to run a satellite Kawasaki this season, but discussions reached an impasse because the team's Spanish sponsorship depended on them running a Spanish rider, whereas Kawasaki wanted to place Shinya Nakano at Aspar.

Martinez added that he remained upbeat about both the Kawasaki talks, and MotoGP's future.

"How do I feel? Optimistic, for this situation and more in general too," he said. "I think that within one or two years the motorcycling world championship will come out of this crisis stronger."

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Ezpeleta not worried by Kawasaki exit

Dorna's CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta says he is not worried about the sport following the withdrawal of Kawasaki from MotoGP.

As revealed by autosport.com, the Japanese manufacturer will pull out before the start of the season, although there remains the possibility that the bikes could be run by Jorge Martinez's team.

If that's not the case, the MotoGP field would be reduced to just 17 bikes this year.

Ezpeleta, however, reckons the sport can remain as strong as ever.

"First of all, we have to deal with the Kawasaki situation," Ezpeleta told Motosprint. "They have a contract with Dorna stating their commitment to participate in the championship at least until 2011.

"Logically, from the moment I was informed by Kawasaki, I've had several talks with them: I brought up the agreement they signed with us, then asked them to reconsider their position, and therefore asked them to postpone their decision to retire.

"Am I worried? No, because I've thought a lot about everything and I think I can take the blow. If in 2009 and 2010 we manage to maintain the spectacle supplied by MotoGP up to now, then we'll all come out stronger for it.

"As the person responsible for the championship, I have the duty of considering every possible outcome, and even in the worst possible scenario, I don't see any catastrophic situation."

When asked what would the worst-case scenario be, Ezpeleta added: "Starting the 2009 season with 17 bikes on the grid.

"It's neither ideal nor what I want, but it isn't a tragedy either. However, I think that won't happen in the end: I consider that in the end we'll race with 19 bikes. But if that's not the case, then it just means we race with one bike less than in 2008.

"The priority is to have 19 bikes at least in 2010. At any cost. And I've started working towards this since the day Kawasaki told me they're quitting.

"Anyway, the possibility that two Kawasakis will take part in the 2009 season, one way or another, shouldn't be ruled out. After all, Kawasaki signed an agreement with Dorna and these deals can't just be binned from one day to the next."

The Dorna boss also insisted the sport must act to reduce costs to cope with the current financial crisis.

"MotoGP must start cutting costs. I already have many ideas but I can only make proposals. It's up to the constructors to take certain decisions and find a way to go racing while spending less. I'd propose for example just three bikes per team, so I'd do with one less.

"I'd use steel brakes, no more carbon ones. If useful, I'd cancel Friday practice. And the satellite teams' bikes should be competitive for at least two seasons, unlike now when at the end of a season they get destroyed to be rebuilt from scratch."

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Melandri's future 'in Dorna's hands'

Marco Melandri's manager Alberto Vergani says he is relying on MotoGP promoter Dorna to find the Italian a 2009 ride after Kawasaki's decision to withdraw.

Kawasaki is set to officially confirm its pull-out tomorrow, leaving riders Melandri and John Hopkins in limbo.

There are no other vacant seats on the 2009 grid, but Dorna is in discussions with the Aspar team with a view to the leading 125cc and 250cc squad taking on the former factory Kawasakis.

Vergani said Melandri's future was now in Dorna's hands, and suggested it was the championship organiser's duty to ensure that the race-winning Italian remained in the series.

"We can't do anything but wait," Vergani told Corriere dello Sport. "Either someone calls us and tells us that there's a bike for us, or we can't race.

"But if you think that (Dani) Pedrosa has won six Grands Prix in his career and Marco five, then it's obvious that MotoGP can't do without someone like Melandri.

"However, if Dorna is not interested in having strong riders taking part in the races, then it's another matter. Now it's up to Dorna to make a move."

Melandri finished second to Valentino Rossi in the 2005 championship and was a regular front-runner with Gresini Honda, but had a disastrous 2008 season with Ducati and was hoping to rebuild his career at Kawasaki.

His potential 2009 teammate John Hopkins is also waiting for his manager to resolve his future.

"Everything is up in the air and people want answers," Hopkins wrote on his personal website. "Everything from here is now in my manager's hands. There will be an official press release very soon, where we can confirm or deny all rumours."

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Aspar in talks to run Kawasakis

Leading 125cc and 250cc team Aspar are working on a deal to run the ex-works Kawasakis in MotoGP this year following the Japanese manufacturer's decision to quit the series.

As reported by autosport.com earlier this week, Kawasaki is set to officially confirm its exit from MotoGP in the coming days, leaving just four factory teams on the grid.

Aspar came close to agreeing a satellite Kawasaki deal for 2009, only for the plan to fall through because Kawasaki's preferred rider Shinya Nakano was not favoured by Aspar's Spanish backers.

But now Aspar boss Jorge Martinez says talks have resumed as championship organiser Dorna works to keep a Kawasaki presence in MotoGP.

"At the moment I'm on vacation with my family," Martinez told Gazzetta dello Sport. "However, since it has been known that Kawasaki was not taking part next season, my vacations have practically finished.

"For the last two days I've been on the phone with Dorna. They called me first. We are in contact and talks to buy out the two Kawasakis have started.

"For sure I'm very interested in MotoGP. It's a project that was already in my plans. Now there is this opportunity which I don't yet know with certainty whether it will come to be and how. From my part there is the will to talk. We'll see."

Kawasaki already had John Hopkins and Marco Melandri under contract for 2009. The American's personal sponsorship from energy drink company Monster could prove valuable to any team taking on the Kawasakis, and although Martinez was unwilling to discuss rider plans, he hinted that he would also be happy to retain Melandri.

"The matter regarding riders isn't a priority at the moment," said Martinez.

"I certainly wouldn't have any problem with Melandri. In fact, he's a rider I've always liked very much."

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Capirossi's manager says Suzuki will stay

Loris Capirossi's manager Carlo Pernat has denied rumours that Suzuki could follow Kawasaki out of MotoGP, and insisted that Capirossi and teammate Chris Vermeulen will be on the grid with Suzuki in 2009.

Reports in Italy suggested that Suzuki had discussed pulling its factory team out of the championship due to the global economic downturn - a decision that fellow Japanese company Kawasaki has already taken and is set to confirm early next week.

But Pernat said he had no concerns about Suzuki's future in the sport, although he acknowledged that the team would have to cut their spending and had already reduced their testing plans.

"It's 150 percent certain that Loris will race next season with Suzuki," Pernat told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"The contracts with Loris and Vermeulen are already signed. For sure, there will be some cuts at Suzuki. Like the test team, as they have already cancelled the tests at the end of January, and external consulting."

Pernat added that he also expects MotoGP to retain a full 19-bike field as he believes Kawasaki will complete a deal with Jorge Martinez's Aspar team to run the former factory bikes.

"As for Kawasaki, in the end they will guarantee their bikes' presence, and perhaps Martinez will have them for free," said Pernat.

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Yamaha backs Rossi's Superbike plan

Yamaha team boss Davide Brivio says the manufacturer is doing all it can to grant Valentino Rossi his wish to compete against Troy Bayliss in a World Superbike round this year.

Rossi is keen to enter a Superbike round and wants legendary rider Bayliss to come out of retirement for a single event to race against him.

"It's not easy, but the racing department is doing everything possible to sort out two R1 bikes for Rossi," Brivio told Tuttosport.

"The problem is that the bike is a new project, so everything is a lot more difficult. We'll see whether it's possible in the end to allow Valentino to get his wish."

Bayliss retired from racing at the end of last season and says it would take a large financial offer for him to agree to the race.

"I spoke with Valentino and he told me that he wants to race me really badly," Bayliss told motorcyclenews.com. "It wouldn't be so hard for him to be competitive on a Superbike. Yamaha have got a strong bike, so it would be no problem at all for him to get up to speed - Valentino Rossi is Valentino Rossi.

"For me right now, I've stopped training and I'm happy with my plan to finish. I'm feeling happy that the last time I rode I was world champion, plus I won both races and beat all the other guys out there.

"For me to do it I'd need something like £1 million and that's not going to happen."

Clashes between the calendars of the two championships mean the most likely venue for the event would be the Doha round in March.

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