MotoGP bosses keen to secure Paul Bird entry for 2012

MotoGP bosses are hoping that British team owner Paul Bird can finalise plans to enter a new team in the inaugural 1000cc world championship next year.

Bird is currently trying to put together a proposal for his own privately-run 1000cc project and he held talks with Aprilia about an RSV4 engine lease deal during the recent Imola WSB round.

Bird is weighing up his options after his deal to run Kawasaki’s World Superbike squad was not extended beyond the current season.

Bird flew to last month’s Motorland Aragon MotoGP race in Spain for talks with Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, where he confirmed plans to run an exclusively British project.

International Race Teams Association boss Mike Trimby also spoke at length with Bird during his visit to the Motorland Aragon.

And Trimby told MCN: “We want him in MotoGP and we have told him so, and now we are basically waiting for a proposal from him. He is talking about a British-based team with a British rider and that sort of operation he could run would fit in very nicely in MotoGP. If he came forward then absolutely he would be offered a place on the grid. Carmelo already told him that in Aragon. He is supposed to be putting something forward for us to look at very soon and hopefully that will happen.”

Bird is also planning a two-rider factory team with Kawasaki in the British Superbike series in 2012, with Shane Byrne and Stuart Easton lined up as targets.