British MotoGP: Sete Gibernau turned down Kawasaki MotoGP ride

Sete Gibernau rejected the chance to resurrect his career with Kawasaki’s factory MotoGP squad.

The retired Spaniard was considered to replace French rider Olivier Jacque for the rest of the MotoGP season.

Kawasaki bosses have confirmed to MCN today (Friday) at Donington Park that they did make a formal approach to Sete Gibernau at the Catalunya MotoGP earlier this month.

Sete Gibernau attended the MotoGP race in Barcelona and was asked by Kawasaki if he was interested in replacing former world 250 champion Olivier Jacque.

Olivier Jacque officially announced his retirement in the Donington Park paddock yesterday (Thursday), but Sete Gibernau has no plans to switch the other way and make a shock return by stepping out of retirement.

Kawasaki’s Ian Wheeler told MCN: “We spoke to Sete’s manager in Barcelona. We were told we’d have an answer within 24 hours of our approach and they came back and said he was not interested in riding our bike.

“We are not sure whether he didn’t want to ride our bike or any other bike, but the answer was no.”

Olivier Jacque’s ride has instead been handed to Australian 25-year-old Anthony West, who will campaign the last 11 races of the season with Randy de Puniet.

Sete Gibernau announced his retirement at the end of a disastrous 2006 campaign with Ducati’s factory squad, and he rejected the chance to continue his career with Kawasaki in 2007 when Japanese bosses targeted him for a ride with de Puniet.

At his peak, Sete Gibernau was the only rider capable of mounting a serious threat to Valentino Rossi when he won eight of his nine premier class wins in 2003 and 2004 while riding for the Telefonica MoviStar Honda squad.