Kawasaki refute tyre claims

Kawasaki management have expressed surprise at the Japanese factory being made a scapegoat in some quarters for the failure of last-minute talks to avert a one-make tyre rule being introduced in 2009.

With Ducati offering to run all five of its GP9 machines on Michelin tyres in 2009 at last weekend’s Japanese GP, the French tyre company only needed to secure deals for another three riders to retain competition with rivals Bridgestone. Rules state one competing tyre manufacturer must supply no less than 40 per cent of the grid, meaning Michelin needed eight bikes to avoid the one-make tyre rule.

Michelin targeted Kawasaki but whirlwind negotiations saw senior Japanese management refuse to quit Bridgestone. Many then blamed Kawasaki’s reluctance to switch on the failure of tyre competition remaining in MotoGP.

Factory team boss Michael Bartholemy said: “After discussions between the team and the factory it was decided that for us it was better option to stick with Bridgestone. We looked at the possibility of switching but to make that decision in just one day was too short.

“We have been with Bridgestone since 2004, so it didn’t seem right that we might have to move to another tyre brand just because some other teams wanted Bridgestone. I think people have to question HRC or Fiat Yamaha because these are the teams that went to Bridgestone and this is what has caused some problems with the system.

“I don’t understand why people think it was us that caused some issues. In any case, Michelin and Ducati didn’t find an agreement and I think they were further away from a final decision than us.”