Valentino Rossi doubts Kawasaki quit motives

Reigning world champion Valentino Rossi has voiced doubts that Kawasaki quit the MotoGP world championship purely because of the global economic crisis.

Kawasaki quit MotoGP at the beginning of January, citing the worldwide recession as its prime reason for reducing the premier class grid to a 17-rider field in 2009.

The move also left Marco Melandri and John Hopkins without a ride, though there has been constant rumours yet no confirmation that a rescue package could keep the two ZX-RR machines on the grid next season.

Like many though, Rossi believes Kawasaki’s dire fortunes in 2008 contributed heavily to its decision to withdraw.

Hopkins and team-mate Anthony West had a nightmare campaign last season, finishing 16th and 18th respectively.

Fiat Yamaha rider Rossi said: “The situation now is not very good, not just for MotoGP but for all of motorsport and the world in general. We have to wait to understand but 2009 will be a difficult year for everybody.

“But I don’t know what they (Kawasaki) decide to stop. Only the manufacturers know how much the disaster is.

“But it looks like Kawasaki stopped because the performance is very bad and I hear they try the new bike (in Australia) and it is not a lot better than old bike.

“And the old bike was very slow. So maybe Kawasaki took this opportunity to say it’s enough.”