Buzzin MotoGP

Kawasaki ZX-RR 2008

Marco Melandri has decided to ride for the Hayate Kawasaki MotoGP team in 2009 after finally having confidence in the factory ZX-RR.

Melandri originally refused to commit to the Hayate team until the bike was on pace with his rival riders, however, he now feels that the problem is mainly due to a rear traction problem which can be fixed and is pleased with improvements on other issues.

Melandri said;

“… we have just one problem.  The front end is good, the engine is a lot better than I had expected power-wise, but especially with the power curve during the initial phase of opening the throttle.

We have absolutely no traction (at the rear end).  It’s a problem that emerged in Jaque’s first test in Australia.  They’ve made a modification, but it doesn’t solve the problem.

We’ll get some new material at Jerez and I hope that will solve the situation.  Also because I think that beyond that, the racing department in Japan will only do revisions more or less and that’s already a good thing because only they can put their hands on that engine.

Let’s start off the season and we’ll see.  I want to solve our problem, then the midfield runners aren’t far off.”

Melandri was to ride alongside John Hopkins for the Kawasaki Team for the 2009 season until it was announced that they were suspending their factory supported MotoGP activities due to the economic crisis in January of this year.

Melandri is aware that it is better to be on the grid at the start of the 2009 season that sitting out for a year and added,

“I’m a rider with a suitcase, and to stand still for one year would be really bad.”