After finishing the first day of qualifying at Jerez earlier today, the Kawasaki MotoGP riders, consisting of Alex Hoffman, Andrew Pitt and Garry McCoy, sit at the back of the bus . . . the three slowest qualifying times. Not a surprise, really, given the history of the Kawasaki MotoGP effort, thus far.
The fastest Kawasaki rider is nearly one-half second off the pace of the next slowest rider at Jerez, and that rider had mechanical issues (Aprilia’s Colin Edwards). What is wrong? Sure, the Kawasaki is one of the newer bikes on the grid, but it raced several rounds last year, and Kawasaki is reportedly determined to get to the podium as quickly as possible (and to spend the money necessary to do so).
The engine is an in-line four-cylinder — the same layout as Kawasaki’s superbike of the past decade, or so. Kawasaki knows how to build an in-line four, and it knows how to find horsepower. It is also trying everything with its chassis, to gain as much advantage as possible.
Indeed, the Kawasaki riders’ comments from Jerez today reveal that the problem may in fact be the tires. Kawasaki is running Dunlop tires, while Michelin rules the roost in MotoGP (just as it does currently in World Superbike). After being dumped by Suzuki’s MotoGP effort a year ago in favor of Michelin, Dunlop could hardly stomach another highly public embarrassment from Kawasaki. Of course, we don’t know, but Kawasaki’s contract with Dunlop may require them to keep Dunlop throughout the season. Right now, however, Kawasaki is the one who is embarrassed and improvements do not seem to be keeping pace with the rest of the MotoGP paddock. If the tires are, in fact, the problem, Kawasaki may have no choice but to try to move to Michelin rubber. Time will tell.
