BREAKING: Kawasaki ends partnership with current MXGP team
Kawasaki Motors Europe and Kawasaki Heavy Industries have announced that 2021 will be their final season in the Motocross World Championship with MX ESCA BV under the Kawasaki Racing Team Europe banner. This season the Kawasaki factory team is fielding Romain Febvre and Ivo Monticelli.
Like most manufacturers, Kawasaki does not have an in-house factory team. For this purpose, it prefers to rely on external parties. In the MXGP this is MX Esca, based in Schijndel, Netherlands.
MX Esca is the name for the Frenchman's structure Thierry Chizat-Suzzoni -previously co-founder of CLS-Kawasaki, which emerged from the team of the late Jan De Groot. The relationship with Kawasaki Motors Europe and Kawasaki Heavy Industries, which has lasted thirteen seasons, will be formally terminated at the end of the current contract period which runs until and the 2021 MXGP World Championship season. Steve Guttridge, Race Planning Manager for Kawasaki Motors Europe (KME), spoke about the decision and thanked the team for the work they did as an official Kawasaki factory team.
“I would like to express our gratitude to Thierry Chizat-Suzzoni, the owner and driving force behind the MX ESCA team. His hard work and commitment over such a long period has been significant and both KME and KHI appreciate his highly professional approach and clear passion for MXGP.”
“KME and KHI would also like to express their gratitude to all team members, both past and present, and to all the riders who have contributed so much to this project. There is still work to be done for 2021, and Kawasaki remains committed to KRT according to our mutually agreed upon and legally binding contract. Our clear focus remains winning and working with the team to achieve the best possible results in the 2021 season,” said Gutteridge.
This immediately raises more questions. Who will take the place of MX Esca in MXGP? How will MX Esca continue in 2022? What does this mean for the drivers? In any case, we will continue to monitor it closely. Let us know what you think, you can respond below this message.
Tekst: Editorial office
Photos: Niek Photography, Kawasaki
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