Kawasaki Racing Team 2022 presented
The Kawasaki Racing Team will once again compete in the Motocross World Championship with a strong line-up in the MXGP class. It is Romain Febvre and Ben Watson who will defend the colors of the new official Kawasaki Racing Team.
2021 was an epic end to the season as three riders battled for the title until the final heat. Romain Febvre gave Kawasaki his best ever result in the MXGP class. The 1-year-old Frenchman will once again head KRT after signing a new two-year contract directly with the Japanese factory. He will now be even more involved in the new project as the reins of the Kawasaki Racing Team pass to Formula XNUMX legend Kimi Raikkonen and former Moto GP winner Antti Pyrhonen.
Steve Guttridge (Race Planning Manager – Kawasaki Motors Europe – KME): “In October 2021, a new company and legal entity was established in Japan under the name Kawasaki Motors Ltd – KMC to focus more directly on the Kawasaki motorcycle business, which also includes our factory racing team projects. The new company and management will be strategically involved in the utilization of the team's MXGP racing activities, along with their own research and development. The Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP has a huge and complex role to play; We believe the team will continue to help us make great strides towards our ultimate goal of becoming MXGP World Champion.”
Kimi Räikkönen (Team principal – KRT MXGP): “It's no secret that motocross has been one of my great passions in life for many years. However, this team is not what you could call a hobby, it is very serious and very focused and we strive to be the best we can be. Now that I've retired from racing, I can spend more time on this project. Everyone, including myself, is happy that Kawasaki chose us as their factory team. I know the chance of success is always greater with direct factory support, so this translates into a great opportunity for us as the new Kawasaki Racing Team in MXGP.”
Antti Pyrhonen (Team Manager – KRT MXGP): “Since I joined Kimi's team ten years ago, we have never stopped working hard to achieve the best results in the MXGP class. After achieving some good results with numerous wins and podiums, we now have the opportunity to work closely with a prestigious factory. We have been working on this new project for several months and we are obviously very excited to have the opportunity to join Kawasaki and lead the Kawasaki Racing Team. The MXGP class is the pinnacle of our sport and we know how competitive the series is, but we look at this new challenge with optimism as we have two strong and fast riders to enter this new chapter with a factory behind us.”
Romain Febvre: “It certainly hasn't been my best winter since I started racing. It's always frustrating to recover from an injury while your rivals are working on the circuits, but that's the way it is, injuries are part of our sport. My recovery is going well and I can't wait to get back on my Kawasaki. The championship will be long again and I will do my best to get back to racing as soon as possible. 2021 was definitely a great season for me. I felt so comfortable on the KX450-SR and I was fighting for the title until the very last moto. Signing a two-year factory deal with Japan was good for my confidence, and it is a further boost to be involved in the new project from day one.”
Ben Watson: “There are not that many factory seats in the MXGP class, so I am very proud to have been selected by the Kawasaki Racing Team for my second year in this championship. It's a new chapter in my career and it's great to work closely with Romain. We know and appreciate each other because we have trained together in the past. I learned a lot during my rookie year and I am confident about the upcoming season because I have seen how strong the team is after working together for a few months. It is really exciting to be part of this new challenge.”
Photos: shotbyBavo
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