All posts tagged kawasaki racing
Kawasaki releases new health update on Joan Lascorz
Provec Racing who manages Kawasaki’s World Superbike team has issued this new health update on their rider Joan Lascorz. The Spanish rider unfortunately suffered severe spinal injuries following a high speed crash, during the post-race Superbike test at Imola on April 2nd.
Joan Lascorz was transferred to the Guttmann Institute on Monday May 14 after 40 days spent in the Hospital Vall d’Hebron. On arrival at the Guttmann Institute Joan spent a few days adjusting to the upright position of the chair after so many days in bed, as symptoms of dizziness and risk of fainting are common. He has already begun working with physiotherapists on a routine that is expected to last a minimum of 4 months.
The team wish to thank everyone again for all the support that Joan has received in this period from riders and teams of both MotoGP and WSBK as well as the press in general.
The team have set up an initiative in support of Lascorz by creating a symbolic shield sticker ‘Power for Lascorz’, which has garnered consensus and encouragement from all parties (the above image). Provec wish to continue this initiative and would like to have the participation of all riders and teams again from the races in Misano (WSBK) and Montmeló (MotoGP) until the final race of the season, by asking them to place the sticker somewhere on the bike or the equipment of the team. The sticker will be distributed in the Paddock at Misano and Montmeló
Kawasaki reconfirms Loris Baz for WSBK round at Miller Motorsports Park
After his promising debut in the Donington Park round, 19-year old French rider Loris Baz will be given another opportunity to race for Kawasaki’s World Superbike team in this weekend’s sixth round of the season at Miller Motorsports Park (the Superbike race will be held on Monday).
The Superstock 1000 rider was called on to replace injured Joan Lascorz and at Donington took a 16th spot in race 1 and an 8th in race 2, while Donington was a known track, the Utah circuit will be a first time for Baz.
“I do not feel any pressure or have any specific objective for Miller so I will go there just the same as in Donington. I do not know the track there but I do not see that as a very big problem. I will just enjoy it and we will see what happens. If I can do what I did at Donington, scoring points and being less than a second per lap from the first riders, then that would be perfect. I will just be learning the bike and going step-by-step again. Maybe we will try some new things with the bike settings at Miller, simply because I am really tall, so I have to sit quite far back on the bike. Because of that the geometry of the bike changes a little. Nothing big to try because the base setting of the bike is already really good. I have a good feeling with my crew chief Pere Riba and all the mechanics and for a first race together at Donington I think we all worked together very well.”
Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes heads to the States second in the standings and just five points from leader Max Biaggi.
WSBK: Sergio Gadea to replace Lascorz in Monza
Accordingly to a Tweet unleahed on the internet by Italian journalist Fabio Di Palma, Guim Roda, team manager of the Kawasaki Racing team, has announced that the Ninja ZX-10R left available by injured Joan Lascorz will be ridden this weekend by former 125 and Moto2 rider Sergio Gadea. The 27 years old Spaniard will then take part at the imminent fourth round of the World Superbike Championship, taking place in Monza at the end of this week, but at this very moment it is unclear whether the choice is just temporary or definitive till the end of the current season.
David Salom decides not to replace Joan Lascorz in Kawasaki
Joan Lascorz’s horrific accident during the post-race test at Imola has unfortunately left an opening in Kawasaki’s World Superbike team.
The Spanish based team is now searching for a rider to replace Lascorz and ride their factory ZX-10R and their choice fell on Pedercini’s David Salom and wanted to him to switch team’s for the next Superbike round at Monza.
The two team managers, Guim Roda and Donato Pedercini met several times during this weekend at Assen but were unable to come to an understanding as the factory team was unwilling to help Pedercini find a replacement rider nor were they willing to help the satellite team recover the economic losses that the team would suffer with their sponsors, if Salom left the team.
Pedercini was torn between his economic problems and letting Salom ride an official factory machine, with the Kawasaki team contacting directly Salom and offering him more money, but Pedercini decided to give his Spanish rider the opportunity to make his choice personally and he made the decision to stick with his ‘Italian family’.
Rumors have it that several other riders are now in the running for that empty saddle, Anthony West (currently in Moto2 with QMMF) Sergio Gadea (who has temporarily retired because he doesn’t have the cash to ride) and Luca Scassa (currently in BSB with Padgetts Honda).
Source | moto.it
Serious injury for Joan Lascorz during WSBK Imola test
At 12.54 today, just minutes before the end of morning session of official Superbike testing at Imola, Spanish rider Joan Lascorz lost control of his Kawasaki in the uphill section of the circuit from Tosa to Piratella and crashed.
The rider was immediately given medical assistance and transported to the circuit Medical Centre where, after first aid operations had been performed, a probable fracture of the vertebra was diagnosed. Dr. Giancarlo Caroli, the Imola circuit medical officer, therefore decided to air-lift the rider immediately to the Maggiore Hospital in Bologna by helicopter. Joan Lascorz will be recovered in the spinal injury unit of the Bologna hospital.
Lascorz was seriously injured in 2010 during the Supersport round at Silverstone and spent months in recovery and rehabilitation and hopefully he will again be able to return to full health and fitness as soon as possible.
More news when we get it.
UPDATE:
According to rumors from the Italian press, Lascorz has fractured his 5th cervical vertebrae, while the Spanish press is reporting that the Kawasaki rider is currently undergoing surgery on his 6th.
Kawasaki to stay in WSBK's, but will take more control
Having axed Paul Bird Motorsport in the factory bid to run Kawasaki’s next season in World Superbikes last Sunday, the Japanese manufacturer has issued a statement in which they confirm that they will be taking more control over the engineering and development of the ZX-10R in 2012.
Worded this way, it is unclear whether Kawasaki will be fielding their own super official team (as BMW and Aprilia do) or whether they’ll be working much more closely with Provec Motocard who has been rumored to have won the bid, still remains to be seen.
Kawasaki press release:
Focusing on the further development and race winning potential of the new Ninja ZX-10R, the company has decided to exercise a greater degree of control over the engineering and structured development of the flagship machine for the 2012 season.
Continue reading: Kawasaki to stay in WSBK's, but will take more control
Chris Vermeluen ready to kick-start his season at Misano (w/video)
Kawaski will be back to three riders this weekend at the World Superbike round at Misano Adriatico, as Chris Vermeulen will be returning to his team after missing the Miller Motorsports Park races.
The Australian rider who has missed the better part of last season, and several rounds of this one, has been battling a very long rehabilitation period after last year’s knee surgery and then took another blow when he crashed out during practice at Monza hurting his elbow, but now it looks like he’s back to full fitness after recently carrying out a two day test at the Motorland Aragon circuit in Spain.
“We tested recently at Aragon, at the full Superbike track and it was good because I had never been there, which means I have learned the layout for that race which happens right after Misano,” said Vermeulen. “The first day I did 60 laps and the second day 72, so it wasn’t too bad. We got a lot of work done and tried a lot of parts and settings. My previously injured knee is a lot better than it has been. I am feeling more and more back to my old self on the bike. The elbow I injured recently will also be a lot better when we get to Misano. Now I am just looking forward to getting to a racetrack I know well, on a bike I have tested and ridden a lot more now.”
Paul Bird Motorsports declares innocence in drug affair and will be present at Monza
The news that a large quantity of drugs and a firearm were found in one of Kawasaki’s World Superbike team truck’s during a custom’s control spread like wildfire yesterday amongst fans and followers after an article published by UK’s The Telegraph.
After a day of speculation, jokes (plenty of those on forums) Paul Bird Motorsports has finally issued an official statement regarding the matter declaring that no member of the team is involved with the alleged trafficking.
“Following media speculation, Paul Bird Motorsport can confirm that a quantity of banned substances had been deposited in a race transporter while the vehicle was in Holland attending the recent Assen World Superbike event.”
WSBK: Kawasaki confirms three rider team in 2011
For all you Tom Sykes fans out there, who were worried about his fate after a pretty good year with the PBM team and all the development and testing he’s done on the new Ninja, we can officially confirm that Skyes will be staying with the factory team.
Kawasaki will be running a three man squad in World Superbikes in 2011, which is pretty hot news in itself considering that several WSBK teams will be fielding only one rider next season, and besides confirming Sykes and Chris Vermeulen (who has a two year contract) they’ve also confirmed, as we believed they would, Joan Lascorz, who will be moving up from Supersport to their Superbike team.
“It’s great to be staying with Kawasaki as a manufacturer and ride for the Paul Bird team again for 2011. We have done some good work together this year and exceeded some of our expectations, so it is nice to stay with PBM Kawasaki team in what will be an important year for us all. The new bike is already showing massive potential in testing and we have a lot of sessions planned through the winter. Roll on 2011!” said Sykes.
Continue reading: WSBK: Kawasaki confirms three rider team in 2011
Akira Yanagawa to Sub for Chris Vermeulen in Kawasaki
It must be the latest rage in racing teams call in older riders when their regular riders are out injured. We first saw MotoGP Interwetten bring in HRC official test rider Kousuke Akiyoshi to sub for Hiroshi Aoyama and then Fiat Yamaha had their test rider, the 41 year old Wataru Yoshikawa come in to replace Valentino Rossi, now Kawasaki has announced that 39 year old Akira Yanagawa, will replace injured Chris Vermeulen for round ten of the World Superbike Championship at Silverstone.
The Japanese rider has a long standing history with Kawasaki, having raced in both the All-Japan Road Race and World Superbike Championships’ for over a decade. From 1997 until 2001, Yanagawa has had over 100 World Superbike race starts with the highlights being three race wins and a further 20 podium finishes. Akira also became the first Japanese rider to win a World Superbike race outside of his homeland, at the A1 Ring in Austria in 1997, which resulted in his best Championship position of fourth place later that same year and is currently Kawasaki’s development rider of the new 2011 ZX-10R machine that we recently saw testing at Suzuka.
Continue reading: Akira Yanagawa to Sub for Chris Vermeulen in Kawasaki
WSBK - Chris Vermeulen on the Mend, Expects to Race at Assen
Chris Vermeulen expects to be fit enough to race at the upcoming World Superbike round at Assen on April 23-25th.
The Austrialian badly injured his right knee at the season opener at Phillip Island underwent keyhole surgery to repair the extensive damage is optimistic about recovering in time for Assen.
“My knee is improving every day since I had keyhole surgery over a week ago and I have a good feeling in most of its range.The difficult part now is getting enough bend but also strength and stability in my knee to race at Assen because I don’t want to turn up to just ride around. I am getting physiotherapy every day and it’s still a week until I need to be on the bike so I am optimistic that in that time it will have improved even more by then.”said Vermeulen.
“I really enjoy racing at Assen and have had successful results there in both Superbikes and in MotoGP, I also get a lot of support there because of my Dutch heritage. I therefore hope that I can put on a good show and be fit enough to compete and join the team once again.”
WSBK - Jamie Hacking confirmed for Misano and Donington Rounds
Jamie Hacking is going to be back for the Misano Adriatico and Donington Park rounds of the WSBK Championship. The Anglo-American rider is going to replace Makoto Tamada again in Kawasaki Racing during the next two European rounds.
The official reason is that the Tamada is still healing from a broken wrist and two broken fingers and the team wants their official rider in tip top shape for the Imola test that take place July 15th and 16th and for the Brno race that takes place from the 24th-27th of July but the usual rumours say that that the team was not that happy with Tamada’s performances before his injury and that the ride was foisted on them by the Japanese manufacturer.
Hacking impressed the Paul Bird Team with his riding at Miller Sportspark, with both he and Broc Parkes making the the last stint in Superpole qualifying and Hacking taking a 7th place in Race 1 and DNF in Race 2. We’ll have to wait and see how he does on tracks that he doesn’t know, but if he’s anything like his friend Ben Spies who is pushing to have Hacking in the series, unknown tracks won’t be a problem.
Hacking is second in the Daytona SportBike Championship standings on a Kawasaki ZX-6R with his Monster Energy Attack team.
Source | kawasaki-racing
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