Throughout a career that spanned several years, Marco Melandri had different experiences with various manufacturers – including a brief stint with Kawasaki in MotoGP.
It happened in 2009, and although he was far from the results that made him vice-champion in 2005, he still managed a podium – finishing second at the French GP, proving that the bike had potential.
The project had started in 2003, with average results. In 2009, Kawasaki withdrew and left its operations in the hands of Hayate Racing. And Melandri believes the bike had potential if there had been investment.
In an interview with Moto.it, the former rider stated: ‘A Yamaha engine, because it was Yoda who made it, and he had built Yamaha’s 2004 engine, so the engine worked well. The frame was completely rebuilt in 2008’.
In Melandri’s view, with the necessary investment, Kawasaki could have been a regular podium contender: ‘The bike has born well, and if they had spent money on it, if they had worked on it, in my opinion, it could at least have fought for the podium every Sunday’.