The new look Kawasaki Racing Team was confirmed and publicly presented Saturday evening at Lierop and the Grand Prix of the Netherlands. Team Manager Martin Van Genderen and Kawasaki Europe Racing Co-ordinator Steve Guttridge took the opportunity of the squad’s home meeting and the final round of the 2007 FIM World Championship to showcase the continued relationship with Tanel Leok and introduce fresh signing Manuel Priem who will be replacing Billy Mackenzie on the KX450F-SR.
“We thought that this would be an apt moment to introduce our factory team for next year especially with a lot of speculation surrounding the future of KRT,” said Steve Guttridge. “It has been a tough season with the sad passing of Jan de Groot but some excellent foundations had been laid in place with Martin coming into the team initially to help with PR and marketing and he already has helped make a forward step. We feel he can step up again next year and do a fantastic job for Kawasaki.”
“Jan said to me late in 2006 that he was looking for someone to take over the team in the long term and the plan was to go in that direction but we did not expect the take-over to come so soon and so sadly,” said Martin Van Genderen. “His wife Ellen, who is a director, has given her blessing to continue the team, together with Kawasaki Japan, and this gives us a big opportunity to show that all the effort Jan put into this unit can continue in the way that he always wished. Concerning the riders we knew that Billy had another offer, so we had to make a plan and I am happy that Manuel will join us.”
“We chose Manuel because he is a steady rider who works very hard,” he added. “We are confident he can do a good job for us and I think for him it will be a good step forwards to join our team.”
“This is not the first time I have ridden a Kawasaki as for many years before coming to the world championships I was in ‘green’,” said ‘new boy’ Priem (26 years old from Belgium). “I hope I can prove that I can do a good job and I always give my best. The team are based just over half an hour from my home; in fact Tanel and I live in the same town so it will be much easier in terms of being organised and training together.”
“Of course as a factory team we go for the highest level which means the championship,” Van Genderen continues. “I have spoken with Tanel about this. The plan for this year was to make forward progress and it was hard because the competition was very hard. If you look to Tanel’s speed he has everything he needs to go for the title.”
“I am looking forward to 2008 as this season has not been the best and I expected a lot more from myself,” admitted Leok. “I had some bad luck but I have always had the speed and I want next year to come along quickly so that I can show that I can do better. I suffered a shoulder injury at the start and I think I tried too hard and put too much pressure on myself in the first GPs. It will be good having Manuel in the team because new riders have different ideas and it helps with the development of the bike.”
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