MotoGP news

West hopes to return to MotoGP one day

The Grand Prix weekend in Valencia will be a special one for Anthony West. West will make his last appearance for Kawasaki at the Spanish circuit. West, who was drafted in to the Kawasaki Racing Team as a replacement for the injured Olivier Jacque halfway through the 2007 season, will move on to pastures new next season and is determined to finish his time in MotoGP with one last good result.

But the 27-year-old Australian is adamant that he intends his absence from the MotoGP paddock next year to be only a temporary one. A strong performance in the final race of the year would be a fitting end to West's time in the premier class, but the Kawasaki pilot is under no illusions about how tough a race Valencia will be.

"It's been a tough season for me, and I haven't achieved the results that I was expecting going into my first full year as a factory rider," West said. "Next year I'll be racing elsewhere, but my MotoGP aspirations are far from over. 2009 will be a year to regroup, to try and impress in another championship and, if I can do that then there's no reason why I shouldn't make a return to MotoGP in the future. That's what I'm aiming for anyway.

"We've been missing something all year, and that means we've been less competitive than we were expecting. Realistically it will be difficult to run at the front in Valencia, but a top ten finish should be achievable. I'm only one point behind Marco Melandri in the championship standings, and I hope I can pull in enough points in the last race to beat the rider who'll replace me at Kawasaki next season."

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