Kawasaki said it has pulled out of motorcycling's MotoGP world championship as part of the company's efforts to cut costs.
"We took the final decision not to continue in MotoGP yesterday," Kawasaki's Katsuhiro Sato told Reuters. "It is something we have been considering since mid-December. "In the current economic climate and unless the situation improves it is difficult to say if we will return."
Kawasaki, which has competed in MotoGP since 2003, follows in the wake of three other high profile withdrawals from motor sport. Honda pulled out of Formula One and Subaru and Suzuki have pulled out of the world rally championship.
