2014 Motocross of Nations winner Steven Frossard is set for a surprise return to the Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing Team after ending a brief and unsuccessful stint with the British Wilvo Forkrent KTM crew this weekend. Frossard was present in the paddock at Uddevalla for the Grand Prix of Sweden but has had contract with the prominent UK squad terminated by mutual consent and did not take to the line for the eleventh round of eighteen in the 2015 MXGP series.
The soon-to-be 28 year old is now in line to return to the Kawasaki outfit that he represented last year and from where he gained fifth place in the overall standings and was part of the victorious Team France trio in Latvia. Wilvo Forkrent KTM meanwhile were able to count on the presence of Jake Nicholls for the first time this season at Grand Prix level and were clearly dejected by the experience with Frossard (after reinvesting in 450SX-F material after ‘183’ had used a 350 throughout the winter and through the first two Grands Prix) and still with memories of an unsatisfying stint with former GP winner Jonathan Barragan in 2014.
“We had a tough start to the season and we tried a lot of things to put us on the right direction but it was evident that the situation was not going to improve,” commented Team Owner Steve Turner. “We’ve decided to go separate ways. It is really disappointing but we feel that we can only do our best and we have given 100% all season long; it just hasn’t happened. It has been a big learning curve for me as a team manager and all we can do is move on.”
Frossard’s imminent return to the Kawasaki set-up only intensifies the gossip about Ryan Villopoto and rumours that the former multi AMA Supercross and motocross champion will not return to MXGP and racing. There has been no official confirmation of either Frossard’s deal or Villopoto’s continued absence from Kawasaki yet when asked in Sweden Kawasaki Motor Europe Racing Manager Steve Guttridge commented: “If a rider of Steven’s calibre is free then we are interested in bringing him back into a team where he worked well in the past. We are waiting for some news about Ryan and hope to have a clearer picture by next week.”
It is not yet known if Frossard can be in place in ‘green’ for the Grand Prix of Latvia on July 12th for what would be a coincidental appearance – his last appearance on the KX450F was also at Kegums last September.
Photo by Ray Archer
