Roberts start work on new chassis

Kenny Roberts Jr finished sixth in last year's championship for his family team, who use a unique self-built chassis powered by a Honda engine.

But the team have fallen to the back of the pack this year, qualifying 18th for all bar two races, and never finishing higher than 13th.

Roberts will introduce some upgrades for the forthcoming British GP, but have already started work on a completely new chassis design that is set to debut at Laguna Seca next month.

"It's apparent that the motor doesn't accelerate, but then we have no grip," said team principal Kenny Roberts.

"I think that we are learning, but it's going to take six weeks to build something different.

"We just have not been anywhere all year, because it doesn't work, it just doesn't work. When they turn it on, it just doesn't go.

"Of course the motor isn't the best. But it's still not as bad as what we're riding.

"The tyres I think are actually a little more of a problem than the motor, because we can't seem to get grip. So either the chassis is not getting grip or the motor's not getting grip, but we don't know which one that is."

Kenny Jr's younger brother Kurtis has been drafted in from the AMA Superbike series to ride Roberts' spare bike in the last two GPs to provide additional feedback.

The siblings had a race-long battle in Catalunya, with Kurtis staying ahead for much of the distance before they took 16th and 18th, split by Carlos Checa.

"I'd never seen them race like that at this level, of course, but it would be better if we were racing further up the field instead of where we are at the moment," said their father and team boss.

Kurtis will step down from the team at Donington Park to allow British Superbike frontrunner Jonathan Rea to make his MotoGP debut on Roberts' spare bike.