West to ride a Kawasaki in Barcelona

Following Randy de Puniet's best ever MotoGP finish on Sunday at the track with fifth position, Kawasaki have taken a decision to draft in the Australian 250cc rider to put some miles on the bike and go through a raft of Bridgestone tyres, including their new 16-inch rear.

"It's really a Bridgestone test, but we needs some miles on the bike after the injury to Matsudo in Japan pre-season, Jacque here this weekend, and the loss' of Randy being up to full potential with his Le Mans and Mugello injuries," said Kawasaki's communication manager Ian Wheeler.

"We'll equate his times to our riders, and to the current form that is in the 250 class."

The Kawasaki team will make a decision on Thursday as to whether or not Olivier Jacque will be able to ride in the British GP on June 24th.

Spaniard Fonsi Nieto was the replacement in Le Mans, but Wheeler said it was not a must that they would have two bikes if Jacque was unavailable.

"We are not going to put a British Superbike rider on or something like that, just because it's Donington. We can miss a race.