After a period of racing in Japan, West entered the international grand prix paddock in 1999 as a 250cc rider. After a brief foray into the two stroke 500cc series in 2001, he rejoined the quarter litre series only to be largely frustrated by machinery and financial constraints.
West's career received a boost earlier this year when he switched to World Supersport as a stand in for injured Yamaha rider, and fellow countryman, Kevin Curtain. In the three races he rode for the manufacturer, he ended up with a third and two wins: at Misano and
Silverstone. Then, having caught the eye of Kawasaki team boss, Michael Bartholemy, he was drafted in to replace Jacque in the factory
MotoGP squad.
"I think a lot of people in the paddock were surprised when we brought Anthony into the team at
Donington Park," said Bartholemy. "His route to a factory team in MotoGP was not an orthodox one, but his performance so far this year aboard our Ninja ZX-RR was enough to convince Kawasaki that he was the right choice for next season. Now the pressure is off him, and I think we will see this reflected in his racing for the remainder of the season. As for his potential for next season, who knows? He's young and he has the chance to show what he can do, and I'm confident he will perform. Together with
John Hopkins, we have a very strong line up for the 2008 season. They're both very determined riders and it's great to see a fantastic team coming together."
