Chris Walker insists he has left Kawasaki on good terms after reports had suggested the Gil Motorsport Supersport team were furious with his sudden switch to Superbikes.
Walker has had a long relationship with Kawasaki since joining the factory-backed Superbike team in 2005 and racing with them for the next two seasons. However, a return to the manufacturer, albeit in Supersports, in 2008 has not delivered the results he was hoping for.
As such, Walker jumped at the chance to make his World Superbikes comeback at
Brands Hatch on the Vent Axia VK Honda, run by Paul Bird Motorsport.
However, while the sudden switch is said to have caught Gil Motorsport by surprise, Walker was praiseworthy of the team for allowing him to return to the top flight.
“To be honest, Kawasaki have been great about it,” he told
Crash.net. “They know there is more to it than meets the eye because the bike has not been the best thing out there this year and while it is not ideal leaving a team mid-season, there are a few background reasons beyond the bike's competitiveness. But I am happy with the decision I've made.”
