Contrary to rampant rumors, Kawasaki Heavy Industries will not compete in the 2009 and 2010 MotoGP World Championships despite an existing contract with series promoter Dorna that requires the Japanese company to do so. That’s the word from sources close to negotiations involving Dorna, Kawasaki and the Kawasaki MotoGP race team’s current management. Dorna is now trying to broker a deal in which Kawasaki turns over its equipment and bikes to the current race team management, which would continue to run the team with financial support from Dorna and outsourced engine building. The deal would not include continued Kawasaki engineering support, thus largely freezing the Ninja ZX-RR in its most recent state of development. An official announcement regarding Kawasaki’s withdrawal from MotoGP may be made as soon as Friday.