Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

Australian Andrew Pitt, 26, will ride the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP bike at the Malaysian Grand Prix October 11-13, replacing Akira Yanagawa.

Yanagawa was injured in a crash during the Pacific Grand Prix at Motegi October 6.

Pitt will ride the Kawasaki in the three remaining rounds as Yanagawa will miss the rest of the season with a fractured hip.

“Sepang is a new circuit for me and I haven´t even sat on the new ZX-RR yet, never mind ridden it, so I won´t be going out there to set the world on fire in my first race,” said Pitt in a press release issued by Kawasaki.

“Realistically, if I can help the team continue the development work they´ve done so far with Akira then I´ll be happy with that.”

Pitt won the 2001 World Supersport Championship for Harald Eckl’s Kawasaki team.