Fronted by former NBA superstar and motorcycling enthusiast Michael Jordan, his eponymous team has been a popular addition to the American-based national series over the last decade, but the withdrawal of key backer National Guard has prompted the team to glance further afield for its 2014 plans.
The team had already hinted it was considering a move to the international stage with an eye-catching World Superbike wild-card outing at Laguna Seca this year, with riders Roger Lee Hayden and Danny Eslick proving top ten contenders on home soil.
At the time the exercise had been considered a possible prelude to a WSBK entry in 2014, but an interview with Michael Jordan Motorsport’s vice president of corporate relations Kreig Robinson at Cycle News revealed it is also considering a move into MotoGP.
“We’ve done that and that’s run its course and now we’re looking at international competition again more honestly,” Robinson said, referring to the National Guard backing that kept it in AMA. “With that come situations where we have to change our business model in order to be able to consider that.
“We’re looking at both World Superbike and MotoGP and we’re going to take our time to figure out what’s the best way to go. Anyone who has been paying attention realizes that we do these things on our own time. We don’t get pressured to go here, there or anywhere else. We do those things on our own time.”
Whichever series it chooses, Robinson says there is much work to do, adding that it may opt for selected events in 2014 with a view to competing full-time in 2015.
“We haven’t’ been able to take the necessary steps to take on the international competition for 2014,” he added. “What that may mean is selected rounds, wild cards… while we prepare for 2015. We have to really evaluate what is happening in World Superbike, in MotoGP. What is going to be the best situation for a team that is structured like ours.
“We’ve been used to building and developing bikes using our own faculties. It seems that in World Superbike you now have this EVO class and in MotoGP you have the Moto2 and CRT and production GP racers that are now available. So what is going to be the best for us? I don’t think we’re going to start building a prototype motorcycle to compete in MotoGP.
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