Popular Aussie racer Anthony West has joined Yonny Hernandez on the list of MotoGP riders unable to take to the grid in 2012 due to lack of cash. West had been due to race for the Speedmaster team this year on a CRT bike but announced earlier today he couldn't afford the ride.
The news comes shortly after Hernandez first said he couldn't test in Sepang due to surgery on his hand and then he revealed the quarter of a million Euros he needed to take to the grid with the BQR squad had not materialised. West said he would probably not race this year and intimated retirement from the sport full stop.
"I will not race in MotoGP this year or any other race because I can not find sponsorship to pay the Speed Master team. Because all teams are asking for money from the riders, only the rich can race in MotoGP/Moto2/Moto3. I cannot even afford to ride a year for free as I have yet to be paid from my former team, the MZ Germany Moto2 team," said West.
"I had my car, motocross bike and my house for sale trying to keep the ride and even gave the house as a guarantee if I did not find the money, but was not enough. I will most likely not race any more and will return back to Australia to find a normal job. Sorry to my fans."
