Even though Dorna big giant head Carmelo Ezpeleta has threatened Kawasaki with a fine of £15m if it doesn't supply bikes for the 2009 grid, Team Green doesn't seem to be in too much of a hurry to sort the job out, even though it will mean the firm is let out of it's 2010-11 contractural obligations.

Team manager Michael Bartholemy is in Japan trying to hammer out some sort of deal to run two bikes as a customer outfit, presumably with some Dorna money behind him, while his love rival Jorge 'Aspar" Martinez has decided he isn't playing any more.

Oliver Jacque was due to test at Phillip Island on Tuesday for two days but that was reduced to just yesterday, presumably because the team may well have fallen foul of the testing ban, fuelling speculation a deal has been done.

Martinez has ruled himself out of the race because he wanted to run his own riders under his own sponsorship banner. One rider was thought to be Fonsi Nieto but he is now on his way to Portugal for the World Superbike tests, prompting rumour he will re-join Alstare Suzuki.

Now, former F1 engine builders Ilmor have said they would be very interested in doing a deal to develop the 2009 ZX-RR engines but have only spoken with Kawasaki team staff and not anyone in Japan.