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Apparently the not qualifying, was because Monster refused even to discuss an early termination of contract. Kawi was fine with it, but not Monster. So what do you do? Stay 3y? Nope.
Monster wanting Josh Hill for Kawi second rider tells a lot. Them and Kawi seems to make an excellent couple.
…not only that…he is the only rider to finish qualifying 43rd and still make the mains. Another resume bullet point!
First comment that showed up for me said "looks like he's doing a lot of complaining."
Seems right when AC's all-in package was $1.8M
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Man there's a big difference between someone buying a bike with their own hard earned money opposed to testing riding, deciding yourself you like it, and then getting PAID to represent the bike/brand. He didn't pay Kawi to ride the bike. They were paying him. Big difference.
100% gimmea2stroke. Sure KW might have messed up somewhat. But he signed the contract.. .
I think AC said he was getting 1+ mill from Kawi, Prado signed as a world champ so maybe he was getting close to that?
Prado dama continuing.
Please someone make it stop.
George Prada
I first saw Prado take it to Herlings in one of his first MX2 races. Two 250, two 450 WC. Everyone’s expectations were high, including his, for 2026. Winning races he said, not just podiums
I don’t understand how he can ride the bike before he signs, and be that far off.
I think he was raised in the cocoon of KTM and MXGP. Knew tracks, competition and bike inside and out. Unlike top Euros before him (Kenny, Ferrandis notably), he couldn’t adapt to at least one of those but insists it was the bike. Time (and Sextons performance on Kawi and Prado’s on KTM) will tell.
Not saying it happens but I do wonder what would happen if he does much better on the KTM. Would he ever be (partly) forgiven on here? I have seen him ride in realtime all his European life and - don't think he will win against Jett - but certainly not getting passed by Guillod and Paturel, In GP's he would finish before them even if he drove sitting backwards on the bike.
AC must've had a phenomenal manager.
AC had phenomenal promise.
They didn’t have a problem with him but it is heavily rumored the Fox deal was lumped into the Kawi deal so he will most likely be in different gear next year.
Hope he can turn things around on the bike but I don’t know if he can fix his image at this point unless he just comes out and apologizes.
Mitch said it best…
He needs to own it. Say he didn't gel with the bike, and that he screwed up, and should have handled it differently. A sincere apology, and owning it will go a long way with the fans, and the industry. If he doesn't, he's going to pay a price for the rest of his career, and maybe in whatever he does after MX.
Since his contracts are resolved with Kawi and Monster, it's not going to cost him $millions, or lawsuits. He can speak about it openly, and put it to rest.
NOW is the very best time.
Will we ever know how the contract issue was resolved? Did KTM buy it out? Did Prado buy it out? Did Kawi cave and just let him go?
you guys know nothing about what happened behind the scenes and who quit whom or didn’t hold up to their end of the contract, right now i’ll give the 4 time world champion the benefit of the doubt for wanting to do anything but stay at the kawi especially when kawasaki is well known for not deviating from their own developed settings, hence the reason tomac left and i would assume JA left… if i was chase i would be very apprehensive about what he has gotten himself into over there!
Pit Row
Maybe, but we all sure as hell saw him quit multiple times during the year. I DGAF about ANYTHING else that happened: quitting is unacceptable, period. He needs to do what Radical said, then put in an off-season of prep, and kill it next year. Then I might become a fan again, but he's lost me at this point. I'll root for other riders that give it 100% every time the gate drops.
Instead of thinking he quit, think he didn’t like his new job and gave 2 week notice.
Would you bust ass at work if you have your 2 week notice?
Be honest in your answer, knowing to Prado it’s an occupation to him, not some bad ass Factory Kawasaki Contract that you perceive it as.
Prado been under factory contract since youth. It’s a job.
He knew it was hopeless, no point to risk 2026 for nothing or a injury. The ”quitting” just made the point chrystal clear that he was not at all interrested in staying and test to prepare for 2026 on that machine. It was not a great look or ending but whatever.
Some of the vitards were ever gonna be happy until he broke an arm, a leg or his fkn neck! Then its all right because he actually tryed!
Good luck on the steel frame JP, and good luck to Chase! 🙈
He got the privilege of trying out the "new job" before taking it.
Weak weak answer.
Like we all haven’t took a job after interviews only to find the manager and employees or some other factor made the job suck than originally thought.
Pretty sure Tomac and Anderson won races on Kawasakis. Kawasaki has been winning in this country since Desoto. Maybe Kawasaki is not fulfilling all needs, but every 450 rider of note has won with them, maybe not Milsaps? I don't know, isn't part of a riders job is to project what he needs in set up?
There’s a reason this thread has gone 20 pages, but I’m not quite sure why. I’m an old head and longtime mx fan, and I don’t think I can remember a time when fans took the side of the factory over the racer when it came to disputes like this.
Hey Millsaps did win Monster Cup and 100k on the Kawi lol
Kawi is a shitbox. Prado is going to be right there with Jett/Eli/Chase/Hunter next year and everybody talking shit this year is going to look dumb. He floundered and did everything he possibly could to get off that bike.
KTM is going to have a powerhouse next year.
I mean there is no chance he doesn't do better, all he has to do is put in a tiny bit of effort and he will be better. Which would be a lot more effort than he afforded his previous employer
No doubt, I think Davi went into the deal regretfully with injuries, burnout, and family troubles that showed. Ending with the locker incident. Shame, his training of JuJu is reinvigorating his standing in the sport.
He rode the god damn bike before signing . He thought his accolades from Europe were a guaranteed championship in the states. Once he realized he wasnt even in the ball park in the speed department, he blamed everything and everyone but himself.
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