WELCOME TO KAWASAKI'S NEWEST TEAM MEMBER

The Kawasaki Racing Team celebrated the arrival of their newest member on Tuesday afternoon, when race mechanic Daniel Petak's girlfriend gave birth to a bouncing baby boy, who was immediately wrapped in a Kawasaki Racing Team blanket!

The baby, who the happy couple have named Denis, was born at 16.15 on Tuesday 18th July, measuring 52 cm in height and weighing in at a healthy - if eye watering - 3.7 kg.

Petra and Denis are both doing well after the birth, and mother and son are expected to return home from hospital over the weekend.

Just over 12 hours after the birth Daniel was on a plane heading for Laguna Seca, to take his place in the Kawasaki pit box as one of Randy de Puniet's race mechanics.

'They say that, for a rider, each child slows you down by at least half-a-second, but I don't think the same is true of mechanics,' said a jubilant Daniel. 'This is my first child and I think his birth has given me more power. Maybe the half-a-second thing is opposite for mechanics and I'll start to work faster round the pit box now!'

'I only got to see Denis for half a day before heading out to Laguna Seca, but we have the summer break after this race, and I can't wait to get back home to spend some more time with him and his mum.'

Everyone at the Kawasaki Racing Team offers their congratulations to Daniel and Petra on the birth of their first child, with the more experienced parents in the team also quick to offer advice on how to cope with the inevitable sleepless nights over the next few months!