Released from what many thought was a dream ride with Luis d'Antin's Yamaha squad at the end of 2001, Jose Luis Cardoso has bounced back by signing a ꦓdeal to ride the new MuZ four-stroke in the 2002 MotoGP world championship.

The Spanish rider 🃏will act largely as a development rider for the returning operation, and has already admitted that he faces a tough, and frustrating, season, which may mean missing several early races while th💦e bike is race prepared. Nevertheless, he insists that the deal has plenty of pluses for him as well.

"The idea of working with a four-stroke machine is very appealing to me," Cardoso told motograndprix.com, "The chance to help develop a completely new motorcycle within a team which has Formula One engine experience🦩, and is therefore sure to be top quality, is extremely exciting for my career. I hope to get to work as so🦋on as possible.

"Hopefully, I will have the tools I need to be successful. 2002 will be a very difficult season and it is a year of important changes, but I feel very privileged to b⛄e riding a four-stroke machine and I hope to do well. At the moment, I'm not sure of the detailed plans for pre-season. I know that there is a lot of work to do and that we probably won't be ready to compete until the four💫th or fifth grand prix of the season."

Cardoso🐻 will travel to MuZ's German base in the next few days to begin work with the team. MuZ sp💯orting director Jurgen Zurn has hinted at a second entry, possibly for a German rider, but no further details have been released.