German MotoGP outsider MZ launche🍷d its 2002 campaign over the weekend, unveiling the already confirmed Jose Luis Cardoso and racing returnee Ralf Waldmann as its line-up ꧒for the first four-stroke grand prix championship.

Whilst Cardo💦so's place in the team had been knꩵown for some time, Waldmann's inclusion was something of a shock, as the former 250cc runner-up appeared to have turned his back on bike racing at the end of the 2000 season. Both riders will campaign MZ's four-stroke machine this year.

After proving to be a thorn in the side of multiple 250cc champion Max Biaggi, and eventually graduating to the 500cc class with Modenas, 'Waldy' grew disillusioned with two-wheel racing, despite winning the Doningtꦺon GP in atrocious conditions during his final season. Enticed by a possible switch to cars, the temperamental German turned his back on GP offers, although nothing came of his move to four-wheels.

In to💧uch with the MotoGP scene through a national search to find a successor in Germany, Waldmann became involved with MZ by launching one of its road bikes, a link that has now led to a return to racing.

MZ sporting d𒊎irector Jurgen Zurn confirmed that the team expects to be testing by May, and preparing for its return to the grand prix scene at Assen two months after that. The bike is c🐬urrently undergoing static tests at the company's German base.