Kawasaki Racing Team - US GP
Fri Jul 08, 2005 6:16 pm
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2005 Download PDF
ROUND 8 - RED BULL US GRAND PRIX, LAGUNA SECA
7 JULY 2005 - EVENT PREVIEW
CALIFORNIA DREAMING - SUPER SHINYA READY FOR US GRAND PRIX
Kawasaki factory rider Shinya Nakano will live out a boyhood dream when he races in the US Grand Prix in Laguna Seca this weekend.
Nakano's attraction to this northern California location was influenced by his racing hero Kevin Schwantz, the original sultan of slide who won the 1993 World Championship.
Television coverage of Schwantz racing at Laguna in the late 1980's helped inspire Nakano's own desires to be a GP racer. No surprise then that the stylish Japanese ace says he is excited by the history-making return of the USGP to the MotoGP calendar.
Equally as enthusiastic about the California visit is German rider Alex Hofmann, who shares racing duties aboard the Ninja ZX-RR in Kawasaki's factory MotoGP squad.
Hofmann, a keen motocross and supermotard rider, is a regular off-season visitor to California. And the 25-year-old Kawasaki pilot is now an officially certified 'body-flyer' having gained his license last week in a special test at a facility near his Swiss home in Zurich.
Body-flying is a high-speed sport using an indoor, vertical wind tunnel with turbine generated wind speeds of 180 kph.
Both Nakano and Hofmann arrived in America early to do some local training and recover from jet lag, and to soak up the ambience and tourism opportunities of the Monterey Peninsula.
It is 11 years since the US Grand Prix was staged at Laguna Seca, and the return of the race to the North American market is a significant milestone in the increasing global expansion and popularity of the MotoGP championship.
The roller-coaster style track has undergone a multimillion dollar safety upgrade to bring it up to international standards, with the infamous Corkscrew section and a sequence of fast, downhill curves highlighting the compact layout.
In terms of number of laps, 32 in total, the US Grand Prix is the longest race of the season although the lap length, 3.58 km (2.22 miles) is actually the shortest on the 17 race MotoGP calendar.
On this whirlwind 11-turn course, with dramatic gradient changes and fast downhill curves, the US Grand Prix promises to be a brutal test of bravery and rider fitness, both mental and physical.
Nakano and Hofmann have used the Playstation racing game to gain early track knowledge, but will check the layout on scooters in advance of Friday morning's extended, two-hour, free practice session.
The US Grand Prix is the eighth race of the MotoGP World Championship, with organisers already confirming that the event is a sell-out, with 60,000 tickets sold in advance.
Shinya Nakano #56
"It is like a dream come true for me to be racing at Laguna Seca. When I was a kid in Japan I remember watching Kevin Schwantz and Wayne Rainey on television, racing GPs here. Kevin is my racing hero, he was aggressive and fast, I really admire the way he raced. But I also now understand how much of a fighter and how good Wayne Rainey was as a rider. I checked the track on Playstation, although it was the Gran Turismo car racing game. It looks very technical and tough, and 32 laps will not be easy. I will do a lot of scooter laps before practice, but I think the Kawasaki has some potential here, we have strong acceleration with the latest motor and good handling. With 11 corners maybe top speed is not so important, but I will understand more when I ride the ZX-RR on Friday."
Alex Hofmann #66
"I've done a thousand laps on Playstation to get ready for Laguna Seca and I can't wait, I'm ready for the challenge on a tough track. And now I've got my body flying license I'm ready for Batman and Superman also! Body-flying allows you to feel totally free, it's a lot of fun. The track looks tricky and hard work, but also a lot of fun with not so many full throttle sections, which could benefit our latest ZX-RR engine set-up. I arrived in the US early to adapt to the time zone and take in the ambience of California, and do some training. I'm looking for a change of luck here, my recent results have been out of my control. Now I just hope I can go faster in real life at Laguna Seca than I did on the Playstation
ROUND 8 - RED BULL US GRAND PRIX, LAGUNA SECA
7 JULY 2005 - EVENT PREVIEW
CALIFORNIA DREAMING - SUPER SHINYA READY FOR US GRAND PRIX
Kawasaki factory rider Shinya Nakano will live out a boyhood dream when he races in the US Grand Prix in Laguna Seca this weekend.
Nakano's attraction to this northern California location was influenced by his racing hero Kevin Schwantz, the original sultan of slide who won the 1993 World Championship.
Television coverage of Schwantz racing at Laguna in the late 1980's helped inspire Nakano's own desires to be a GP racer. No surprise then that the stylish Japanese ace says he is excited by the history-making return of the USGP to the MotoGP calendar.
Equally as enthusiastic about the California visit is German rider Alex Hofmann, who shares racing duties aboard the Ninja ZX-RR in Kawasaki's factory MotoGP squad.
Hofmann, a keen motocross and supermotard rider, is a regular off-season visitor to California. And the 25-year-old Kawasaki pilot is now an officially certified 'body-flyer' having gained his license last week in a special test at a facility near his Swiss home in Zurich.
Body-flying is a high-speed sport using an indoor, vertical wind tunnel with turbine generated wind speeds of 180 kph.
Both Nakano and Hofmann arrived in America early to do some local training and recover from jet lag, and to soak up the ambience and tourism opportunities of the Monterey Peninsula.
It is 11 years since the US Grand Prix was staged at Laguna Seca, and the return of the race to the North American market is a significant milestone in the increasing global expansion and popularity of the MotoGP championship.
The roller-coaster style track has undergone a multimillion dollar safety upgrade to bring it up to international standards, with the infamous Corkscrew section and a sequence of fast, downhill curves highlighting the compact layout.
In terms of number of laps, 32 in total, the US Grand Prix is the longest race of the season although the lap length, 3.58 km (2.22 miles) is actually the shortest on the 17 race MotoGP calendar.
On this whirlwind 11-turn course, with dramatic gradient changes and fast downhill curves, the US Grand Prix promises to be a brutal test of bravery and rider fitness, both mental and physical.
Nakano and Hofmann have used the Playstation racing game to gain early track knowledge, but will check the layout on scooters in advance of Friday morning's extended, two-hour, free practice session.
The US Grand Prix is the eighth race of the MotoGP World Championship, with organisers already confirming that the event is a sell-out, with 60,000 tickets sold in advance.
Shinya Nakano #56
"It is like a dream come true for me to be racing at Laguna Seca. When I was a kid in Japan I remember watching Kevin Schwantz and Wayne Rainey on television, racing GPs here. Kevin is my racing hero, he was aggressive and fast, I really admire the way he raced. But I also now understand how much of a fighter and how good Wayne Rainey was as a rider. I checked the track on Playstation, although it was the Gran Turismo car racing game. It looks very technical and tough, and 32 laps will not be easy. I will do a lot of scooter laps before practice, but I think the Kawasaki has some potential here, we have strong acceleration with the latest motor and good handling. With 11 corners maybe top speed is not so important, but I will understand more when I ride the ZX-RR on Friday."
Alex Hofmann #66
"I've done a thousand laps on Playstation to get ready for Laguna Seca and I can't wait, I'm ready for the challenge on a tough track. And now I've got my body flying license I'm ready for Batman and Superman also! Body-flying allows you to feel totally free, it's a lot of fun. The track looks tricky and hard work, but also a lot of fun with not so many full throttle sections, which could benefit our latest ZX-RR engine set-up. I arrived in the US early to adapt to the time zone and take in the ambience of California, and do some training. I'm looking for a change of luck here, my recent results have been out of my control. Now I just hope I can go faster in real life at Laguna Seca than I did on the Playstation
Sat Jul 09, 2005 5:11 pm
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2005 Download PDF
ROUND 8 - RED BULL US GRAND PRIX, LAGUNA SECA
8 JULY 2005 - FREE PRACTICE
KAWASAKI RIDERS BACK TO SCHOOL IN THE USA
MotoGP returned to America after an eleven-year absence today, with Kawasaki riders Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann on track for three hours of free practice.
And they needed every minute of track time during day one of preparations for Sunday's 32-lap USGP at Laguna Seca.
Both Nakano and Hofmann are newcomers to the hillside circuit near Monterey, with its 11-turns and compact, rollercoaster layout.
Track knowledge is critical at this demanding track, a track that is completely different in character to traditional European Grand Prix circuits.
Both Kawasaki riders say they are still to unravel the secrets of the infamous Corkscrew section and the fast-flowing, downhill curves that follow.
Sixth gear is not required at all, and the full throttle potential of the 990cc Ninja ZX-RR is only briefly explored.
At 255 kph the track has the lowest top speed on the MotoGP calendar with the Ninja ZX-RR using fifth gear just once per lap, along the pit straight on the approach to turn one.
An 85 kph first gear is used three times: at turns two and eleven, plus turn eight, which is the breathtaking downhill entry to the infamous Corkscrew.
Today track conditions were dusty with a lack of grip in the opening morning practice session of two hours. Grip levels improved slightly in the afternoon as Kawasaki technicians worked through a busy programme of chassis, suspension, gearbox and tyre combinations.
There is still a lot of work to be done with a further selection of Bridgestone rear tyres to be evaluated, in parallel with engine management tuning and suspension, to help control wheelspin.
Shinya Nakano: #56 - Twelfth - 1'25.309
"It's exciting to be here for the USGP, but my first laps of the circuit this morning were a big surprise, especially the Corkscrew and the steep downhill section that follows. However I still have some learning to do through this section. I followed a couple of American riders and they have a better understanding of the track from turns 8 to 11. It has been difficult to find rear grip, the track surface is different from Europe, but if we can find a chassis and tyre set-up I think the ZX-RR could suit this track with our strong acceleration. On safety, I would like to see some more protection on the walls that are close to the track, but otherwise I'm enjoying riding here."
Alex Hofmann: #66 - Fifteenth - 1'25.882
"In Europe we have never seen a track like this, so it is a little bit shocking when you first ride a MotoGP bike here. The walls are close and there is not the run-off areas we are used to at some corners. But I'm enjoying the layout, it is physical and demanding, although quite bumpy. I could do with more rear grip, but overall this track has the potential to suit the ZX-RR. And I still haven't found my rhythm on the bike, the Corkscrew and I and not good friends at the moment and I've got a lot of thinking to do about the direction to take with set-up and learning he track."
Ichiro Yoda: Technical Director
"We are in search of traction and will continue our work with Bridgestone tomorrow with another three rear tyres to evaluate. This track surface is new to us, so we mainly have to look at rear spring and shock set-up, weight transfer and engine tuning, to control wheelspin. And both Shinya and Alex are still learning to fully understand the special nature of this circuit, it is quite slow overall, we barely need fifth gear; fourth is okay."
FREE PRACTICE - COMBINED TIMES
1. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda 1'24.228; 2. Troy Bayliss (AUS) Camel Honda +0.223; 3. Max Biaggi (ITA) Repsol Honda +0.314; 4. Alex Barros (BRA) Camel Honda +0.336; 5. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +0.451; 6. Colin Edwards (USA) Gauloises Yamaha Team +0.468; 7. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Movistar Honda MotoGP +0.574; 8. Marco Melandri (ITA) Movistar Honda MotoGP +0.710; 9. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Gauloises Yamaha Team +0.741; 10. Carlos Checa (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.814; 11. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +1.037; 12. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +1.081; 15. Alex Hofmann (GER) Kawasaki Racing Team +1.654
ROUND 8 - RED BULL US GRAND PRIX, LAGUNA SECA
8 JULY 2005 - FREE PRACTICE
KAWASAKI RIDERS BACK TO SCHOOL IN THE USA
MotoGP returned to America after an eleven-year absence today, with Kawasaki riders Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann on track for three hours of free practice.
And they needed every minute of track time during day one of preparations for Sunday's 32-lap USGP at Laguna Seca.
Both Nakano and Hofmann are newcomers to the hillside circuit near Monterey, with its 11-turns and compact, rollercoaster layout.
Track knowledge is critical at this demanding track, a track that is completely different in character to traditional European Grand Prix circuits.
Both Kawasaki riders say they are still to unravel the secrets of the infamous Corkscrew section and the fast-flowing, downhill curves that follow.
Sixth gear is not required at all, and the full throttle potential of the 990cc Ninja ZX-RR is only briefly explored.
At 255 kph the track has the lowest top speed on the MotoGP calendar with the Ninja ZX-RR using fifth gear just once per lap, along the pit straight on the approach to turn one.
An 85 kph first gear is used three times: at turns two and eleven, plus turn eight, which is the breathtaking downhill entry to the infamous Corkscrew.
Today track conditions were dusty with a lack of grip in the opening morning practice session of two hours. Grip levels improved slightly in the afternoon as Kawasaki technicians worked through a busy programme of chassis, suspension, gearbox and tyre combinations.
There is still a lot of work to be done with a further selection of Bridgestone rear tyres to be evaluated, in parallel with engine management tuning and suspension, to help control wheelspin.
Shinya Nakano: #56 - Twelfth - 1'25.309
"It's exciting to be here for the USGP, but my first laps of the circuit this morning were a big surprise, especially the Corkscrew and the steep downhill section that follows. However I still have some learning to do through this section. I followed a couple of American riders and they have a better understanding of the track from turns 8 to 11. It has been difficult to find rear grip, the track surface is different from Europe, but if we can find a chassis and tyre set-up I think the ZX-RR could suit this track with our strong acceleration. On safety, I would like to see some more protection on the walls that are close to the track, but otherwise I'm enjoying riding here."
Alex Hofmann: #66 - Fifteenth - 1'25.882
"In Europe we have never seen a track like this, so it is a little bit shocking when you first ride a MotoGP bike here. The walls are close and there is not the run-off areas we are used to at some corners. But I'm enjoying the layout, it is physical and demanding, although quite bumpy. I could do with more rear grip, but overall this track has the potential to suit the ZX-RR. And I still haven't found my rhythm on the bike, the Corkscrew and I and not good friends at the moment and I've got a lot of thinking to do about the direction to take with set-up and learning he track."
Ichiro Yoda: Technical Director
"We are in search of traction and will continue our work with Bridgestone tomorrow with another three rear tyres to evaluate. This track surface is new to us, so we mainly have to look at rear spring and shock set-up, weight transfer and engine tuning, to control wheelspin. And both Shinya and Alex are still learning to fully understand the special nature of this circuit, it is quite slow overall, we barely need fifth gear; fourth is okay."
FREE PRACTICE - COMBINED TIMES
1. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda 1'24.228; 2. Troy Bayliss (AUS) Camel Honda +0.223; 3. Max Biaggi (ITA) Repsol Honda +0.314; 4. Alex Barros (BRA) Camel Honda +0.336; 5. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +0.451; 6. Colin Edwards (USA) Gauloises Yamaha Team +0.468; 7. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Movistar Honda MotoGP +0.574; 8. Marco Melandri (ITA) Movistar Honda MotoGP +0.710; 9. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Gauloises Yamaha Team +0.741; 10. Carlos Checa (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.814; 11. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +1.037; 12. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +1.081; 15. Alex Hofmann (GER) Kawasaki Racing Team +1.654
Sun Jul 10, 2005 5:52 pm
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2005 Download PDF
ROUND 8 - RED BULL US GRAND PRIX, LAGUNA SECA
9 JULY 2005 - QUALIFYING PRACTICE
NAKANO QUALIFIES TOP TEN FOR USGP DEBUT
Kawasaki rider Shinya Nakano claimed a top ten starting spot for the USGP in today's highly competitive qualifying session at a sun-drenched Laguna Seca.
Nakano will start from tenth on the fourth row of the grid, after posting a time that was just 0.3s off the second row.
Nakano's Ninja ZX-RR teammate, Alex Hofmann, qualified 15th to complete the fifth row of the grid.
Both Kawasaki riders are making their first racing appearances at Laguna Seca and are continuing to learn the finer points of this compact, rollercoaster circuit.
The USGP will be raced over 32 laps, the longest of the season in terms of laps, and is promising to be a tough examination of physical and mental endurance for riders. Race distance tyre performance will also be a key factor.
Times tumbled dramatically in qualifying, with Nakano slicing more than 1.6s from his best time from Friday's free practice sessions.
Following set-up changes to spring balance, both riders reported improved rear grip today as they evaluated a new construction rear Bridgestone tyre. Both riders will race with this tyre tomorrow.
Qualifying was run in windy and dusty, but warm track conditions.
With 22 minutes of the one hour session remaining, Nakano claimed the third fastest time for a provisional front row start before continuing his set-up work for tomorrow's race.
Nakano was consistently in the top ten during the session and only slipped to tenth in the final minutes.
Meanwhile Hofmann was disappointed with the outcome of the session, with his final fast lap on a soft qualifying tyre spoilt by traffic.
This race marks the return of the USGP to Laguna Seca and the World Championship after an absence of 11 years.
Shinya Nakano: #56 - Tenth - 1'23.799
"I was aiming for the top three rows and missed by one position but I'm confident, I learnt a lot this afternoon during my fast laps on qualifying tyres. I have found a better line up the hill and on the approach to the Corkscrew, which I will use in the race. I expected a little more on this short track, but tenth is not so bad on my first visit here, and I'm not so far from the front group. The wind was a problem for me today, especially in the fast left corners. Our race package is consistent, but 32 laps here is going to be very, very tough."
Alex Hofmann: #66 - Fifteenth - 1'24.480
"I'm not happy; 15th is not where I wanted to be. I had a good lap going behind Valentino late in the session when a couple of guys got between us, just cruising, and that screwed my lap. I'm more comfortable than yesterday, and we have a better rear end set-up, but for sure it has not been love at first sight between me and this track, especially the Corkscrew and downhill section. The American riders can do it blindfolded, but I will continue the learning process in the morning warm-up."
Ichiro Yoda: Technical Director
"Overall a good performance, the gap to the top group was closer than yesterday. Tomorrow we will race a new construction Bridgestone tyre and from our tests today we can see that this development is in the right direction. The Bridgestone engineers are confident of our endurance potential over the race distance."
Harald Eckl: Team Manager
"For 32 laps around Laguna Seca this is going to be a tyre race, and very tough in these conditions. It's difficult to pass, so both Shinya and Alex will need good starts and a strong effort in the opening sequence of corners. Our lap times are very close to the top group ahead and Shinya is ahead of riders like Gibernau and Melandri. I'm very happy with the debut efforts of Shinya and Alex at Laguna Seca, now it's wait and see for the race."
QUALIFYING PRACTICE - FINAL TIMES
1. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda 1'22.670; 2. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Gauloises Yamaha Team +0.354; 3. Alex Barros (BRA) Camel Honda +0.642; 4. Troy Bayliss (AUS) Camel Honda +0.688; 5. Colin Edwards (USA) Gauloises Yamaha Team +0.799; 6. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +0.823; 7. Max Biaggi (ITA) Repsol Honda +0.926; 8. Carlos Checa (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.927; 9. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Konica Minolta Honda +1.080; 10. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +1.129; 11. Marco Melandri (ITA) Movistar Honda MotoGP +1.235; 12. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +1.341; 15. Alex Hofmann (GER) Kawasaki Racing Team +1.810
ROUND 8 - RED BULL US GRAND PRIX, LAGUNA SECA
9 JULY 2005 - QUALIFYING PRACTICE
NAKANO QUALIFIES TOP TEN FOR USGP DEBUT
Kawasaki rider Shinya Nakano claimed a top ten starting spot for the USGP in today's highly competitive qualifying session at a sun-drenched Laguna Seca.
Nakano will start from tenth on the fourth row of the grid, after posting a time that was just 0.3s off the second row.
Nakano's Ninja ZX-RR teammate, Alex Hofmann, qualified 15th to complete the fifth row of the grid.
Both Kawasaki riders are making their first racing appearances at Laguna Seca and are continuing to learn the finer points of this compact, rollercoaster circuit.
The USGP will be raced over 32 laps, the longest of the season in terms of laps, and is promising to be a tough examination of physical and mental endurance for riders. Race distance tyre performance will also be a key factor.
Times tumbled dramatically in qualifying, with Nakano slicing more than 1.6s from his best time from Friday's free practice sessions.
Following set-up changes to spring balance, both riders reported improved rear grip today as they evaluated a new construction rear Bridgestone tyre. Both riders will race with this tyre tomorrow.
Qualifying was run in windy and dusty, but warm track conditions.
With 22 minutes of the one hour session remaining, Nakano claimed the third fastest time for a provisional front row start before continuing his set-up work for tomorrow's race.
Nakano was consistently in the top ten during the session and only slipped to tenth in the final minutes.
Meanwhile Hofmann was disappointed with the outcome of the session, with his final fast lap on a soft qualifying tyre spoilt by traffic.
This race marks the return of the USGP to Laguna Seca and the World Championship after an absence of 11 years.
Shinya Nakano: #56 - Tenth - 1'23.799
"I was aiming for the top three rows and missed by one position but I'm confident, I learnt a lot this afternoon during my fast laps on qualifying tyres. I have found a better line up the hill and on the approach to the Corkscrew, which I will use in the race. I expected a little more on this short track, but tenth is not so bad on my first visit here, and I'm not so far from the front group. The wind was a problem for me today, especially in the fast left corners. Our race package is consistent, but 32 laps here is going to be very, very tough."
Alex Hofmann: #66 - Fifteenth - 1'24.480
"I'm not happy; 15th is not where I wanted to be. I had a good lap going behind Valentino late in the session when a couple of guys got between us, just cruising, and that screwed my lap. I'm more comfortable than yesterday, and we have a better rear end set-up, but for sure it has not been love at first sight between me and this track, especially the Corkscrew and downhill section. The American riders can do it blindfolded, but I will continue the learning process in the morning warm-up."
Ichiro Yoda: Technical Director
"Overall a good performance, the gap to the top group was closer than yesterday. Tomorrow we will race a new construction Bridgestone tyre and from our tests today we can see that this development is in the right direction. The Bridgestone engineers are confident of our endurance potential over the race distance."
Harald Eckl: Team Manager
"For 32 laps around Laguna Seca this is going to be a tyre race, and very tough in these conditions. It's difficult to pass, so both Shinya and Alex will need good starts and a strong effort in the opening sequence of corners. Our lap times are very close to the top group ahead and Shinya is ahead of riders like Gibernau and Melandri. I'm very happy with the debut efforts of Shinya and Alex at Laguna Seca, now it's wait and see for the race."
QUALIFYING PRACTICE - FINAL TIMES
1. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda 1'22.670; 2. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Gauloises Yamaha Team +0.354; 3. Alex Barros (BRA) Camel Honda +0.642; 4. Troy Bayliss (AUS) Camel Honda +0.688; 5. Colin Edwards (USA) Gauloises Yamaha Team +0.799; 6. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +0.823; 7. Max Biaggi (ITA) Repsol Honda +0.926; 8. Carlos Checa (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.927; 9. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Konica Minolta Honda +1.080; 10. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +1.129; 11. Marco Melandri (ITA) Movistar Honda MotoGP +1.235; 12. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +1.341; 15. Alex Hofmann (GER) Kawasaki Racing Team +1.810
Sun Jul 10, 2005 6:03 pm
Can't wait 
bacon and egg breaky.. and late to work 
Bayliss is 4th too go Troy I think he needs a good finish
mario
go team green!!!!!
bacon and egg breaky.. and late to work
Bayliss is 4th too go Troy I think he needs a good finish
mario
go team green!!!!!
Mon Jul 11, 2005 4:37 pm
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2005 Download PDF
ROUND 8 - RED BULL US GRAND PRIX, LAGUNA SECA
10 JULY 2005 - MOTOGP RACE RESULT
KAWASAKI MEN BOTH SCORE POINTS IN AMERICA
MotoGP racing made a spectacular return to North America today, with Kawasaki rider Shinya Nakano finishing in a strong ninth place in the USGP.
Nakano was joined in the World Championship points by teammate Alex Hofmann, who finished twelfth with another determined ride at the warm and sunny Laguna Seca circuit.
The double points-scoring finish by Nakano and Hofmann maintains Kawasaki's third place in the Constructors Championship, ahead of Ducati and Suzuki.
The race was another encouraging step in both the development of the Ninja ZX-RR and the progress being made by tyre supplier Bridgestone.
Nakano finished the race just 1.3s out of sixth place, in a closely bunched group that included factory Honda riders Troy Bayliss (sixth) and Makoto Tamada (seventh) plus Suzuki's John Hopkins (eighth) and Loris Capirossi (Ducati) who was tenth.
After being tenth in the opening laps Nakano slotted into eighth behind Hopkins on lap eight. By lap 14 the pair had Bayliss in their sights and a close battle unfolded over the remaining 18 laps.
Tamada joined the party and on lap 23 just squeezed past Nakano for eighth place.
This was Nakano's first race on the demanding hillside Laguna Seca track, and he learnt a great deal as he pushed track experts Bayliss and Hopkins to the limit.
From the fifth row of the grid Hofmann was caught in a bumping battle for track position on the opening lap and lost ground. After moving into 12th on lap ten, Hofmann dropped back to 15th with a momentary gearbox problem.
At the final corner on lap 11 Hofmann's bike dropped into neutral as he downshifted from second to first gear. But the young German rider made a brilliant recovery to charge back past Toni Elias (Yamaha) and Kenny Roberts Jr (Suzuki) to score valuable championship points.
This was the first motorcycle Grand Prix in America for 11 years and the race was watched by a capacity crowd of 57,932 who were delighted with the race victory by home race favourite Nicky Hayden.
Shinya Nakano: #56 - Ninth
"It was a very hard race but over the final 15 laps I was able to race with Bayliss, Hopkins and Tamada, which is very encouraging for Kawasaki. I enjoyed the battle and I was able to learn many things about the track following Troy and John. The main point is we still need more top end power, plus a little more bottom end, to have a chance against these guys. The team did a very good job here and I was able to race with different electronic settings, which helped in the race. And our Bridgestone tyres had consistent grip for the race today."
Alex Hofmann: #66 - Twelfth
"I was on full lean angle in turn eleven when the gearbox shifted into neutral. I couldn't click it straight back into first because I would have high-sided. It was a pity because I was ahead of the group that included Roberts and then I had do it all again to pass Elias and Roberts back. Eleventh was possible without that lost time. In the race I was much more comfortable with the track, I now understand the Corkscrew. I was able to run a consistent pace with good grip and I'm happy to get some points. The crowd was amazing today."
Harald Eckl: Team Manager
"We made the best results we could out of our package today and both riders took points to keep Kawasaki third in the Constructors Championship, which is very important."
MOTOGP RACE RESULT
1. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda 45'15.374; 2. Colin Edwards (USA) Gauloises Yamaha Team +1.941; 3. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Gauloises Yamaha Team +2.312; 4. Max Biaggi (ITA) Repsol Honda +4.216; 5. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Movistar Honda MotoGP +4.478; 6. Troy Bayliss (AUS) Camel Honda +22.381; 7. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Konica Minolta Honda +22.493; 8. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +23.148; 9. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +23.625; 10. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team +26.123; 11. Ruben Xaus (SPA) Fortuna Yamaha Team +43.512; 12. Alex Hofmann (GER) Kawasaki Racing Team +50.957
ROUND 8 - RED BULL US GRAND PRIX, LAGUNA SECA
10 JULY 2005 - MOTOGP RACE RESULT
KAWASAKI MEN BOTH SCORE POINTS IN AMERICA
MotoGP racing made a spectacular return to North America today, with Kawasaki rider Shinya Nakano finishing in a strong ninth place in the USGP.
Nakano was joined in the World Championship points by teammate Alex Hofmann, who finished twelfth with another determined ride at the warm and sunny Laguna Seca circuit.
The double points-scoring finish by Nakano and Hofmann maintains Kawasaki's third place in the Constructors Championship, ahead of Ducati and Suzuki.
The race was another encouraging step in both the development of the Ninja ZX-RR and the progress being made by tyre supplier Bridgestone.
Nakano finished the race just 1.3s out of sixth place, in a closely bunched group that included factory Honda riders Troy Bayliss (sixth) and Makoto Tamada (seventh) plus Suzuki's John Hopkins (eighth) and Loris Capirossi (Ducati) who was tenth.
After being tenth in the opening laps Nakano slotted into eighth behind Hopkins on lap eight. By lap 14 the pair had Bayliss in their sights and a close battle unfolded over the remaining 18 laps.
Tamada joined the party and on lap 23 just squeezed past Nakano for eighth place.
This was Nakano's first race on the demanding hillside Laguna Seca track, and he learnt a great deal as he pushed track experts Bayliss and Hopkins to the limit.
From the fifth row of the grid Hofmann was caught in a bumping battle for track position on the opening lap and lost ground. After moving into 12th on lap ten, Hofmann dropped back to 15th with a momentary gearbox problem.
At the final corner on lap 11 Hofmann's bike dropped into neutral as he downshifted from second to first gear. But the young German rider made a brilliant recovery to charge back past Toni Elias (Yamaha) and Kenny Roberts Jr (Suzuki) to score valuable championship points.
This was the first motorcycle Grand Prix in America for 11 years and the race was watched by a capacity crowd of 57,932 who were delighted with the race victory by home race favourite Nicky Hayden.
Shinya Nakano: #56 - Ninth
"It was a very hard race but over the final 15 laps I was able to race with Bayliss, Hopkins and Tamada, which is very encouraging for Kawasaki. I enjoyed the battle and I was able to learn many things about the track following Troy and John. The main point is we still need more top end power, plus a little more bottom end, to have a chance against these guys. The team did a very good job here and I was able to race with different electronic settings, which helped in the race. And our Bridgestone tyres had consistent grip for the race today."
Alex Hofmann: #66 - Twelfth
"I was on full lean angle in turn eleven when the gearbox shifted into neutral. I couldn't click it straight back into first because I would have high-sided. It was a pity because I was ahead of the group that included Roberts and then I had do it all again to pass Elias and Roberts back. Eleventh was possible without that lost time. In the race I was much more comfortable with the track, I now understand the Corkscrew. I was able to run a consistent pace with good grip and I'm happy to get some points. The crowd was amazing today."
Harald Eckl: Team Manager
"We made the best results we could out of our package today and both riders took points to keep Kawasaki third in the Constructors Championship, which is very important."
MOTOGP RACE RESULT
1. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda 45'15.374; 2. Colin Edwards (USA) Gauloises Yamaha Team +1.941; 3. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Gauloises Yamaha Team +2.312; 4. Max Biaggi (ITA) Repsol Honda +4.216; 5. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Movistar Honda MotoGP +4.478; 6. Troy Bayliss (AUS) Camel Honda +22.381; 7. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Konica Minolta Honda +22.493; 8. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +23.148; 9. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +23.625; 10. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team +26.123; 11. Ruben Xaus (SPA) Fortuna Yamaha Team +43.512; 12. Alex Hofmann (GER) Kawasaki Racing Team +50.957