Kawasaki GP Team - Jerez preview

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2005
ROUND 1 - CIRCUITO DE JEREZ, SPAIN
1 APRIL 2005 - EVENT PREVIEW

CONFIDENCE HIGH AS KAWASAKI HEAD FOR SEASON OPENER

The 2005 MotoGP World Championship season opens with the Spanish Grand
Prix at Jerez on Sunday 10 April, with Kawasaki factory riders, Shinya
Nakano and Alex Hofmann, eager to begin the 17-race campaign.

After seemingly endless days of winter testing with the Kawasaki Ninja
ZX-RR it is finally time to go racing. This will be the longest ever
MotoGP season, during which the sport will continue its global expansion
with new races in China and Turkey. In a welcome return America, the
single largest motorcycle market in the world, rejoins the calendar with
the USGP to be held at Laguna Seca for the first time since 1994.

Jerez will mark the race debut of the latest evolution of the Ninja
ZX-RR MotoGP machine, now powered by a big-bang version of Kawasaki's
990cc, inline four-cylinder engine. The revised motor only made its public
debut in February, but has already shown promising performance
potential despite still being in the early stages of development.

However, combining the race programme with the experimental demands of
testing and research will be a challenging, and at times thankless,
task during a busy Grand Prix campaign.

Riders Nakano and Hofmann will be familiar faces aboard the Ninja ZX-RR
machines, but there are some new men behind the scenes, which reflects
Kawasaki's on-going commitment to achieving MotoGP success.

Acclaimed Japanese engineer, Ichiro Yoda, has been appointed Technical
Director, while experienced Italian race engineer, Fiorenzo Fanali, is
the new crew chief for Nakano.

The Kawasaki team completed pre-season preparations at the official
IRTA test session at Jerez just last week. Impressive performances by
Nakano and Hofmann on their Bridgestone shod Ninja ZX-RR machines have put
the team and the riders in a buoyant mood going into the opening race.

Both chassis balance and tyre consistency are important factors at the
13-turn Jerez circuit, which is known for a track surface that offers
high levels of grip but is also highly abrasive.

As usual, the hillsides and grandstands surrounding the stadium style
Jerez circuit will be packed with upwards of 140,000 race fans,
guaranteeing a unique atmosphere for the opening Grand Prix of 2005.

Shinya Nakano: #56
"I like the Jerez track and the sheer number of fans packing the stands
and the hillsides make this race a great one with which to start the
new season. We have a lot of data from our tests here, both with the big
bang engine and the latest chassis. It is important that you have a
good chassis balance at this track, because there are so many direction
changes, and that you don't attack the track too aggressively. Push hard
at Jerez and you usually end up with a slower lap time than you were
expecting. I like the final section of the track in particular, from the
fast left corners leading into the flowing right-handers, and it is
this section that is critical to a fast time around this circuit. After
all the testing, I can't wait to go racing now."

Alex Hofmann: #66
"At long last I get to go racing. It's been a long wait through all the
testing, but the first race is finally here. Jerez is a good track for
me and it should definitely suit the characteristics of the Ninja
ZX-RR, especially because outright top speed isn't so important to a fast
lap here. I've had limited time with the new big bang engine, but my
initial impressions have been positive; it's definitely a step forward.
Throttle connection and overall balance through the fast corners are the
key factors to a fast lap at Jerez. I want to make a strong start to my
championship campaign, so it's maximum attack from the word go at Jerez
for me."

Acclaimed Japanese engineer, Ichiro Yoda, has been appointed Technical
Director, while experienced Italian race engineer, Fiorenzo Fanali, is
the new crew chief for Nakano.

"

We got Yoda......!!! Does this mean we have the force on our side????

feel the force luke....feel the force

Finally Kwika will be a force to be reckoned with eh?

Here's hoping this Year Kwika go OFF with a "Big Bang"
Cheers Brett