Kawasaki Press Release - Valencia

[MadKaw]

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
GRAN PREMIO MARLBORO DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA
28TH OCTOBER 2004 - EVENT PREVIEW

SUPER SHINYA ON TRACK FOR TOP TEN FINISH

Fuchs Kawasaki rider Shinya Nakano comes to the Valencia Grand Prix
aiming to secure a top ten place in the MotoGP World Championship
standings in the final race of the season.

The accomplished Japanese rider is just three points out of tenth place
in a tight battle with rivals Ruben Xaus and Marco Melandri.

For Nakano, 27, the Valencia circuit is an ideal venue for the end of
season showdown. He likes the stadium layout of the 4 km Valencia track,
on which he won the 250cc Grand Prix in 2000.

In his first season aboard the evolution version of the Ninja ZX-RR,
Nakano has scored a total of six top ten finishes, including a superb
third-place podium at the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi.

And without the setback of a 300 kph crash at the Italian GP, triggered
by a rear tyre failure, and a mechanical retirement while in third
place at Qatar then Nakano would already be secure in the top ten of the
points standings.

While Nakano is focussed on his pre-season target his Fuchs Kawasaki
team-mate, Alex Hofmann, is also set to complete his first full season of
factory MotoGP racing on a strong note.

The 24-year-old German rookie is 15th in the standings, ahead of Suzuki
factory rivals John Hopkins and Kenny Roberts Jr. and the Aprilia
pairing of Jeremy McWilliams and Shane Byrne.

This race marks the first anniversary of the public track debut of the
second evolution of the Ninja ZX-RR using Bridgestone tyres, which
first appeared in last November's post-Valencia GP test session.

The past 12 months has seen constant development of the bike that
recently saw the addition of the latest Magneti Marelli electronics system,
which has improved power delivery and throttle feel.

The Valencia circuit is a demanding physical challenge with a non-stop
sequence of 14 turns that places high demands on chassis balance,
agility and rider concentration. Unusually in GP racing the track features
just one straight and, at 880 metres, it is one of the shortest on the
calendar.

After the race the Kawasaki team will stay on in Valencia on Monday for
a MotoGP media ride day and an afternoon test session with tyre partner
Bridgestone.

Shinya Nakano: #56
"My target is the top ten in the championship, so I'm looking forward
to that challenge against Marco and Ruben, who are close to me in the
points. I've always liked the Valencia track, even when I was racing in
the 250cc class. It is very technical with 14 turns and only one
straight, so hopefully that will suit the ZX-RR chassis, which is our strong
point. Since Qatar the latest engine electronics package has improved
throttle feeling and power delivery, which is also critical at this
track. It is my first time here on the ZX-RR, so I expect to have a lot of
set-up work to do in practice and qualifying."

Alex Hofmann: #66
"I first rode the new ZX-RR on Bridgestone tyres here one year ago, so
it will be interesting to be back at Valencia. The bike and tyre
package has made many positive steps forward over the past year, so this will
be an opportunity to measure our progress. The stadium-style layout
with the constant flow of corners should work in favour of the ZX-RR
chassis and I'm aiming to finish the season with a strong result in the
points. I've finished top ten in two of the past four races and another
result like that in Valencia would be the perfect end to the season."

Harald Eckl: Team Manager
"It is one year since we unveiled the current evolution model of the
Ninja ZX-RR in testing at Valencia, and I'm sure our performance this
weekend will reflect the progress we have made with the bike. We started
the season aiming for a top ten finish and this weekend with Shinya that
remains our goal. At recent races Alex has shown he has the speed to
finish in the top ten and, as usual, we will be working towards the best
possible team result with both riders. Overall I'm happy with our
development program this year, but already we are well advanced with
planning for 2005 - there is still a lot to do, and I don't see any lessening
in the intensity of the competition in MotoGP."

[MadKaw]

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
GRAN PREMIO MARLBORO DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA
29TH OCTOBER 2004 - QUALIFYING PRACTICE 1

NAKANO AND HOFMANN ON THE PACE AT VALENCIA

First day qualifying for the final race of the 2004 season saw Fuchs
Kawasaki riders, Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann, ninth and twelfth
respectively on the provisional grid for Sunday's Valencia Grand Prix.

It was a highly competitive session with the fastest 12 riders
separated by just one second on the tight and twisting, 14 turn, four kilometre
Valencia circuit.

Nakano was less than two tenths of second outside a top six, second row
starting spot, while Hofmann is planning to join his team-mate in the
top ten of the final grid for the 30 lap race.

Both Nakano and Hofmann concentrated on race set-up work today and both
riders felt they did not maximise their final qualifying runs on soft
compound tyres.

Nakano said he was 'out of rhythm' on his fast lap while Hofmann faced
the usual heavy traffic late in the session on this comparatively
narrow circuit.

Rear-end settings to control slides through the busy sequence of five,
second gear corners on the infield section, and fine tuning of the
engine electronics for power delivery, will be the focus of tomorrow's
second day of practice.

Track conditions were less than ideal, with cool and windy weather, and
this was reflected in overall lap times. Today's provisional pole
position time by Sete Gibernau was one second slower than the 2003
qualifying mark set by reigning World Champion Valentino Rossi.

Although the Valencia GP is the final event of the 16 race MotoGP World
Championship, both Hofmann and Nakano have a busy month of two wheel
activity in November.

The Kawasaki team will test at Valencia on Monday.

Hofmann will then go to America to prepare for a wild card entry in the
final round of the AMA Supermoto Championship in Las Vegas on November
13.

Later in November Hofmann and Nakano will complete an end-of-season
test session at Jerez prior to the commencement of the winter test ban.

For the moment however both riders' clear focus is on the Valencia
race, and a strong finish to the season.

Shinya Nakano: 9th (1'34.475)
"I did not have a very good rhythm on my final fast lap, so I think I
can still go faster. I still have a lot of set-up work to do, as this is
my first time on the track with the Ninja ZX-RR and Bridgestone tyres.
I have some front end chatter and the rear end is sliding too much
through the stadium section. I have already found a good race tyre, but
will do some more work on that tomorrow."

Alex Hofmann: 12th (1'34.599)
"I ran into some traffic on my fast lap, but everyone has that problem
here. More importantly I am still searching for a comfortable race
set-up on race tyres, and we have a lot of work to do tomorrow. I need
better rear end grip through the second gear left-handers and also the
faster fourth gear corner; the rear is sliding too much. I'm sure we can
find some more balance in the chassis; the front is also lifting a little
too much on acceleration. I'm just outside the top ten and to get
inside is my aim for tomorrow."

Harald Eckl - Team Manager
"Our focus today was on race set-up and tyre evaluation, so I'm happy
for both Shinya and Alex to be in the top 12 on the grid, as neither of
them got the most out of their qualifying run. This track is tight and
tough, with very close lap times, and set-up for the race distance is
very important. On today's performance I think both riders can be in the
top ten on the grid, with Shinya having chance of a top six starting
spot."

QUALIFYING PRACTICE 1 - FINAL TIMES
1. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Telefonica Movistar Honda 1'33.531; 2. Makoto
Tamada (JPN) Camel Honda Team +0.003; 3. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Gauloises
Fortuna Yamaha +0.264; 4. Troy Bayliss (AUS) Ducati Marlboro Team
+0.307; 5. Max Biaggi (ITA) Camel Honda Team +0.768; 6. Loris Capirossi
(ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.793; 7. Colin Edwards (USA) Telefonica
Movistar Honda +0.863; 8. John Hopkins (USA) Suzuki Grand Prix Team +0.889;
9. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +0.944; 10. Alex Barros
(BRA) Repsol Honda +0.969; 11. Carlos Checa (SPA) Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha
+0.969; 12. Alex Hofmann (GER) Kawasaki Racing Team +1.068; 13. Ruben
Xaus (SPA) dAntin Ducati Team +1.350

[MadKaw]

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
GRAN PREMIO MARLBORO DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA
30TH OCTOBER 2004 - QUALIFYING PRACTICE 2

NAKANO SET TO CHALLENGE FOR TOP TEN CHAMPIONSHIP POSITION

Fuchs Kawasaki rider Shinya Nakano is on target to secure a top ten
finish in the MotoGP World Championship standings in the season ending
Valencia Grand Prix tomorrow.

Nakano is confident with the race set-up of his Ninja ZX-RR after
today's final qualifying session and he will start from tenth on the grid,
two rows ahead of his nearest rivals in the points.

Nakano needs to make up just three points on Ruben Xaus and Marco
Melandri to claim tenth in the championship.

Xaus has qualified 17th with Melandri 16th, both well behind Nakano on
the sixth row of the grid.

Joining Nakano on the fourth row of the grid is his Fuchs Kawasaki
team-mate Alex Hofmann, who was 11th fastest in the today's sunny but cool
final qualifying session.

With just four minutes remaining in the session, Hofmann was eighth
fastest before being bumped by the late rush of fast times on soft
qualifying tyres.

After overnight revisions to race tyre choice for improved edge grip,
plus rear suspension and swinging arm set-up, both riders improved their
first day qualifying times by almost one second.

In particular Hofmann was much more comfortable with his race set-up
today, having found a better chassis balance and much improved rear-end
control and grip levels.

The current evolution model of the Bridgestone-shod ZX-RR first
appeared at Valencia one year ago, and has made significant steps forward in a
constant process of development.

Nakano's qualifying time of 1'33.5s was 1.4s faster than the best
Kawasaki qualifying time for this race last year. Thirteen riders qualified
within one second of pole position.

Track conditions on the twisting and compact 4 km Valencia circuit were
warmer and faster today than in yesterdays provisional qualifying and
continuing fine weather is forecast for tomorrow's 30 lap race.

Shinya Nakano 10th (1'33.557)
"When I saw my lap time I thought I would be further up the grid
compared to yesterday, but because everyone is so close I'm quite happy with
this position. For sure the start will be very important for me on this
track, as I'm aiming for tenth in the championship and a positive end
to the season. My final fast lap had a lot of traffic, so perhaps it
could have been a little faster. My bike felt much better this afternoon
compared to yesterday and this morning, we made a lot of rear suspension
changes and I will try more improvements in the pre-race warm-up
session tomorrow."

Alex Hofmann 11th (1'33.723)
"I'm very happy with the work my team has done to improve the bike from
yesterday; I really struggled with rear-end slides, but today we made
an important step forward and my race pace is faster and more
consistent. I did my fast time alone without a tow, but there are no points for
qualifying so my focus is on the race and a top ten result. The chassis
balance is much improved and we have more edge grip now and some more
ideas to try in the warm-up."

Harald Eckl: Team Manager
"Our goal for the race is to have Shinya tenth in the championship,
ahead of Ruben Xaus and Marco Melandri, and he has taken the first step in
qualifying. Alex showed today that he is capable of a strong finish to
the season and, with the improvements to the ZX-RR, both riders have an
excellent chance of a top ten race finish. I'm hoping that both riders
can finish the final GP with positive memories for the winter break."

QUALIFYING PRACTICE 2 - COMBINED TIMES
1. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Camel Honda Team 1'32.815; 2. Max Biaggi (ITA)
Camel Honda Team +0.016; 3. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Gauloises Fortuna
Yamaha +0.098; 4. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Telefonica Movistar Honda +0.121; 5.
Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda +0.184; 6. Troy Bayliss (AUS) Ducati
Marlboro Team +0.268; 7. John Hopkins (USA) Suzuki Grand Prix Team
+0.607; 8. Colin Edwards (USA) Telefonica Movistar Honda +0.623; 9. Carlos
Checa (SPA) Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha +0.689; 10. Shinya Nakano (JPN)
Kawasaki Racing Team +0.742; 11. Alex Hofmann (GER) Kawasaki Racing Team
+0.908; 12. Alex Barros (BRA) Repsol Honda +0.958; 13. Loris Capirossi
(ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.966;

[MadKaw]

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
GRAN PREMIO MARLBORO DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA
31ST OCTOBER 2004 - MOTOGP RACE RESULT

SUPER SHINYA SECURES TENTH PLACE FOR FUCHS KAWASAKI

Japanese ace Shinya Nakano finished his debut season with the Fuchs
Kawasaki Racing Team by securing tenth place in the MotoGP World
Championship standings in today's Valencia Grand Prix.

Nakano was in superb form and rode his Ninja ZX-RR into seventh place
in the race to leap-frog from 12th to 10th position in the final points
standings. In the process the Fuchs Kawasaki rider moved ahead of Ruben
Xaus and Marco Melandri.

A top ten championship position was the stated goal of Nakano and the
Fuchs Kawasaki squad when they joined forces for the 2004 season.

Nakano's team-mate Alex Hofmann finished 11th after making a horror
start and dropping to 18th on the first lap. Despite a charging ride
through the pack Hofmann had conceded too much time and this clearly cost
him a chance of a top ten race finish.

On the way to 11th place Hofmann pulled off a series of brilliant
overtaking moves on factory rivals Jeremy McWilliams and John Hopkins. Over
the final laps Hofmann raced at a similar pace to Nakano and finished
just 17 seconds behind his more experienced team-mate.

Hofmann finished 15th in the championship standings and second in the
Rookie of the Year points in his first full MotoGP season.

Nakano made a lightning start from tenth on the third row to be seventh
on the opening lap. He dropped to eighth in a mid-race battle with Alex
Barros, before holding seventh against a late charge from Colin
Edwards.

The Valencia Grand Prix result reflects the huge step forward taken by
the Bridgestone-shod Ninja ZX-RR over the past 12 months. Nakano's race
time today was over 60 seconds faster, a massive two seconds per lap,
than the best Kawasaki in the 2003 race.

The 16 race MotoGP season finished on a high note with a three day
attendance of 211,468 spectators and a full-house race day crowd of
122,034.

While the race season has concluded there is still work to do for the
Fuchs Kawasaki squad. On Monday there is media ride day on the Ninja
ZX-RR, followed by an afternoon tyre test session.

Later in November the development program for the 2005 season kicks-off
at the Jerez circuit in southern Spain, with a three day test before a
seven week winter test ban.

Shinya Nakano: 7th
"My target was top ten in the championship and a strong result in the
final race, so I'm happy to achieve both of those today. I made a really
good start, I was seventh in turn two, and was able to hold a place in
the top ten even after a battle with Alex Barros. I couldn't run at the
frontrunner's pace, but this is an excellent result for the ZX-RR. We
have learnt a lot this season, so my thanks to Kawasaki and Bridgestone.
I know that next year we will make even more progress in the MotoGP
World Championship."

Alex Hofmann: 11th
"That was the worst start of my life, and it cost me a chance of a top
ten result today; that makes me unhappy. I don't know what went wrong;
I either had too many revs going or not enough. For sure this is
something I have to work on for next season. For us it is not easy to pass on
the straights, so I had to look for other opportunities and, once I got
going, I was able to overtake McWilliams and Hopkins and get some real
racing experience, which is what I have been missing for the past
couple of years. This is a good base for my 2005 season."

Harald Eckl: Team Manager
"I'm delighted that we achieved tenth in the championship with Shinya,
which was a realistic goal for the Ninja ZX-RR this season. And the
race performance today demonstrates all the hard work of everyone at
Kawasaki and Bridgestone in what has been, at times, a difficult year. We
had some mid-season tyre and engine problems, but everyone worked
together to overcome those issues. Our aim next year is to move another step
forward with our two contracted riders Shinya and Alex, who despite a
poor start again showed his fighting spirit today. We will concentrate on
two riders, but we are discussing the possibility of entering a third
ZX-RR in the championship. If this can be organised and budgeted for,
and a good rider is available, then three ZX-RR machines on the grid
remains a possibility in 2005."

MOTOGP RACE RESULT
1. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha 47'16.145; 2. Max
Biaggi (ITA) Camel Honda Team +0.425; 3. Troy Bayliss (AUS) Ducati
Marlboro Team +3.133; 4. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Telefonica Movistar Honda +6.128;
5. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Camel Honda Team +7.768; 6. Alex Barros (BRA)
Repsol Honda +14.675; 7. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team
+23.315; 8. Colin Edwards (USA) Telefonica Movistar Honda +27.441; 9. Loris
Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team +29.403; 10. Norick Abe (JPN)
Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha +31.537; 11. Alex Hofmann (GER) Kawasaki Racing Team
+40.951; 12. John Hopkins (USA) Suzuki Grand Prix Team +1'02.014; 13.
Jeremy McWilliams (GBR) Proton Team KR +1'04.637

FINAL CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS 2004:
1. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha 304; 2. Sete Gibernau
(SPA) Telefonica Movistar Honda 257; 3. Max Biaggi (ITA) Camel Honda
Team 217; 4. Alex Barros (BRA) Repsol Honda 165; 5. Colin Edwards (USA)
Telefonica Movistar Honda 157; 6. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Camel Honda Team
150; 7. Carlos Checa (SPA) Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha 117; 8. Nicky Hayden
(USA) Repsol Honda 117; 9. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team
117; 10. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team 83; 11. Ruben Xaus
(SPA) dAntin Ducati Team 77; 12. Marco Melandri (ITA) Gauloises Fortuna
Yamaha 75; 15. Alex Hofmann (GER) Kawasaki Racing Team 51

[MadKaw]

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM JOURNALIST TEST DAY - VALENCIA
1ST NOVEMBER 2004 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

JIM REDMAN JOINS KAWASAKI JOURNALIST TEST DAY AT VALENCIA

Six times World Champion, Jim Redman MBE, joined journalists from all
over the world at Valencia today, for a test ride aboard the Kawasaki
Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP machines of Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann.

The annual end of season test provided journalists with the opportunity
to find out what Nakano and Hofmann experience each race weekend, as
they put the Ninja ZX-RR through its paces around the circuit on which
Nakano secured tenth place in the 2004 MotoGP Championship standings just
24 hours previously.

And while many of the journalists testing the Kawasaki today were well
known former racers, none could match the achievements of Redman, who
notched up four 350cc and two 250cc world titles on a variety of factory
Hondas. To this day, nobody has won more world titles for Honda than
Redman.

At the height of his career, Redman achieved a unique triple win at the
1964 Dutch TT, where he took victory in the 125cc, 250cc and 350cc
Grand Prix races in a single day - a feat that is unlikely ever to be
matched in the modern era!

And if further proof of his versatility were needed, Redman also
notched up six Isle of Man TT wins during his distinguished racing career.

Now living in South Africa, 73-year-old Redman still has a racer's
blood running through his veins. The former factory Honda rider is a
regular competitor at classic events throughout the world and, to a man, his
rivals claim he hasn't lost the competitive streak that made him so
successful on the Grand Prix circuit.

"It was absolutely fantastic, but I think I'd need at least a couple of
ten lap sessions to do the bike justice," said the six times World
Champion of his ride on the Ninja ZX-RR. "The power the bike produces makes
it difficult to open the throttle because the front wheel just keeps
coming up; even in between corners the front wheel just wants to come up
all the time. I was trying to dig my heels in to put more weight on the
front, but it just wants to take off."

"I guess at the age of 73 you can't expect to ride a bike like this the
way you used to, but I'd love to give it another go. It really was
fantastic," continued Redman.

But while Redman's list of achievements was the most impressive, he
wasn't the only former World Champion to throw a leg over the Ninja ZX-RR
at Valencia. Jorge 'Aspar' Martinez won three 80cc and one 125cc world
titles, while Olivier Jacque narrowly beat current Fuchs Kawasaki
rider, Shinya Nakano, to the 250cc crown in 2000. Between them Redman,
Martinez and Jacque won a total of eleven World Championship titles between
1962 and 2000.

In total, 20 journalists from 11 countries rode the Ninja ZX-RR at
Valencia, including ex-racers Randy Mamola, Didier De Radigues and Steve
Parrish. Their thoughts on Kawasaki's fast improving MotoGP machine will
be read in magazines on six continents, and featured on major
television sports programmes in Europe and Japan.

But while the annual journalist test day is over, the work continues
for the Kawasaki Racing Team. A three day test at Jerez at the end of
November will be followed by a two day wet tyre test at Paul Ricard,
before the winter test ban commences on 1st December.

[Nanna10r]

Thanks Dave for bringing these Motogp updates to the site ALL year, its very much appreciated.
Cheers Brett