Kawasaki - Rio Press Release

[MadKaw]

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
CINZANO RIO GRAND PRIX - NELSON PIQUET CIRCUIT
1ST JULY 2004 - EVENT PREVIEW

HIGH SPEED RIO AWAITS FUCHS KAWASAKI RIDERS

Despite a rushed travel schedule, Fuchs Kawasaki riders, Shinya Nakano
and Alex Hofmann, are ready for the annual MotoGP visit to Brazil for
the Rio Grand Prix.

The challenge of the high-speed Rio race comes just one week after the
Dutch TT at Assen. The Rio GP is the seventh round of the MotoGP World
Championship.

For Hofmann it is a welcome return to Brazil where he has not raced for
three years, with his previous appearance being in the 2001 250cc GP.

A steep learning curve awaits MotoGP rookie Hofmann, as makes his 990cc
four stroke debut aboard the Ninja ZX-RR at a track that has a well
deserved reputation for being both bumpy and abrasive.

Even so, the 24-year-old Fuchs Kawasaki rider hopes to capitalise on
the speed and consistency he has shown in recent races.

Meanwhile, Hofmann's Fuchs Kawasaki teammate, Shinya Nakano, believes
the chassis and steering balance of the new generation Ninja ZX-RR,
together with the arrival of further new specification tyres from
Bridgestone, will produce a competitive package this weekend.

The 26-year-old Japanese rider comes to Rio on the back of a season
best fifth qualifying position at Assen, although he was bitterly
disappointed not to finish the Dutch TT after falling victim to a mechanical
problem during the race.

Rio is a once-a-year track with no pre-event testing, thus adding to
the task of both team and tyre engineers to confirm race settings in just
four hours of practice and qualifying.

The 12 turn Rio circuit is part of a complex that includes an Indy car
oval with a layout that features parallel straights. Here it is the
back straight that is the faster and longer of the two and, at 1,000
metres in length, the home of high-speed slipstreaming. The long, fast
curves also place a premium on front-end stability.

This year the Rio race has been returned to a Sunday afternoon staging
and moved forward in the calendar to mid-winter in the Southern
Hemisphere. One benefit could be the absence of the tropical downpours that
have often hit the Rio GP weekend and conditions will be cooler, although
pleasantly mild, with a forecast of 25 degree temperatures during
practice, qualifying and for Sunday's race.

Shinya Nakano: No.56
"I like Brazil and this track. It will be my first time here on the
Ninja ZX-RR and with no testing or previous data available finding a good
race set-up in practice will be critical. The bumps and low grip levels
are not easy to deal with, but the new 2004 Kawasaki chassis is a
strong point for us. Like Assen I'm looking for a good qualifying position,
although this time I want to see the chequered flag at the end of the
race. And it will be good if we have three days of dry weather to
properly evaluate the latest Bridgestone tyres, which we did not get a chance
to do in Assen because of the rain."

Alex Hofmann: No.66
"I'm happy to be back in Rio; I haven't raced here for three years.
It's my first time on a MotoGP bike here, so I'm sure it will take some
time to settle in on the Ninja ZX-RR at this track which is usually bumpy
and dirty for the opening sessions. My last race here was on a 250cc
machine, so it's difficult for me to predict too much regarding the
MotoGP bike, other than that Rio has some long and fast corners, which
usually suit my style. I like the layout of the circuit, although the fast
back straight needs a lot of top speed. Another strong finish and more
championship points is my main aim this weekend."

[mfzx6r]

Hmm mm MotoGp + beer+ Day off lookout Im getting a Tingle






mario

[icebreaker]

I took today off.. So looks like I'll just have to settle with recording it, and watching it when i get home from work...

[mrmina]

Another Rossi head fuck......

Woohoooo

[MadKaw]

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
CINZANO RIO GRAND PRIX - NELSON PIQUET CIRCUIT
2ND JULY 2004 - QUALIFYING PRACTICE 1

NAKANO ON THE CHARGE FOR FUCHS KAWASAKI AT RIO

Japanese rider Shinya Nakano led the Fuchs Kawasaki charge with the
sixth fastest time in today's provisional qualifying for Sunday's Rio
Grand Prix.

However, Nakano's position did not reflect his role as a leading
contender for pole position in the frantic final minutes of first qualifying.

After being in the leading group for much of the session, Nakano went
second fastest with just two minutes remaining, as he staged a superb
battle against factory rivals from Honda, Yamaha and Ducati for a place
on the front row.

A little unhappily Nakano had to settle for sixth place, just three
tenths of a second off the front row of the provisional grid, as a late
rush of riders posted late session times.

His Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR teammate, Alex Hofmann, was also in superb
form in his comeback ride at Rio. Hofmann is eleventh fastest and looking
to move forward with a clear run in final qualifying tomorrow.

After an absence of three years from this track, Hofmann spent much of
today's two, one hour sessions upgrading his knowledge of the bumps on
the fast Rio circuit.

Both Fuchs Kawasaki riders made dramatic steps forward from morning
practice, with major revisions to suspension set-up to deal with the
uneven grip levels, but the two riders are still some way from claiming
ideal settings, especially in maximising rear end grip and chassis balance
for the unique demands of Rio.

With temperatures hitting 36 degrees in near perfect, sunny conditions
both riders spent time evaluating race tyre choices, which are always a
critical factor at this track.

Kawasaki's tyre partner, Bridgestone, air freighted more than 800 tyres
to Rio, with further revisions to compounds and the reinforced
construction introduced at Barcelona last month.

Officially it is winter in Brazil, but the perfect-for-the-beach
weather, and no threat of rain, indicates that Sunday's 24-lap race will be a
hot and exhausting contest.

Shinya Nakano: 6th (1'49.531)
"I should be happy being so close to the front row, but I always want
more. At Welkom for the first race sixth on the grid was a very pleasant
surprise, but now, seven races into the season, I'm looking for better
results. I had some rear end chatter today and we need to work on this
before the race, but we also need to concentrate on our tyre choice.
Nothing has really changed with the bumps; the track is very rough every
year. I just hope that I can either improve tomorrow or, in the worst
case, keep today's qualifying position for the race."

Alex Hofmann: 11th (1'50.156)
"After being away for three years I'm now fully updated on where all
the bumps are here. The morning session wasn't good for me in terms of
chassis balance and grip over the bumps, but in the afternoon we made a
lot of progress. Rear grip is always the big struggle here, with the
bumps upsetting the bike. That's our big challenge for the race set-up.
Hopefully, when some more rubber gets laid down on the track, grip levels
will go up and that will things a little easier. I had some traffic on
my final qualifying lap, but I'm not complaining. Hopefully it will be
my turn for a clear lap tomorrow."

QUALIFYING PRACTICE 1 - FINAL TIMES
1. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Telefonica Movistar Honda 1'48.618; 2. Makoto
Tamada (JPN) Camel Honda Team +0.679; 3. Alex Barros (BRA) Repsol Honda
+0.681; 4. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha +0.709; 5.
Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.732; 6. Shinya Nakano (JPN)
Kawasaki Racing Team +0.913; 7. Max Biaggi (ITA) Camel Honda Team
+1.096; 8. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda +1.172; 9. Kenny Roberts (USA)
Suzuki Grand Prix Team +1.258; 10. Carlos Checa (SPA) Gauloises Fortuna
Yamaha +1.413; 11. Alex Hofmann (GER) Kawasaki Racing Team +1.583; 12.
Colin Edwards (USA) Telefonica Movistar Honda +1.546; 13. Troy Bayliss
(AUS) Ducati Marlboro Team +1.748

[MadKaw]

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
CINZANO RIO GRAND PRIX - NELSON PIQUET CIRCUIT
3RD JULY 2004 - QUALIFYING PRACTICE 2

NAKANO AND HOFMANN CONFIDENT FOR HOT RIO RACE

With final qualifying for the Rio Grand Prix bathed in glorious
sunshine, Fuchs Kawasaki riders, Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann, have
qualified ninth and fourteenth respectively for tomorrow's race.

Both riders improved their lap times from yesterday's first qualifying,
but dropped back on the grid in a late burst of fast times on soft
qualifying tyres. The closeness of the times, with Nakano just over half a
second off pole position, reflects the ferocity of MotoGP competition.

Nakano had been sixth and Hofmann eleventh in first qualifying.

Hofmann's final lap should have produced a faster time. The 24-year-old
German rider was 0.3s up on his best lap through the first two sectors,
but lost time when he ran wide on the exit of the left hand turn 10 and
was on the grass on the short straight.

However, both Kawasaki riders are in a buoyant mood having spent a lot
of time today on improving race set-up and tyre choice, which will be
critical on the bumpy and abrasive Rio track.

The race will be hot and exhausting and unlikely to be run at the fast
speeds set in final qualifying.

For tomorrow's 24-lap Rio Grand Prix, Hofmann's ZX-RR will run with
revised engine management settings, aimed at improving throttle connection
and feel; the latest step in Kawasaki's engine development programme.

Nakano's bike is running the current engine mapping specification,
allowing Kawasaki engineers to compare performance data.

Hofmann will also use different clutch settings, with a view to
boosting start line performance.

Kawasaki's test program continues in Rio on Monday after the race when
Hofmann will stay on to evaluate upgraded chassis parts.

Shinya Nakano: 9th (1'49.153)
"I expected a better qualifying position after being sixth yesterday,
but with the times as close as they are I'm not unhappy. The positive
point for us is that today our race tyre and set-up was fast and
consistent, the ZX-RR chassis has good balance and is working well at this
track. I'm confident for the race; I just need to make sure I make a good
start."

Alex Hofmann: 14th (1'49.853)
"I made a mistake on my final qualifying run, but I'm confident for the
race because today I did some very consistent times on race tyres. The
chassis balance is much better than yesterday and I think the race pace
will be slower than qualifying on this track. With the new engine
mapping the power connection with the throttle feels easier than before, and
this is another reason to feel confident. On my final lap I was
following Loris Capirossi and had a fast time going, but I was late on the
brakes and then ran wide onto the grass on the exit. I stayed on the
throttle but I lost a lot of time."

Harald Eckl: Team Manager
"In terms of grid position I'm a little disappointed because the
potential of the Ninja ZX-RR, our riders and the Bridgestone tyres is higher
than this. However, our race set-up improved a lot from yesterday and
we are well prepared for tomorrow. A top ten finish for both riders in
tomorrow's race should be a real possibility."

QUALIFYING PRACTICE 2 - COMBINED TIMES
1. Kenny Roberts (USA) Suzuki Grand Prix Team 1'48.418; 2. Max Biaggi
(ITA) Camel Honda Team +0.154; 3. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda
+0.162; 4. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Telefonica Movistar Honda +0.200; 5. Alex
Barros (BRA) Repsol Honda +0.257; 6. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro
Team +0.426; 7. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Camel Honda Team +0.430; 8.
Valentino Rossi (ITA) Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha +0.657; 9. Shinya Nakano (JPN)
Kawasaki Racing Team +0.735; 10. Troy Bayliss (AUS) Ducati Marlboro
Team +1.128; 11. Colin Edwards (USA) Telefonica Movistar Honda +1.230; 12.
Carlos Checa (SPA) Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha +1.255; 14. Alex Hofmann
(GER) Kawasaki Racing Team +1.435

[aardvark]

Another Rossi head fuck......

Woohoooo

Yep, I'm sure that Rossi would agree that crashing is a head fuck!

[mfzx6r]

Another Rossi head fuck......

Woohoooo

Yep, I'm sure that Rossi would agree that crashing is a head fuck!

Hahahahaa !!!!!
Sete was head farked as well


mario

[MadKaw]

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
CINZANO RIO GRAND PRIX - NELSON PIQUET CIRCUIT
4TH JULY 2004 - MOTOGP RACE RESULT

NAKANO AND HOFMANN ON THE CHARGE IN RIO HEAT WAVE

The Rio Grand Prix lived up to its hot and humid reputation with
Kawasaki Racing Team riders, Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann, battling
exhausting conditions to finish ninth and eleventh respectively.

Hofmann made a superb late race charge, and just missed joining his
teammate in the top ten when he failed by less than one second to run down
Spanish Yamaha rider Carlos Checa.

However, Nakano was disappointed with the outcome of the 24-lap race,
and his inability to launch a stronger challenge on the high-speed Rio
circuit.

The 26-year-old Japanese rider finished less than half a second behind
Norick Abe, but was frustrated that a horsepower deficit compared to
his rivals limited his passing opportunities on the Rio straights.

After settling in eleventh place from the start, Nakano shadowed Abe
from lap six, and over the final ten laps staged close battle against his
fellow countryman.

Just before the start mechanics worked overtime to change the fuel
injection throttle bodies on Nakano's Ninja ZX-RR, after a problem in the
pre-race warm-up.

Hofmann faced a big challenge when he was nineteenth at the end of lap
one, after a crowded start from 14th on the grid. Once the 24-year-old
German rider found some clear track he hunted down John Hopkins and
Ruben Xaus and passed both to claim 11th place on lap sixteen.

With six laps remaining Hofmann was seven seconds behind Checa, but
closed that gap to less than a second at the finish, as he surged to try
and claim tenth place. Hofmann's race pace was consistent and a valuable
test of the revised engine mapping used on his Ninja ZX-RR today.

The 24-lap race, with midday track temperatures touching 35 degrees,
was watched by an impressive crowd of 55,000 fans.

Shinya Nakano: 9th
"I'm very disappointed because it was not possible to fight any harder
today. We know we need more performance from the engine, and hopefully
this is being addressed, as finishing 27 seconds behind the race winner
is too much. At the beginning of the race I had a good feeling with the
bike and could see the leading group, but I just couldn't stay with
them. For the last ten laps I tried to pass Norick Abe, but it wasn't
possible. I have to say thanks to both my crew and the crew of my teammate,
who worked so hard together to change the fuel injection system on my
bike before the race."

Alex Hofmann: 11th
"The first three corners were very crowded and everyone passed me on
the outside. Then Jeremy McWilliams came past on the straight and,
suddenly, I found myself in 19th position. Not a good start to a race by any
means. Once I got clear of the traffic I was able to chase down John
Hopkins and Ruben Xaus and that was a good battle. There are not many
passing places here, and I think a top ten finish was possible with a more
aggressive first lap. The revised engine mapping I used today felt very
comfortable; it was definitely a step forward. On the last lap I was
expecting John Hopkins down the inside at the end of the straight. As I
prepared for the corner he came on the outside and we touched, at 310
kph, and he went straight on. I'm sorry for that; I didn't think he would
go for the outside."

Harald Eckl: Team Manager
"I'm delighted with the performance of both riders today, although we
missed my wish for both to finish in the top ten by just one position.
What is obvious from this race is that we need more engine power to make
the next step, and that is the target for us now. The handling
consistency of the bike and Bridgestone tyres was our strong point today. I'd
also like to congratulate Bridgestone on their first MotoGP race win
today. They put the work in after the problems at Mugello and it's good to
see them reap the benefit of that work this weekend."

RIO GRAND PRIX RESULT - MOTOGP
1. Makoto Tamada (JPN) Camel Honda Team 44'21.976; 2. Max Biaggi (ITA)
Camel Honda Team +2.019; 3. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda +5.7864; 4.
Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team +11.145; 5. Alex Barros
(BRA) Repsol Honda +12.951; 6. Colin Edwards (USA) Telefonica Movistar
Honda +13.904; 7. Kenny Roberts (USA) Suzuki Grand Prix Team +23.493; 8.
Norick Abe (JPN) Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha +27.498; 9. Shinya Nakano (JPN)
Kawasaki Racing Team +27.802; 10. Carlos Checa (SPA) Gauloises Fortuna
Yamaha +36.808; 11. Alex Hofmann (GER) Kawasaki Racing Team +37.713;
12. Ruben Xaus (SPA) dAntin Ducati Team +48.924; 13. Marco Melandri (ITA)
Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha +57.102

[MadKaw]

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM TEST - NELSON PIQUET CIRCUIT
5TH JULY 2004 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NO REST FOR FUCHS KAWASAKI AS TESTING CONTINUES IN RIO

Less than twenty four hours after competing in the gruelling conditions
of the Rio Grand Prix, Fuchs Kawasaki riders, Shinya Nakano and Alex
Hofmann, were back on track at the Nelson Piquet circuit on the outskirts
of Rio de Janeiro, testing new engine and chassis components, as well
as evaluating the latest tyres from Bridgestone.

For Alex Hofmann, the main focus of today's test was on evaluating
revised fuel injection mapping, aimed at improving throttle control and
power delivery out of the corners. The 24-year-old German also tried minor
suspension and chassis changes during four hours and 48 laps of testing
at the 4.9km Nelson Piquet circuit.

Faster today than he was in yesterday's Rio Grand Prix race, Hofmann
declared himself satisfied with the improvements made to his Ninja ZX-RR
out of the turns. But the Fuchs Kawasaki rider remains convinced that
more power needs to be found from the 990cc, inline four-cylinder ZX-RR
motor for the straights.

Shinya Nakano started today's one day test in Rio de Janeiro by
evaluating the new fuel injection components that his Fuchs Kawasaki teammate
used to such good effect during the Rio Grand Prix. Like Hofmann,
Nakano also tested revised fuel injection mapping, before moving on to
evaluate minor chassis changes and the latest rear slicks from the Fuchs
Kawasaki team's tyre partner, Bridgestone.

Nakano also tested a revised front fork on his Ninja ZX-RR, which has
been designed to give the rider a more progressive feel from the front
of the bike. The 26-year-old Japanese rider was positive about the
changes, finding the new fork to be an improvement over the old, especially
under braking.

The next round of the MotoGP World Championship takes place at the
historic Sachsenring circuit in Germany on July 18th.

Alex Hofmann: 1'51.42 (48 laps)
"We tested some revisions to the engine management system today, which
gives us a little more torque at the bottom end of the rev range.
Together with the revised engine components we've been running this weekend,
these changes have definitely made an improvement, making it a lot
easier to control the power out of the turns. But being able to exit the
turns faster doesn't make up for the fact that we still need to find some
more power for the straights. My times today were faster than in the
race yesterday so, overall, I'm happy with the progress we've made and
I'm looking forward to getting back to Europe and starting the
preparations for my home Grand Prix at Sachsenring in two weeks time."

Shinya Nakano: 1'51.31 (58 laps)
"I was disappointed with my result in yesterday's race. I am very keen
to give the team a good result in their home Grand Prix at Sachsenring
so today we have concentrated on improving the bike in a number of
areas. Overall I think we've succeeded, as my lap times were more
consistent than they were in the race yesterday. We also tested some new fuel
injection parts with positive results, and I think we'll use these new
parts at Sachsenring. The new fork we tried today was also an
improvement, giving a more progressive feel under braking. So, overall, I'm happy
with what we've achieved today; we've collected a lot of important
information that will prove useful to my mechanics as they work to improve
the bike for the next race in two weeks time."

[mrmina]

Another Rossi head fuck......

Woohoooo

Yep, I'm sure that Rossi would agree that crashing is a head fuck!

I totally missed it........

[mrmina]

Another Rossi head fuck......

Woohoooo

Yep, I'm sure that Rossi would agree that crashing is a head fuck!

Hahahahaa !!!!!
Sete was head farked as well


mario

Spewing hard