Kawasaki press release - Jerez 2nd May

[MadKaw]

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
GRAN PREMIO MARLBORO DE ESPANA - CIRCUITO DE JEREZ
29TH APRIL 2004 - EVENT PREVIEW

CONFIDENCE HIGH FOR EUROPEAN OPENER


The Jerez circuit in Southern Spain plays host on Sunday to the first European MotoGP race of the year and, after a promising start to the season for the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team in South Africa, Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann have high hopes for the weekend ahead.

A successful IRTA test in difficult weather conditions at Jerez back in March could pay dividends for the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team, as the local weather forecast is predicting that rain showers may well be a factor that the MotoGP teams have to overcome this weekend.

But, while the weather may be the same as it was for the IRTA test, the circuit will look - and sound - a lot different to the riders this weekend. The Spaniards are some of the most passionate, knowledgeable and noisy race fans anywhere in the world, and when you pack upwards of 150,000 of them onto the natural grandstands that surround the 4.423km Jerez circuit an electric atmosphere is guaranteed. The fireworks that punctuate practice and qualifying here also make Jerez one of the few circuits where you have to strain to hear the sound of the unsilenced 990cc MotoGP machines over the noise of the crowd.

After finishing an impressive 12th on his race debut for Kawasaki in South Africa, Shinya Nakano heads for the second round of the 2004 MotoGP World Championship in determined mood. The 26-year-old Japanese rider likes the Andalusian circuit and, after testing successfully here preseason, is confident that his Ninja ZX-RR - updated with new components for this race - is capable of giving the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team their first top ten finish of the season.

Nakano's Fuchs Kawasaki teammate, Alex Hofmann, will be looking to put the disappointment of crashing out of the opening race of the season in South Africa behind him at Jerez this weekend. The 23-year-old German rider made his wild card debut for the Fuchs Kawasaki team in this race last season, finishing a creditable 16th aboard his Ninja ZX-RR. Hofmann improved considerably on this race time during the IRTA tests at Jerez in March and is confident that there are further improvements to be made, both to machine set up and lap times, during practice and qualifying for Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix.

Shinya Nakano: No.56
"Jerez for me always feels like the first race of the season, because it's the first time in the year we see the whole MotoGP paddock set up, with all the trucks and hospitality units. I like racing at Jerez; the circuit suits my style and the enthusiasm of the Spanish fans always makes for an exciting weekend. It's unusual to be able to hear the crowd when you're out on track, but with the sheer noise the fans produce here, not to mention the fireworks; they certainly let you know they're there! The opening race of the season didn't go quite according to plan, but we had a good qualifying run in South Africa and I'm hopeful that we can match that this weekend. We've got some new parts to test on the bike during practice and qualifying and, if all goes well, then I think that matching my eighth place in this race last year is a distinct possibility on Sunday."

Alex Hofmann: No.66
"I need to get a good result here after the disappointment of South Africa and, while anything can happen in racing, the fact that we had a good test here gives me the confidence that such a result is possible. We already have a good set up on the bike for this circuit, and we know which tyres work well around here, but I think there's a good chance we can make further improvements in these areas as the weekend progresses. I know it's possible for me to finish in the points on Sunday, but if all goes well in practice and qualifying then maybe the possibility of a top ten finish shouldn't be discounted. I like racing at Jerez; the atmosphere is incredible and the sheer enthusiasm of the Spanish fans always gives you an extra boost on race day."

[MadKaw]

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
GRAN PREMIO MARLBORO DE ESPANA - CIRCUITO DE JEREZ
30TH APRIL 2004 - QUALIFYING PRACTICE 1

SIXTH AND SECOND ROW FOR FUCHS KAWASAKI'S NAKANO

Fuchs Kawasaki's Shinya Nakano turned in another virtuoso performance during this afternoon's opening qualifying session for Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix, finishing the hour long session sixth fastest aboard his Ninja ZX-RR to secure a place on the second row of the provisional grid.

But it wasn't all plain sailing for the 26-year-old Japanese rider today. Minor machinery problems sidelined Nakano for much of this morning's free practice session, with the result that the first opportunity the Fuchs Kawasaki rider had to evaluate a revised version of the Ninja ZX-RR engine was during the first half of this afternoon's qualifying period.

Produced in response to feedback from both Fuchs Kawasaki riders, and providing more torque and better acceleration, the revised 990cc, inline four-cylinder ZX-RR engine certainly met with Nakano's approval. After testing the engine during qualifying, and securing sixth position on the provisional grid as a result, the Fuchs Kawasaki rider declared the revised motor a definite improvement over the previous version.

Nakano's Fuchs Kawasaki teammate, Alex Hofmann, was also beset by minor problems this morning, with the result that he too had to wait until this afternoon's qualifying session to get on with the job of setting up his Ninja ZX-RR for Sunday's 27-lap Spanish Grand Prix.

With 15 minutes of the session remaining, and having identified both a good race set up and a potential race tyre, the 23-year-old German rider returned to the pits for soft qualifying rubber. Hofmann's first flying lap saw him jump up the timesheet, only to drop back to 14th place when a problem on his second qualifying run forced the Fuchs Kawasaki rider to back off and return to the pits, just as the chequered flag was unfurled to end the session.

Shinya Nakano: 6th - 1'41.645
"An electrical problem on one bike and a problem with the rear brake on the other may have cost us set up time this morning, but the fact that we had a successful test here less than two months ago meant that I wasn't unduly worried going into this afternoon's qualifying session. We have a new specification engine here this weekend, which I tried properly for the first time this afternoon. My initial impression is that it offers better acceleration over the older engine, and that could well prove crucial this weekend. We concentrated on finding a good set up and tyre for the race this afternoon because, with rain forecast for tomorrow, we knew this might be our only chance this weekend. My lap times were not so bad on the race tyre, but I think we can improve further as long as the rain stays away tomorrow."

Alex Hofmann: 14th - 1'43.004
"It's been a little difficult today; not what we were hoping for at all really. We had a few problems this morning that cost us practice time, with the result that we were only able to start testing race set-up and tyres at the start of this afternoon's qualifying session. On a more positive note, we now have a base set-up that works around this circuit, which we can improve on tomorrow, and I'm satisfied that we have identified a tyre that we will be able to use in the race on Sunday. I got in one good lap on a qualifier this afternoon, but wasn't able to improve on my second flying lap after a small problem halfway round. I'm still fairly confident going into tomorrow. Shinya has proved what the bike can do around here, and now he's set the target, it's up to me to try and match it."


QUALIFYING PRACTICE 1 - FINAL TIMES
POS RIDER CTY TEAM TIME/GAP

1. VALENTINO ROSSI ITA GAULOISES FORTUNA YAMAHA
1'40.818
2. SETE GIBERNAU SPA TELEFONICA MOVISTAR HONDA
+0.380
3. CARLOS CHECA SPA GAULOISES FORTUNA YAMAHA
+0.609
4. MAX BIAGGI ITA CAMEL HONDA TEAM
+0.728
5. MAKOTO TAMADA JPN CAMEL HONDA TEAM
+0.813
6. SHINYA NAKANO JPN KAWASAKI RACING TEAM
+0.827
7. NICKY HAYDEN USA REPSOL HONDA
+1.093
8. COLIN EDWARDS USA TELEFONICA MOVISTAR HONDA
+1.182
9. ALEX BARROS BRA REPSOL HONDA
+1.323
10. KENNY ROBERTS USA SUZUKI GRAND PRIX TEAM
+1.494
11. MARCO MELANDRI ITA GAULOISES FORTUNA YAMAHA
+1.661
12. RUBEN XAUS SPA DANTIN DUCATI TEAM
+2.127
14. ALEX HOFMANN GER KAWASAKI RACING TEAM
+2.186

[aardvark]

6th in first qualifying?? And less than a second behind!!!

Damnit, I cant believe i'm going to miss the GP this year.

[MadKaw]

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
GRAN PREMIO MARLBORO DE ESPANA - CIRCUITO DE JEREZ
1ST MAY 2004 - QUALIFYING PRACTICE 2

SUPER SHINYA TO START SIXTH IN SPAIN


Fuchs Kawasaki's Shinya Nakano will start tomorrow's Spanish Grand Prix from the second row of the grid, after intermittent rain during this afternoon's final qualifying session at Jerez meant that none of the 24 MotoGP riders were able to improve upon their best lap times from yesterday.

After torrential rain this morning, conditions looked to have improved considerably as this afternoon's final qualifying drew near. But for those riders hoping for a dry qualifying session there was to be only disappointment. A brief rain shower shortly before the start ensured that all the riders headed out for this afternoon's final timed session on full wet tyres.

Well aware of the fact that rain might prove a deciding factor today; Nakano went all out during yesterday's dry qualifying session to ensure a good grid position for tomorrow's 27-lap race. Having achieved his aim by qualifying sixth fastest in the dry, the 26-year-old Japanese rider was able to concentrate today on perfecting the set-up of his Ninja ZX-RR on both full wet and cut slick tyres, eventually ending the wet session third fastest, to give himself the best possible chance for tomorrow's race regardless of the weather conditions.

With the rain robbing him of any chance to improve upon his time from yesterday, Alex Hofmann will start tomorrow's Spanish Grand Prix from 14th position and the fifth row of the grid. Like his Fuchs Kawasaki teammate, Hofmann spent the first part of this afternoon's qualifying session refining the set-up of his Ninja ZX-RR on full wet tyres, before doing the same with cut slicks as the track dried towards the end of the hour long timed period.

Shinya Nakano: 6th - 1'41.645
"Although there was no chance of improving on my time, qualifying was not so bad for me today. We got to work on setting up the bike on full wets at the start of the session, and then on cut slicks as the track dried out towards the end. I think we now have a reasonable set-up for the race, whatever the weather throws at us. I just hope it is dry tomorrow, not just for me but also for the fans, who always turn out in their thousands for this race. If it does rain, then I will just have to push as hard as I can for a good result."

Alex Hofmann: 14th - 1'43.004
"We needed it to be dry today, so I wasn't too happy when it started to rain just five minutes before we were due out on track, forcing us to abandon all the plans we'd made to improve the dry set-up of the bike this afternoon. But you can't control the weather, so it was on with the full wets as we concentrated on refining the wet set-up of the bike. When a dry line started to appear towards the end of the session we tried a set of cut slicks, and these worked really well. So, although I'd have preferred to start from nearer the front of the grid, I'm confident that, whatever the weather, we will have a good set-up on the bike for tomorrow's race."

Harald Eckl: Team Manager
"I'm happy with the fact that Shinya has shown this weekend that his qualifying position in the opening race of the season at Welkom wasn't just a one off, but more a reflection of just how strong the Ninja ZX-RR is after a winter of development work. I'm also pleased that our tyre situation for this race is a good one, especially if it stays dry tomorrow. Bridgestone have worked hard to increase the choice of slicks open to us and this could give Shinya the edge he needs to secure the team their first top ten finish of the season. Should it rain tomorrow, which is highly likely, then the race will be more of a lottery, but I have every confidence in the performance of the Bridgestone wet tyres and I am still hopeful of a good performance on the part of our riders. Alex was unlucky to suffer some small technical problems during the dry sessions yesterday and his 14th position on the grid does not properly reflect his potential for tomorrow's race. I am confident that he will be able to make up places tomorrow, and that a top ten finish for him is a realistic possibility also."


COMBINED QUALIFYING TIMES
POS RIDER CTY TEAM TIME/GAP

1. VALENTINO ROSSI ITA GAULOISES FORTUNA YAMAHA
1'40.818
2. SETE GIBERNAU SPA TELEFONICA MOVISTAR HONDA
+0.380
3. CARLOS CHECA SPA GAULOISES FORTUNA YAMAHA
+0.609
4. MAX BIAGGI ITA CAMEL HONDA TEAM
+0.728
5. MAKOTO TAMADA JPN CAMEL HONDA TEAM
+0.813
6. SHINYA NAKANO JPN KAWASAKI RACING TEAM
+0.827
7. NICKY HAYDEN USA REPSOL HONDA
+1.093
8. COLIN EDWARDS USA TELEFONICA MOVISTAR HONDA
+1.182
9. ALEX BARROS BRA REPSOL HONDA
+1.323
10. KENNY ROBERTS USA SUZUKI GRAND PRIX TEAM
+1.494
11. MARCO MELANDRI ITA GAULOISES FORTUNA YAMAHA
+1.661
12. RUBEN XAUS SPA DANTIN DUCATI TEAM
+2.127
14. ALEX HOFMANN GER KAWASAKI RACING TEAM
+2.186

[mfzx6r]

Without Spoiling it for the ones that haven't seen it yet
They,kawasaki, did allright considering the weather

cant wait till the next race in a fortnights time
mario

[mfzx6r]

Jas
We'll ring you from the start/finish line at the track so you can hear how they sound and how much fun you're missing out on

mario

[MadKaw]

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
GRAN PREMIO MARLBORO DE ESPANA - CIRCUITO DE JEREZ
2ND MAY 2004 - MOTOGP RACE RESULT

TOP TEN FOR NAKANO AS HOFMANN SCORES FIRST POINTS


Shinya Nakano gave the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team their first top ten finish of the season, as he overcame atrocious weather conditions at the Circuito de Jerez this afternoon, to bring his Ninja ZX-RR home in an impressive ninth place.

The Jerez circuit may have been enshrouded by rain clouds this morning, but the unseasonably wet weather wasn't enough to dampen the enthusiasm of the Spanish fans. With thousands of Spaniards packing the roads around Jerez, many of the teams and riders competing in today's Spanish Grand Prix were forced to abandon their vehicles by the side of the road and walk the last four kilometres into the circuit; to the accompaniment of a symphony orchestra of car and bike horns.

With a damp track for morning warm up, opinion amongst the riders as to which tyres would suit the conditions best was split. Most, including Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann, opted for a full wet set up, while a small minority also tested an intermediate or cut slick in the rear towards the end of the session. But there were to be no such problems with tyre choice for the race, as the rain returned with a vengeance mid-morning, and it was still falling as the MotoGP riders exited pit lane to take their place on the grid for today's 27-lap Spanish Grand Prix.

Starting from the second row of the grid, Nakano was unlucky to find himself pushed back down the field at the first turn, after getting boxed in on the inside of the corner by the battle for the lead. The 26-year-old Japanese rider wasted no time in fighting back, but by the time he'd worked his way through the traffic the leading group of riders had already pulled out a considerable gap at the front of the field. From that point on it was a lonely race for the Fuchs Kawasaki rider. Unable to close the gap on the frontrunners, and with a comfortable advantage over his pursuers, Nakano was left with just the rain and the cold for company as he endured a few scary moments on his way to equalling Kawasaki's best ever result in MotoGP.

After a disappointing start from the fifth row of the grid, Alex Hofmann found himself held up by slower riders as he tried to make up places during the early stages of the race. No sooner had the 23-year-old German fought his way through the pack to find a clear track ahead of him than the rain got heavier and aquaplaning through the standing water on some parts of the track started to become a serious - and somewhat scary - problem. Having crashed out of the opening race of the season in South Africa, and with the slides getting longer and more frequent, Hofmann made the decision not to risk all and, instead, bring his Ninja ZX-RR home in a safe 13th place, to collect his first championship points of the season.

Shinya Nakano: 9th
"We knew it was going to be hard work if it rained today, and we weren't wrong. I didn't feel too confident in the wet, so I was unable to stay with the leading group of riders when they started to pull out a gap at the start of the race. But I gave it 100 per cent and tried to keep my lap times as consistent as possible. When the rain got heavier towards the middle of the race I started to have some grip problems. I lost the rear many times in the race, but the biggest scare came on the final lap. The bike went completely sideways and I was convinced I was going to crash. Luckily it came back to me and I was able to make it to the chequered flag. I would have much preferred a dry race, but despite the conditions, we still managed to achieve our aim of a top ten finish this afternoon."

Alex Hofmann: 13th
"Although it was a relief to get the bike off the line after what happened in South Africa, I have to say that it wasn't one of my best starts. It was difficult in the opening laps, because I was trying to squeeze past riders who were fighting with each other for position and, although I was faster, I just couldn't find a way around them. Once I got clear the rain started getting heavier and the bike began aquaplaning badly through the standing water that built up on the track. It was pretty scary and it forced me to back off a bit towards half distance. It wasn't an enjoyable race by any means, but after the disappointment of not finishing in Welkom, scoring my first championship points of the season today is at least some consolation."

Harald Eckl: Team Manager
"I'm happy that both of our riders finished in the points in a race run under such difficult conditions. Shinya achieved his aim of a top ten finish, but I can't help thinking that if the weather had stayed dry, and he'd been able to use the Bridgestone slicks that proved so competitive here on Friday, he would have finished even higher up the order. Both riders need to learn to be a little more aggressive off the start. Shinya lost quite a few positions after getting boxed in at the first turn and a bad start from Alex meant that he got stuck behind slower riders in the opening laps. Having said that, I think both riders will be fairly happy with their results today; Shinya clinched our first top ten finish of the season, while Alex stayed on the bike to claim his first championship points of the year."


MOTOGP RACE - FINAL TIMES
POS RIDER CTY TEAM TIME/GAP

1. SETE GIBERNAU SPA TELEFONICA MOVISTAR HONDA
52'01.293
2. MAX BIAGGI ITA CAMEL HONDA TEAM
+5.452
3. ALEX BARROS BRA REPSOL HONDA
+52.570
4. VALENTINO ROSSI ITA GAULOISES FORTUNA YAMAHA
+58.556
5. NICKY HAYDEN USA REPSOL HONDA
+59.283
6. CARLOS CHECA SPA GAULOISES FORTUNA YAMAHA
+1'07.184
7. COLIN EDWARDS USA TELEFONICA MOVISTAR HONDA
+1'19.539
8. KENNY ROBERTS USA SUZUKI GRAND PRIX TEAM
+1'45.057
9. SHINYA NAKANO JPN KAWASAKI RACING TEAM
+1 lap
10. MICHEL FABRIZIO ITA WCM
+1 lap
11. NORICK ABE JPN GAULOISES FORTUNA YAMAHA
+1 lap
12. LORIS CAPIROSSI ITA DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM
+1 lap
13. ALEX HOFMANN GER KAWASAKI RACING TEAM
+1 lap

[aardvark]

Jas
We'll ring you from the start/finish line at the track so you can hear how they sound and how much fun you're missing out on

mario

Bastard!