MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
GRAN PREMI DE CATALUNYA
10TH JUNE 2004 - EVENT PREVIEW
NAKANO AND HOFMANN ALL SET FOR CATALUNYA WEEKEND
Fuchs Kawasaki rider Shinya Nakano intends to ride in this weekend's
Catalunya Grand Prix, less than a week after his massive 300 kph crash at
Mugello.
As a follow-up to Nakano's Mugello crash, Kawasaki's MotoGP tyre
partner, Bridgestone, has made a fast response to the tyre problems
experienced in the Italian race. Working 24 hours a day, the Bridgestone factory
in Japan has produced a revised specification tyre for Barcelona, with
initial supplies already at the track and further tyres arriving by
air-freight over the weekend.
Apart from a slightly bruised back Nakano is fit and eager to join
teammate Alex Hofmann aboard their Ninja ZX-RR machines for the fifth round
of the 2004 MotoGP World Championship.
The 26-year-old Japanese rider has quickly put aside the dramas of the
high-speed crash that brought an early end to his Italian Grand Prix
outing last Sunday. After being cleared by x-rays of any serious
injuries, and following just a couple of days rest in Barcelona, Nakano was
back into training mid-week.
For Nakano the Catalunya GP is like a second "home race" as he lives
near the Olympic Port area of Barcelona during the European season.
Meanwhile Hofmann is also approaching this weekend in a positive mood,
after picking up valuable points with a gritty ride in the rain
interrupted Italian GP last Sunday.
Hofmann also loves racing in warm and sunny Spain. He made his premier
class debut at this track in 2002, riding a factory Yamaha 500 as a
replacement for the injured Garry McCoy.
After a day sightseeing in Florence after the Italian GP, Hofmann drove
his motorhome to Spain stopping for a day at the beach on the Costa
Brava just north of the circuit.
The 4.7km track is one of the fastest on the GP calendar. The main
straight is just over one kilometre in length, with a fast flowing sequence
of corners through the stadium section rewarding smooth riding. A 500
metre section of the straight, from the starting grid to the main
scoreboard, has been resurfaced with new asphalt for this year.
The almost religious fervour of Spanish fans has led to predictions of
a 100,000 plus attendance for the race on Sunday.
Shinya Nakano: No.56
"The Barcelona track is one of my favourites and I really enjoy racing
here, especially as I can stay in my apartment at Diagonal Mar. I'm
feeling fine and even though the Mugello crash was really fast I
understand what happened there. Although it's not easy to put everything aside
mentally I'm ready to concentrate on riding here; this is my job. I
remember the crash, it was instant with no time to control it, and my main
thought was to not hit the concrete wall at Mugello, and the relief
that my body was okay."
Alex Hofmann: No.66
"This is my style of track and I really enjoy it. The fast section from
turn two and through turn three is a lot of fun; it's long and fast and
you can really slide the bike as the corner opens up. The two fast
corners before the main straight also suit my style. Since Formula One
started using the track a lot it has become a little bumpy, but it's not
that a big a problem, it's manageable. I got some points in Mugello and,
hopefully, that will prove to be a turning point for me this season."
Harald Eckl: Team Manager
"Along with my technical staff and riders I met with Bridgestone today
and we are all very impressed with the effort they have made in the
four days since Mugello. I was surprised they could achieve so much in
such a short time, but they have explained things in detail, and they feel
they understand the problem and have found a safe solution. I'm
confident that Bridgestone have done a good job. Most importantly, our
riders Shinya and Alex can now concentrate on their riding this weekend."