MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
20 JULY 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AMERICAN ADVENTURE AHEAD FOR KAWASAKI
After ripping up Hollywood Boulevard on a Ninja ZX-10R during a Dorna Pre-Event promotional appearance on Tuesday, Shinya Nakano, together with Kawasaki teammate Randy de Puniet, heads for Laguna Seca and this weekend's round eleven of the MotoGP World Championship.
For Nakano this will be the second time he's raced at the Laguna Seca circuit, having taken a hard fought ninth place in US Grand Prix last season, but for de Puniet this will be his first time on the track, and his first encounter with the infamous Laguna Seca Corkscrew.
The 25-year-old Frenchman took the opportunity to run the Laguna Seca track on Wednesday afternoon, declaring it not dissimilar in layout to the Lédenon circuit in Southern France, where he has been fast in the past.
Although certain the track will look very different from the saddle of his Ninja ZX-RR when opening practice gets underway on Friday, already de Puniet is confident that the mainly fast and flowing Laguna Seca circuit will suit his aggressive riding style.
While his Kawasaki teammate is busy learning his way around the Laguna Seca circuit during practice and qualifying, Shinya Nakano will focus on improving his lines through the sections of track where he lost time during last year's race.
The 28-year-old Japanese rider knows that there are places on the track where the American riders - through familiarity with the circuit - are faster, and Nakano is determined to find these elusive 'fast lines' ahead of Sunday's 32-lap MotoGP race.
While the Laguna Seca circuit has been resurfaced over the winter, and the approach to the Corkscrew has been modified, the track still demands that a bike be set-up to steer quickly, but to remain stable under heavy braking for the two slowest corners on the track; the 60 km/h last turn and the infamous Corkscrew.
Shinya Nakano: #56
"Last year I managed to find the fast line through some of the turns here, but there was still something missing and that's what I need to focus on this time around. Maybe the best idea will be to follow one of the American riders around for a while during practice, as they have a good understanding of the secret to a fast lap time at this circuit. Having said that, based on our first race here 12 months ago, I think we have a good chance here, as Laguna is not really a power circuit, although it is important to carry speed through most of the corners. Overall I think the circuit will suit the characteristics of our Ninja ZX-RR, and I'm definitely looking for a good result this weekend to take me into the summer break."
Randy de Puniet: #17
"Obviously I haven't ridden the track yet, as the 250cc class don't race here at Laguna, but from running the circuit this afternoon, I think the layout will suit my riding style. In style the Laguna Seca track is not so different to the Lédenon circuit in the South of France, where I had some successful races when I was contesting the French National Championship some years ago, and I hope I can do the same this weekend. It's difficult to predict how the track will feel on our Ninja ZX-RR from just running the circuit, but we'll find out soon enough when practice starts on Friday. I am particularly looking forward to riding the Corkscrew here; it looks like a very strange corner even when you're running through it, so it will be interesting to see what it's like on the bike. We have four hours of track time for me to learn my way around the circuit, and I hope we can leave here on Sunday for the summer break with a good result behind us."
Kawasaki Racing Team - USA
-
MadKaw
- Administrator
- Posts: 9671
- Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2004 4:33 pm
- Bike: ZX10R
- State: New South Wales
- Location: Windsor or the Creek..
- Contact:
Kawasaki Racing Team - USA
Dave
2010 Z1000
ex bikes
05 ZX-10R Race Bike - No.77
95 ZXR750R M Race Bike - No. 75
98 ZX9R Race Bike - No. 000
zx6r, zx7r, GPX750, GPX500, lots of KX's.
I ride way too fast to worry about cholesterol
2010 Z1000
ex bikes
05 ZX-10R Race Bike - No.77
95 ZXR750R M Race Bike - No. 75
98 ZX9R Race Bike - No. 000
zx6r, zx7r, GPX750, GPX500, lots of KX's.
I ride way too fast to worry about cholesterol
-
MadKaw
- Administrator
- Posts: 9671
- Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2004 4:33 pm
- Bike: ZX10R
- State: New South Wales
- Location: Windsor or the Creek..
- Contact:
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
21 JULY 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KAWASAKI SEARCH FOR A SET-UP AT LAGUNA SECA
Kawasaki's Shinya Nakano was left both disappointed and frustrated with his 16th place finish in today's second free practice session at Laguna Seca, after struggling to find a set-up on his Ninja ZX-RR to suit the characteristics of the technically demanding 3.61 km circuit.
The 28-year-old Japanese rider complained throughout both sessions that his Ninja ZX-RR was difficult to turn into the corners, particularly at the infamous Laguna Seca Corkscrew, and at the critical final turn that leads onto Laguna's only straight.
This tendency for his Ninja ZX-RR to understeer through the turns, coupled with stability problems under braking, left Nakano lacking the confidence in the front end of his Ninja ZX-RR that the Laguna Seca track demands.
Nakano's crew, together with Kawasaki's technical support staff, will improve the balance of Nakano's Ninja ZX-RR through changes to both chassis geometry and suspension settings overnight, and the Kawasaki rider is confident that this approach will allow him to improve his pace considerably ahead of tomorrow afternoon's all-important qualifying session.
Making his debut at the Laguna Seca circuit today, Randy de Puniet focussed on learning his way around the seven left and four right hand corners that make up the 3.61 km Laguna Seca track aboard his Ninja ZX-RR.
The 25-year-old Frenchman saw an improvement of more than one second in his lap time between today's free practice sessions, eventually finishing just one place behind his more experienced teammate in 17th position.
After declaring Laguna Seca a fun track to race at, de Puniet is confident of further improvement tomorrow, as more track time gives him the opportunity to discover more of the secrets to a fast lap around the sweeping turns and undulations of the Californian track.
Shinya Nakano: 16th - 1'25.598
"Today has been a difficult day, and I am disappointed to have finished so far down the timesheet on a track that we initially thought would suit the characteristics of our Ninja ZX-RR. I understand the quickest line around most of the circuit now, but still I have some problems with the section from the top of the corkscrew to the finish line, and it is this sector I must concentrate on tomorrow. But the biggest problem we had today was getting the bike to turn; it just didn't want to. This meant that I was losing time through every turn, but especially through the slow corners, like the Corkscrew and turn nine. This is what we need to focus on tonight; changing the chassis and suspension settings to improve balance and turn-in. As I said, today was disappointing, but I'm confident that the team will come up with a solution to our set-up problems ahead of tomorrow's qualifying session."
Randy de Puniet: 17th - 1'25.651
"I really like this track! This morning it was a bit difficult, because this is my first time racing here at Laguna Seca and the circuit is very technical, but this afternoon was a lot better. I was over a second faster during today's second free practice session, and a couple of longer runs this afternoon gave me a better understanding of the technical nature of this circuit. I hope tomorrow that we can make a further improvement to both the set-up of the bike and my lap time, as I really want to finish tomorrow a lot further up the timesheet than I have today. This is a funny circuit. It doesn't really compare to anything we have in Europe, but it is definitely good fun to race on and I'm hopeful we can put in a strong performance here."
Naoya Kaneko: Technical Manager
"At the moment we have some problems with getting Shinya's bike to turn, which takes away his confidence in the front end, and confidence is important here at Laguna, where you need to carry speed through some of the faster turns. This is what we will focus on tonight; making changes to the overall balance of the bike by altering both chassis geometry and settings, in a bid to improve turn-in performance for tomorrow, and to increase Shinya's confidence in the front end of the bike."
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
21 JULY 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KAWASAKI SEARCH FOR A SET-UP AT LAGUNA SECA
Kawasaki's Shinya Nakano was left both disappointed and frustrated with his 16th place finish in today's second free practice session at Laguna Seca, after struggling to find a set-up on his Ninja ZX-RR to suit the characteristics of the technically demanding 3.61 km circuit.
The 28-year-old Japanese rider complained throughout both sessions that his Ninja ZX-RR was difficult to turn into the corners, particularly at the infamous Laguna Seca Corkscrew, and at the critical final turn that leads onto Laguna's only straight.
This tendency for his Ninja ZX-RR to understeer through the turns, coupled with stability problems under braking, left Nakano lacking the confidence in the front end of his Ninja ZX-RR that the Laguna Seca track demands.
Nakano's crew, together with Kawasaki's technical support staff, will improve the balance of Nakano's Ninja ZX-RR through changes to both chassis geometry and suspension settings overnight, and the Kawasaki rider is confident that this approach will allow him to improve his pace considerably ahead of tomorrow afternoon's all-important qualifying session.
Making his debut at the Laguna Seca circuit today, Randy de Puniet focussed on learning his way around the seven left and four right hand corners that make up the 3.61 km Laguna Seca track aboard his Ninja ZX-RR.
The 25-year-old Frenchman saw an improvement of more than one second in his lap time between today's free practice sessions, eventually finishing just one place behind his more experienced teammate in 17th position.
After declaring Laguna Seca a fun track to race at, de Puniet is confident of further improvement tomorrow, as more track time gives him the opportunity to discover more of the secrets to a fast lap around the sweeping turns and undulations of the Californian track.
Shinya Nakano: 16th - 1'25.598
"Today has been a difficult day, and I am disappointed to have finished so far down the timesheet on a track that we initially thought would suit the characteristics of our Ninja ZX-RR. I understand the quickest line around most of the circuit now, but still I have some problems with the section from the top of the corkscrew to the finish line, and it is this sector I must concentrate on tomorrow. But the biggest problem we had today was getting the bike to turn; it just didn't want to. This meant that I was losing time through every turn, but especially through the slow corners, like the Corkscrew and turn nine. This is what we need to focus on tonight; changing the chassis and suspension settings to improve balance and turn-in. As I said, today was disappointing, but I'm confident that the team will come up with a solution to our set-up problems ahead of tomorrow's qualifying session."
Randy de Puniet: 17th - 1'25.651
"I really like this track! This morning it was a bit difficult, because this is my first time racing here at Laguna Seca and the circuit is very technical, but this afternoon was a lot better. I was over a second faster during today's second free practice session, and a couple of longer runs this afternoon gave me a better understanding of the technical nature of this circuit. I hope tomorrow that we can make a further improvement to both the set-up of the bike and my lap time, as I really want to finish tomorrow a lot further up the timesheet than I have today. This is a funny circuit. It doesn't really compare to anything we have in Europe, but it is definitely good fun to race on and I'm hopeful we can put in a strong performance here."
Naoya Kaneko: Technical Manager
"At the moment we have some problems with getting Shinya's bike to turn, which takes away his confidence in the front end, and confidence is important here at Laguna, where you need to carry speed through some of the faster turns. This is what we will focus on tonight; making changes to the overall balance of the bike by altering both chassis geometry and settings, in a bid to improve turn-in performance for tomorrow, and to increase Shinya's confidence in the front end of the bike."
Dave
2010 Z1000
ex bikes
05 ZX-10R Race Bike - No.77
95 ZXR750R M Race Bike - No. 75
98 ZX9R Race Bike - No. 000
zx6r, zx7r, GPX750, GPX500, lots of KX's.
I ride way too fast to worry about cholesterol
2010 Z1000
ex bikes
05 ZX-10R Race Bike - No.77
95 ZXR750R M Race Bike - No. 75
98 ZX9R Race Bike - No. 000
zx6r, zx7r, GPX750, GPX500, lots of KX's.
I ride way too fast to worry about cholesterol
-
icebreaker
- Administrator
- Posts: 2795
- Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2004 7:07 pm
- Bike: Z1000
- State: Tasmania
- Location: Hobart
- Contact:
-
MadKaw
- Administrator
- Posts: 9671
- Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2004 4:33 pm
- Bike: ZX10R
- State: New South Wales
- Location: Windsor or the Creek..
- Contact:
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
22 JULY 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KAWASAKI FEEL THE HEAT AT LAGUNA SECA
Kawasaki's Shinya Nakano will start tomorrow's US Grand Prix from the third row of the grid, after qualifying his Ninja ZX-RR in eighth place during a qualifying session held in almost tropical conditions at Laguna Seca this afternoon.
A combination of the Californian sun and a cloudless sky meant that Nakano faced track temperatures as high as 65 degrees centigrade during this afternoon's hour-long timed session; a full ten degrees hotter than experienced during testing in Malaysia or this year's Grand Prix in Qatar.
But while the high temperatures made qualifying a test of physical endurance for the riders it also played into Nakano's hands, as none of the leading group were able to match their lap times on race tyres from this morning's, cooler, free practice session.
This allowed Nakano to close the gap on pole position man, Chris Vermeulen, to less than half-a-second, after changes to the chassis geometry, and a switch to a different profile rear tyre from Bridgestone, improved the overall handling of his Ninja ZX-RR.
Despite this improvement, the 28-year-old Japanese rider knows that tomorrow's race is likely to be an exercise in damage limitation, as he works to defend his eighth position in the current championship standings ahead of the three week summer break.
For Randy de Puniet, similar changes to the chassis and suspension settings on his Ninja ZX-RR led to a significant improvement in his lap time during the first part of this afternoon's timed session, but his unfamiliarity with the Laguna Seca circuit meant that the 25-year-old Frenchman was unable to qualify higher than 15th position, and will therefore start tomorrow's 32-lap US Grand Prix from the fifth row of the grid.
Making his debut at the Laguna Seca circuit this weekend, de Puniet has struggled to get to grips with the infamous Laguna Seca Corkscrew, and the downhill run to the final corner. The Kawasaki pilot intended to improve his line through this critical section by following more experienced riders during qualifying, but was unable to do so after finding himself alone on track for much of the hour-long session.
De Puniet will use tomorrow's 20-minute warm-up period to again focus on this section of the circuit, where he is hopeful of identifying a faster line ahead of tomorrow's race, in which he has his sights set firmly on a top twelve finish.
Shinya Nakano: 8th - 1'23.656
"This afternoon we switched to a different profile rear tyre from Bridgestone, and this definitely made an improvement in how the bike turns into the corners. This was a positive step, and the bike feels a lot better, but we still haven't found the perfect set-up for this track yet. Also, I think we were helped by the fact that, while we made an improvement, the leading riders were a little bit slower on race tyres this afternoon than they were this morning, probably because of the increase in track temperature. To be honest, I was a little disappointed with qualifying. I expected more, and Chris Vermeulen has certainly shown that the qualifying tyres from Bridgestone were up to the job, so it's a little disappointing to find myself only on the third row of the grid. For sure, tomorrow's race will be hard, especially in this heat, but I will be pushing hard to finish as high as possible, in order to safeguard my championship position ahead of the summer break."
Randy de Puniet: 15th - 1'24.592
"It was a hard day today, mainly because of the weather, which was very hot. We found some solutions to our problems with the bike this afternoon, but while it's a lot better than it was, it's still far from perfect, and that hasn't made my job any easier. Neither has the section of track between the Corkscrew and the finish line, where I'm losing a lot of time. I was hoping to follow one of the Americans through this section today, but every time I reached the Corkscrew I found myself on my own. I hope I will get the chance to follow someone through here tomorrow during warm-up, because I need some indication of where to find the fastest line if I am to improve upon my qualifying position in the race. If I can learn the secret to this part of the track, then I think it's still possible to finish inside the top twelve tomorrow."
QUALIFYING PRACTICE - FINAL TIMES
1. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Team Suzuki MotoGP 1'23.168; 2. Colin Edwards (USA) Camel Yamaha Team +0.153; 3. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Roberts +0.252; 4. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team +0.322; 5. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +0.330; 6. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team +0.368; 7. Casey Stoner (AUS) LCR Honda +0.483; 8. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +0.488; 9. Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda +0.582; 10. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Camel Yamaha Team +0.879; 15. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki Racing Team +1.424
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
22 JULY 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KAWASAKI FEEL THE HEAT AT LAGUNA SECA
Kawasaki's Shinya Nakano will start tomorrow's US Grand Prix from the third row of the grid, after qualifying his Ninja ZX-RR in eighth place during a qualifying session held in almost tropical conditions at Laguna Seca this afternoon.
A combination of the Californian sun and a cloudless sky meant that Nakano faced track temperatures as high as 65 degrees centigrade during this afternoon's hour-long timed session; a full ten degrees hotter than experienced during testing in Malaysia or this year's Grand Prix in Qatar.
But while the high temperatures made qualifying a test of physical endurance for the riders it also played into Nakano's hands, as none of the leading group were able to match their lap times on race tyres from this morning's, cooler, free practice session.
This allowed Nakano to close the gap on pole position man, Chris Vermeulen, to less than half-a-second, after changes to the chassis geometry, and a switch to a different profile rear tyre from Bridgestone, improved the overall handling of his Ninja ZX-RR.
Despite this improvement, the 28-year-old Japanese rider knows that tomorrow's race is likely to be an exercise in damage limitation, as he works to defend his eighth position in the current championship standings ahead of the three week summer break.
For Randy de Puniet, similar changes to the chassis and suspension settings on his Ninja ZX-RR led to a significant improvement in his lap time during the first part of this afternoon's timed session, but his unfamiliarity with the Laguna Seca circuit meant that the 25-year-old Frenchman was unable to qualify higher than 15th position, and will therefore start tomorrow's 32-lap US Grand Prix from the fifth row of the grid.
Making his debut at the Laguna Seca circuit this weekend, de Puniet has struggled to get to grips with the infamous Laguna Seca Corkscrew, and the downhill run to the final corner. The Kawasaki pilot intended to improve his line through this critical section by following more experienced riders during qualifying, but was unable to do so after finding himself alone on track for much of the hour-long session.
De Puniet will use tomorrow's 20-minute warm-up period to again focus on this section of the circuit, where he is hopeful of identifying a faster line ahead of tomorrow's race, in which he has his sights set firmly on a top twelve finish.
Shinya Nakano: 8th - 1'23.656
"This afternoon we switched to a different profile rear tyre from Bridgestone, and this definitely made an improvement in how the bike turns into the corners. This was a positive step, and the bike feels a lot better, but we still haven't found the perfect set-up for this track yet. Also, I think we were helped by the fact that, while we made an improvement, the leading riders were a little bit slower on race tyres this afternoon than they were this morning, probably because of the increase in track temperature. To be honest, I was a little disappointed with qualifying. I expected more, and Chris Vermeulen has certainly shown that the qualifying tyres from Bridgestone were up to the job, so it's a little disappointing to find myself only on the third row of the grid. For sure, tomorrow's race will be hard, especially in this heat, but I will be pushing hard to finish as high as possible, in order to safeguard my championship position ahead of the summer break."
Randy de Puniet: 15th - 1'24.592
"It was a hard day today, mainly because of the weather, which was very hot. We found some solutions to our problems with the bike this afternoon, but while it's a lot better than it was, it's still far from perfect, and that hasn't made my job any easier. Neither has the section of track between the Corkscrew and the finish line, where I'm losing a lot of time. I was hoping to follow one of the Americans through this section today, but every time I reached the Corkscrew I found myself on my own. I hope I will get the chance to follow someone through here tomorrow during warm-up, because I need some indication of where to find the fastest line if I am to improve upon my qualifying position in the race. If I can learn the secret to this part of the track, then I think it's still possible to finish inside the top twelve tomorrow."
QUALIFYING PRACTICE - FINAL TIMES
1. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Team Suzuki MotoGP 1'23.168; 2. Colin Edwards (USA) Camel Yamaha Team +0.153; 3. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Roberts +0.252; 4. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team +0.322; 5. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +0.330; 6. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team +0.368; 7. Casey Stoner (AUS) LCR Honda +0.483; 8. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +0.488; 9. Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda +0.582; 10. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Camel Yamaha Team +0.879; 15. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki Racing Team +1.424
Dave
2010 Z1000
ex bikes
05 ZX-10R Race Bike - No.77
95 ZXR750R M Race Bike - No. 75
98 ZX9R Race Bike - No. 000
zx6r, zx7r, GPX750, GPX500, lots of KX's.
I ride way too fast to worry about cholesterol
2010 Z1000
ex bikes
05 ZX-10R Race Bike - No.77
95 ZXR750R M Race Bike - No. 75
98 ZX9R Race Bike - No. 000
zx6r, zx7r, GPX750, GPX500, lots of KX's.
I ride way too fast to worry about cholesterol
or missed on which bit was the new section at Laguna??
-
MadKaw
- Administrator
- Posts: 9671
- Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2004 4:33 pm
- Bike: ZX10R
- State: New South Wales
- Location: Windsor or the Creek..
- Contact:
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
23 JULY 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DETERMINATION PAYS DIVIDENDS FOR DE PUNIET
Randy de Puniet rode what he referred to as the hardest race of his life to take 12th place in today's US Grand Prix at Laguna Seca, after being left to fly the flag for Kawasaki alone when his teammate, Shinya Nakano, retired with a mechanical problem shortly before the halfway stage of the race.
A poor start from the fifth row of the grid saw de Puniet chasing the whole field into the first turn, but the 25-year-old Frenchman quickly got his head down to reclaim two positions, to move up to 17th place, by the end of the second lap.
With the rear of his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR moving around on the entry to every corner, and the handling completely different to that experienced during this morning's 20-minute warm-up session, de Puniet was left with little option but to aim for a race finish today.
The Frenchman's determination was rewarded on lap 15, when Casey Stoner's crash and Nakano's retirement elevated him to fifteenth position, and a potential points scoring finish.
De Puniet moved up again as a result of Toni Elias crashing just one lap later, this time into fourteenth position. The Kawasaki pilot was able to close on Makoto Tamada in thirteenth position, but felt that with his Ninja ZX-RR so unpredictable on corner entry, putting in a pass wasn't a safe option.
As the race drew to a close, de Puniet looked set to collect two championship points for 14th position, but the MotoGP rookie found himself elevated to 12th place at the chequered flag when, on the final lap, Valentino Rossi was forced to retire with a mechanical problem and a mistake by Alex Hofmann dropped him back down the field.
Shinya Nakano got away from the line in ninth place from the third row of the grid, but quickly lost contact with the leading group after Valentino Rossi came past him on lap four.
While he was unable to match the pace of the frontrunners, Nakano was comfortably lapping in the low 1'25s bracket and looked set for a top ten finish until a mechanical failure forced him to retire his Ninja ZX-RR from the race shortly before the halfway stage.
Nakano's retirement drops the Japanese rider from eight to tenth position in the World Championship standings.
Randy de Puniet: 12th
"That has got to be the hardest race I've ever done. We knew the conditions today would make the race difficult, but I wasn't expecting it to be so physically demanding. I got a really bad start, but then the bike felt totally different in the race to how it felt during morning warm-up; I guess as a result of the increase in temperature. The rear end was moving around a lot and, even though I could close onto the back of Makoto Tamada towards the end of the race, it would have been too dangerous to have tried to put in a pass. At the end we picked up some valuable points, but I can't say I'm happy with the result today."
Shinya Nakano: DNF
"It is so frustrating to be sidelined by a mechanical problem, especially because it has dropped me down the championship standings. I got a reasonable start but it was obvious straightaway that we didn't have the set-up needed for this track. I couldn't match the pace of the guys at the front of the race, but I had settled into a good rhythm and I think a top ten finish was a possibility. Unfortunately, at around the halfway point the engine started making some strange noises, and then it stopped and I was forced to retire. We don't know what the problem was, but now we must use the summer break to relax, so that we can come back at Brno even stronger."
Harald Eckl: Team Principal
"I think the first thing we need to take a close look at is our starts, because there is definitely room for improvement there. The start aside, both riders pushed as hard as they could in these difficult conditions, and I'm disappointed for Shinya that his race ended as it did. Randy also had some major handling problems during the race, but he showed his determination by battling on to the end, and he was rewarded with at least some championship points as a result of the retirements at the front of the race. The problems we've experienced this weekend just show how much work we have to do over the next few months, if we are to give Shinya and Randy the chance to improve their positions in the championship standings."
MOTOGP RACE RESULT
1. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team 45'04.867; 2. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team +3.186; 3. Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda +10.929; 4. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Roberts +11.941; 5. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Team Suzuki MotoGP +27.439; 6. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +38.820; 7. Carlos Checa (SPA) Tech 3 Yamaha +44.526; 8. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team +48.526; 9. Colin Edwards (USA) Camel Yamaha Team +53.228; 10. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team +1'06.279; 11. Makoto Tamada (JPN) JIR Konica Minolta Honda +1'11.941; 12. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki Racing Team +1'14.407; DNF. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +17 Laps
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
23 JULY 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DETERMINATION PAYS DIVIDENDS FOR DE PUNIET
Randy de Puniet rode what he referred to as the hardest race of his life to take 12th place in today's US Grand Prix at Laguna Seca, after being left to fly the flag for Kawasaki alone when his teammate, Shinya Nakano, retired with a mechanical problem shortly before the halfway stage of the race.
A poor start from the fifth row of the grid saw de Puniet chasing the whole field into the first turn, but the 25-year-old Frenchman quickly got his head down to reclaim two positions, to move up to 17th place, by the end of the second lap.
With the rear of his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR moving around on the entry to every corner, and the handling completely different to that experienced during this morning's 20-minute warm-up session, de Puniet was left with little option but to aim for a race finish today.
The Frenchman's determination was rewarded on lap 15, when Casey Stoner's crash and Nakano's retirement elevated him to fifteenth position, and a potential points scoring finish.
De Puniet moved up again as a result of Toni Elias crashing just one lap later, this time into fourteenth position. The Kawasaki pilot was able to close on Makoto Tamada in thirteenth position, but felt that with his Ninja ZX-RR so unpredictable on corner entry, putting in a pass wasn't a safe option.
As the race drew to a close, de Puniet looked set to collect two championship points for 14th position, but the MotoGP rookie found himself elevated to 12th place at the chequered flag when, on the final lap, Valentino Rossi was forced to retire with a mechanical problem and a mistake by Alex Hofmann dropped him back down the field.
Shinya Nakano got away from the line in ninth place from the third row of the grid, but quickly lost contact with the leading group after Valentino Rossi came past him on lap four.
While he was unable to match the pace of the frontrunners, Nakano was comfortably lapping in the low 1'25s bracket and looked set for a top ten finish until a mechanical failure forced him to retire his Ninja ZX-RR from the race shortly before the halfway stage.
Nakano's retirement drops the Japanese rider from eight to tenth position in the World Championship standings.
Randy de Puniet: 12th
"That has got to be the hardest race I've ever done. We knew the conditions today would make the race difficult, but I wasn't expecting it to be so physically demanding. I got a really bad start, but then the bike felt totally different in the race to how it felt during morning warm-up; I guess as a result of the increase in temperature. The rear end was moving around a lot and, even though I could close onto the back of Makoto Tamada towards the end of the race, it would have been too dangerous to have tried to put in a pass. At the end we picked up some valuable points, but I can't say I'm happy with the result today."
Shinya Nakano: DNF
"It is so frustrating to be sidelined by a mechanical problem, especially because it has dropped me down the championship standings. I got a reasonable start but it was obvious straightaway that we didn't have the set-up needed for this track. I couldn't match the pace of the guys at the front of the race, but I had settled into a good rhythm and I think a top ten finish was a possibility. Unfortunately, at around the halfway point the engine started making some strange noises, and then it stopped and I was forced to retire. We don't know what the problem was, but now we must use the summer break to relax, so that we can come back at Brno even stronger."
Harald Eckl: Team Principal
"I think the first thing we need to take a close look at is our starts, because there is definitely room for improvement there. The start aside, both riders pushed as hard as they could in these difficult conditions, and I'm disappointed for Shinya that his race ended as it did. Randy also had some major handling problems during the race, but he showed his determination by battling on to the end, and he was rewarded with at least some championship points as a result of the retirements at the front of the race. The problems we've experienced this weekend just show how much work we have to do over the next few months, if we are to give Shinya and Randy the chance to improve their positions in the championship standings."
MOTOGP RACE RESULT
1. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team 45'04.867; 2. Dani Pedrosa (SPA) Repsol Honda Team +3.186; 3. Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda +10.929; 4. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Roberts +11.941; 5. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Team Suzuki MotoGP +27.439; 6. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +38.820; 7. Carlos Checa (SPA) Tech 3 Yamaha +44.526; 8. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team +48.526; 9. Colin Edwards (USA) Camel Yamaha Team +53.228; 10. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team +1'06.279; 11. Makoto Tamada (JPN) JIR Konica Minolta Honda +1'11.941; 12. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki Racing Team +1'14.407; DNF. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +17 Laps
Dave
2010 Z1000
ex bikes
05 ZX-10R Race Bike - No.77
95 ZXR750R M Race Bike - No. 75
98 ZX9R Race Bike - No. 000
zx6r, zx7r, GPX750, GPX500, lots of KX's.
I ride way too fast to worry about cholesterol
2010 Z1000
ex bikes
05 ZX-10R Race Bike - No.77
95 ZXR750R M Race Bike - No. 75
98 ZX9R Race Bike - No. 000
zx6r, zx7r, GPX750, GPX500, lots of KX's.
I ride way too fast to worry about cholesterol
-
MadKaw
- Administrator
- Posts: 9671
- Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2004 4:33 pm
- Bike: ZX10R
- State: New South Wales
- Location: Windsor or the Creek..
- Contact:
Hi StephSteph wrote:The most changed section is just before you enter the corkscrew (just before the big billboard) but the actual corkscrew looked the same. They really botched the repaving, maybe allowed cars on it too soon. It was really bumpy in spots. The scorching heat over the week didn't help the track either.
I'm guessing you were there and having your photo taken with all the riders then.??..
Come on post em up..
Dave
2010 Z1000
ex bikes
05 ZX-10R Race Bike - No.77
95 ZXR750R M Race Bike - No. 75
98 ZX9R Race Bike - No. 000
zx6r, zx7r, GPX750, GPX500, lots of KX's.
I ride way too fast to worry about cholesterol
2010 Z1000
ex bikes
05 ZX-10R Race Bike - No.77
95 ZXR750R M Race Bike - No. 75
98 ZX9R Race Bike - No. 000
zx6r, zx7r, GPX750, GPX500, lots of KX's.
I ride way too fast to worry about cholesterol
Sorry Dave. Yes I was there but don't usually get posed shots. I looked through my photos and don't really have anything good to post. Also, the sun was so intense that I spent most of my time in the shade in the Cycle World hospitality at turn 5.
I do however have a great Rossi/Burgess story if you're interested.
I do however have a great Rossi/Burgess story if you're interested.
-
MadKaw
- Administrator
- Posts: 9671
- Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2004 4:33 pm
- Bike: ZX10R
- State: New South Wales
- Location: Windsor or the Creek..
- Contact:
Absolutely..Steph wrote:Sorry Dave. Yes I was there but don't usually get posed shots. I looked through my photos and don't really have anything good to post. Also, the sun was so intense that I spent most of my time in the shade in the Cycle World hospitality at turn 5.
I do however have a great Rossi/Burgess story if you're interested.
Dave
2010 Z1000
ex bikes
05 ZX-10R Race Bike - No.77
95 ZXR750R M Race Bike - No. 75
98 ZX9R Race Bike - No. 000
zx6r, zx7r, GPX750, GPX500, lots of KX's.
I ride way too fast to worry about cholesterol
2010 Z1000
ex bikes
05 ZX-10R Race Bike - No.77
95 ZXR750R M Race Bike - No. 75
98 ZX9R Race Bike - No. 000
zx6r, zx7r, GPX750, GPX500, lots of KX's.
I ride way too fast to worry about cholesterol
Yamaha held a wonderful party at the Monterey Bay Aquarium again this year for invited guests only. Last year the highlight for me was meeting Jeremy Burgess. We were able to have a nice, long coversation. This year, I ran into him again and he remembered me from last year.
During our conversation, I saw Rossi approaching from behind Jeremy.
Instead of moving swiftly by, as I had expected, he stops, puts his hands on Jeremy's shoulders, looks at me and shouts "Ten time World Champion, Jeremy Burgess", then runs away. Jeremy just smiled and said, "Actually, it's 12 times". I thought it was hilarious.
Two other away from track sightings:
A friend introduced me to Carlos Checa that evening but we didn't have time to talk. I wish I was more into taking photos but it usually doesn't cross my mind at the moment.
At dinner on Wednesday, I said to the others at the table the guy sitting at the table next to us looked familiar, I'm quite sure he's a GP rider. It turned out to be Loris Capirossi.
During our conversation, I saw Rossi approaching from behind Jeremy.
Instead of moving swiftly by, as I had expected, he stops, puts his hands on Jeremy's shoulders, looks at me and shouts "Ten time World Champion, Jeremy Burgess", then runs away. Jeremy just smiled and said, "Actually, it's 12 times". I thought it was hilarious.
Two other away from track sightings:
A friend introduced me to Carlos Checa that evening but we didn't have time to talk. I wish I was more into taking photos but it usually doesn't cross my mind at the moment.
At dinner on Wednesday, I said to the others at the table the guy sitting at the table next to us looked familiar, I'm quite sure he's a GP rider. It turned out to be Loris Capirossi.