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MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
25 APRIL 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KAWASAKI HEAD FOR ASIAN ADVENTURE

After a welcome two-week break following the Qatar Grand Prix, the Kawasaki Racing Team head across the Bosporus to Asia for this weekends Grand Prix of Turkey, at the impressive Istanbul Park circuit.

Built at a cost of 155 million Euros, the Istanbul Park circuit was designed by renowned German architect, Hermann Tilke, who was also responsible for the Grand Prix circuits at Sepang in Malaysia and Shanghai in China.

The anti-clockwise track packs 14 turns - eight lefts and six rights - into it's undulating 5.340km length, with a number of the turns based on classic corners from other racetracks around the world, such as Suzuka's Spoon Curve and the infamous Eau Rouge at the Belgian circuit of Spa Francorchamps.

While last year's inaugural Turkish Grand Prix was held in October, when temperatures where low, the move to a late April date for this years race should result in the higher temperatures more suited to the Kawasaki Racing Team's Bridgestone tyres.

Shinya Nakano suffered grip and handling problems during a hard fought race for tenth place last year in Istanbul, but the 28-year-old Japanese rider returns this year confident that the new Ninja ZX-RR will allow him to significantly improve on his result from six months ago.

Nakano's Kawasaki teammate, Randy de Puniet, has had a difficult start to his debut MotoGP season, after injury and a crash meant he was unable to finish in the first two races of the season. The 25-year-old Frenchman rates the Istanbul Park circuit as one of his favourites, and he travels to Turkey determined to secure his first MotoGP World Championship points this weekend.

Shinya Nakano: #56
"Last year we had some problems at Istanbul Park. We were struggling to find grip and the bike didn't turn as quickly as some of the more technical corners demanded. But this year I think we go back to Istanbul in a much stronger position. The new Ninja ZX-RR should be well suited to the track layout, with it's combination of technical and high speed turns, and we know that Bridgestone have worked hard over the winter to eliminate some of the problems we experienced last season. I'm looking forward to getting back on the bike again after a two-week break, and I'm confident that we can put in a strong performance in Istanbul this weekend."

Randy de Puniet: #17
"At both Jerez and Qatar we reached a good level with the bike, but luck was against us and I was unable to finish either race. So, my first priority this weekend in Istanbul is to reach the chequered flag and score my first MotoGP championship points. The Istanbul Park circuit is one of the best on the calendar. It is quite technical, but then you have high-speed turns as well, like the incredible turn 11 halfway down the back straight. You need to commit to this turn, because backing off the throttle too early can lose you a lot of speed, and time, in the run down to the final chicane. It's a real test of nerve! I'm looking forward to the weekend ahead and, with the Ninja ZX-RR, I think we have a chance of a good result in Istanbul."

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
29 APRIL 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DE PUNIET SPLASHES HIS WAY TO THE SECOND ROW

Kawasaki's Randy de Puniet showed complete mastery of the wet conditions during qualifying at Istanbul Park this afternoon, putting his Ninja ZX-RR on the second row of the grid for tomorrow's 22-lap Turkish Grand Prix.

The 25-year-old Frenchman will start from sixth place, alongside current series leader Loris Capirossi and Suzuki's John Hopkins, after consistently improving his time on every lap during the hour-long timed session.

Further rain is forecast for tomorrow's race, but de Puniet is confident that he has both a dry and wet set-up worked out for his Ninja ZX-RR that will allow him to put in a strong performance whatever the prevailing conditions.

Shinya Nakano will start from the third row of the grid, after bouncing back from a difficult free practice session this morning to claim eighth place on the grid during qualifying this afternoon.

The 28-year-old Kawasaki rider struggled to find a good rhythm this morning, but after listening to advice from his crew, and adopting a smoother approach to riding the 5.340km Istanbul Park circuit, Nakano saw a distinct improvement in his lap times towards the end of the free practice session.

Nakano carried that momentum through to qualifying this afternoon, lapping consistently throughout before taking eighth place on tomorrow's grid with his final flying lap.

Visibility on the main straight was so bad that both Kawasaki riders failed to see the 'in' signal on their pit boards at the end of the session, with the result that they ran out of fuel on their slowing down laps, leaving them with a long walk back to the pit box.

Randy de Puniet: 6th - 2'06.102
"Today in the wet conditions I felt really comfortable on the bike. I didn't have so much confidence when we started this morning, but then we switched to a different wet tyre and the bike was transformed. I was able to get on the gas earlier out of the turns without having to worry about losing the rear, and that gives you a lot of confidence. Once I'd worked out how much grip was available this afternoon I just tried to push that little bit harder on every lap, but at no time did I feel like I was overriding the bike. I'm happy to qualify so far up the grid and whatever the conditions tomorrow, if I can put in a good warm-up session, then I'm confident of a good result in the race."

Shinya Nakano: 8th - 2'07.294
"This morning was a nightmare to start off with; I just didn't feel comfortable on the bike in these conditions. But, after discussing the problem with my crew, I went back out and just tried to ride as smoothly as possible, and that solved the problem. This afternoon I actually enjoyed for the first time pushing as hard as I could in the wet, and I'm satisfied with my starting position. I think we have a good wet and dry set-up for this circuit, so it doesn't matter what the weather does tomorrow. Having said that, like most riders, I would prefer the race to be a dry one."

Harald Eckl: Team Principal
"I'm very happy for Randy, and I hope that his second row qualifying position has allowed him to regain the confidence that he will need for the race tomorrow. If it rains for the race, which the forecast is predicting, then I think a top ten finish is well within Randy's grasp. Randy also pushed Shinya very hard in the wet conditions today, and I was pleased to see Shinya respond in such a positive way, by getting his head down and pushing as hard as he could for a good lap time. I think we will be in a very strong position if it is a wet race tomorrow; both riders performed well in the rain, and with six riders in the top eight positions, Bridgestone have certainly proved that they have a very competitive wet tyre for this demanding circuit."

QUALIFYING PRACTICE - FINAL TIMES
1. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Team Suzuki MotoGP 2'04.617; 2. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team +0.206; 3. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.386; 4. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team +0.923; 5. John Hopkins (USA) Team Suzuki MotoGP +1.083; 6. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki Racing Team +1.485; 7. Casey Stoner (AUS) LCR Honda +2.660; 8. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +2.677; 9. Colin Edwards (USA) Camel Yamaha Team +2.727; 10. Kenny Roberts (USA) Team Roberts +2.728; 11. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Camel Yamaha Team +2.935; 12. Toni Elias (SPA) Fortuna Honda +3.146; 13. Makoto Tamada (JPN) JIR Konica Minolta Honda +3.526

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2006
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM PRESS OFFICE
30 APRIL 2006 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NAKANO EIGHTH AS DE PUNIET FINISHES IN THE POINTS

Shinya Nakano took a hard fought eighth place in today's Grand Prix of Turkey aboard his Ninja ZX-RR, while his Kawasaki teammate, Randy de Puniet, crossed the line in 12th place, to claim his first MotoGP race finish.

Nakano was forced to fight for position from the off, battling hard with teammate de Puniet and Honda's Makoto Tamada after a good start from the third row of the grid.

Nakano eventually fought his way through to the front of the trio, leaving de Puniet to continue the battle with Tamada, but by that time the group in front had managed to pull out an insurmountable gap on the Kawasaki rider.

Undeterred, Nakano focused on lapping consistently aboard his Bridgestone shod Ninja ZX-RR, for which he was rewarded towards the end of the 22-lap race when the high attrition rate at the front saw riders either crashing out, or slowing due to tyre problems.

Running in tenth position with two laps to go, Nakano managed to catch and pass Yamaha's Colin Edwards on the penultimate lap to take ninth place, before being elevated to eighth when Dani Pedrosa crashed out of third place with just over one lap to go. Nakano held the position to the line, after Edwards was unable to mount a challenge on the final lap.

Randy de Puniet tried to stay with his teammate when he came past a third of the way into the race, but lost touch with Nakano after being forced into a mistake at the end of the straight as he tried to pass a slowing John Hopkins.

Knowing that Hopkins would slow them both through the chicane, de Puniet attempted a pass on the entry to turn 12, but lost valuable time when he ran wide on the brakes.

Recovering well, de Puniet was quickly back up to speed and lapped consistently throughtout the remainder of the race, to finish in a commendable 12th place, and collect his first MotoGP world championship points.

Shinya Nakano: 8th
"I got into a battle right from the start with Makoto Tamada and Randy, which I think slowed us all down, allowing the leading group to get away from us. I think our tyre choice for today's race was correct, as I was able to keep my lap times consistent throughout the race, and I still had the grip left at the end to push and catch Colin Edwards. I could see I was catching him, but we were equally matched on tyre performance and top speed, so putting in a pass was not so easy. In the end I got him on the brakes going into Turn 10, with a lap and a half to go, to steal one more position. I'm not so happy to only finish eighth today, but if I'm honest, after the problems we had in dry practice here on Friday, it was better than I was expecting."

Randy de Puniet: 12th
"From the start the lead group were away too fast for me to stay with them, so I concentrated on riding as consistently as possible to keep the same lap time each lap. When Shinya came past me on lap eight I tried to stick on his tail, but then I was forced into a mistake trying to pass Hopkins at the end of the straight. It looked like he had a problem and was slowing, so I braked deep into the corner in a bid to pass him on the entry. I overshot slightly and that caused me to lose contact with Shinya. I have to admit, while I would have obviously preferred to finish higher than 12th today, I'm happy to have finished my first MotoGP race, as well as picking up my first world championship points this season."

MOTOGP RACE RESULT
1. Marco Melandri (ITA) Fortuna Honda 41'54.065; 2. Casey Stoner (AUS) LCR Honda +0.200; 3. Nicky Hayden (USA) Repsol Honda Team +5.458; 4. Valentino Rossi (ITA) Camel Yamaha Team +6.209; 5. Toni Elias (SPA) Fortuna Honda +6.587; 6. Loris Capirossi (ITA) Ducati Marlboro Team +16.682; 7. Chris Vermeulen (AUS) Team Suzuki MotoGP +16.777; 8. Shinya Nakano (JPN) Kawasaki Racing Team +21.537; 9. Colin Edwards (USA) Camel Yamaha Team +22.847; 10. Makoto Tamada (JPN) JIR Konica Minolta Honda +30.483; 11. Sete Gibernau (SPA) Ducati Marlboro Team +30.543; 12. Randy de Puniet (FRA) Kawasaki Racing Team +34.284