BRNO PROVES CHALLENGING FOR KAWASAKI PAIRING
27 August 2005 - Kawasaki Racing

Kawasaki riders, Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann, have qualified eleventh and fourteenth respectively for tomorrow''s Czech Republic Grand at Brno.

Both made excellent use of the latest Bridgestone qualifying tyres, with Nakano''s best lap putting the Japanese rider within one second of pole position. Meanwhile Hofmann was just 0.4s off a top ten place on the grid.

During today''s two hours of practice and qualifying both riders continued evaluation of the latest Bridgestone race tyres featuring new compounds and constructions, and confirmed their race day selections.

But neither rider is underestimating the task facing the Ninja ZX-RR on the fast, bumpy and hugely challenging 5.4 km Brno circuit.

Following a lack of front-end feel and chassis balance yesterday, both riders reported more competitive set-ups today after further adjustments to chassis and engine management settings.

But after assessing the data collected, and a study of lap times, Kawasaki Technical Manager, Ichiro Yoda, says that Kawasaki have learnt a great deal about the future direction required for their MotoGP programme.

Qualifying was conducted in warm and sunny conditions, with the track surface temperature rising to 40 degrees.

Shinya Nakano: #56 - Eleventh - 1''58.490
''Today was much better than yesterday, I had better rear traction and front-end feel and I could enjoy riding the bike, although we are still too far from the times at the front of the grid. We have made a lot of adjustments to chassis and engine settings, and there are more to try in the warm-up tomorrow. I have made my race tyre choice from the new Bridgestone selection and race consistency looks good. Today the latest Bridgestone qualifying tyre also worked very well.''

Alex Hofmann: #66 - Fourteenth - 1''58.793
''I would love to be somewhere in the top ten, but it was just not possible today - another 0.4s and I would be there. Only right at the end did I get a decent lap with a chance to get a tow to find some more speed on the straights. Overall the bike was more comfortable today, but my problem is still T1 - a straight, turn one and then another straight. The new Bridgestone tyres look consistent, so it will just be a matter of grinding out the laps, hopefully having some guys to race and get as many points as possible. And have some fun too of course.''

Ichiro Yoda: Technical Manager
''Our race pace is in the low two minute bracket, perhaps some 1''59s but this is not enough for this style of fast track. Firstly, we need more top end power, but what a track like Brno also shows us is that Kawasaki''s priority for next year must be a completely revised bike package - engine, power delivery, chassis and electronics.''

Harald Eckl: Team Manager
''We are facing a difficult time in tomorrow''s race. Fortunately with Shinya and Alex, I know we have two riders who will do their maximum to deliver as many points as possible. But it will not be easy with our current Ninja ZX-RR package.''

www.kawasaki-eckl.com

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