MotoGP 2004 - Camel Honda commence testing in Malaysia

Makoto Tamada went out today onto the circuit at Sepang in Malaysia for the first of three days of tests. Thanks to the ideal weather conditions – 30°C (86°F) air temperature, 35° (95°) on the tarmac, and moderate 70% relative humidity, he was able to work well and intensely right from the first sortie of the year. Makoto Tamada concentrated on the 2004 chassis settings of his RC211V, focusing on a number of details involving the frame and suspension. As for the engine of his Honda, the Camel Honda Team rider went out today with a power unit identical to the one used for the Valencia tests in December, and thus an intermediate step. The definitive 2004 version, which is undergoing constant development, will be used later on, as from the forthcoming tests in February.

Using Bridgestone tyres, Tamada was trying out materials that he knows and has tested at length in the past. This solution was chosen so that Makoto could concentrate entirely on the variations in chassis settings.

Shinichi Itoh, Bridgestone’s official test rider, was also out on the circuit at Sepang. The expert Japanese rider is working with the aim of continuing the development of materials made by the Japanese giant for the 2004 MotoGP. He has an intense work programme for the three days of tests that should help select the latest tyres for the season that is about to begin.

Luca Montiron (Team Manager Makoto Tamada – Camel Honda Team)
“We started off with a very successful first day of work, and the experience that Makoto Tamada acquired last year means he has been able to start the season extremely well and with great determination. Makoto made his debut in the MotoGP right here at Sepang in last year’s winter tests. Seeing him perform so well, one year later, on the very first day of tests is certainly reason for great satisfaction. We’ve got lots of work to do and this is only the first in a long series of tests leading up to the competition, so we’re tackling this period of the year with great motivation, as it’s the basis for our future results.”

Makoto Tamada (# 6 – Camel Honda Team – Bridgestone Tyres)
“I’m just raring to go and more determined than ever. The new World Championship season is starting up and I just couldn’t wait to get back onto my bike. The good weather on this first day of work gave excellent results and I was able to gain new knowledge, which I started acquiring in the December tests, of an even more advanced RC211V. We’ll take time to analyse all the details so we can make the most of all the new features that are gradually being introduced to the bike. I’m already pleased with my lap times, but over the next couple of days we’ll also be working to get the best possible performance.”

Times on first day of tests:

Makoto Tamada – 41 LAPS – 2m04.0
Shinichi Itoh – 56 LAPS – 2m05.1

-- Kawasaki --

Just six days after the official announcement that Shinya Nakano would ride for the Kawasaki Racing Team in 2004 the 26-year-old Japanese rider made his debut aboard the Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP machine during the first day of a planned four day test at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia.

Sporting his trademark 'mooneyes' helmet, Nakano took to the track aboard the very latest version of the Ninja ZX-RR and spent the day familiarising himself with the characteristics of both the 990cc, inline four-cylinder MotoGP machine and the Bridgestone tyres. Despite this being his first outing on the Kawasaki, the popular Japanese rider ended the day just 1.5s off his best lap time in October's Malaysian Grand Prix.

Former Kawasaki test and development rider, and now full time MotoGP contender, Alex Hofmann, spent today carrying out comparison tests using the 2003 version of the Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP machine, but still managed to improve upon his previous best lap time around the Sepang circuit. Having been impressed with the consistency of the Bridgestone tyres during today's rain shortened session the former European 250cc Champion is looking forward to testing the tyres further on the 2004 version of the Ninja ZX-RR tomorrow.

Shinya Nakano: best time - 2:06.5 (44 laps)
"I was very excited about riding the Ninja ZX-RR for the first time today and, after just this short test session, my first impression of the Kawasaki is that it is a very compact, but very powerful machine. Now we need to work at finding a good chassis balance, as well as setting the bike up to be more stable on the brakes, but this is to be expected with a completely new chassis. We'll also be making a few changes to the gearbox tonight, ready to start testing again tomorrow morning. Overall, I'm very happy with how things have gone today."

Alex Hofmann: best time - 2:06.2 (41 laps)
"I started with the old bike today, as we had a couple of modifications we wanted to evaluate before switching to the new bike tomorrow, but I still managed to go quicker than my previous best lap time at this circuit. The consistency of the Bridgestone tyres is impressive; I did my fastest time today on a set of tyres with almost 20 laps on them. Now I can't wait to try them on the new bike tomorrow."

Harald Eckl: Team Manager
"It has been interesting to watch Shinya adapt step by step to the new bike and it has given me confidence in the fact that we are moving in the right direction. We have a lot more parts and settings to test over the next three days and we're looking forward to leaving here with enough data to enable us to make the next step in the development process when we return to Sepang in February. It has also been good to see what is effectively a new team starting to work together to produce the results we know the bike and riders are capable of. This, in particular, bodes well for the rest of the season."

-- HRC --

The New Year saw its first MotoGP action at the Sepang Circuit today, with a packed test session at the Malaysian track bringing to an end the testing prohibition in place for the last month. In contrast to the thunderous downpours that shrouded the region on the eve of the test, the Honda riders were greeted with bright sunshine on their arrival at the circuit around 9am, and began work right away to avoid the forecast afternoon drenching.

With the air temperature hovering between the 30º and 35º mark throughout the day, testing is tough at this circuit for both rider and machine, but the limit-pushing extremes of this, the accommodating yet challenging circuit and the constant warm asphalt temperatures mean that testing here is vital to most team's pre-season plans. Camel Pramac Pons' Max Biaggi is a past winner here, and is no stranger to the conditions, he clocked a lap time of 2'03.47 today, breaking the lap record set in the race here just three months ago. Following him past this benchmark was Telefonica MoviStar Honda's Sete Gibernau, who set a best lap of 2'03.51, last year's runner-up keen not to be outdone in the early psychological battles.

Gibernau's new team-mate Colin Edwards continues his rapid adaptation to the RC211V, setting a 2'04.26, with Camel Honda's Makoto Tamada enjoying the extreme track conditions to record a 2'04.00 on his Bridgestone shod RCV. Nicky Hayden made his first ride of the 2004 pre-season after undergoing surgery on his thumb, and posted a 2'04.72, whilst Tohru Ukawa rode a development machine in his new role as HRC's official test rider, clocking 2'05.66. The riders stopped around an hour early at 4pm due to light rain affecting parts of the track..

Max Biaggi - 2m 03.47s. 47 laps - "I had a good month's rest, which we need to recharge the batteries for this pan-continental test. I like the conditions here in Malaysia, hot and humid, when you haven't got too many things to test, it's certainly good physical preparation. We are working on a single bike here, waiting for the new machines, and we are testing mainly suspension and tyres. It's good, because it will make a good comparison when the 2004 bike arrives and we test it here next month."

Sete Gibernau - 2m 03.51s. 58 laps - "I've trained well so it wasn't really a problem riding today in the heat, although obviously you have to settle into things first. My morale is so high at the moment, and it's helped today by the fact that we have already made improvements on the race record time. We worked mainly on tyres today, and with Michelin's 17" front. For the rest of the test we'll probably move on to suspension and other such things, but I'm happy with our work today."

Makoto Tamada- 2m 04.00s. 41 laps. - "We didn't really work on tyres today as I expected, and concentrated more on the machine set-up as a whole, which showed some good results. The conditions are difficult here, but today as a whole was good, I've done my training well, so it was no problem for me at all. The rest of this test we will dedicate now to the tyres above all."

Colin Edwards - 2m 04.72s. 51 laps. - "We were working a bit on the set-up, which isn't too different from that of Valencia to be honest, and also playing with a few different rims, working with Michelin. We've tried a lot of that before so not much new there. As for my adaptation to the new bike in these conditions, after having been in the mountains and with thin air for a month I thought I might come here a hero, but it's still too hot! As regards my adaptation, Hondas have a certain character, and whether it's Superbike or MotoGP, it's got those similar characteristics, so it's never a problem for me, just getting back into the swing."

Nicky Hayden - 2m 04.72s. 57 laps - "That was great to get back on the bike and open the throttle after what has felt like quite a time. It's good to see all the team again - exactly the same as last year so it feels real comfortable. We had a little difficulty at the start of the session but quickly resolved it and started to have fun. I had hoped to carry on more but the rain came so we packed up mid-afternoon. We've still got two days here, which is good. My hand has held up well today; feels a lil' weak but that's not surprising. A pretty good and enjoyable first day back."

Tohru Ukawa - 2m 05.66s. 62 laps. - "So this is the first time for me as a test rider, which is a strange situation. I'm happy with the direction that the development bike is going, with the new engine, frame and suspension spec all looking good to me. However I wasn't happy with my lap time. The bike feels comfortable and everything, and physically I am okay, I think that just as test rider it will take time to get used to. There are still two days though, so by the last day I hope to have set a good time."

Following the recent announcement by Alex Barros in Brazil that he is free to seek a new MotoGP ride for the 2004 season, Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) today (Tuesday, 20 January 2004) can confirm that the 33-year-old Brazilian will ride alongside Nicky Hayden in the official HRC Repsol Honda Team for 2004.

Barros is making a good recovery following surgery before Christmas on a past shoulder injury and is due to ride the 2004 Honda RC211V at Sepang, Malaysia on February 11,12 and 13 before moving down to Phillip Island, Australia on February 17,18 and 19 taking part in the official HRC Winter Testing Programme.

His new team under Crew Chief, Ramon Forcada, is working in Sepang at the moment with a view to making a flying start with Barros in the February tests. Forcada worked with Barros for two years in the West Honda Pons team in 2001 and 2002 and guided the Brazilian to two victories and two podiums in the last four races of 2002 when he was given the opportunity to ride the 4-stroke RC211V.