2006 Australian Superbike Championship (YMF Loan) - Round Four - Queensland Raceway

Konica Minolta Preview

The three weeks passed since the Laguna Seca GP, the last race before the summer break, permitted the different MotoGP teams to take a breath before setting out on the last, frenetic, series of races of the Championship. Six races across three continents, in eleven weeks, starting from the next Brno GP, will decide the result of one of the most riveting and unpredictable Championship of the recent years.

Makoto Tamada, who, in the latest part of the season, had alternate performance phases, will reach the Czech Republic after having spent some days of holidays trying to recover from the “Suzuka 8 hours”. Last July 30th, the KONICA MINOLTA Honda team rider ended up the Japanese famous endurance race in fifth position paired with his countryman Kiyonari, riding the Official HRC Team Honda CBR1000RR.

The fourth place obtained in 2004 is Tamada best result at Brno, last year he took the flag in tenth place in 44’23.787”. A very important twelfth round for the KONICA MINOLTA Honda Team aiming to get prestigious sport results and give sense to a not very exciting season.

Gianluca Montiron – KONICA MINOLTA Honda General Director
“This break permitted us to take a breath. I’m curious to restart and the wish is to see Makoto in the leaders group. This year we could admire him in only one occasion; not too much. Now it’s time to demonstrate that that episode was not an isolated case. I believe in our rider’s potential and in his recuperative powers for the last phase of the season. Makoto likes the Czech track because is a demanding circuit, with a lay out similar to Mugello; there are all the elements to have a good performance.”

Makoto Tamada – KONICA MINOLTA Honda Rider
“In these weeks I relaxed myself even if I had to fight my left knee pain accompanying me since last July 16th. The pain also influenced my performance in the “Suzuka 8 hours”. After summer break, I hope I’ll reach the necessary physical condition to carry out profitable practice sessions and a good race. I love Brno track design and the rhythm to be taken in the series of corners; I hope to be aggressive in riding starting from Friday.”

Giulio Bernardelle –KONICA MINOLTA Honda Technical Director
“Brno is still classified among the medium-fast tracks even if , with the current MotoGP powers, all corners are ridden in second gear, except the first one, the fastest, requesting a third gear. The track is situated inside a wood inside the hills and presents a remarkable height difference. The principle technical characteristic is represented by numerous fast “S” corners breaking the acceleration tracts. The final part, in particular, is very beautiful: riders start the slope leading to the main straight, exiting from a wide right hairpin corner and facing two left-right “S” having an important role in obtaining a good lap time.”