MotoGP news

Konica Minolta pleased with results from Phillip Island test

The Konica Minolta Honda team concluded its three-day test at Phillip Island today. Shinya Nakano spent the day testing rear Michelin tyres as he got to grips with his new Honda RC212V machine. The 29-yearold Japanese rider completed a total of 78 laps finishing the complete test programme scheduled for the Australian test. Shinya's best time of the day around the 2.76 mile (4.45km) Australian circuit was 1.30.975, an improvement of around four-tenths of a second to his best time of yesterday.

With the programme completed, Nakano and the Team have defined the basic set-up of the new 800cc bike and with the improved lap times the Team is very satisfied that the scheduled work is giving its first positive results. The Team will test again at Qatar on 13th, 14th and 15th of February. That track will later play host to the first round of the season on Saturday 10th March.

Team Manager Gianluca Montiron said: "The pace Nakano had today is satisfying. We are proceeding gradually to find the potential of our technical package in the new Honda RC212V. We have to improve the pace and to have better performance in race set-up and from that point we will aim to find the absolute performance of the Honda RC212V in time for the first race of the season. The relationship between rider and Team is getting better and better and that makes us hope for the best for the future."

Shinya Nakano commented: "My physical condition is much better than Monday but I'm still not feeling 100%. At least today we finished the job of testing the Michelin tyres. Today we were looking at finding the different solutions of rear tyre and this allowed us to obtain a good balance with the bike and an overall good set-up, which we will use in two weeks in Qatar. I am happy about the results gained in these three days as I have better understood the working style of my Team and I am working well with them.

Tomorrow I fly to Japan and I'm going to use the next six days to try and recover physically so I'm 100% fit for the next important test."

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