MotoGP news

Nakano hopes improvements will pay out

Konica Minolta Honda rider Shinya Nakano hopes he can show that the bike got some significant improvements after the team's last test. Nakano will travel with the MotoGP circus to Istanbul for this weekend's Turkish Grand Prix.

With the new-for-2007 800cc MotoGP bikes never having been tested around the circuit in Istanbul, the pressure is on for Konica Minolta Honda and their tyre partners Michelin to hit the ground running in time for the first practice session on Friday morning.

With two 10th places so far, the pressure is now on both Team and rider to improve and close the gap on the title leaders. Shinya Nakano enjoyed a fruitful wet-weather test at Jerez after the race and is confident that his feeling with the new machine on the new Michelin rubber should begin to show improved results.

Nakano said: "Our test after Jerez was very good for us as we managed to get the feeling from the front of the bike that I need for my riding style. This was in the wet, but this is the same feeling we're chasing for the bike in the dry conditions too. This data is important, as once I have found a setting to give me the same feeling in the dry, then I know we will go much faster. I'm hoping we can find this at Turkey as I want to push hard and get even better results for both the Team and myself."

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