MotoGP news

Nakano needs to solve front-end problems

Just days after a dramatic weekend at their home MotoGP race of Mugello, the Konica Minolta Honda Team head to Spain and the Barcelona track of Catalunya. With a few days to analyse the data from their home race, the team hopes it will be able to improve the set-up and balance of their Honda RC212V machine before first practice on Friday.

The 2.9mile Montmeló circuit is located just north of Barcelona and is similar in style to Mugello, with a long main straight and some fast and technical corners. Spanish fans also share a similar passion for motorsport as do their Italian cousins, so the race promises to be a popular and exciting event. The MotoGP season is now in full swing, with two further races in the month of June at Donington Park in Great Britain on 24th June and at Assen in the Netherlands on 30th June.

Shinya Nakano, the team's rider, said about the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix: "I like Barcelona and I love racing at the Catalunya circuit, it is a very special place! We saw at Mugello that we need to solve the problem of chatter from the front-end of the bike as it stops me pushing harder in the corners, but at least we can clearly see our problem so we know exactly what we need to work on. I love racing anywhere in Spain as the Spanish fans have such a passion for bike racing and MotoGP in particular. I enjoy the circuit layout, it is one of my favourites, so I'm hoping for lots of dry practice time as well as a good race on Sunday and a positive test on the Monday."

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