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Okada looking forward to return in MotoGP

At the Italian Grand Prix in Mugello Tadayuki Okada returns to GP duties to give HRC's new RCV engine its MotoGP shakedown following an intensive testing programme. The 41-year-old Japanese rider is well known at Repsol Honda - he raced for the team from 1996 to 2000, winning a total of four 500 GPs and finishing second overall to Mick Doohan in the 1997 500 World Championship. He made his GP debut on a Honda NSR250 in 1989 and went on to win two 250 GPs and finish second in 1994 250 world series.

Speaking about his race return Tadayuki Okada said: "My last grand prix race was at Phillip Island in 2000, so it's more than seven years since I last raced in GPs! I am really looking forward to Mugello - the long straight should suit my machine with pneumatic-valve engine. Finally, it is ready to race now.

"I scored some good results on 500s at Mugello. I finished on the podium in 1999 but in 1998 I was battling for the lead with Mick Doohan when I highsided and broke a wrist. The track is a very technical course with tricky right and left corners."

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