This Grand Prix might not spring too many surprises in terms of the conclusion of the 2008 World Championship but it could offer pointers to the likely identities of next season’s title challengers. And Honda fans will be looking closely at Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC212V). The Spanish star now starts his second race with both the pneumatic-valve RC212V engine and Bridgestone tyres. How rapidly he gets up to speed with this combination will begin to hint at how next season’s early races may unfold. And there is still second place in this year’s World Championship still to fight for. Series leader Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) has 297 points to second-placed Casey Stoner (Ducati) on 200. Dani has 193 and he is eager to secure runner-up spot this year. With four races left of this 18-race series it is well within his compass and a strong result here at Motegi would be welcome. Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC212V) rode a fine ‘home’ race to second place at Indianapolis two weeks ago. The American former World Champion’s first podium of the season so far has given him and his team a welcome lift ahead of this important weekend as he closes this rewarding chapter of his Grand Prix career with Honda. And as one particular era ends, so others begin. Among the high points of 2008 has been the rapid progress of class rookies Andrea Dovizioso (JiR Scot Honda RC212V) and Alex de Angelis (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V). Dovi, who established an enviable reputation for consistency in the 250cc class, has transferred this remarkable talent to his debut in the toughest class in motorcycling. He has failed to finish just once this season and, more importantly, he’s scored three fourth place finishes. A rostrum here would be no less than he deserves. De Angelis too has been a success. The San Marinese man notching two fourth places in his rookie year. His reward for this solid showing is a renewed contract for 2009 and the chance to further build on this promising beginning. Randy de Puniet (LCR Honda RC212V) continues to qualify well, regularly taking the fight for front row places to the title contenders enjoying seven top six starts so far this season. The French ace is overdue a good race result and will be hoping Motegi is the place. Shinya Nakano (San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V) is still the only rider aside from Rossi who has finished every race in 2008. This dependability is vital when it comes to gathering data for the development of Honda’s 2009 Grand Prix machinery and Nakano has been instrumental in this process. The ‘Twin Ring’ Motegi track, built in 1998, lies 150km north of Tokyo. It is owned by Honda and features an outer ‘Indy’ style oval with a regular track in the infield. Its 4.801km contains a relatively short 762m main straight, eight right turns, six lefts, with a grippy, smooth and predictable surface. The largely constant-radius, second and third gear turns are linked by medium-length straights. Set-up requires a bike that’s stable both under fierce acceleration and equally severe braking. Front/rear balance and suspension settings are key, and the 800cc machines will require perfect engine management to maximise acceleration out of the turns. The track also features gradient and a spectacular tunnel, although little in the way of camber. The back straight is downhill into a tight right-hand bend. And although the main chute is only 0.762km long, the tunnel between turn five and the 130R turn more than makes up for a long main chute in terms of spectacle and rarity value. No other MotoGP track boasts subway sections. Dani said: “Indianapolis was an important weekend for us, with lots of work in all kinds of different weather. I hope we can use the data we gathered there to help us achieve a good result here at Honda’s home race. I am feeling quite confident about this Japanese round. I like Motegi because the surface has good grip and not too many bumps. It’s important to have good braking power and good acceleration from your machine, which means the tyres are very important because you need to be able to brake late into the corners and then accelerate strongly out of them. You need an aggressive riding style. The atmosphere in the paddock is very different the Japanese get very excited about getting autographs!” Nicky said: “Indy gave us a little bit of a boost, so we’ll see if we can keep that going at Motegi. I’m looking forward to it because I’m planning on finishing the season strong. I owe that to Honda, they’ve been a big part of my career, so it would be nice to get some more podiums. This will be my last race on a Honda at their home track, so it would be really nice to get a result for all the Honda people who have worked with me. First time I went to Motegi I thought ‘wow, this is going to be a good track for me’. But since then I really haven’t done much here.” Dovizioso said: “We’ve always gone well here, and I found myself comfortable at the track from the very first time. It’s a circuit that favours the chassis characteristics of my Honda, but we could find ourselves in difficulty with the frequent acceleration out of slow corners. We could get another good result, as we have in recent races and we have to stay in front with the best. As always we’ll never give up at this track and a good result has an important meaning here for us at Honda’s home circuit.” De Angelis said: “Motegi is quite a technical circuit and I like it. The section after the tunnel, which is a series of fast corners, is my strong part. Over the years in 250cc I have made so many passes there. It certainly won’t be an easy race for us because there are so many hard acceleration points coming out of slow corners. Having said that I feel very confident about this final part of the season. The more experience I have in MotoGP the more relaxed and confident I feel ahead of each weekend. Also, having renewed my contract for 2009 can only help me to relax and focus.” Nakano said: “I can’t wait to race in front of my friends and family it all gives me extra motivation to do well. Motegi is a circuit I know really well and my objective is to finish on the podium I won’t try to hide that. So far my best result this season has been fourth place at Brno so my home Grand Prix in Japan represents the perfect opportunity to better that. The new bike, which I have only been using for three races, has a good balance and I am convinced it will adapt well to the characteristics of the track. At Misano and Indianapolis things didn’t go well but I’m sure I can bounce back here at Motegi.” De Puniet said: “Every Honda rider wants to do well here and I’m no different. I got a second place here last year and I don’t see why I can’t do as well or better this year. I like the track and if I can keep my qualifying performance strong I should be able to fight at the front and get what I’ve been after all season another podium.” 250cc Yuki Takahashi (JiR Scot Honda RS250RW) and Ratthapark Wilairot (Thai Honda PTT SAG RS250RW) have never stinted in their efforts to keep Honda at the sharp end of the quarter-litre class this year, Takahashi managing two podium finishes so far. Takahashi said: “This will be my home Grand Prix. I’ve already been on the podium here, but not with my current team, so I’d like to do that for them this year. There are many slow corners onto a straight and that’s not ideal for our machine, but in recent seasons I’ve collected fourth places here and the team will do its utmost to improve. After the second place at Misano, I was ready for a nice race at Indianapolis, but the rain stopped that. We could make amends this weekend.” Wilairot said: “Although Malaysia is closer to Thailand than Japan, I consider Motegi my home race as I made my debut here in the World Championship. I like this track a lot, and I started to race with Grand Prix bikes in the Japanese Championship. I was very disappointed the race in Indianapolis was cancelled because we were ready for a great Grand Prix, so I’m very highly motivated to get a good result here in Motegi.” 125cc Honda’s lone campaigner in this class will be joined this weekend by the usual roster of ‘wild card’ domestic riders here at Motegi. And rookie Cyril Carrillo (FFM Racing Honda RS125R) should be able to benefit from their detailed knowledge of the track. Carrillo said: “This will be another exciting opportunity after Indianapolis. I’d love to do well here on Honda’s home-ground, but being realistic on my first visit here I have to learn the track, concentrate on set-up, qualify well and finish. If I can remember what I learned and I’m lucky enough to be back next year, then we can see what happens”¦”