From a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team:

CONFIDENCE HIGH FOR EUROPEAN OPENER

The Jerez circuit in Southern Spain plays host on Sunday to the first European MotoGP race of the year and, after a promising start to the season for the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team in South Africa, Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann have high hopes for the weekend ahead.

A successful IRTA test in difficult weather conditions at Jerez back in March could pay dividends for the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team, as the local weather forecast is predicting that rain showers may well be a factor that the MotoGP teams have to overcome this weekend.

But, while the weather may be the same as it was for the IRTA test, the circuit will look – and sound – a lot different to the riders this weekend. The Spaniards are some of the most passionate, knowledgeable and noisy race fans anywhere in the world, and when you pack upwards of 150,000 of them onto the natural grandstands that surround the 4.423km Jerez circuit an electric atmosphere is guaranteed. The fireworks that punctuate practice and qualifying here also make Jerez one of the few circuits where you have to strain to hear the sound of the unsilenced 990cc MotoGP machines over the noise of the crowd.

After finishing an impressive 12th on his race debut for Kawasaki in South Africa, Shinya Nakano heads for the second round of the 2004 MotoGP World Championship in determined mood. The 26-year-old Japanese rider likes the Andalusian circuit and, after testing successfully here preseason, is confident that his Ninja ZX-RR – updated with new components for this race – is capable of giving the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team their first top ten finish of the season.

Nakano’s Fuchs Kawasaki teammate, Alex Hofmann, will be looking to put the disappointment of crashing out of the opening race of the season in South Africa behind him at Jerez this weekend. The 23-year-old German rider made his wild card debut for the Fuchs Kawasaki team in this race last season, finishing a creditable 16th aboard his Ninja ZX-RR. Hofmann improved considerably on this race time during the IRTA tests at Jerez in March and is confident that there are further improvements to be made, both to machine set up and lap times, during practice and qualifying for Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Shinya Nakano: No.56
“Jerez for me always feels like the first race of the season, because it’s the first time in the year we see the whole MotoGP paddock set up, with all the trucks and hospitality units. I like racing at Jerez; the circuit suits my style and the enthusiasm of the Spanish fans always makes for an exciting weekend. It’s unusual to be able to hear the crowd when you’re out on track, but with the sheer noise the fans produce here, not to mention the fireworks; they certainly let you know they’re there! The opening race of the season didn’t go quite according to plan, but we had a good qualifying run in South Africa and I’m hopeful that we can match that this weekend. We’ve got some new parts to test on the bike during practice and qualifying and, if all goes well, then I think that matching my eighth place in this race last year is a distinct possibility on Sunday.”

Alex Hofmann: No.66
“I need to get a good result here after the disappointment of South Africa and, while anything can happen in racing, the fact that we had a good test here gives me the confidence that such a result is possible. We already have a good set up on the bike for this circuit, and we know which tyres work well around here, but I think there’s a good chance we can make further improvements in these areas as the weekend progresses. I know it’s possible for me to finish in the points on Sunday, but if all goes well in practice and qualifying then maybe the possibility of a top ten finish shouldn’t be discounted. I like racing at Jerez; the atmosphere is incredible and the sheer enthusiasm of the Spanish fans always gives you an extra boost on race day.”


More, from a press release issued by d’Antin Ducati:

Hodgson and Xaus ready to taste the Spanish GP atmosphe…
[29.04.2004]



The riders of the d´Antin MotoGP team, Neil Hodgson and Rubén Xaus, arrive in Spain with their Ducati Desmosedici bikes this weekend, to kick off the European leg of the World Championships at the captivating Jerez circuit, home of the Spanish Grand Prix since 1987.


It is a very balanced circuit, with one bend leading onto another throughout, requiring riders to be smooth and the set-up precise, with the top speed not being the main factor. However the main draw of this track is the incredible atmosphere created by some 200,000 fans who make their way into the complex, letting the riders know they are there every single lap of the way.

Neil Hodgson knows exactly what it means to ride at Jerez, where he raced for the first time in 1995 taking 12th in the 500cc class. “I’m delighted about returning to Jerez because we tested here recently. The weather conditions were awful though, I hardly rode, and there was no sign of the massive crowds, who are the real reason behind the magical atmosphere at this Grand Prix. It’s an important race for the whole team, and I have to say that I much prefer this track to Welkom. We had bad luck there, but I’m confident that this weekend we can continue our adaptation to the category and we can pick up our first points.”

For Rubén Xaus Sunday’s race will be something of a ‘baptism’, with it being his first race at home this year and his debut in this legendary Grand Prix, “I know the circuit, but the last time I raced here was in 1995 in the Spanish Championship. Now I’ve got pins and needles a bit, because I’m going to ‘that’ Jerez that everyone talks about, that I’ve seen on the television… and as much as people tell you about it, I think you have to live it. I hope that the fans receive me well, because from my point of view I’ll guarantee them 110 percent effort. When we tested during the IRTA session, it caught my eye how much the complex had been improved , but the weather wasn’t with us then and we couldn’t make the most of the time. In Welkom we did some good work, but luck wasn’t with us, and now in Jerez our objectives are still the same as in South Africa: to get more experience and to finish the race.”