Kawasaki Makes 2004 MotoGP Plans Official
From a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team:
MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
PRESEASON TESTING - MALAYSIA
14TH JANUARY 2004 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KAWASAKI RACING TEAM: HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR 2004 SEASON
A new version of the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR MotoGP machine, together with two new riders and a change in tyre supplier for the 2004 season mean that expectations are high as the Kawasaki Racing Team head for Sepang in Malaysia, and the first of three overseas preseason tests.
Kawasaki's assault on the 2004 MotoGP World Championship will be spearheaded by seasoned Grand Prix campaigner Shinya Nakano. Twice a winner of the prestigious Rookie of the Year award, Nakano will test the new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR for the first time at Sepang next week, but already the 26-year-old Japanese rider has his sights set firmly on the podium.
oining Nakano on the Ninja ZX-RR will be former Kawasaki test and development rider, Alex Hofmann. The 23-year-old rider - the only German competing in this year's MotoGP World Championship - is determined to build on his impressive wild card performances in 2003, with regular points scoring finishes on the new Ninja ZX-RR being the ultimate aim in his first full season in the blue-riband class.
Developed using the lessons learnt during Kawasaki's debut MotoGP season, the latest version of the Ninja ZX-RR machine features a revised 990cc inline four-cylinder engine, housed in a new chassis, designed jointly by engineers in Japan and Europe. The new chassis, which will be built in Europe, has resulted in a much more compact Ninja ZX-RR and a lower centre of gravity.
Also new on the Ninja ZX-RR for the 2004 season are Bridgestone tyres. The Japanese tyre company have invested heavily in research and development in recent years and this commitment has been rewarded on the track, with Bridgestone securing their first MotoGP podium finish in 2003. Initial tests of the new tyres have been extremely positive, with Hofmann managing to improve his previous best lap time by almost two seconds during end of season testing at Valencia.
The Kawasaki Racing Team will test for four days at Sepang from 20-26 January, before returning on 11 February for a further three days of testing at the Malaysian circuit. The Phillip Island circuit in Australia will be the venue for the final four day overseas test, scheduled for 23-26 February, after which the Kawasaki Racing Team will return to Europe for the annual IRTA tests at Catalunya and Jerez.