So long, Kawasaki

Blue is the new green, so here we go.

Honda beckons

Contemplating his next move...
I don't think his heart is really in it anymore. For Kawasaki that is. Crashed out in Estoril's opening lap. Professionally, he will race, it's his job and obligation. But part of him is already thinking of next season, and the new bike, the new team and the new commitment.

"I can't comment on my reasons for leaving Kawasaki, as I am still their rider for two more races. I am just concentrating on doing a job for them. For sure we have had talks with Honda about a move there, but nothing has been confirmed yet."

Nakano also expressed his ambition to win a Grand Prix before his 30th birthday, having recently turned 29.

Source : Official MotoGP Website

Leaving the Green pastures

Shinya Nakano is set to shun a big-money offer from Kawasaki and sign for Konica Minolta Honda next season.

Honda have told the 29-year-old Japanese that the ride, which is currently occupied by his countryman Makoto Tamada, is his if he wants it next season, and are waiting on an answer.

Nakano, who is disappointed to have not yet ridden next year's Kawasaki, said: “I have a chance with Honda, all I have to say is yes.

“The delay with the new Kawsaki has made me look at my future and after three years with Kawasaki, I expected more, I have told them it would be difficult to stay.”

Nakano lies 12th in the riders' championship after taking the best finish of his career – second place – in the Dutch TT at Assen. A maiden win looked on the cards in Australia before rain intervened.

And Kawasaki team boss Harald Eckl believes that Nakano's departure is inevitable, despite putting a 1.1 million Euro (£750,000) contract on the table.

Eckl said, "In my mind, he is already gone. I have begged him, but he wants to see the new bike and we don't have it yet.”

The move comes as a blow to 250cc front-runner Hiroshi Aoyama, who won in Japan last weekend and was thought to be in line for the ride if Tamada was dropped.

Should Nakano move on, as is expected, Kawasaki have a number of riders on their wish-list to partner Frenchman Randy de Puniet next year.

Among the candidates are Spaniards Carlos Checa and Sete Gibernau, as well as Tamada.

Kawasaki’s PR person Ian Wheeler confirmed Shinya Nakano’s departure from the team but was not in a position to divulge who would be replacing him or who would fill the number 2 slot currently held by Randy de Puniet.

Money's not gonna sway him, I guess. It's the competitive streak in him that's urging the move. That's commendable and all but it's definitely not an aesthetically astute move. Konica Minolta's colours are just so blah. Not to mention the required revamping here. But if that's where his heart is set, into the blue I'd go.

Happy Birthday !

Dear Shinya,

Your biggest fan is not dead, just hibernating. Even then, I pried my eyelids open just to wish you a revvin' birthday. Happy 29th Birthday ! May the podium and you be more acquainted in the coming year :)

A Mysterious Rider

Maybe if Shinya rode the bike this way, he'd have better luck at Sachsenring.. heh

Podium Fallout

Let's just check it again before we send him on his way...

Source : Kawasaki-Eckl

After the high of last week, it all came back down. Way down with a DNF. Shinya was on his way to beating De Puniet at least, but halfway through the race, while my hand was all gooped up with chicken rice, he stopped at the side and got off his bike. Almost casually. Didn't even have time to snap a photo.

Everything was a-okay... at first.

"Right from the beginning of the race I was struggling with a gearbox problem that made it difficult to shift down through the gears. After a few laps I figured out how to compensate for this problem using the clutch. I was pushing as hard as I could to catch the group of riders in front of me, but then I felt the engine suddenly lose power and I had no other option but to retire from the race. It's disappointing after finishing so well in Assen, but now we need to concentrate on our preparations for the next race at Sachsenring, which is an important one for the Kawasaki Racing Team."

- Shinya on his DNF at Donington

Source : Kawasaki-Eckl

Rossi did the spectacular again, securing second spot after qualifying 12th. The last lap was a heated one with his buddy, Melandri but Rossi showed the mettle that might still crown him champ this year. The sullen Pedrosa won by a country mile, whatever that means.

I won. Yipee.
Donington Top Three

Source : Official MotoGP Website

Donington Qualifiers

Shinya qualified one spot behind team mate Randy De Puniet. This travesty must be corrected during the race. The second spot in Assen probably won't be repeated this week (still... Go Shinya!), but I'm betting an entire pot of teh tarik that Shinya's going to finish ahead of Randy.

"I'm a little bit disappointed, as I was expecting better after two good free practice sessions yesterday. Tomorrow's race is 30 laps, which will place a high demand on tyres, so we've concentrated today on confirming our tyre choice for the race. I'm happy to say that, once again, Bridgestone have come up with the goods, and I'm confident the tyre we've selected will perform consistently throughout the race tomorrow. During qualifying I had a small problem with the gearbox on the bike, which meant I missed the chance to use two of my qualifying tyres. For sure I'd rather be starting from the front or even the second row, but the race is long so I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities to make up places as the race progresses."

- Shinya on qualifying seventh

Source : Kawasaki-Eckl

MotoGP qualifying times from the British Grand Prix at Donington Park :-
1. Dani Pedrosa SPA Repsol Honda Team 1min 27.676 secs
2. Chris Vermulen AUS Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1min 28.158 secs
3. Marco Melandri ITA Fortuna Honda 1min 28.205 secs
4. John Hopkins USA Rizla Suzuki MotoGP 1min 28.252 secs
5. Loris Capirossi ITA Ducati Marlboro Team 1min 28.394 secs
6. Randy de Puniet FRA Kawasaki Racing Team 1min 28.428 secs
7. Shinya Nakano JPN Kawasaki Racing Team 1min 28.431 secs
8. Casey Stoner AUS Honda LCR 1min 28.447 secs
9. Kenny Roberts Jr USA Team Roberts 1min 28.473 secs
10. Colin Edwards USA Camel Yamaha Team 1min 28.481 secs
11. Nicky Hayden USA Repsol Honda Team 1min 28.509 secs
12. Valentino Rossi ITA Camel Yamaha Team 1min 28.808 secs
13. Carlos Checa SPA Tech 3 Yamaha 1min 29.294 secs
14. Makoto Tamada JPN Konica Minolta Honda 1min 29.362 secs
15. Alex Hofmann GER Ducati Marlboro Team 1min 29.479 secs
16. James Ellison GBR Tech 3 Yamaha 1min 30.382 secs
17. Ivan Silva SPA Pramac d'Antin MotoGP 1min 31.838 secs
18. Jose Luis Cardoso SPA Pramac d'Antin MotoGP 1min 32.252 secs

Source : crash.net