Last year's Australian
MotoGP race was the first to feature the new ‘bike-swap' rules for a rain-affected race. This allows riders to enter the pits and change to their second bike equipped with different tyres if the weather and conditions change. The paddock is hoping that good weather will be in order for the whole race weekend at Phillip Island this year.
Like most riders, Nakano loves racing at Phillip Island, “I very much enjoy the Phillip Island circuit, even if it was the scene of me losing the 2000 250cc title to my team-mate Olivier Jacque by just a few metres at the finish line! It is fast and flowing, but then there are always a few hard braking areas too, it really has everything.”
He is also wary of the changeable weather, “The only thing that can spoil the race sometimes is the very changeable weather! I'm hoping for good weather this weekend as I know we have to get our best results of the year in these last three races.”
Giulio Bernardelle, the team's Technical Director will be faced with the challenge of machine set-up for the arduous circuit, “The circuit itself demands that you need a good compromise on set-up, but it is a track where once again the rider can make a difference, so we know Shinya enjoys the circuit we just hope that the weather conditions will suit us and our tyres. At this time of year, the weather can be changeable and the temperatures can be quite low. We shall see what awaits us this weekend. We tested there in February but this data will not really give us anything other than a possible base setting to try on Friday.”
