Incident packed seventh for Tamada.

After a frustrating few races, not helped by healing injuries, Konica Minolta Honda's Makoto Tamada delivered an attacking, confidence boosting, ride to net an 'honourable' seventh in the US GP at Laguna Seca on Sunday.

Tamada had qualified ninth, but lost no less than four positions after a heart stopping moment as the field threaded its way through the high-speed turn one.

"In the first turn I had to leave the inside of the track because Barros and Nakano both touched the left side of my bike," revealed Makoto. "I seriously risked falling, but somehow I remained on my bike even if I lost precious time and some positions."

Thereafter, the double 2004 race winner steadily picked off those ahead of him; overtaking the fast starting Roby Rolfo on lap two, Kenny Roberts on lap 6, Loris Capirossi on lap 9 and then - after a thirteen lap fight with countryman Shinya Nakano - Tamada squeezed past his fellow Japanese... but only just.

"While I was overtaking Nakano, at the end of the race, I cut the turn too much and my left hand hit the rubber pole which marks the edge of the racetrack," said Tamada. "That slowed me down for a few corners..."

Nevertheless, the #6 recovered to take seventh position from Suzuki home hero John Hopkins, with another brave inside move at turn one, then set his sights on fellow Honda rider Troy Bayliss - but the Australian would hold to sixth by just 0.112secs at the end of the 32 lap race distance.

"My feeling with the bike, in the final part of the race, with the tank almost empty and therefore lighter is improving. I consider this race for me and for the team a positive experience, in fact is only from now that I am in good physical condition," concluded Tamada.

"All in all a satisfying race for us. An honourable seventh place in a competitive race," declared team director Gianluca Montiron. "Makoto is recovering his physical condition and notwithstanding the operation to his right forearm last week, he maintained a good rhythm for the whole race.

"This has been for us one of the first races of the season where we have raced in almost optimal conditions and this make us positive for the rest of the season. We consider this the starting base to obtain the results that we all aim for," added the Italian.