From a press release issued by Fuchs Kawasaki:

MOTOGP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2004
MOTORRAD GRAND PRIX DEUTSCHLAND – SACHSENRING

FUCHS KAWASAKI: A POPULAR STOP ON THE MOTOGP PADDOCK TOUR

The Fuchs Kawasaki pit box was a popular place to visit during last weekend’s Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland, with the team playing host to riders from the German Red Bull Rookies Cup and Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Interior and Sports, Ute Vogt.

On Thursday evening, 19 riders from the German Red Bull Rookies Cup were given a guided tour of the Kawasaki Racing Team pit box by Team Coordinator, Michael Bartholemy. The tour also included the opportunity to watch the team’s mechanics preparing Shinya Nakano’s and Alex Hofmann’s Ninja ZX-RR machines for the following day’s opening practice session for the German Grand Prix.

Emanuel Buchner, one of the mechanics working as part of Alex Hofmann’s pit crew, then gave the Rookies a brief overview of the Ninja ZX-RR and an explanation of the role of the mechanics in the team, before wheeling one of Alex’s bikes out to the front of the pit box for the Rookies to be photographed on.

With the pit tour over, and many questions answered, the Rookies were escorted back to the Kawasaki Racing Team hospitality unit for dinner, where they had the chance to chat with Team Manager, Harald Eckl, and team riders, Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann.

“Firstly I’d like to thank the Mr. Eckl for the invitation, and for giving us the chance to meet Alex Hofmann and Shinya Nakano,” said 15-year-old Joshua Sommer, who won the Rookies race at Sachsenring and is currently leading the championship. “I was deeply impressed to see how much effort and money goes into running a factory MotoGP team, because my goal is to ride for such a World Championship team in the future. It was good to sit on Alex’s Ninja ZX-RR; it’s not as intimidating as I thought it was going to be. The food in the hospitality was delicious too!”

While most of the youngsters present were male, the Rookies Cup also boasts four regular female competitors. 18-year-old Jennifer Kaulbach finished sixth in the Sachsenring race – round four of the eight round Rookies Cup – and currently lies fourth in the championship standings.

“I was particularly impressed with the relaxed atmosphere in the team; I had expected it to be a lot more tense so close to a race weekend,” commented Jennifer, who was second in the Rookies Cup standings going into Sachsenring. “The mechanics and the riders seem to understand each other well and have a good working relationship. The mechanics were great and answered any technical questions about the bike that we had. I was especially interested in the thumb brake that Alex uses on his bike. It was great to get to sit on Alex’s bike, now I’d like to get the chance to actually ride it! We also got the chance to speak to Alex and Shinya. Alex told us about his fitness training and also gave us a few tips for the weekend. Altogether it was an exciting and interesting visit, so thank you to Mr. Eckl and the Kawasaki team.”

On Sunday, just before the MotoGP race, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Interior and Sports, Ute Vogt, visited the Fuchs Kawasaki pit box. Alex Hofmann was on hand to present the politician with an Alex Hofmann cap and a Kawasaki Racing Team shirt, before chatting about his chances in the German Grand Prix.

After wishing Hofmann the best of luck, Ms. Vogt was then given a guided tour of the Fuchs Kawasaki race transporters by Team Manager Harald Eckl, before heading off to join event organisers on the grid for the start of the MotoGP race.

Joining the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team at Donington Park for this weekend’s British Grand Prix will be the three young Kawasaki fans who won a ‘Design a Bike’ competition organised by Kawasaki dealer, Planet Bikes, and supported by both Kawasaki Motors UK and the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team.

Katherine Carter, the eight-year-old winner of the junior category, will be joined at Donington by the winner and runner up in the senior category, Connor Nowell and Jamie Allsop, both of whom are 11-years-of-age.

The three competition winners, who will be accompanied to Donington by their parents, will receive a guided tour of the Kawasaki pit and hospitality areas, as well as getting to show the team’s MotoGP riders, Alex Hofmann and Shinya Nakano, their winning bike designs. The three youngsters will then be kitted out in Kawasaki team wear before being escorted to the grandstand to watch the MotoGP race.