From a press release issued by Honda Racing.

2003 MotoGP 500 World Championship, round 1
Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka
April 4/5/6 2003

ROSSI LEADS HONDA CHALLENGE INTO NEW MOTOGP SEASON

After months of intense testing for the Honda supported teams and riders in MotoGP the prospect of starting the 2003 season at Suzuka in Japan this weekend is an understandably welcome one, especially given the impressive performances put in during recent IRTA tests at the classic venue.

Originally built in 1961, modified at the Dunlop corner last season, and now lengthened by three metres to 5.824 km following alterations to the 130R bend and final chicane, Suzuka was the venue for the final on-track preparations of the top teams, during which Honda riders were once more packed tightly into the top positions on the time sheets.

No fewer than five of the top six times at the IRTA test were set on Honda RC211V machines, with the outright fastest rider once more proving to be world champion Valentino Rossi (Repsol Honda RC211V).

Rossi was on phenomenal form during the inaugural four-stroke MotoGP season in 2002, winning 11 of the 16 races and being crowned champion as early as the Rio GP. The ebullient Italian rider finds himself in an enviable position once more, and despite taking nothing for granted, he knows that he has everything in place to mount a successful title defence.

“I know we are ready for the season but this will be a very hard year for everybody,” said Rossi, equal sixth on the list of premier class race winners after scoring 24 victories in only three seasons of competition. “There are so many riders who will want to fight for the win. Every race will be a battle, so I think it will be a great season for everyone who loves racing.”

MotoGP rookie Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) earned his dream 2003 MotoGP slot alongside Rossi after winning the prestigious AMA Superbike championship on a VTR1000SP last season, securing the most coveted saddle in the MotoGP world. Twelfth on the timesheets after the IRTA sessions, Hayden acknowledges that although there is more to come when he gains valuable experience during the season, he has already learned a great deal about MotoGP and the RC211V.

“If I think back to my first experience on the five-cylinder RC211V here at Suzuka at the back end of last year then I’m happy,” said Hayden, “because I’ve knocked a load of time off the laps and I’m feeling so much more comfortable and confident on the bike. The team’s working well and I’m feeling really positive about my first MotoGP race.”

The prowess of the five-cylinder RC211V was proved once more last week, when the second and third places on the IRTA timesheets were set by Tohru Ukawa (Camel Honda RC211V) and Max Biaggi (Camel Honda RC211V).

For Ukawa, third in the 2002 championship battle on an RC211V, his home circuit may offer a perfect opportunity to start his season off with a maximum 25-point score, even if he suffered a fall in Suzuka testing.

“I hope not to have any physical after-effects from the crash,” affirmed Ukawa, who went on to state, “my hand and leg are sore, but doctors have told me I can race and I will do everything possible to start the World Championship with a good result. If I am fit I think we are ready to be competitive right from the start of the championship”.

Max Biaggi’s return to the Honda fold at Suzuka will bring back memories of his first ever ride in the premier Grand Prix class, when he scored a superb maiden victory on his NSR500SWS two-stroke. In a position to be a threat from the first official timed qualifying session on Friday April 4th, to the race itself on Sunday 6th, Biaggi’s perfectionism was clear from his pre-race comments.

“There are six or seven riders who are very close and we must continue to work to be competitive,” said the four-times 250 World Champion. “I hope to make a good start in the Championship, although so far I have given my all and we have got the maximum performance out of the material we have.”

Spanish hopeful Sete Gibernau (Telefonica Movistar Honda RC211V) ran out fifth fastest in the recent Suzuka tests, having been quickest at one point, underlining his return to form since his assimilation back into the ranks of Honda riders. One of the top Spanish riders in the championship, 2003 will arguably be the biggest of Gibernau’s career to date.

Said the Catalan, “I think I have shown already that I can do my job as a rider, and now we are going through the steps which will allow us to challenge at the front. We are working at a very good pace, although I am still getting used to the five-cylinder Honda. What is especially positive for us is the consistency we are showing, as this will be important for the overall championship.”

Local star Daijiro Kato (Telefonica Movistar Honda RC211V) ended the Suzuka sessions sixth quickest. Four times a 250cc Suzuka GP winner, and the 2001 250cc world champion, the hugely talented Japanese has already proved to be a factor around the modified circuit.

“I love riding at Suzuka, and have been successful here in the past, but there isn’t any added pressure for me to ride here, I enjoy it and will do what I always do and hope that this pleases all my fans who come this weekend.” Veteran of many a successful Suzuka 8-Hour campaign, Katoh was initially challenged by the modified Suzuka layout. “I found the new corners hard to get used to because I know the circuit so well, but I am picking up a rhythm now, and I am very positive that I can go out there and win the first race of 2003.”

Makoto Tamada (Pramac Honda RC211V), a three-time Sugo World Superbike race winner for Honda as a wild card, has been charged with helping to develop Bridgestone’s slick tyres in a race setting, and is keen to make an impression in his first full season of GPs.

Tamada stated, “I’m very pleased about all the work we’ve done. As far as the tyres are concerned, I tried various sizes at the front and we’ll have a number of types to choose from for the race. We may have to do some more endurance tests but we’ve still got some time left to tweak things here and there before the green light comes on for the first 2003 MotoGP race.”

The Moriwaki Racing team will also make its public race debut at the Japanese GP with their RCV powered MD211VF.

Their rider, Tamaki Serizawa has no more than a few hours experience of the prototype MotoGP bike, with its unique chassis designed and built at the team’s engineering headquarters in Suzuka. Serizawa was under four seconds off Rossi’s best time of 2:05.105, which cannot be compared to last year’s records due to the remodelling the circuit has undergone since then.

In the 250cc World Championship, Honda is represented by a strong contingent of top-level riders, including 2002 Rio GP race winner Sebastian Porto (Telefonica Movistar Junior Team Honda RS250RW) and Italian Roberto Rolfo (Fortuna Honda RS250RW).

During recent IRTA tests at Estoril on February 27th, Rolfo set the 4th and Porto the 5th fastest times, proving the initial competitiveness of Honda’s 2003 vee-twin two-stoke. For Porto there is more to come from the new machine, but he sees himself as being in a strong position.

“To have the experience of Alberto Puig in this team is something that will be reflected on the racetrack,” assured Porto from his home in Argentina. “It won´t come straight away, because the bike is new and still under development, but we will be very competitive very soon”.

Other season long Honda entrants racing RS250R machines include Alex Debon and Eric Bataille (BQR Honda), Christian Gemmel (Kiefer Castrol Honda), Johan Stiegefelt (Motoracing Honda), Gabor Rizmayer (Team Hungary Honda), Jakub Smrz (Elit Grand Prix Honda), Henk van de Lagemaat and experienced female racer Katja Poensgen (Arie Molenaar Honda)

Suzuka wild card entries usually spring surprises and 2003 could witness Yuki Takahashi (Dy Do Miu Honda) giving a repeat performance of his sensational race to third place at last years Pacific GP at, Motegi.

Takahashi will be joined on the grid by a second Honda wild card. Hiroshi Aoyama (Team HARC Pro Honda), a season wild card campaigner at Suzuka.

Suzuka’s generally fast corners, and frequent changes of direction, offer much scope for overtaking in the smallest MotoGP category, 125cc.

Third overall in the 2002 championship, with three race wins to his name, teenager Dani Pedrosa returns on his Telefonica Movistar Junior Team RS125R, intent on taking the tile he came close to securing last year.

“The focus this year is clear – win the World Championship,” said the determined Spaniard. “I was only eighth in Suzuka last year and I really want to get the season off to a good start in Japan by repeating my last Japanese race performance – at Motegi – where I won.”

A strong list of Honda riders will be at every 2003 race, with Suzuka 125 race winner in 2001 Masao Azuma now on a Honda Ajo Motorsport RS125R with teammate Mika Kallio from Finland.

Other Honda riders in the class with prospects of a good season Andrea Dovizioso and Simone Corsi with Team Scott Honda, Hungarian Imrie Toth (Team Hungary Honda)

Young Swiss Thomas Lüthi (Elit Grand Prix Honda), has the benefit of a full grand prix season to call upon, while debutantes Peter Lenart and Leon Camier (Metasystem Racing Service Honda) can look forward to stiff learning curve.

There will be five Honda 125 wildcards at Suzuka; Shuhei Aoyama, Toshihisa Kuzuhara, Akio Tanaka and Sadahito Suma. The fifth Honda wild card rider will be Chinese rider Cheung Way On (Cheung Wing Honda), making his grand prix debut at Suzuka.

The second round of the championship will be held at Welkom, South Africa, on 27 April with Jerez, the traditional European season starting point, providing the subsequent venue on 11 May.