From a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team:

MOTOGP 2003
ROUND 1 – SUZUKA, JAPAN
3 APRIL 2003 – EVENT PREVIEW

KAWASAKI SET SIGHTS ON TOP TEN AT SUZUKA

After a long winter of intensive testing on the Kawasaki ZX-RR, development is continuing at a rapid pace as Garry McCoy and Andrew Pitt prepare for the start of the 2003 MotoGP world championship on Sunday.

Australian duo McCoy and Pitt will benefit from a new chassis and stiffer swingarm, modified engine, and improved fuel injection settings in Japan. The latest evolution of the ZX-RR, which will compete in only its fifth race this weekend, have raised confidence of achieving a top 10 finish.

The modifications, which also included a range of new generation Dunlop tyres, were tried out by the riders at the recent two-day IRTA test in Suzuka, where lap times indicated the four-cylinder machine continues to make positive progress. With further improvements being worked on at Kawasaki’s base in Akashi, bosses expect to be mounting a consistent challenge for top 10 finishes by the middle of the season.

Japanese development rider Akira Yanagawa will race a third ZX-RR as a wild card in his home country.

Garry McCoy – No. 8
“The races have come round very quickly, and it is obvious that we are going to need a few more to make further improvements before we are fully competitive. The test here went better than expected and the gap to the top riders is slowly decreasing. We got a new chassis that makes the bike easier to ride, and we also found a tyre that went better over the distance than what we’ve had in the past. It definitely feels good to be fit and injury-free at the start of the season, but getting in the top ten will depend on a lot of luck. It depends on what the weather is like and how many riders finish. I’ve raced at Suzuka every year in my career, so there’s nothing I’m not used to apart from the new chicane. In 2001, I finished second behind Valentino Rossi and it is a good circuit when you’ve got into a rhythm.”

Andrew Pitt – No. 88
“I’ve only ridden at Suzuka once before the IRTA test and that was back in December. Back then it was quite difficult to get the bike to turn, and that is still a problem though we have made a lot of progress. The bike is easier to steer and it turns much quicker. Hopefully we can be more consistent and the new Dunlop tyres have put us in better shape in terms of lap times. I like the layout but there are a lot of corners to remember. My aim here is to race with a few guys and get some points.”

Harald Eckl – Team Manager
“We tested a new chassis and a stiffer swingarm at the test, and we also have a new and stronger engine which is the first evolution step of many more to come. We expect to be at a highly competitive level by mid-season. We also made some steps forward with the Dunlop tyres in terms of durability. We have also improved the mapping of the fuel injection. This helps the tyres in terms of endurance because the power character is now softer. The bike has been on the test bench at Akashi where we got a lot of information that will be of great benefit, not only for Suzuka, but for the rest of the season. One handicap here is that we only have one of the new bikes for each rider, but that is the price you pay with such a new project.”