From a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team:

FUCHS KAWASAKI ENLIST THE HELP OF THE GREEN LADIES AT MUGELLO

Having recently returned from a successful promotional event at Imola, the Kawasaki Racing Team head back to Italy for this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, confident of strong local support after enlisting the help of the Kawasaki Italy backed Green Ladies.

Located in the Tuscan hills, the Mugello circuit is one at which Shinya Nakano has won races in the past. The 26-year-old Japanese rider took the race win in the 250cc class at Mugello in 2000, backing that up last year with a front row start and a sixth place finish in the MotoGP class.

Coming from the disappointment of a retirement at Le Mans last time out, Nakano is determined to give the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team a good result this weekend, on a track he thoroughly enjoys racing at.

Mugello also ranks as one of Alex Hofmann’s favourite circuits and, after a disappointing start to his rookie year in the MotoGP class, the 23-year-old German rider is hoping that this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix will prove to be the turning point of the season for him.

Cheering on the Fuchs Kawasaki riders this weekend will be the Green Ladies; a group of five girls who, together with a number of helpers, are dedicated to raising the profile of motorcycling in their home country. While the main focus of the Green Ladies is on organising and running motorcycle tours and track schools for both men and women, the group also have a strong on track presence, with two of their number regularly racing in Italian Championship events.

The youngest of the Green Ladies racers is 27-year-old Roxy, who campaigns a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R in the Italian Female Championship, while 29-year-old Claudia, or Tiger as she is known in the paddock, is the only female rider in the hotly contested Italian Ninja Trophy series, which is backed by Fuchs Silkolene and fought out on near identical Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6RR machines.

All five Green Ladies will join the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team at Mugello, where they will be given the opportunity to meet Shinya Nakano and Alex Hofmann and to see behind the scenes in the Kawasaki pit box as the team prepare for the Italian Grand Prix.

Shinya Nakano: No.56
“I have some good memories of the Mugello circuit and I love racing here. I can’t wait to get out on track tomorrow and find out how the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-RR works around this circuit. Not finishing the race at Le Mans was a disappointment for everyone in the team, but I’m confident that we won’t have similar problems this weekend. I’m looking forward to the weekend ahead and, if I can put in a good qualifying performance on Friday and Saturday, then a top eight finish is a definite possibility come race day.”

Alex Hofmann: No.66
“There’s no denying that I need a good weekend, after what has been a difficult start to the season for me, and what better place to turn my season around than Mugello? This is definitely one of my favourite tracks; the circuit is fantastic to ride, the fans are some of the most enthusiastic in the world and the atmosphere is second to none. We will need to work hard on Friday and Saturday to find a good set up on the bike and to identify a suitable race tyre, but there’s no reason why this race shouldn’t prove to be a turning point for us.”