Motegi, Another New Track To Learn For d’Antin Ducati’s Xaus, Hodgson

Motegi, Another New Track To Learn For d’Antin Ducati’s Xaus, Hodgson

© 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

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From a press release issued by d’Antin Ducati:

Orient Express

The d´Antin MotoGP riders head to Japan this weekend for the start of an Eastern tour which will bring the season to its finale. This is the first of four races which practically come one after the other, before the World Championship ends in Valencia on the 30th October. For Rubén Xaus and Neil Hodgson it is another completely new experience.

Xaus and Hodgson have both raced in the land of the rising sun before, but never at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit, situated in the mountains around 100km north-west of Tokyo. It is one of the most modern circuits on the calendar, having only been inaugurated in 1999, and is considered fairly straightforward by the majority of riders.

Now the Spaniard and the Brit have the chance to meet another challenge and discover new territory on their Ducati Desmosedici machines, as they look to continue gathering both points and experience.

RUBÉN XAUS, who spent time at a Ducati centre in Cuneo, Italy, before heading to Japan, explained his objectives: “I left Estoril with the usual bad taste in my mouth which you get from not finishing a race but I showed I can be up there fighting in the second group, but I just need time and experience because it’s always difficult at a new circuit. Next weekend we’ll be in Motegi and I’ll be back at another new circuit because the only place I’ve raced over there is at Sugo. I’m starting from scratch again but the track doesn’t seem too complicated and I hope we don’t have any setbacks so that we can make the most of every session and build up to a good race.”

NEIL HODGSON has spent time resting at is home on the Isle of Man before the long trip to Motegi, the last of the unknown circuits for him this season: “It was a real shame not to finish the race in Portugal but now we have to think about Japan and I’m looking forward to going to Motegi. I’ve never been there before and it’s always difficult to start off without any references, but the only way forward is to work hard from the start. I’m confident that things will go well and we’ll get back on the positive run we had going at Donington and Brno. My main goal is to finish the race, preferably in the top twelve.”

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