KAWASAKI RETURN TO MALAYSIA
Fresh from the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, the
Kawasaki Racing Team this week heads to Sepang for the penultimate
round of the 2007 MotoGP World Championship.
Randy de Puniet enjoyed many a top ten finish at the Sepang
International Circuit, near the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur,
in the years he rode in the 250cc world-level series and is
looking forward to the battle this weekend. The 5.55km track
will host Sunday's 21-lap race and the Frenchman will be aiming
to improve on the 13th place he managed there last year which,
considering his recent form, shouldn't be too much trouble.
Riding the 800cc Ninja ZX-RR, the 26-year-old has consistently
shown himself to be among the fastest racers in the championship
this year and he is feeling positive after a healthy sixth
in Australia. His ongoing improvement as a rider, and increasing
skill at developing the bike, make him ever more a man to
contend with.
Anthony West also knows Sepang well, having ridden there
numerous times prior to his arrival in MotoGP earlier this
season. Like de Puniet, he too has scored some top ten finishes
at the circuit but the place is particularly memorable for
the 26-year-old Australian as it was the venue for his debut
race in the quarter-litre class, back in 1999, the year the
track itself first welcomed Grand Prix motorcycle racing.
Having scored points at every round since he joined Kawasaki
at the UK's Donington Park in June, including at his recent
home event, West is still aiming high and hopes, yet again,
to finish well in Malaysia. However, despite his experience,
he lacks the advantage that almost all the other MotoGP riders
have: that they have completed literally hundreds of practice
laps at the circuit on their Grand Prix machines during winter
testing sessions. Having come to the championship mid-season,
this could make life difficult for him but West will not give
in that easily and, as always, will prove an exciting and
passionate competitor to watch.
The track is quite a spectacle in itself, boasting eye-catching
architecture and a particularly intricate layout. It is located
in an enormous sports and leisure complex and cost in the
region of £50 million to create, some 19 years ago.
It held its first MotoGP race the following year so experienced
riders on the grid are used to its technicalities: some very
slow corners, a number of medium to high speed curves and
a couple of very fast straights, the longest of which measures
928 metres.
The Malaysian round always proves a great test of skill and
this year sees the first time the track has played host to
the 800cc machines. Kawasaki's ZX-RR has, throughout the season
so far, evolved in to one of the fastest and most competitive
motorcycles in the elite class, so the bike and circuit could
well prove a very happy partnership indeed.
Randy de Puniet
Kawasaki MotoGP Pilot #14
"I think we have a good bike with good tyres for Sepang,
although it's hard to be sure as the track's recently been
resurfaced. But I like the circuit, I'm fast there and I think
we can get a good result: top six again or maybe even another
podium. That would obviously be my ultimate aim at the weekend.
Certainly, I feel particularly strong after the last few rounds
and the ZX-RR is working better than ever so I'm excited to
see what we can achieve in Malaysia."
Anthony West
Kawasaki MotoGP Pilot #13
"I'm looking forward to Sepang; it should be a bit warmer
than it was at Phillip Island, which can't be bad. I reckon
the ZX-RR will perform well around the track. The engine's
strong, so it should deliver on the two long straights and,
if we can get some good traction on all those corners that
make up the rest of it, I think we'll go really well. Ideally,
I'm still aiming to better my previous best result of seventh
at Laguna Seca. I know I'm at a bit of a disadvantage, as
the other guys have done so many laps there, but I'm sure
we can put up a good fight."
Naoya Kaneko
Kawasaki Technical Manager
"We have completed many laps of the Sepang circuit during
winter testing, but the track has been completely resurfaced
since we were last here, and this will have an impact on tyre
endurance. For sure the surface will be more abrasive than
it was before, especially as there have been no major races
on the circuit since the work was completed, which means that
there will be little rubber on the track. We will have to
see what our tyre endurance is like during practice on Friday,
although the surface will almost certainly improve before
the race as rubber is laid down during practice and qualifying.
It's a factor that we will have to assess as we go through
the weekend."
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