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2006-09-20 Honda goes to Motegi with title hopes
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 With this seasons MotoGP World Championship showing every sign of reaching a conclusion at perhaps the very last round of the season, series points leader Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda RC211V) hits Motegi for round 15 of this 17 race series with a 21-point advantage over his nearest rival Valentino Rossi (Yamaha).
The Kentucky Kid is eager to bolster his lead here. Nicky knows that he cannot afford to let his advantage get whittled away either by Rossi or the two Honda men still in the hunt for the title Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda RC211V) and Marco Melandri (Fortuna Honda RC211V) who are both only 32 points behind Hayden.
With this much pressure heaped on his shoulders Nicky is holding up well and his positive attitude and refreshing ability to enjoy his racing even when there is so much at stake is a big plus when the going gets as tough as this.
The Repsol Honda rider can consider himself unlucky when his chief rival Rossi was the beneficiary of the debatable decision of the Race Direction following Rossis passing maneuver under a yellow flag incident that cost the Kentuckian valuable points in the last weeks Australian GP.
With Motegi as Hondas home track, Nicky knows this is the place where he can really perform and endeavour to take the title further away from his rivals grasp. With 75 points still available, all four men are still in the hunt but Nicky knows he must extend his lead here to take the sting out of his pursuers claims.
His record here is not outstanding: a seventh place last year, a first lap fall in 2004 and a third in his rookie year do not suggest that Motegi is by any means a happy hunting ground for the American. But his 2006 form indicates he is due another high score and if he can just keep finishing ahead of his challengers, then he will complete the task of securing that World title.
Dani knows his Phillip Island result was inadequate in terms of putting pressure on his team-mate, but the young Spaniard has tasted success at Motegi before on a 250cc machine, winning in 2004 and finishing second last year. He also won here on a 125 in 2002. Now that his Sepang injuries have had another week to mend, he will be a danger man here.
And then theres the combative Melandri, fresh from a win in Australia and with an undeniable end-of-season momentum that might prove hard to stop in Japan. Factor in Rossi and there seems little doubt that this race will again provide the same sort of intensity that was witnessed in Australia last weekend.
The Twin Ring Motegi track, built in 1998, lies 150km north of Tokyo. It is owned by Honda and features an outer Indy style oval with a regular track in the infield. This features a relatively short 762m main straight, eight right turns, six lefts, with a grippy, smooth and predictable surface.
The largely constant-radius, second and third gear turns are linked by medium-length straights. Set-up requires a bike thats stable both under fierce acceleration and equally severe braking. Front/rear balance and suspension settings are key, and the RC211Vs smooth and predictable power delivery is a real bonus here.
The track also features gradient and a spectacular tunnel, although nothing in the way of camber. The back straight is downhill into a tight right-hand bend. And although the main straight is only 0.762km long, the tunnel between turn five and the 130R turn more than makes up for a long main chute in terms of spectacle and rarity value. No other MotoGP track boasts subway sections.
After the gripping race in wet conditions in Australia, more unsettled weather is predicted this weekend. And if rain prevails then Pedrosa, who admits to being uncomfortable in the wet, will be at a disadvantage.
Nicky Hayden:
I look forward to moving on to Motegi. I got third place here in my rookie year, though Ive had some weaker results since and struggled a bit, so Im planning to do better for my Japanese fans this year. I always get lots of support in Japan and Im going to be really trying to make my fans proud, and the guys in my team because theyve been working really hard. Its Hondas home race too so it would be nice to give the Honda fans something to shout about too.
Dani Pedrosa:
Im looking forward to this race very much. Motegi is a circuit I really like and Ive had some good results here in the past. I havent ridden a MotoGP bike here before so Im hoping to adapt to it quickly. This race is the last of three in a row and theyve been quite difficult for me because of the injuries I picked up in Malaysia. But each time I ride the bike its a little easier and Im hoping to make a good result here. Of course well have to see what the weathers going to do in Motegi because its possible it will rain here too.
Marco Melandri:
Im very happy. After the incredible race at Phillip Island, that came just at the right time for me, I look forward to racing in Japan with the same enthusiasm. Thanks to the win, the third of the season, I jumped to third position in the World Championship. Im confident for the three races to go, and this year the series is very close and I think it will remain open to the end.
Toni Elias:
I like Motegi and Ive had good results here with two wins in the 250cc class. I hope we can finally get some good results and turn this complicated season around. The team is doing a great job and my feeling with the bike is improving. At Motegi its very important to find a good set-up early on. Because of the strong braking, its important to have a really good balance on the bike. The secret is to find that compromise in behaviour between braking and acceleration.
Casey Stoner:
I really want to finish this season strongly and Japans another chance to show what we can do with the RC211V. After all the excitement in Australia I could do with a regular race and a podium finish, so well see how we go.
Makoto Tamada:
Motegi is my home race and I have won a race here before and stood on the podium and I will be racing in front of my Japanese friends and fans. I am sure that I will have a good race on Sunday. I hope Ive paid my dues and can now make the best use of the potential I have here at my home race at Motegi.
Kenny Roberts:
This is a great opportunity to give Honda some reward for the support theyve given us in this project and well be going hard at it from Friday.
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