MotoGP – Phillip Island Day 1 – Nakano: “Rain and wind really made things difficult”

Shinya Nakano as well as his colleagues in the MotoGP class had a first day of free practice at Phillip Island affected by the changing weather conditions. The Japanese rider of Team Konica Minolta Honda suffered above all from the strong wind. The session started in the dry but then the rain came and in these last conditions Nakano did as many laps as possible given that it could rain tomorrow and in the race too. In the end he finished twelfth, so it was up to him.

“Rain and wind really made things difficult today. We started in the dry, but then the rain came – you never know what can happen here! The forecast isn't the best and that's why I tried to do as many laps as possible to find a good feeling with the bike in all weather conditions. We are still far from the top, but we will improve; the information gathered today will allow us to make changes. The wind complicates things on this track, in some fast corners you have to be careful not to get pushed off the line.”