MotoGP World Championship

The Repsol Honda Team, ready for 2003 season
Presented today at Catalunya circuit
 The Repsol Honda Team has been introduced to the media in a ceremony held at the Catalunya Circuit, venue of the two IRTA test days of the MotoGP category. Today’s presentation was the culmination of an intense work during the winter months that will allow both team and riders to confront the 2003 season that will be starting on April 6th in Japan with the highest guarantees. The ceremony was presided by Mr. Koji Nakajima, Honda Racing Manager and Mr. Antonio Gomis, Corporate Manager for External Relations at Repsol YPF. Both team riders, Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden, who continue working on the settings of their bikes, were also present. Mr. Koji Nakajima, Honda Racing Manager: ‘There is a good relationship between Repsol and Honda Racing, and we are very proud of it. To achieve new successes, the new bike has been based on the 2002 bike and we have been working thoroughly on the engine. We’re convinced that we will be able to see its efficiency along the year, and we are very satisfied with our rider’s work. Since Honda’s activities are planned on a world-wide level, we choose riders from different countries for our sports programs’. Mr. Antonio Gomis, Corporate Manager External Relations at Repsol YPF: ‘This is the ninth seasons of a long and fruitful relationship between Honda and Repsol. We have won seven world championships with this combination and we are really satisfied about that. The team we are introducing today is an excellent fusion between the Mediterranean bravery represented by Rossi and the hot and explosive spices of Kentucky, represented by Hayden. We expect their best. We are willing to continue the co-operation between Repsol and Honda and we think that there are Spanish riders with enough potential to move up to the MotoGP category soon’. Valentino Rossi: ‘I have a very fast bike and I expect a lot of its performance, but this year we’re going to have serious competition with many, very fast four-stroke bikes. The Championship will be hard one, and it will be difficult to win, but anyway, I think that this will be hard but funny year ‘. Nicky Hayden: ‘This is my first MotoGP year and I’m very excited. This is exactly what I want to do and despite everything being new and different to me, I’m adapting as fast as I can. I have good team-mates and good sponsors. I just cannot ask for more ‘.