Nakano talks up Aprilia chances
Added on Monday, December 1st, 2008 by Carole Nash Editor
Nakano talks up Aprilia chances
Shinya Nakano believes that he will be riding a World Superbikes Championship contender when he sits astride the Aprilia RSV4 next season.
Aprilia will return to World Superbikes next season and have already signalled their intention to complete with the signing of experienced riders Max Biaggi and MotoGP veteran Nakano for 2009.
The Japanese rider got his first chance to sample the factory Aprilia last week in Valencia and seemed confident that the team can make an impact on the championship.
“The bike is new but it has a lot of potential for the future,” said Nakano.
“I was lucky my first test was in Valencia because that was the last track I rode in MotoGP for Honda, so I had a reference and it was easy to compare the two. The engine feeling and top speed feels almost the same, but the acceleration is slower than in MotoGP.
“I felt very comfortable and I was almost as quick as Carlos Checa’s best pace from the race earlier this year.
Nakano though, who lost his ride at the Gresini Honda MotoGP team at the end of 2008, added he was looking forward to his next outing in Kyalami, South Africa later this month.
“I’m really looking forward to that test because in Valencia there was only us (Aprilia) and nobody else. It is hard to understand our level but the Kyalami test, everybody will be on track, so we will have a clearer understanding of where we are at.”
