‘I’m really excited, this bike has big potential’ - Nakagami

Takaaki Nakagami celebrated his 30th birthday on Wednesday with the 2022 LCR Idemitsu team presentation ahead of his fifth year in MotoGP.

Unfortunately with the paddock already settled on Lombok Island ahead of Friday’s testing duties in Indonesia, there was little planned for the Japanese rider’s milestone day.

“I don’t have any plans,’ Nakagami said quietly. “Today with all my team, maybe we have some dinner together but no big celebrations. Here, with the Covid, it’s difficult. Just be quiet and like some drinks and that’s it. Very simple but celebrate with all my team.

“Now my age is the same as my bike number, which is good. Good to see my age 30 and my bike is 30, so hopefully successful this season and hopefully we can have many big victory this season.”

Reflecting on the ‘biggest revolution of the Honda since the MotoGP rules have changed’, the Japanese rider’s confidence and anticipation, however, was clear to hear.

“Definitely feels like this new bike, they made a big change. As you see from the outside, the bike is big change - the shape and everything. Even before I jump on the bike, I’m super excited. I was imagining that this bike would have the potential and the reality too, when I jump on a bike.

“I felt like the first time when I tried the new bike in Jerez, very first impression was like, ‘This is not Honda’s bike’.

“Because I knew that from 18/19/20/21, these four years, every year the bike is evolution and also improvement but this character or concept, it was the same. But the 2022 bike, from this year’s bike made big, big change and also the concept is completely different. The two days test in Jerez and two days test in Sepang and then I now start to understand this bike.

“The feeling is