Nakagami unveils 2023 LCR Idemitsu Honda

Takaaki Nakagami returns for his sixth season as part of the LCR Idemitsu Honda team as MotoGP 2023 draws closer.

Final preparations are set to begin this weekend with the official pre-season test at Portimao’s AIA circuit, while Tuesday saw the Japanese rider lift the colours on his 2023 RC213V with a retro look back at both Honda’s heritage and where the dreams began for the 31-year-old.

“When I was nine years old, I had the big chance to visit Japanese GP.,” Nakagami reflected. “It was Motegi and first time I met my idol, Daijiro Kato. This was the first time I met him and at the same time he gave me his boots and actually, these boots still I have at my home. After this I realised that maybe one day I want to be like him. Even now is my biggest idol and he’s like a superstar.

“I feel that this sport and this man is something special. So this was my first racing dream.

“My team is always professional, no mistakes and the good thing, we are part of big, big family,” he continued of his time with LCR. “They helped me a lot during the race weekend, and even not on track. We are very, very close to each other and they are doing amazing job the past five years.

“My 2023 goal is be competitive. We have some different format for the weekend, we have the sprint race. We have 42 races so it’s gonna be tough. Will be so busy but we are ready to be competitive, fight and hopefully we can, all my team, put it together and make successful weekend and season. We are ready, and hopefully we can have great, great races in the future.”