Takaaki Nakagami Set to Unveil New Honda Aero Upgrade at Indonesian MotoGP

"Carry-on Briefing": On Saturday, Nakagami to be Equipped with Latest Honda Aero in Mandalika

This coming Saturday in Mandalika, Takaaki Nakagami is set to be outfitted with Honda's last aerodynamic fairing update for the 2024 season.

On Saturday, at the Indonesian MotoGP, Takaaki Nakagami is set to premiere Honda's newest aero package.

The updated aerodynamics, being Honda's final fairing approval for the season, stood out as the key enhancement among several improvements introduced at the latest Misano trial.

Despite Nakagami being among the four Honda racers to test the aerodynamics, a shortage of components has prevented him from utilizing it in a grand prix event so far.

However, the LCR Honda competitor, set to transition to HRC test responsibilities in 2025, anticipates that the Friday practice session in Mandalika will mark his final outing with the current fairing.

"Nakagami mentioned that on Saturday, the goal is to seek approval for the new fairing that the other three riders have already adopted."

Regrettably, we were unable to accommodate [for Friday] due to the schedule being extremely constrained.

HRC has verified that they will transport [it] in their carry-on baggage to this location on Friday afternoon, ensuring its availability by Saturday morning.

"That's a positive outlook. Essentially, by utilizing the two sessions on Friday, we aim to grasp the fundamental aspects of the bike's fairing and setup. Following that, on Saturday, we'll experiment with the new fairing to observe any variations."

Joan Mir and Luca Marini achieved Repsol Honda's top performance of the year by finishing eleventh and twelfth respectively at 'Misano 2' this past Sunday, thanks to their updated aerodynamics.

Nakagami expressed his intrigue, noting that he had the opportunity to try out the aerodynamics during the Monday test at Misano, where he observed several benefits. However, he lamented the fact that it was not possible to utilize it for the second Misano event.

"However, during the second Misano event, the remaining three riders employed it throughout the weekend, and each of them shared favorable remarks regarding its handling during turns. While not a huge leap forward, it's evident that progress is being made."

"Thus, it's important for me to grasp the nuances of the updated fairing, not only for my own understanding but also to determine if adjustments or alterations in my technique are necessary. Currently, I lack sufficient data from the Misano test to make these assessments."

"However, this will be the final approval, the ultimate specification for this season."

"Thus, whether it's each session or every race, we aim to enhance our performance progressively. Additionally, we're focusing on preparing the optimal package for my home Grand Prix, which holds significant importance to me."

The 32-year-old will have his last home grand prix as a full-time competitor at Motegi the following weekend.

Nakagami's finish in eleventh position during the challenging Aragon race has put him on par with Mir for the highest Grand Prix achievement for Honda this season to date.

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