SPEEDING A R O U N D
T H E
W O R L D
MEMORABLE SHOTS COLLECTION OF THE 2018 MotoGPâ„¢ SEASON
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y first year in the MotoGP season has been tough, a MotoGP bike is not something simple. I have to understand the electronics and the Michelin tyre. It takes time to adapt from a Moto2 bike to a MotoGP bike, but the team helped a lot during this season and was always by my side. I’m grateful to Lucio, HRC and all my crew for always supporting me. They are very professional. I’m happy to stay with LCR Honda team and I believe that next season will be a great season. I can’t wait for 2019 to start! Takaaki Nakagami
LCR Honda IDEMITSU Rider
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his season was marked by different emotions for me and the whole Team: the rediscovered pleasure of having two talented riders competing in the MotoGP championship, the joy of celebrating Cal’s excellent results in Argentina (1st), Misano (3rd) and Motegi (2nd) and the discouragement of seeing him injured with three races to go (but this is another aspect of our wonderful sport and we must accept it), the satisfaction about Taka’s steady progresses on his debut year in the premier class and the final excitement for his top-ten finish (and Best Independent Rider qualification) at the last round of the season. Last but not least the massive gratitude for our partners that shared all this year’s unforgettable moments with us. Lucio Cecchinello
Team Principal & CEO
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he MotoGP™ paddock has been described in several articles as absolutely the place to be. I can say this is true and that the LCR Team staff is doing everything possible to also make this true. What happens in the paddock? What makes the difference between this paddock and any other? Or what is so special to be an LCR guest? We consider everyone as friends who come to visit us and we want to please them by showing them our activities, our backstage areas, sharing a few anecdotes, taking them inside the garage and showing them the real action of the crew. We also try to explain briefly “How we do this amazing jobâ€? and sometimes, during the night, include a special dedicated visit to the pit garage. From my point of view, being in charge of the happiness of all our guests, I can say that the emotion I see in their faces, the light coming from their shining eyes whilst listening to the details, stories, or funny happenings of the paddock, give to me and the whole team the power and motivation to keep working to make every day better and better. We believe that returning home from any Grand Prix with LCR has to have been a unique experience, not just seeing what happens but breathing, smelling and feeling all the emotions of the most sensational motorsport in the world. As long as we continue to have friends coming to visit us, and them getting goose bumps listening to our stories or watching the live action, we will definitely continue doing this job and we will be proud to help give our friends an experience to remember. It is very easy to be a Happiness Manager with such enthusiastic guests. Actually, being the Happiness Manager of LCR Honda is the happiest work you could ever imagine. Fabio Alberti
Happiness Manager
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INDEX 10 36 WEEKS SPEEDING AROUND THE WORLD 12 GRAND PRI X OF QATAR 22 GRAND PRI X OF ARGENTIN A 32 GRAND PRI X OF THE AMERICAS 42 GRAND PRI X OF SPAIN 52 GRAND PRI X OF FRANCE 64 GRAND PRI X OF ITALY 78 GRAND PRI X OF CATALUNYA 88 GRAND PRI X OF THE NE THERL ANDS 98 GRAND PRI X OF GERM ANY 108 GRAND PRI X OF CZECH REPUBLIC 118 GRAND PRI X OF AUSTRI A 130 GRAND PRI X OF GREAT BRITAIN 142 GRAND PRI X OF SAN M ARINO AND RIVIERA DI RIMINI 156 GRAND PRI X OF ARAGON 166 GRAND PRI X OF TH AIL AND 176 GRAND PRI X OF JAPAN 188 GRAND PRI X OF AUSTRALI A 198 GRAND PRI X OF M AL AYSI A 208 GRAND PRI X OF VALENCI A 220 OFF-TRACK EVENT
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF QATAR
LOSAIL
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1ST - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO - 1ST INDEPENDENT TEAM - CAL CRUTCHLOW 2ND - MARC MARQUEZ, 3RD - VALENTINO ROSSI, 4TH - CAL CRUTCHLOW
TAKAAKI RACE WEEK
NAKAGAMI JUST OUTSIDE THE POINTS ON DEBUT
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Making his debut in the MotoGP World Championship on Sunday night in Qatar, Takaaki Nakagami finished just outside the points in 17th place after a brave ride under the floodlights of the Losail International Circuit. The LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider has made an excellent adaptation to the RC213V over winter testing, and his performance today suggests that a positive season lies ahead for the Japanese rookie. Involved in a battle with his former Moto2 rival and fellow Honda man Tom Luthi, Nakagami was just over a second behind the points-scoring positions, and will hope for further progress at the next round of the season in Argentina.
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“First of all, I want to say a big thanks to the LCR Honda IDEMITSU Team, because they helped me a lot over this weekend. Of course, I’m not 100% happy with the result – especially on Saturday in qualifying and in Sunday’s race. However, I completed my first race and after it, I think I’ve got to understand lots more things about MotoGP.” “Now we hope to make one or two more steps in Argentina – it will be a new track for me on the MotoGP bike, but I truly believe that I will be much stronger in the next race after this first experience.” Takaaki Nakagami
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BEHIND THE SCENE
text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
GRAND PRIX OF ARGENTINA
TERMAS DE RIO HONDO
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1ST - CAL CRUTCHLOW 2ND - JOHANN ZARCO, 3RD - ALEX RINS, 4TH - JACK MILLER
TAKAAKI RACE WEEK
NAKAGAMI IN THE POINTS IN ARGENTINA
LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami claimed his first points in the MotoGP class as he finished 13th in Sunday’s Argentina Grand Prix. Having started from last place on the grid, it was fine result for the Japanese rookie who has made an encouraging start to life in the premier category having now finished both of the opening two races of the new season. Nakagami handled the difficult conditions at the Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo well with rain and a delayed start complicating matters for the riders. He found good rhythm in the second half of the race and eventually claimed three points as he finished two places ahead of former world champion Jorge Lorenzo.
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“I’m really happy for the team to see Cal’s victory today. Also for myself, I’m really happy to take my first points in MotoGP and finish in 13th place in a difficult race. There were some delays and rain which made it difficult to concentrate and the race was really long. “But like in Qatar, our pace from the middle of the race to the end was quite good and I learnt a lot of new things again. Thanks to the team; yesterday was a bit disappointing, but to go from last position to take my first points today I’m really happy. Now I’m looking forward to the next race in Texas and trying to make another step forward.” Takaaki Nakagami
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF THE AMERICAS
CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS
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1ST - MARC MARQUEZ 2ND - MAVERICK VIÑALES, 3RD - ANDREA IANNONE, 4TH - VALENTINO ROSSI
TAKAAKI RACE WEEK
NAKAGAMI IN THE POINTS AGAIN IN AUSTIN
LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami again finished in the points at the Grand Prix of the Americas on Sunday. Having secured 13th position in Argentina last weekend, the Japanese talent claimed 14th place in Sunday’s race to finish as the best rookie in the MotoGP class in Austin. Starting from 13th on the grid, Nakagami harboured hopes of a top-10 finish but struggled to find a good feeling with the rear tyre on his RC213V. Despite not being able to push as he wanted, the LCR rider once again proved his reliability as he saw the chequered flag and accrued more valuable experience ahead of the next round in Jerez.
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“It was another points finish which I think is positive. But after our qualifying result we were thinking about the possibility of finishing in the top 10, but the race proved to be quite difficult. We had a different feeling on the rear tyre, but I tried my best during the race and I learned a lot in these 20 laps”. “We have to take the positives from this, it’s another two points in the championship. Honestly I was hoping in a better result but finishing as the best rookie is a nice feeling. Thanks again to my Team and Honda for the great job they have done this weekend for me and and I’m looking forward to the next race.” Takaaki Nakagami
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF SPAIN
JEREZ
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1ST - MARC MARQUEZ 2ND - JOHANN ZARCO, 3RD - ANDREA IANNONE, 4TH - DANILO PETRUCCI
TAKAAKI RACE WEEK
BEST RESULT SO FAR FOR NAKAGAMI IN SPAIN
LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami sealed his best finish so far in his fledgling MotoGP career, finishing in 12th place at the Grand Prix of Spain on Sunday. It was another positive weekend for the Japanese rookie, and despite losing positions in the early laps, he chipped away in hot and difficult conditions, even so far as passing a factory rider on the final lap to take an extra point. The result means it is now three point-scoring finishes in a row for Nakagami, who is now hopeful of making it into the top ten in the French Grand Prix, which takes place at Le Mans in two weeks’ time.
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“It was a really hard race in hot conditions. There were lots of crashes and the track temperature was quite high. It meant it was difficult to feel the tyre grip, especially later in the race with both the front and the rear. We still need to improve our starts to the race, and I have to understand why I am slower in the early laps.” “The LCR Honda IDEMITSU Team have really helped me all weekend as usual, and although we know we need to improve, at least we still took our best result. We’re not as happy with that as we could be, but next time we will focus on the beginning of the race, where I believe we can then get a top-ten finish in Le Mans.” Takaaki Nakagami
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF FRANCE
LE MANS
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1ST - MARC MARQUEZ 2ND - DANILO PETRUCCI, 3RD - VALENTINO ROSSI, 4TH - JACK MILLER
TAKAAKI RACE WEEK
NAKAGAMI IN THE POINTS AGAIN IN FRANCE
LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami claimed another points finish in the French Grand Prix at Le Mans on Sunday. Starting from 19th on the grid, the Japanese rookie produced a patient and determined ride to take 15th position at the chequered flag, maintaining his record of finishing every race thus far in his debut season in the MotoGP class. Nakagami acknowledged he was still suffering pain from his crash in Friday’s FP2 session ahead of Sunday’s showpiece, but managed to post the 16th fastest time in the warm-up. The 26-year-old would struggle with front tyre grip in the second half of the race, but kept his concentration to take 15th spot and another point in the world championship standings.
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“It was a tough race and my physical condition is not perfect, but during the race I felt ok. It was not a great start to the race, but I had a much better feeling with the bike than in Jerez. I was behind Cal for a bit and I thought about trying to overtake him, but then he started to go away and so I tried to follow him.�
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“But after 15 laps I started to struggle on the front tyre as maybe I used it too much in the early part in the braking. From then I struggled a little to keep the pace, but I made an adjustment on the mapping which helped us understand a bit more from this race. The day after tomorrow we have testing in Montmelo and we just have to keep pushing and improving and now I’m looking forward to Mugello.� Takaaki Nakagami
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF ITALY
MUGELLO
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1ST - JORGE LORENZO - 1ST INDEPENDENT TEAM - CAL CRUTCHLOW 2ND - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO, 3RD - VALENTINO ROSSI, 4TH - ANDREA IANNONE
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TAKAAKI RACE WEEK
BRAVE NAKAGAMI REJOINS AND FINISHES THE RACE AT MUGELLO
LCR Honda Idemitsu rider Takaaki Nakagami finished in 18th position at the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello after an unfortunate early crash. Starting from the sixth row, the Japanese talent was clipped by Dani Pedrosa on the opening lap and went down. Although he managed to restart, Nakagami was always a long way behind the rest of the field, but still managed to complete the race.
The 26-year-old explained that he wanted to get back out after his fall having completed less than a lap at the iconic Italian venue. Although disappointed with the result, Nakagami managed to gain more valuable MotoGP race experience and is now hoping for a positive outcome at the next round in Barcelona.
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“I’m very disappointed about the race after what happened at the start on turn two. I understand that Dani (Pedrosa) lost control and hit into my rear tyre, it was a very unlucky crash. I took some time, but I restarted again. I went back to the box and discussed things with the team. They said no, but I couldn’t finish like that after two corners and so I restarted again. “The bike was ok, the handlebars were a little bit broken but I tried my best just to finish the race. Ok, I finished in last position, but this is racing. My pace during the race was quite good and I’m looking forward and am positive about Montmelo now. I want to say thanks to the team and the fans for all their help this weekend.” Takaaki Nakagami
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF CATALUNYA
BARCELONA
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1ST - JORGE LORENZO - 1ST INDEPENDENT TEAM - CAL CRUTCHLOW 2ND - MARC MARQUEZ, 3RD - VALENTINO ROSSI, 4TH - CAL CRUTCHLOW
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TAKAAKI RACE WEEK TOUGH LUCK FOR NAKAGAMI IN BARCELONA AFTER A PROMISING QUALIFYING LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami suffered disappointment at the Grand Prix of Catalunya as he crashed out midway through Sunday’s showpiece. The Japanese talent was full of confidence heading into the race having secured 12th place on the grid after progressing to Q2 on Saturday for the first time. However, Nakagami was unable to take advantage of that excellent qualifying performance as he failed to finish a race for the first time in his debut MotoGP season. Battling for the points place with Bradley Smith with 11 laps to go, the 26year-old man lost the front end of his RCV and slid out at turn five, taking Smith with him.
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“Unfortunately I had a crash in the middle of the race. From the beginning I didn’t have a great feeling with the front tyre and in many places I started to close the steering. I knew it would be a difficult race, but that made it harder. “On turn five I tried to overtake Bradley (Smith), but I was over the limit and I lost the front. I’m sorry for crashing into Bradley and sorry for the team also because this weekend they did a great job. Of course we’re disappointed, but tomorrow we have the test so we’ll just think about the next one.” Takaaki Nakagami
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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ASSEN 88
text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
GRAND PRIX OF THE NETHERLANDS
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1ST - MARC MARQUEZ - 1ST INDEPENDENT TEAM - CAL CRUTCHLOW 2ND - ALEX RINS, 3RD - MAVERICK VIÑALES, 4TH - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO
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TAKAAKI RACE WEEK
DEMANDING GP FOR NAKAGAMI AT THE CATHEDRAL LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami finished in 19th position in Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix at Assen. The Japanese rider expressed his disappointment at the result having put in a hugely encouraging display in Saturday’s qualifying, eventually claiming 13th spot on the grid having narrowly missed on progressing to Q2. Nakagami battled hard throughout Sunday’s race, but had issues with his rear grip which undermined his hopes of pushing through the field. Although he saw it through to the chequered flag once again, the 26-year-old was hoping for better and is now aiming to make further improvements to his set-up at the forthcoming test in Brno.
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“Of course I’m a bit disappointed about today’s race. After the start I was fighting a lot within the group, but I was struggling to find the rear grip with our option of the hard tyre on the rear. It was not the wrong choice because we tested this tyre twice and it worked well for us, but I just struggled for grip until towards the end of the race and my pace wasn’t as good as I’d hoped. “The team, as always, did a great job this weekend and I’m disappointed about the result, but I’m looking forward to the Brno test and am hoping to find another step forward. We’ll keep pushing hard and look to improve. The next race at the Sachsenring will be a completely different test, but I have good memories there and will stay positive.” Takaaki Nakagami
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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SACHSENRING 98
text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
GRAND PRIX OF GERMANY
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1ST - MARC MARQUEZ 2ND - VALENTINO ROSSI, 3RD - MAVERICK VIÑALES, 4TH - DANILO PETRUCCI
TAKAAKI RACE WEEK
UNLUCKY RACE FOR TAKA IN GERMANY
LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami saw his hopes of a positive result at the German Grand Prix disappear after a late crash at the Sachsenring. After impressing in qualifying, the Japanese talent started from 12th on the grid and battled hard throughout as he looked to get back amongst the points after a disappointing run of results. Nakagami spent much of the race competing with Frenchman Johan Zarco and looked poised to fight it out for a top 10 place. However, a mistake a few laps from home cost him dear as he lost the front end of his Honda and slid out. It was a frustrating end to a weekend that had promised much for Taka.
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“I’m very disappointed about today’s race. It was tricky on the first lap because in between turn three and four there was an incident in front of me and I was really close to hitting them. But that was ok and then I was fighting with Johan (Zarco) and each corner we were battling. I tried to follow him but unfortunately I made a mistake in the last corner and braked too much. I lost the front grip and that was it, I crashed and it was my mistake”. “It’s easy to say after the race, but if I had finished I could have been maybe ninth or tenth. But I’m very sorry to the team because this had been a good weekend and I’m very disappointed it ended up like this. Now we must think about the next race.” Takaaki Nakagami
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF CZECH REPUBLIC
BRNO
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1ST - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO - 1ST INDEPENDENT TEAM - CAL CRUTCHLOW 2ND - JORGE LORENZO, 3RD - MARC MARQUEZ, 4TH - VALENTINO ROSSI , 4TH - VALENTINO ROSSI
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TAKAAKI RACE WEEK TAKA JUST MISSES OUT ON THE POINTS IN BRNO LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami just missed out on a points finish in the Czech Republic Grand Prix on Sunday. Starting from the seventh row of the grid, the Japanese rookie was impeded after a collision on the opening lap and then struggled to make up ground as he eventually finished in 17th position. The 26-year-old enjoyed a good start and was well-placed after the first couple of corners, but he then almost came off after a crash ahead of him and lost a number of places. Despite pushing hard from then on, Nakagami missed out on the points places and acknowledged after the race it had been a difficult weekend.
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“I had a good start and had a good position into turn one and two, but at turn three there was a crash ahead of me and no space. I had to brake and come together with Maverick (Viñales) and I was lucky to stay on the track, but I lost a lot of position“. “After that our plan was to lap in the mid to high 57s, but I couldn’t keep that pace on all the laps so I tried to change the mapping and my riding style to improve the lap times, but unfortunately I couldn’t do that. I’m sorry for the team, because everybody tried to give me the best bike, but this weekend I found it difficult to adapt to the MotoGP bike.” Takaaki Nakagami
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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SPIELBERG 118
text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
GRAND PRIX OF AUSTRIA
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1ST - JORGE LORENZO - 1ST INDEPENDENT TEAM - CAL CRUTCHLOW 2ND - MARC MARQUEZ, 3RD - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO, 4TH - CAL CRUTCHLOW
CAL RACE WEEK FANTASTIC FOURTH PLACE FOR CRUTCHLOW IN AUSTRIA LCR Honda CASTROL’s Cal Crutchlow enjoyed a lonely but brilliant ride into fourth place at the Spielberg circuit in Austria today, as he sealed the top Independent Team trophy for the second race in succession. It was always going to be a tall order to topple the might of the works teams from Honda and Ducati, but Cal guided his own factory Honda RC213V to four seconds clear of the rest of the field at a track he had suffered at in previous years. This represented a huge step forward from rider and team, and gives them high hopes for the next round of the championship, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in two weeks’ time, Cal’s home race.
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TAKAAKI RACE WEEK
NAKAGAMI PICKS UP A POINT AS TOP ROOKIE IN AUSTRIA LCR Honda IDEMITSU’s Takaaki Nakagami took his first pointscoring finish since Le Mans in May as he sealed 15th place at the Grand Prix of Austria on Sunday. The Japanese rider was delivered a difficult hand on his first visit to the Spielberg circuit as a MotoGP rider, with two practices ruined by rain. Nonetheless, as has become a feature of Nakagami’s season, the rookie battled hard to overcome his disadvantages, and fought his way through from 21st position on the grid, after an excellent start to the race. He had a fairly lonely ride until overtaking the factory Aprilia of Aleix Espargaro on the final lap to end the race as best rookie.
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The conditions today were quite warm and so I tried a new set-up during the morning warm-up, which was a positive step forward from qualifying. After a good start and a good turn one I was in a better position. It was a bit of a traffic jam, and turn four was tricky, but I found a gap and made up more spots. After that I tried to make no mistakes in the 28 laps. I tried to follow Viñales, but after ten laps I couldn’t manage it anymore, but it helped me keep a consistent lap time as it became a lonely race for me”. “I tried my best as always, and even tried to pass Espargaro on the final lap. I made it stick which brought home a point. It’s just one, but it’s better than nothing. I want to say a big thanks to the LCR Honda IDEMITSU Team because the last few races have been tough for me. Finally, we have come back and we will try to continue that form. We have a test in Misano this week, so hopefully that will help us some more if we keep pushing hard.” Takaaki Nakagami
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF GREAT BRITAIN
SILVERSTONE
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BRITISH GP CANCELLED AT SILVERSTONE Torrential rain across England forced the cancellation of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on Sunday. LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami had qualified in 19th position on the grid, but was denied the chance to race at the circuit where he won last year’s Moto2 race because of the terrible conditions. Race direction opted to move the MotoGP race forward to an 11.30am start on Sunday morning to try and ensure that the event took place. However, heavy rainfall throughout the day saw that start time pushed back as track conditions worsened, with large areas of standing water around the circuit. Eventually, shortly after 4pm local time, the decision was taken to cancel the race altogether.
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TAKAAKI QUALIFYING
SEVENTH ROW FOR NAKAGAMI AT BRITISH GP LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami will start the British Grand Prix at Silverstone from the seventh row of the grid after a truly challenging qualifying practice at the legendary venue. The Japanese rookie was thrown a curveball by changeable conditions during qualifying at the British track, with intermittent showers leaving the track wet in certain sectors and dry in others. Due to the weather, the race time of the British GP has been moved to the earlier time of 11.30am local, with the aim of avoiding the forecasted heavier rain.
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“Unfortunately the conditions were very bad. We tried to make a race, but finally race direction decided to put safety first and cancel all three races. Of course I’m very disappointed as I wanted to race, but we have to think about safety and I think it was the right decision. Of course, I’m very sorry for the fans and the media, but now we just have to think about the next race in Misano. We’ve already had one day testing there and it went really well, so that will be really important for the team as it’s a home race and hopefully we can make a good result there.” Takaaki Nakagami
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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MISANO 142
text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
GRAND PRIX OF SAN MARINO AND RIVIERA DI RIMINI
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1ST - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO 2ND - MARC MARQUEZ, 3RD - CAL CRUTCHLOW, 4TH - ALEX RINS
TAKAAKI RACE WEEK NAKAGAMI AGAIN IN THE POINTS IN MISANO LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami produced a fine ride to claim 13th position in Sunday’s San Marino Grand Prix in Misano. The Japanese rookie started from the seventh row of the grid, but built on a good start to finish in the points for the sixth time this season, eventually crossing the line just over five seconds off the top ten. Nakagami was aware of the need for a fast start after qualifying in 19th position and did just that as he made up places on the first lap. He was then able to maintain a consistent race pace and just failed to get past Franco Morbidelli at the end which would have seen him equal his best result of the year. The 26-year-old was pleased with his performance and is now looking forward to the next round in Aragon.
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“It was a really long race and it was hot, but it was the best conditions we’ve had all weekend. I had a really good start and overtook a few riders at the beginning of the race and tried to follow the main group. From the beginning to the end, my lap times were nearly the same, I didn’t make any mistakes and was consistent which allowed us to take some points. “I’m happy with this result, it’s only a few points, but it’s important for me as it was a difficult weekend. I want to thank my Team who did a really great job and gave me a good bike and let’s see what we can do at the next race in Aragon.” Takaaki Nakagami
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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ARAGON 156
text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
GRAND PRIX OF ARAGON
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1ST - MARC MARQUEZ 2ND - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO, 3RD - ANDREA IANNONE, 4TH - ALEX RINS
TAKAAKI RACE WEEK NAKAGAMI EQUALS SEASON’S BEST IN ARAGON LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami equalled his best-ever MotoGP class result as he finished 12th in Sunday’s Grand Prix of Aragon. The Japanese rookie built on his excellent performance in qualifying – where he progressed to Q2 in dramatic style – with a strong ride to finish narrowly outside the top 10. The 12th placed finish matches his result from Jerez back in round four of this year’s championship. Full of confidence after his display on Saturday, Nakagami underlined his improvement by going 13th in the warm up session. After a good start to the race, the Japanese talent became involved in a battle for tenth position with the likes of Maverick Viñales, Johann Zarco, Bradley Smith and Franco Morbidelli. In the end he finished just behind Morbidelli, with Vinales claiming tenth just five seconds ahead. It concluded a positive weekend for Taka who is now looking forward to the flyaway races, including a return to Japan next month.
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“I knew that this was going to be a tough race in very hot conditions. I had quite a good start and managed to find some space as everyone came together at turn one and got up to eighth or ninth position I think. Then I had a big fight with Aleix (Espargaro) and just lost a bit of concentration on the gears and lost acceleration which allowed everyone to get back past me”. “I think we were better in the early part of the race than we were in Misano, but unfortunately I still had a bit of a bad feeling with the front tyre after 10 laps. I was involved in a fight with Zarco, Smith and Franco and got P12 which is our best result I think. But I am not completely happy as we had the chance to finish closer to the top ten. But we’ll try to improve again and I want to thank my team as we improved a lot on Saturday and Sunday.” Takaaki Nakagami
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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BURIRAM 166
text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
GRAND PRIX OF THAILAND
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1ST - MARC MARQUEZ 2ND - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO, 3RD - MAVERICK VIÑALES, 4TH - VALENTINO ROSSI
TAKAAKI RACE WEEK CHALLENGING DAY FOR NAKAGAMI IN THAILAND It proved a forgettable first-ever Thailand Grand Prix for LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami as he finished 22nd at the Buriram International Circuit on Sunday. Having qualified on the fifth row, the Japanese rookie saw his hopes of a good result disappear after an early fall and, despite rejoining, could do little more than just finish the race. Having lost some places after the start, Taka was looking to make progress on the third lap but lost the front end of his RC213V at the final corner of the circuit and slid out. With his bike damaged from the crash, the LCR man was left to lap at the back of the field but showed perseverance to see the chequered flag.
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“Of course I’m disappointed, unfortunately there were some easy mistakes. I made a mistake on the brakes in the last corner and was too fast into the apex and lost grip. I lost the front and crashed, after that I rejoined and just tried to finish the race”. “It was difficult because after the crash the handlebar was not in the correct position and the foot peg was not where it is normally. All I could do was finish the race, I’m really sorry to the team. Let’s focus on my home GP in two weeks and I’ll never stop trying to improve.” Takaaki Nakagami
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF JAPAN
MOTEGI 177
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1ST - MARC MARQUEZ 2ND - CAL CRUTCHLOW, 3RD - ALEX RINS, 4TH - VALENTINO ROSSI
TAKAAKI RACE WEEK POINTS FINISH FOR NAKAGAMI AT MOTEGI LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaaki Nakagami endured a challenging day at his home Grand Prix at the Twin Ring Motegi. Having progressed to Q2 and secured 12th place on the grid for Sunday’s race, the Japanese talent had set his sights on a first top10 finish of his rookie season, but saw those hopes disappear after a collision on the first lap. Nakagami got a clean start and was settled in 12th position, but then got shunted as the riders bunched together in the early exchanges and lost ground as he momentarily left the track. He battled hard to move back up through the field and claimed a points finish with 15th position, but admitted afterwards it had not been the result he was looking for on his home patch.
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“The start wasn’t too bad, but into turn one, turn two and turn three there were so many riders around us that I didn’t have any space inside and there was an impact on my handlebars that made me go out of the track at turn four. I was lucky I didn’t crash, but I lost a lot of positions, from 12th to 23rd I think”. “That was tough because it’s always difficult to move back up. The race pace was what we expected, 46 high to 47 low, but everybody had the same sort of lap time and it was difficult to overtake the guy in front. I didn’t expect this race today, I’m really disappointed with it. It was a big chance to finish in the top 10, but after the first lap it was over. I tried my best, but I’m sorry to all my fans in Japan.” Takaaki Nakagami
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF AUSTRALIA
PHILLIP ISLAND 189
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1ST - MAVERICK VIÑALES 2ND - ANDREA IANNONE, 3RD - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO, 4TH - ALVARO BAUTISTA
TAKAAKI RACE WEEK MORE POINTS FOR NAKAGAMI AT PHILLIP ISLAND LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami secured another points finish at the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday. The Japanese rookie battled hard to see the chequered flag after a punishing race at the iconic Phillip Island circuit and eventually claimed two more World Championship points after coming home in 14th position. Nakagami – who started from the fifth row of the grid - was one of only two Honda riders to complete the race in Australia. Although he was unable to find the pace he wanted throughout, Taka stuck to his task and managed his tyres successfully to ensure he chalked up another finish in his debut season in the premier category.
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“It was a difficult weekend. Today the weather conditions were a little bit better than yesterday, they were less windy and the track temperature was getting higher and higher. We decided to go with a soft compound on the rear and I think that was the correct choice, but I really struggled in the last ten laps. The lap times were quite strong and I couldn’t find the race pace I wanted. In the end I got into the points which is very good, but I was expecting a better result here so now we have to think about the next one in Sepang and try to be more consistent over the weekend.� Takaaki Nakagami
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
GRAND PRIX OF MALAYSIA
SEPANG
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1ST - MARC MARQUEZ 2ND - ALEX RINS, 3RD - JOHANN ZARCO, 4TH - MAVERICK VIÑALES
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TAKAAKI RACE WEEK TAKA IN THE POINTS AGAIN AT SEPANG LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami claimed another points finish after a battling performance at the Malaysia Grand Prix on Sunday. The Japanese talent started from the eighth row of the grid, but made up places to eventually finish in 14th position at the Sepang International Circuit as HRC secured the 2018 MotoGP Constructors title for the seventh time in the last eight years. Having been moved forward two hours to avoid further bad weather, the race took place in warm, cloudy conditions. But despite a dry track, Taka was unable to find the kind of rhythm he’d demonstrated earlier in the weekend. In the end, he had to settle for two more championship points and is now looking to sign of his season in style at Valencia.
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“The race was a bit of a struggle. The track temperature was quite good, although the condition wasn’t perfect. We chose a medium tyre for the front and a soft for the rear and I think that was the correct choice for us. But we couldn’t find the same kind of performance as in FP3 when we had a strong pace, around 2’01 laps. I wasn’t able to do that in the race and for me it was difficult to find the rear grip. The team did a great job all weekend and hopefully we can get our best result of the season in the last race in Valencia.” Takaaki Nakagami
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF VALENCIA
VALENCIA
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1ST - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO, 1ST INDEPENDENT TEAM - TAKAAKI NAKAGAMI 2ND - ALEX RINS, 3RD - POL ESPARGARO, 4TH - MICHELE PIRRO
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TAKAAKI RACE WEEK NAKAGAMI IS TOP INDEPENDENT RIDER IN VALENCIA LCR Honda IDEMITSU rookie Takaaki Nakagami ended the 2018 MotoGP season in spectacular style as he was the top independent finisher at the Valencia Grand Prix. Heavy rain on Sunday ensured it was a chaotic closing contest with the initial race red-flagged after numerous crashes on a soaked Ricardo Tormo Circuit. A second 14-lap race then started and Taka held his nerve superbly in the most testing of conditions. In the end, the Japanese starlet claimed sixth position, just behind Honda colleague Dani Pedrosa, to emerge as the top independent – his first top-10 in the premier category and easily the best result of his debut season in MotoGP.
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“It was really tough. I was scared on every lap, each corner, but it’s an amazing feeling. It’s a little bit strange, I never thought I’d finish as the top independent rider, but it’s an amazing day for me and a great race. There was a lot of pressure, but last night Cal (Crutchlow) texted me and told me to concentrate, make no mistakes and, because I had nothing to lose, push hard. That was great, so thanks to him, and also to my team, it’s an unforgettable day. It’s so good to finish the season like this and now we will look to next season, starting with the test here on Tuesday. But tonight we will definitely have a party!” Takaaki Nakagami
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OFF-TRACK EVENTS
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LCR AND HONDA
HONDA FACTORY VISIT
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JAPAN
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LCR AND HONDA
MILANO - ITALY
2019 HRC FACTORY RIDERS OFFICIAL PRESENTATION
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LCR AND HONDA
JAPAN
MEET AND GREET AT HONDA HEADQUARTER
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LCR AND GIVI
BRESCIA - ITALY
MEETING THE FANS AT VISENZI MOTOMARKET
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LCR AND GIVI
MALAYSIA
VISITING GIVI VIETNAM
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LCR AND GIVI
BRESCIA - ITALY
GIVI’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY GALA DINNER
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LCR AND SIFI
WIEN - AUSTRIA
DRIVING VISION SCIENCE CONFERENCE AT ESCRS OPHTHALMOLOGIC CONGRESS
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LCR AND COMET-LAVOR
BOLOGNA - ITALY
COMET – LAVOR PARTNERSHIP PRESENTATION
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SPECI AL TH AN KS We are extremely grateful to all the friends and brands involved in this unforgettable season. With your hard work, support and passion, you keep on making us bigger as a MotoGP team. With this book we want to express our deepest gratitude for being always by our side.
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C R ED ITS
ED ITO R -I N -C HI EF LCR G ra p h i c D e p a r t m e n t
C O O R D I N ATO R S Lu cio Ce cch in e ll o Fa b io A lb e r t i Fa b i o M a zzo n i E l i s a b e t t a Bo n e t t i
C O NTR I BU TO R S E l i s a Pava n G av i n E m m e t M a r k Ke n d a ll Ta n j a H ayd n
G R A PHI C D ES I G N ER S E r r i co G a s p e ro n i E m a n u e le Va ll o ra n i
PHOTO GR A PHER S M il a g ro Te a m M i rco L a zza r i R a f f a e l l a G i a n o ll a Co r m a c R ya n M e e n a n M a s s im o Vis co n t i Matteo Gasparri N e l l y P l u to
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CAL CRUTCHLOW
TAKAAKI NAKAGAMI