Shinya Nakano
Country: Japan
Birth date: 10 Octomber 1977 on Chiba
Team: Kawasaki Racing
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Shinya Nakano burst onto the Grand Prix scene in impressive fashion in 1999, racking up five podium finishes in his debut season to finish fourth in the 250cc World Championship and secure the Rookie of the Year award.

The following year saw Nakano emerge as a real title contender. The likeable Japanese rider amassed five race wins and seven podium finishes - more than any other rider - but despite his consistency the championship title eluded him by a mere 0.014s.

After stepping up to the 500cc World Championship in 2001, Nakano got his season off to a flying start with an impressive fifth place finish in his home race at Suzuka. Nakano's first podium came at the German Grand Prix at Sachsenring and, once again, his consistency resulted in yet another Rookie of the Year award, along with a top five finish in the 500cc World Championship.

Taking on the new four-strokes aboard his 500cc two-stroke machine proved a real challenge for Nakano in 2002, but a string of top ten finishes were enough to convince team bosses to give the Japanese rider a factory four-stroke machine for the final three races of the season.

In 2003 Nakano switched teams, but stayed with the four-stroke machine he'd mastered at the end of the 2002 season. A string of consistent results - with two fifth place finishes at Mugello and Catalunya being the highlight - were enough to convince Kawasaki Racing Team Manager, Harald Eckl, that Shinya Nakano was the man to spearhead Kawasaki's assault on the 2004 MotoGP World Championship. Eckl's confidence was rewarded when the Japanese rider gave Kawasaki their first MotoGP podium finish by bringing his Ninja ZX-RR home in third place at his home Grand Prix at Motegi.

After finishing tenth in the championship standings in 2004, Nakano was keen to repeat his podium success for the green team in 2005 but, while he managed to once again finish tenth in the championship, a podium finish remained beyond his grasp.

2006 marks Nakano's third season aboard the Ninja ZX-RR, and the 28-year-old Kawasaki rider has already impressed during pre-season testing. Consistently in the top three fastest riders during tests in Malaysia, Australia and Spain, Nakano heads for Jerez, and the first race of the season, determined to put Kawasaki back on the podium where they belong.

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