Nakano: Everybody wants to race at Assen.

Following last week's tragic incident that saw one d'Ant?n Yamaha team member die and another hospitalised after apparent food poisoning in the team's hospitality unit, it is still with a sense of shock that the Spanish outfit arrives in Holland for this Saturday's Dutch TT.

Nevertheless, the team are determined to fight on - and with sole rider Shinya Nakano fast becoming a rival to Alex Barros and Carlos Checa for top Yamaha honours, the team have good reason to be optimistic of a solid result at the mythical Dutch track.

Assen has been good to Nakano in the past, the Japanese third in the 250cc race in 2000, fifth on his 500cc debut in 2001 and last year he was eighth riding an uncompetitive YZR 500 two-stroke.

"The Dutch TT is one of the famous GPs which everybody wants to race in," stated Shinya. "I also know so many people who will be watching the race and it's important for me to get a good result. It's a difficult track but at the same time I like it very much. It's a very fast circuit where you have to concentrate and push really hard.

"In the past I have had some good races there, I was third in 250s I 2000, and in my first race in 500s I was fifth. After Mugello and Barcelona I'm with confident and I want to improve my results, maybe by two places..." Nakano concluded.

"Overall the team is so sad after Pepe's dead, but at the race we will try to concentrate and continue with run of results started back in Mugello, and our target is to improve in this race," said technical director, Naoya Kaneko. "Assen is a special circuit because the surface has cambers and you need a powerful engine because you are on the sea level. It's also a long track that demands big concentration from the rider. Our target in Assen is to get a podium finish, and we'll work hard to get it."