Nakagami felt he could fight for 'top 5-6' in Qatar

After struggling with his healing shoulder during the opening test of the year in Sepang, Takaaki Nakagami made swift progress during the final pre-season outing in Qatar.

Although the LCR Honda rider is using the 2019-spec RCV, Nakagami feels he could have challenged his best MotoGP result of fifth had the Losail race weekend gone ahead as planned.

Nakagami withdrew from last season after his home Motegi round in October, in order to undergo major shoulder surgery, and "at the Sepang test I wasn't fit, less than 60%," he told the official MotoGP website.

"But then after two weeks we went to the Qatar test and I began to find the limit of our bike, which is the 2019 spec bike.

"On Cal's side I heard about the struggles with the 2020 bike but we don’t have time to worry about the other side of the garage. I feel there is some more potential between the 2018 and 2019 bikes. Some positive points, not everywhere, but we can go faster [with the 2019].

"At the end of the Qatar test I felt I could fight for the top five or six in the grand prix. That was our target. We would need to find another step for the podium so I have to keep growing, but I feel the base is quite high, very high."

The ongoing coronavirus delay means Nakagami expects to be "fit and ready" when the season finally starts, but warned:

"It looks like October and especially November will be so tight [with the delayed race schedule]. This has never happened before. It's going to be tough for everybody."

Nakagami finished ninth in last year's Qatar Grand Prix.