Takaaki Nakagami says his recent signing to the LCR Honda team for the 2018 MotoGP season spurred him on to victory in Sunday’s Moto2 British Grand Prix.
The Japanese rider put on a late charge in the 18-lap intermediate class race at Silverstone, overhauling race leader Franco Morbidelli towards the end of lap 14.
Once in front, Nakagami proceeded to ease away from the chasing Marc VDS rider – who now holds a 29-point lead in the standings after finishing the race third – and Mattia Pasini to claim his maiden win of 2017.
Penning a deal with Honda to join the LCR team for next year a week prior to the Silverstone race, Nakagami felt the added pressure to prove he deserved a MotoGP chance gave him more motivation to fight for the win.
“I was much more motivated because, since Austin, I couldn’t win a race,” he said.
“I tried all my best to win this season, all the races, but I never have the chance to win the race.
“I got good results in some races, but always third position, and I couldn’t beat Franco or (Tom) Luthi.
“But after last Sunday, it’s official I go to MotoGP. I want to win the race here, because especially after the official (announcement) the next race is here.
“Everybody check, everybody watching, everbody interview you for the next season.
“So I must be more motivated to get the victory, and finally this is like a lot of positive things for my mentality, so it’s really a great feeling.”
Crutchlow: Nakagami ‘just another guy to beat’
Nakagami’s future LCR team-mate Cal Crutchlow is looking forward to the Japanese rider’s arival, though admits he sees him as ‘just another guy to beat’.
The British rider expects Nakagami to be fast in MotoGP having seen what he can do on premier class machinery in a test, and believes having him in the team will take some of the pressure of media commitments away from him.
“It’s 50 guys and girls (that) come to the race weekend just for you, it’s difficult,” said Crutchlow, who finished his home race in fourth.
“I don’t really like – not the pressure of that – I just don’t like it. I’d prefer them to be able to have obviously someone else to take responsibility as well.
“I’m obviously excited to have a team-mate, but does it make any difference to me? No, not really.
“He’s fast, I know he’s fast. He’s fast on a MotoGP bike. So I hope he brings that – when he last rode it – I hope he brings the same as that to next year.
“But, to me, it’s just another guy to beat.”
