MotoGP Assen: Nakagami surprises with best of season despite being "shocked" by traction, "crazy spinning"

With Marc Marquez withdrawing from his second grand prix in a week, thus joining Joan Mir and Alex Rins on the sidelines, Nakagami was once again the only full-time Honda rider on the Sunday grid.

Twelfth in the half-distance Sprint race, Nakagami was among those to stick with the soft tyre for the main race – and, with the help of an ‘amazing’ start, made it work.

The Japanese climbed as high as seventh by the middle stages then, despite a Long Lap penalty, only lost one place thereafter (to Luca Marini).

Without the penalty, for exceeding track limits, Nakagami felt sixth place was possible, which would have been Honda’s second-best GP finish of the year after Rins’ shock COTA win.

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“I had a really amazing start,” Nakagami said. “Lap one was much easier to think about the strategy because I was already inside the top ten.

“I didn’t know there were so much crashes during the race, I was a bit surprised to see only 14 bikes finished. But the conditions were OK. I was focussed with my riding and at least I gave my best.

“A shame I got the Long Lap penalty otherwise I think we could have finished better, P6, anyway we were quite competitive this race and also the Sprint.

“The result is much better than last weekend but still we are missing in many areas. We need to improve the rear grip and also electronic side. I need to take a break, a couple of weeks to disconnect and prepare for Silverstone.”

Honda had revised its electronics after Marquez's highside at Sachsenring. Nakagami felt it was an improvement in both safety and performance, but was still ‘shocked’ by how much spin he was suffering , even with the soft tyre.

“I tested [the electronics] from Friday and it was a bit better feeling for me. After that I kept the new setting,” he said. “[It has] a bit more safety and some areas a bit more direct feeling.

“In some areas we have a bit too much electronics and it is cutting so much… I was able to manage well even when the tyre drops but still we are losing in the traction areas like after the chicane and before the finish line and before the hairpin.

“Definitely during the race I was shocked about our performance; the traction area is still really bad. We need to understand.

"There are many reasons for the lack of rear grip and we cannot go high torque because of the crazy spinning. Then the electronics try to reduce the spin with a lot of [torque] reduction.

“I think [HRC] have a lot of data from this weekend and I hope they can make it better for Silverstone.”

The only other Honda rider to reach the finish was Nakagami’s stand-in team-mate, and HRC test rider, Stefan Bradl, in 13th.

“Marc is injured and Alex and Joan are not here. It is a really difficult moment, I am the only one still fit!” Nakagami said.

“Just try to keep pushing. It is not only for Honda but for myself too. It is not an easy situation of course.

"Hopefully, Honda understands... We are fighting, at least this weekend inside the top ten, P8. But still really far from the top. Clearly, we need to improve.”

Nakagami is 16th in the world championship, but the second highest Honda rider after team-mate Rins in 13th.