The Repsol Honda Team heads to Qatar this weekend for the second round of the MotoGP World Championship keen to build on their strong start to the season

source: moto.racing-live.com

Both the Honda factory team's riders finished on the podium at the first round in Jerez eight days ago and they will be aiming to go one better in Saturday's race at the Losail International Circuit near Doha, the capital city of Qatar.

American Nicky Hayden, who set the lap record at the 5.383km (3.343 mile) Losail circuit last year on his way to third place, will be looking to maximise the performance of the new RC211V he's been working so hard to develop. If the 24-year-old star from Owensboro, Kentucky, finishes in the top three here it will be his sixth straight podium finish in the MotoGP class.

Twenty-year-old Dani Pedrosa knows he faces a big challenge if he is to repeat the sensational debut performance that saw him take second place in his first ever MotoGP race. The reigning 250cc World Champion from Barcelona, Spain, will be tackling the Losail circuit for the first time on a MotoGP bike which means he will need to quickly adapt to the different riding style and machine set-up required. He goes into the weekend fully aware that some of his more experienced rivals who struggled at the first round, including World Champion Valentino Rossi, will be eager to re-assert themselves at the front of the field.

Last year's event was held in searing 39-degree heat but for 2006 the race has been moved from October to April in the hope that the riders and teams can enjoy cooler weather. Unusually for MotoGP the race is held on a Saturday in order to sit closer to the Muslim weekend which falls on Thursday and Friday.