This will be your rookie season in MotoGP, but what does stepping up to the world's premier motorcycle racing series mean to you as a rider ?

"For me it is a big step up to MotoGP, because this is the best class, with the top riders and the fastest bikes. It's what every racer aims for. It's a fantastic opportunity for me; to be riding a factory Kawasaki against the best riders in the world, and I hope that I can repay the faith that the team have shown in me this year."

What were your first thoughts when you were approached by Kawasaki about the possibility of a MotoGP ride ?

"I couldn't believe it; It was like a dream come true for me. I was in the middle of a difficult season in the 250cc World Championship, so to suddenly find myself with an offer of a factory MotoGP bike for 2006 was incredible."

It must have been good for you to go into the winter break having already secured a ride for the 2006 season

"Definitely. Knowing exactly where I would be riding in 2006 meant that I was able to focus completely on preparing myself for the coming season. Since we finished the test in Sepang at the end of November, all I've had to worry about is my preparations for the coming season. And this has paid off for me, because I was 100% prepared when we returned to Sepang in January for the first pre- season test aboard the new Ninja ZX-RR."

Did you follow a specific training programme over the winter months ?

"I've always trained hard, but this year I've been following a programme developed by Kawasaki's sports performance expert, Dr. Tony Head. I flew to England at the end of last season where Tony did a full physical assessment on me, and from that he produced a detailed training programme for me to follow over the winter.

He's also prepared a training schedule that I can follow during the race season that won't leave me tired for the races. Last year I trained and played a lot of sport between races, and I couldn't understand why I was starting to feel tired halfway through the season. Tony has explained that you need to give your body time to recover and that it's not possible to ride at 100% and then train at 100% between races. So, to make sure I'm at my peak during the season, Tony has come up with a training plan that includes recovery periods."