Assen: a challenging circuit, and unpredictable weather

Hiroshi Aoyama is in second place of the World Championship, 250cc class. He has 96 points under his belt, and is only 12 behind the leader. This could well be the year in which Honda comes back to the podium of the middle class. The last one was achieved in 2006; the previous season, Aoyama, at his second year in the World Championship, was very close to it, classifying fourth.
Raffaele De Rosa, who is a beginner with the 250 cc machines, is seventh on the championship board, and the only one, with the first three of the classifying, capable of getting points at every GP.

Hiroshi Aoyama (250cc rider):
"I like this track, but I've to admit that here it is very difficult to find the way to be quick. We should not have overheating problems, and the fact that in Catalunya we did well in spite of it makes me confident for Assen. We have a good potential. Then, of course, there is the weather, which is always an unpredictable protagonist".

Raffaele De Rosa (250cc rider): 
"Last season, in 125, I was tenth. Nothing special, if you consider only the positions under the chequered flag. But if you remember, I arrived 10th starting from 32nd on the grid, and I set the second fastest time. A race I really enjoyed. The track suits Honda more than Catalunya, and we should not suffer that overheating we faced in Montmelo".