Capirossi to tie all-time record at Brno

The Italian will tie with Alex Barros on 276 races since his debut in 1990.

"I didn't know I was that close to equalling the record," he said. "I think there are a few guys from the old days that might have done more races because they used to race two or three different bikes at every meeting.

"But it's a great achievement for me to have raced at as many as anyone else. My next target will be to make 300, but the only important thing to me is that I am competitive and fighting with the best guys."

The Suzuki rider is hoping to celebrate the landmark with a good result on a circuit where he's gone well in recent years. He won at Brno in 2006 and currently holds the lap record.

He is still recovering from an arm injury he sustained at Assen in June, but hopes the four-week break since Laguna Seca has given it time to heal.

"Brno has been a successful track for me and one I really like to race at," added Capirossi. "I would really like to win there again, and I think the GSV-R will be well-suited to the track and we'll be very competitive there.

"My arm is still very sore and it's not 100 per cent perfect, but it's getting stronger every day and I really hope that it will not trouble me too much during the weekend."