After an absence of 20 years, Kawasaki returned to MotoGP as a works team in 2003 with their first racing bike with a 4-stroke engine, the ZX-RR. The 2003 racing season proved difficult, but 2004 saw the arrival of Japanese rider Shinya Nakano and a lot of development progress was made. The 2006 machine featured eye-catching cowl designs and the 990cc inline 4-cylinder engine featuring the unique variable ignition timing system. Ridden by Nakano and Randy de Pruniet, the lime green machine challenged the top teams for race honors, with Nakano taking 2nd place at Round 8 in the Netherlands for his best finish of the season.