A sort of homecoming for Rizla Suzuki MotoGP
 The
British based Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team travels to Donington
Park in England this weekend for the British Grand Prix, the
next round of a so far profitable season, looking to continue
with its fine run of form when it arrives on home-soil.
Chris Vermeulen and John Hopkins arrive in England with 72
points each – more than both riders together had accumulated
at the same time last season – looking to strengthen
their positions in the championship on a track that both of
them enjoy. The two Rizla Suzuki MotoGP racers qualified in
second and fourth places last year respectively, and without
a crash for Vermeulen and a late-race grip problem for Hopkins,
could have both finished in higher positions.
The Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team is based on the south coast
of England and a large proportion of the crew are also from
the UK, so this is a race that is very important to the team.
Rizla also began its racing partnership with Suzuki in the
UK, and still has a high profile team running in the national
championship.
Both racers also have a strong bond with the UK, Vermeulen
competing in Britain when he first left Australia and winning
the British Supersport and Superstock championships in 2000.Hopkins
has family roots with the UK due to his English parentage,
and although he was born in the USA, he has always regarded
himself as Anglo-American. The large trackside support that
he enjoys at Donington makes this feel like a home race for
him.
The 4.023kms long Donington circuit is set in a natural arena
in the English countryside, and few sights in MotoGP can match
the whole field of bikes streaming into Craner Curves on the
first lap. The track also features many other exciting corners
and elevation changes over its length, and you can expect
to see Hopkins getting his elbow close to – if not touching
– the asphalt at the Melbourne Loop!
Track action for round eight of the MotoGP World Championship
will begin on Friday, as Hopkins and Vermeulen take to the
circuit for two free practice sessions. Saturday will have
another practice session in the morning and the all important
qualifying hour - to determine grid positions for the race
- in the afternoon. The 30-lap race will get underway at 13.00hrs
local time (12.00hrsGMT) on Sunday 24th June.
Chris Vermeulen:
“I really like the Donington circuit, it was a track
I enjoyed racing on in the British Championships, and I got
my best dry grid position - up to that time - there last year.
We did a lot of work on the GSV-R at the test after the race
in Catalunya and I am now ready to get back out there and
start racing again. I know what I need to do as far as qualifying
goes, because as I’ve shown this year I can be competitive
in the race, I just need to be starting from higher up the
grid. I am certainly planning to change things here and I’m
really looking forward to what I hope will be a successful
and profitable weekend for us!”
John Hopkins:
“It’s great to be coming ‘home’.
I feel that’s what Donington is for me as I used to
live close by and I have a lot of friends and family here.
This is one of my favourite tracks of the year and I’m
sure the new 800cc GSV-R will go well. I had a bit of a tyre
problem last year but the Bridgestones have been working so
well everywhere this season that I don’t see that being
an issue at Donington. We tested many new tyres at Catalunya
and some of the stuff they had for us was awesome! We just
need to get out there and start showing what we can do straight
from the off on Friday!”
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