Rizla Suzuki MotoGP plan to continue with good start
 Rizla
Suzuki MotoGP heads to Phillip Island for its second pre-season
test of 2008, planning to continue with the promising results
achieved last week in Malaysia.
Chris Vermeulen and Loris Capirossi return to the 4,448m
Australian track for the second time on the 2008 Rizla Suzuki
GSV-R following a behind-closed-doors test last November,
although this time the two riders will be using the definitive
new machine, rather than the 2008 prototype, that showed impressive
potential first time out at Sepang earlier this month.
Phillip Island is one of the favoured test tracks on the
Grand Prix tour due to its fast, flowing nature and it is
a real test of both man and machine. The high average speed,
rather than outright top speed, is the key to fast, consistent
laps and the high speed corners make the circuit especially
hard on tyres. Suzuki and Bridgestone will conduct thorough
evaluations of the latest generation of tyres to access their
performance around the demanding circuit and use the data
collected to produce the best combination of tyres, not just
for Phillip Island, but for other circuits as well.
Vermeulen and Capirossi will also undertake many other tests
on the 2008 GSV-R including chassis and aerodynamic trials,
and the assessment of other mechanical improvements and newly
introduced electronic control strategies, as the Rizla Suzuki
MotoGP outfit prepares for the first race of the season in
March at Losail in Qatar on Sunday 9th March.
Chris Vermeulen:
“We had an interesting test here last year and now
it will be really important to see how we have progressed
with the bike when there are other riders here to compare
ourselves with. The bike performed well at Sepang and the
new engine worked great, Suzuki has made a big step this year
with the motor and now we need to get the rest of the package
right so we can be as competitive as possible come the first
race at Qatar. That is what we need to aim for and take each
race as it comes, we need to battle for podiums from the start
of the year and Qatar is our first target!”
Loris Capirossi:
“For me this will be a very important test as I know
that Suzuki has had some problems at Phillip Island in the
past. We tested here in November and both Chris and I were
able to highlight some of the problems and the Factory has
acted on them, so we hope to make steps forward during this
test. We tried so many new parts at Sepang, produced from
the information we supplied last year, and that shows that
Suzuki is very positive and focussed for the forthcoming season.
I now have to go to Phillip Island and make sure that I continue
with good start I’ve made with Suzuki, for sure we have
a long way to go, but I want to be ready and fully prepared
to challenge when the season starts.”
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