Rizla Suzuki MotoGP heads Stateside in upbeat mood
Rizla Suzuki MotoGP is off to Laguna Seca in California for
the USGP this weekend in confident mood, boosted by the podium
for Chris Vermeulen last time out at Sachsenring.
The team has made the transatlantic journey direct from Germany
to be ready for the sixth race in eight weekends this coming
Sunday, which will bring to a close the first half of the
season before all the teams take a well-earned break.
Vermeulen is looking forward to Laguna following his success
there in previous seasons. Last year he finished second and
in 2006 he qualified on pole, only to be robbed of an almost
certain podium position by a mechanical problem.
Loris Capirossi is still making a recovery from the severe
puncture wound he suffered at Assen last month and will again
need to show his true racer spirit to overcome the difficulties
he will face riding in the extreme temperatures that can be
encountered in California.
The 3,610m long Laguna Seca circuit is situated near the
town of Monterey, approximately 160kms south of San Francisco.
The circuit was built in a former army training zone and features
one of the wildest parts of track anywhere in the world. The
scary looking ‘Corkscrew’ is almost a sheer drop
over a blind left hand turn with a sharp right at the bottom,
where riders encounter amazing changes in g-force. The ‘Corkscrew’
along with Laguna’s 10 other turns, are considered among
some of MotoGP’s most demanding, and this added to its
stunning setting in the oak-studded hills near to the scenic
Monterey Bay makes it one of the most spectacular venues on
the MotoGP calendar.
Vermeulen and Capirossi will be joined at Laguna by AMA Superbike
Champion Ben Spies as a wildcard. Spies made his debut on
a Suzuki GSV-R prototype MotoGP bike at Donington last month
– when he deputised for the injured Capirossi –
and will be looking to impress in front of his home fans.
Spies will also be competing in the AMA Superbike race at
Laguna on his Suzuki GSX-R, so he has a busy weekend ahead
of him.
Rizla Suzuki MotoGP’s three pronged attack will take
to the track on Friday for two free practice sessions, followed
by a further practice on the Saturday morning. Qualifying
will take place in the afternoon to secure the all-important
grid positions for Sunday’s 32-lap race that gets underway
at 14.00hrs local time (21.00hrs GMT).
Chris Vermeulen:
“We had a great result in Sachsenring and now I’m
really looking forward to going to Laguna. I really like the
track and have done well there in the last couple of years
and will certainly be looking to try to take the next step
up the podium from last year’s position. The bike worked
very well there last year and if we can get on the pace early
on then there is no reason why we can’t make that happen.”
Loris Capirossi:
“My arm is still quite sore and I am fed up with feeling
in pain like this, but I will still give it everything I have
got at Laguna. I know it will be tough, but that is what MotoGP
is about. I need to start getting some good results to make
up for the races I didn’t score in and here is a good
place to start. I am sure I will be 100% by Brno, but I want
to be at my best in America and I will certainly be trying
my hardest!”
Ben Spies:
“I am really looking forward to this weekend. It will
be awesome to ride the GP bike in front of all the American
fans. I know it is going to be hard as these guys are pretty
good and I have the added pressure of racing in the Superbike
championship as well, but I will be going for it that’s
for certain! I have got one race under my belt in MotoGP and
I had a thorough test at Indianapolis that went really well,
so now it is down to me to show what I can do!”
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