Rizla Suzuki MotoGP relishing final test

2006-11-24 06:36
Rizla Suzuki MotoGP travels back to Europe for its final test of 2006, determined to continue with the promising start shown by the new Suzuki GSV-R800 at recent tests.

The new 800cc has already produced promising performances at Valencia and Sepang, with John Hopkins and Chris Vermeulen filling the top-two places at the Malaysian test just over a week ago. Suzuki has worked on the information gathered at those tests and will be bringing new engine control strategies and mapping information - developed on the dyno in Japan - to the test at Jerez in Spain on the 28th-29th-30th November.

Nobuatsu Aoki will be joining Hopkins and Vermeulen at Jerez, in what looks like being a completely different type of test due to the colder air temperatures that will give less grip on the 4.4km circuit. The conditions will enable the riders and the factory to see how the bike performs in different circumstances and will assist Bridgestone in evaluating its new generation of tyres at lower track temperatures.

The Jerez test will be the final time that Rizla Suzuki MotoGP is in action this year as the winter test ban comes into force on December the first. The testing veto will not mean a break for the team though, because it will be working hard in the factory to make sure that the GSV-R800 is as competitive it can be for when Rizla Suzuki MotoGP begins its assault on the 2007 MotoGP World Championship, starting with the first round at Qatar in March.

John Hopkins:

"I didn't really want the last test at Sepang to end as we were making great progress with the bike. I hope that we can continue to do that at Jerez and we will also get the chance to see where we stand against other teams, as most of our competitors will be present. Suzuki has so far lived up to its promise of giving us a bike that will be on the pace for next year and this test will see how far we still have to go!"

Chris Vermeulen:

"This test should be interesting because we are expecting the temperatures to be a lot lower than the recent tests. It will give us an opportunity to see how the 800 and the Bridgestones perform in these sort of conditions. The Factory has worked on the info that John and I gave them from Sepang and Valencia so hopefully we will have some new things to help us move forward in readiness for next season. We really need to have a good test at Jerez so we can look forward to 2007 with continued optimism."

Source: Team Suzuki Press Office

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