Buzzin MotoGP

Rizla Suzuki Head To Australia For Final 2008 Test

Joy Ryder - Monday 24.11.08, 15:05pm

Chris Vermeulen - Rizla Suzuki 2008

The Rizla Suzuki MotoGP team along with the Kawasaki squad are heading to Australia’s Phillip Island for the final testing session of 2008.

The remainder of the MotoGP teams are in Jerez, Spain testing but Suzuki chose the Phillip Island circuit due to it having a track that highlights any lack of engine performance or rear grip.

Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen will be joined for the three day’s of testing by Factory test rider Nobuatsu Aoki, which will start on Wednesday of this week.

The team intends to evaluate new parts and components for the next season’s Suzuki GSV-R, with Aoki helping to assess the prototype chassis and engine parts in readiness for the season ahead.

Capirossi said,

“This will be a very important test for us we will be able to see where we are at, for next year. Suzuki has been working really hard since the last test at Valencia and we will have lots of new parts to try out at Phillip Island.

We have just done some wind tunnel testing in Japan and with the data we got there it will be interesting to see what the new aerodynamics will be like. We need to make the most of these three days as we don’t have as many tests over the winter.

It will also be good to have Nobu there to give us some extra info and try out all the newest parts to see there durability and performance.”

Vermeulen said,

“It is good to be going to Phillip Island rather than Jerez, because I am sure the weather will be better and we’ll be able to get a lot more work done.

This is only the second test since the single tyre rule was introduced so it will be interesting to see how the new compound we now have to use performs at a circuit that is always tough on tyres.

We have had some problems at Phillip Island, but if we find something that works will there then it will almost certainly work even better at other tracks.

It feels a long while since we last tested the bike and it will be interesting to see all the new parts that the factory has got for us to try – hopefully they will be a big step in the right direction!”