Rizla Suzuki's Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen (Photo: Suzuki Racing)
Rizla Suzuki MotoGP has rounded off 2008 with a successful three-day test at Phillip Island in Australia.
Loris Capirossi and Chris Vermeulen recorded over 450 laps of the 4,448m Australian circuit between them over the three days, as the two conducted exhaustive tests on the Suzuki Factory's prototype parts for the 2009 GSV-R.
Good weather at Phillip Island for the majority of the test enabled both riders to get through a significant workload as they evaluated everything from new front forks to rear swinging arms, new chassis', rear suspension parts and aerodynamic upgrades. Capirossi and Vermeulen then both conducted two race simulation runs each on the final day. This allowed them to compare the 2008 Phillip Island race tire and the proposed new single spec tire that all riders will be using in 2009. The data that the two Suzuki factory racers collected will be invaluable to Bridgestone as it refines the tire for next year's championship.
Capirossi and Vermeulen were able to concentrate on testing new parts and engine strategies at this private test rather than having the pressure of going for outright fastest laps and being compared to other riders on-track. Despite windier conditions and a slightly less grippy track than the GP weekend, Capirossi's best time was 1'30.9 - slightly better than his fastest lap from this year's Grand Prix - with teammate Vermeulen clocking 1'31.1 - also an improvement on his race best.
Rizla Suzuki MotoGP now faces the enforced test ban which will keep the bikes and riders off track until the end of next January, but the work won't stop for Suzuki's racing department as it uses the information collected at the previous two tests - plus the wind tunnel data - to make sure that the 2009 Suzuki GSV-R is the best and most competitive it can be in readiness for next year's tests and for the first GP of the year, scheduled to be at Doha in Qatar on Sunday 12th April.
