During this coming Monday’s MotoGP Brno test session – held the day after the race in the Czech Republic – Suzuki will be testing a host of new parts for the currently moribund GSV-R. The Japanese factory has sent over a new chassis, electronics, engine, and some new fairing designs. In addition to the new parts for this year’s machine, Suzuki team manager Paul Denning reports that work on the 2011 bike will also take place. Given the large amount of work for the Rizla Suzuki team, it is likely that Loris Capirossi and Alvaro Bautista will both be heavily involved in the post-race activities. It will be a full day.The Rizla duo has not had much success this season with the GSV-R; neither Bautista nor Capirossi have stepped on the podium thus far. The highest finishing position gained by the team was the fifth place landed by Bautista at the Aperol Grand Prix in Catalunya, Spain – a good race for the MotoGP rookie. That’s a far different set of results than 2009 when Capirex was an almost guaranteed top ten finisher (as if anything can be guaranteed in motorcycle racing).
Due to the problems both riders are having with the Suzuki MotoGP machine, the Grand Prix Commission is expected to rule in favor of the Suzuki team being granted an extension on the current six-engine limit imposed by the FIM. It should allow both Bautista and Capirossi three more engines for the remainder of the 2010 season – and suffer no punishment for it.
Rizla Suzuki, Bautista and Capirossi fans all hope the weatherman is wrong about Monday and the team can find as close to an ideal setup as possible for the final nine races of the 2010 MotoGP season…fingers crossed.
