Team SUZUKI MotoGP heads down under Team SUZUKI MotoGP is on its travels again as the MotoGP World Championship heads to the southern hemisphere for the one and only time this season. The Polini Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island near Melbourne will be round 15 of the 17 event season and Kenny Roberts Jr and John Hopkins will be hoping to add to their points tally and push themselves towards a top-10 championship position. Roberts Jr didn’t race at Phillip Island last year due to injuries he sustained earlier in the season. The 2000 World Champion will be aiming to continue his impressive run of always finishing in a points scoring position at every Australian Grand Prix he has raced in. Hopkins is also eager to add to his current total, the hard charging Anglo-American already has eight more points than the whole of the 2004 season and is still confident that he can better the fifth place that he secured in Japan last month. The Phillip Island circuit is arguably one of the most spectacular in the world and the stunning ocean backdrop just adds to the fantastic spectacle of the Australian GP. The circuit is very demanding on tyres due to many long left handed corners that have to be powered around and the extremes of temperatures that can range from warm spring conditions to chill winds blowing straight up from Antarctica. The new generation of Bridgestone tyres will certainly be put to the test at a track where high average speed – not top speed – is the key to a good lap time and the correct choice of tyre for race day will be vital. Sunday’s race will begin at 14.30hrs (local time), 06.30hrsCET and both riders will be going all out to get the best result for Team SUZUKI MotoGP. Paul Denning Team Manager: “We have just about recovered from the strenuous three-week Asian tour and now have the long trek to Australia. Both Kenny and John are rested and ready to race. They both enjoy the Phillip Island circuit so they are looking forward to Sunday. “Team SUZUKI MotoGP has been working on many exciting behind the scenes projects for next season and we should hopefully have some news soon. But firstly we must focus on the job in hand and that is to continue with the steady development of the GSV-R and the latest Bridgestone tyres. We must work as hard as we can to get the best possible results over the remaining three rounds and try to improve on both the rider’s individual positions and team’s standing in the championship.”