Rizla Suzuki MotoGP has concluded its 2007 post-season test schedule with a successful behind-closed-doors two-day test at Phillip Island in Australia. Chris Vermeulen, Loris Capirossi and the rest of the Suzuki Grand Prix team travelled to the southern hemisphere to put the new 2008 prototype Suzuki GSV-R through its paces, while the other MotoGP teams gathered at Jerez in Spain for their final tests. Rizla Suzuki MotoGP chose to travel to Australia due to the technical and demanding nature of the 4,448km long circuit and was rewarded for its efforts with a thorough and complete evaluation of the new machine by both riders that will enable the Team to make significant advances in readiness for next year’s assault on the MotoGP World Championship. Both riders carried out a huge test schedule covering nearly 400 laps or 1,800km between them – as they were able to assess the new GSV-R with some very in-depth testing without the distractions of other riders on the circuit. The Factory Engineers now have a clear direction of which direction they need to go, not just to make the new bike more competitive at Phillip Island, but also at the other 17 circuits that Rizla Suzuki MotoGP will visit in 2008. Rizla Suzuki MotoGP now has a seven-week test ban throughout December and January when the riders and crew are not allowed to turn a wheel on a track, but this doesn’t mean the work stops. The Suzuki Factory race department will be working tirelessly throughout this enforced test ban to make sure that Vermeulen and Capirossi have the most competitive machinery available when the 2008 MotoGP season gets underway, with the first-ever Grand Prix under lights, at Doha in Qatar on Sunday 9th March next year. Chris Vermeulen: “This has been a very positive test for us and we have got through loads of stuff during the two days! It’s quite difficult to gauge how well you are doing with no other riders here, but that has also been a positive thing as we have been able to get on with our job and not worry about other riders or lap-times. I know my pace on the new bike was better than the race here in October, but that was not what this test was all about. We were here to find out what would make the bike work better and we have certainly made big steps towards doing that, we have learned a lot that will help us not just at Phillip Island but elsewhere as well. It’s now just a shame that we have seven weeks off as I would like to continue working with the new bike and making sure we are as competitive as we can be when the season starts next March!” Loris Capirossi: “It was a very good test for me. I did nearly 200 laps and got through an incredible amount of work and we have found a good direction to go in. We got though our full test schedule and although we still have some things to improve, we now have a clear idea of what is needed and we are confident that we know how we are going to get there. I am really enjoying my time with the new team and it is now sad that we have to have such a long break, but I will come back refreshed and ready to get going at the end of January I can’t wait for my first race on the Suzuki!”