Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra team manager Francis Batta visited Suzuki Motor Corporation in Japan this week and presented the factory with the World Superbike Championship Manufacturer Cup – their first in the 18-year history of the series. Batta, who met with Senior Marketing Director Shinzo Nakanishi, Managing Director Sadayuki Inobe and Director Yoshihiko Kakei, said: “First place by Troy Corser and a top-five by Yukio Kagayama led us to the top of the podium in the Manufacturer Championship. We wouldn’t have achieved these results without the assistance of Suzuki distributors in Europe. “Unlike a prototype MotoGP race machine, Superbikes depend largely on stock parts and we appreciate that Suzuki has developed a brilliant motorcycle in the GSX-R1000.” Mr Inobe said: “We believe that good results in the Superbike class will raise the morale of distributors and dealers and large promotion for sales of market models. I believe we owe much of the current worldwide popularity of GSX-Rs to the great performance of Team Alstare.” Added Mr Kakei: “I consider that the World Superbike has been playing a significant role in activating motor sports and sales promotion of market models. In this top category of the production bike we look forward to further brilliant accomplishments of Alstare with our GSX-Rs and we are sure that they can do it.” Team Alstare has been entering the World Superbike Championship on Suzukis since 1999 and has used the machinery ever since in the 1000cc Superbike, 600cc Supersport and 1000cc Superstock classes. In 1998 and 1999, Alstare won the Supersport class and were Manufacturer Champion in 1998 and 2002. Pictured from left: Francis Batta, Suzuki’s Senior Marketing Director Shinzo Nakanishi and Managing Director Sadayuki Inobe.