From a press release:

Team Suzuki News Service

CATALUNYA IS STAGING POST FOR SUZUKI

MotoGP, Preview, Round Six, Catalunya GP, Montmelo – June 16, 2002

THE Catalunyan GP, the sixth race in the stunning new Suzuki GSV-R four-stroke racer’s first season, is an important staging post for the machine, the team and for Telefónica MoviStar Suzuki riders Kenny Roberts Jr. and Sete Gibernau.

As well as the team regulars, both on the track and in the pits, a full squad of Japanese race-department engineers and a blindingly fast Japanese rider – Akira Ryo – will be adding to team strength, helping to consolidate their ever-improving position.

The youngest of the new-generation Japanese MotoGP four-strokes has shown great promise and very impressive progress in the first five rounds, even though it still in the early stages of development, boosted by a superb second place in the first race.

Roberts and Gibernau stayed on for further successful tests following the last race, the Italian GP at Mugello, where they were able to try the new 2002 Michelin rear tyres for the first time after switching to the French brand after the first two rounds.

The results were highly promising. Added to the continuous stream of new components and ideas from the factory, the tests were another boost both to machine performance and team morale.

For the Catalunyan race, the second of three rounds in Spain, there will be yet another shot in the arm. As well as the latest round of technical improvements, a full squad of factory engineers and factory racer Ryo will join the team regulars at the Montmelo circuit outside Barcelona.

Among their number will be Kunio Arase, the designer of the powerful four-camshaft V4 motor. Arase’s portfolio includes the ultra-successful GSX-R1100. His latest engine – the Suzuki factory’s first high-performance V4 – proved so successful in early tests that the factory decided to release the GSV-R into competition a full year earlier than planned.

Rider Ryo is also an important addition to Suzuki’s strength. Reigning Japanese Superbike champion, Ryo claimed second place in the opening round at Suzuka, as a wild card entry, and will join Roberts and Gibernau in the same capacity for the next three GP rounds.

“Ryo is a strong racer in his own right – but he also not only has extensive test-track experience with the new four-stroke, but also has access to newer evolutions of the GSV-R,” said team manager Garry Taylor.

“With Ryo on the track and Mr. Arase in the pits, this will be a valuable chance to cross-reference between the GP team and the factory engineers. Obviously we work in close contact all the time, but the programme is moving rapidly ahead, and there’s nothing like face-to-face contact,” said Taylor.

Meantime, the tyre tests at Mugello had been very positive, continued Taylor. “Both riders had the chance to try the latest rear Michelin tyres for the first time, and both said they can see what everyone else is raving about.

“The tyres minimised some problems we’ve been having with development parts, and were very consistent in endurance tests. We’re looking forward to the time when we will be able to use the full Michelin range for races,” he said.

The team switched tyre brands after two races, but because of the late decision have so far used only 2001 tyres, while the French company increases production to meet the new demand.

Roberts won the wet Catalunyan GP in 2000, but in 2001 was out of luck, crashing out in the early stages while challenging the leaders, after setting a lap time even faster than he had in qualifying. The race was a triumph for Sete Gibernau, in his first season with the Telefónica MoviStar Suzuki team, with a strong fifth place. Gibernau went on to win the next race in Spain later in the season, the Valencia GP.


KENNY ROBERTS Jr. – OUT OF THE DARKNESS
“The tests of the 2002 Michelins were interesting. They certainly have an advantage over last year’s tyres, and when we can use them I’d anticipate much more consistent performance over race distance. We’re going to Catalunya with the same plan as the last race – get a good start, pass as many people as possible, and wait and see what comes. Jerez was our first race back on Michelins, and France was better again. At Mugello we were kind of caught up with the 2001 tyres; the new rubber will be another added advantage. We’re improving all the time as far as development stuff goes. We’ll have to wait and see what the factory has for us at Catalunya.”


SETE GIBERNAU – HOME AGAIN, AND HARD ON THE GAS
“Everybody can see that the bike is new, and that we’re working on development. Of course that’s frustrating. I want to be fighting for the top positions, and after winning in Spain last year, it’s hard to be patient. I hope that for the next race the work the team and the factory have been doing will pay off and I can get a better result. Riding at home puts on extra pressure, but that can also work in your favour. Our tests after Mugello went a long way to making me more optimistic. As I said, it’s just hard to wait.”


ABOUT THIS RACE
Motorcycle GP racing was inaugurated at Montmelo in 1992, as the European GP. The annual race took the name of Catalunya in 1996, a second race in Spain, reflecting the growing national passion for the sport. Now there are three Spanish races, and another in Portugal, and the fans come in vast numbers to cheer their local heroes, like Telefónica MoviStar Suzuki rider Sete Gibernau – who achieved a landmark fifth with a heroic ride at last year’s race. Gibernau can count on further Spanish adulation at this race, close by his Catalunyan home. The track is fast, and riders will be chasing a lap-time average of more than 100 mph in the race.


ABOUT THIS TRACK
The Montmelo circuit, built with no expense spared in the early Nineties to coincide with the Barcelona Olympics, is still a state-of-the-art facility, with spacious paddock buildings and facilities, extensive grandstands, and a variety of viewing areas. It also plays host to Spain’s F1 car grand prix, and is a popular testing track for the cars. With the immense braking and cornering forces generated, this has caused some damage to the track surface, while another wave-like deformation from the track’s construction is also a factor, especially on the straight. At 1.4 kilometres it is the longest of the season, and the new four-strokes will be likely to exceed 200 mph again, as a handful did two weeks ago at Mugello.



GP DATA
Montmelo Circuit

Circuit Length: 2.937 miles / 4.727 km

Lap Record: 1:46.619 – 99.175 mph / 159.607 km/h. V Rossi (Honda) 2001

2001 Results
Race Winner: V Rossi (Honda)
Race Average: 44.57.142 –98.011 mph / 157.733 km/h.
Pole Position: Rossi 1:45.507