MotoReview

Despite the injury cutting short his test, Vermeulen ended the week with a best time of a 2'03.10 - nearly one and a half seconds quicker than his best time at the first test in November.

Teammate John Hopkins was consistently quick over the three day test, each day finishing amongst the top four riders. Over the course of the test Hopkins worked on testing the latest generation Bridgestone tyres and finding the best setup for his 2006 GSV-R.

The Suzuki MotoGP team were joined on the last two days of the test by their Racing Department General Manager, Masahito Imada, who attended the test and hand-delivered vital new parts to assist in the ongoing development of the new bike.

The Sepang test concluded the 'winter' tests for Suzuki and the rest of the paddock, and they will now return to Europe ready for the IRTA tests beginning on the 3rd of March.

John Hopkins

"Everything seems to be going in the right direction at the moment. I'm pleased with my times and that I can keep doing them consistently on the new Bridgestones. We still need that bit more grunt out of corners and down the straightaways but I know Suzuki are working on that and we should hopefully have something when we get to Spain. We lost a bit of time here due to the weather which really frustrated me as I had a good rhythm going and was as quick as anybody out there. I just now want to get racing and show what we can do!"

Chris Vermeulen:

"I'm really getting on well with the Suzuki. Whenever I get on it I'm comfortable and feel like I am able to go quicker each time I ride it. My times are coming down to be more competitive, but at the moment I'm trying to learn as much as I can about the GSV-R and the way it handles, accelerates and performs in different scenarios. I know that each session is important for me as I have to get as much time as possible on the bike, so to miss today due to a shoulder injury is really annoying. I now need to get back on bike and continue my learning process, so the next test can't come quick enough for me."

Paul Denning - Team Manager

"This has been another encouraging test for all the team. John has been consistently fast throughout the whole three days and has shown maximum commitment to making sure that the GSV-R is the best that it can be. Chris is still improving at a fast rate and his best lap was recorded during the hottest part of the day when the track had very little grip. This shows the potential that he has and the way he is improving himself and the bike setting every time he goes out.

"We are still looking for that extra acceleration and power from the bike and to have Mr Imada at the test was a bonus for us. He can now translate the performance he has seen on the track back to the factory development staff. Hopefully then it will be able to give John and Chris that bit more that they need to finish the package off and make us more competitive - Suzuki is serious about getting this new bike to its full potential. As it sits, we're not far away now and John's been in the top four all week, so roll-on the IRTA tests."

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