MotoGP comes to the Isle of Man with Rizla Suzuki
Rizla Suzuki MotoGP and Loris Capirossi will be heading to the Isle of Man for the famous TT races in June to help Suzuki celebrate its 50th racing anniversary.
The Suzuki Motor Corporation celebrates 50 years of International racing at this year's Isle of Man TT races - the venue where it all began in 1960 - and the Japanese manufacturer has announced another 'first' on the Island, with the news that Capirossi's GSV-R MotoGP machine will make a lap of the famous TT course - the first ever modern-day four-stroke Grand Prix motorcycle to lap the 37.73 mile (60.72km) course.
Capirossi's Suzuki GSV-R800, that took him to his 300th Grand Prix race start at the opening round of the 2010 world championship at Qatar in April, will be piloted by 2008 TT winner Cameron Donald - the first man to complete the Isle of Man circuit at 131mph (210.82km/h) - straight after the final race of this season's TT calendar on Friday 11th June. Capirossi will also join in the celebrations as he will lead the Friday morning parade lap accompanied by Rizla Suzuki Team Manager Paul Denning, both onboard 2010 Suzuki GSX-Rs - a machine that is itself celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
The GSV-R lap in the hands of Donald will be the crescendo of a week of activities on the Isle of Man as this year's TT looks set to be owned by Suzuki, with a host of events and attractions taking place throughout race week of the famous festival.
With Suzuki GSX-R1000s the chosen marshal bikes for this year's event, thanks to Suzuki GB becoming the official TT manufacturer partner, fans will get ample opportunity to revel in the brand's 50th anniversary with events happening all over the Island.
The Suzuki racing flag on the roads will be flown by Donald's 'Relentless Suzuki by TAS' team where he will be racing alongside team-mate and former TT winner Bruce Anstey. Suzuki will also have a special exhibition at the Manx Museum, as well as backing the famous Ramsey Sprint events on Sunday 6th and Tuesday 8th June, the Laxey Motorcycle Show on 10th June and the Suzuki parade on the final day of TT fortnight. With an all-star cast of men - including Capirossi - and machines present, this year's TT certainly looks like being a feast for all things Suzuki!
Loris Capirossi:
"I am really excited about visiting the Isle of Man and supporting Suzuki's 50th year celebrations, it will be great to go there and be involved. I've never been to the TT before so it will be amazing to see those 'crazy' guys on the racetrack, but I'm not sure it can really be called a racetrack with all those houses and things around - it's not like any track I'm used to! I think it is an event that everybody interested in motorcycle racing should go to at least once in their life and after the first time I'm sure I'll go back again. I want to do one full lap - but not as fast as those guys - so I can see for myself what it's like and what they have to contend with."
Cameron Donald:
"To be given the opportunity to ride a MotoGP bike is one thing, but to be offered the Rizla Suzuki GSV-R is a dream come true for me. If I'd been given the opportunity to ride it at a circuit - any circuit - I'd have been more than happy, but to ride it around the world famous Isle of Man TT circuit where I ply my trade, is another thing altogether.
"I spent time with the Rizla Suzuki guys at Phillip Island last year and they made me feel more than welcome. Loris Capirossi is a great guy and a Grand Prix legend, so to ride one of his bikes is an honour. I know these things don't get pulled together overnight, so I'd especially like to thank everyone at Suzuki and team bosses at Relentless by TAS Suzuki and Rizla Suzuki - Philip Neill and Paul Denning - for making this possible.
"It's a special year for Suzuki as a manufacturer and a very special anniversary for the GSX-R range. So while I will be aiming to put the Relentless by TAS Suzukis on the top step of the podium this year on the Island, riding the GSV-R will be the icing on the cake."
Paul Denning - Team Manager:
"With 2010 being the anniversary of Suzuki's 50th year in mainstream motorcycle racing and with Mr Ito remaining as the only Japanese winner of an Isle of Man TT race, we're very excited about providing TT fans with the first-ever opportunity to witness a full-blown four-stroke MotoGP bike being hurled around the mountain course. I would say that of all the TT fans who will be excited about this news, that the most excited will be Cameron Donald and we're really pleased to give him this special opportunity. Loris and myself will also be taking part, but at a far more sedate pace in the parade lap and he can't wait to see the TT guys going at it for real on race-day. Despite his long history in racing it will be the first time Loris has visited the Isle of Man TT and as he's said before - "this racing is for real men" - and he can't wait to be a part of it!"
