Roberts Jr and Team SUZUKI MotoGP fastest in wet practice

[totalmotorcycle]

Roberts Jr and Team SUZUKI MotoGP fastest in wet practice session

PRESS RELEASE



Kenny Roberts Jr posted the quickest lap time at the end of a wet second practice session at the Chinese Grand Prix today.

A frustrating day for the MotoGP paddock saw a two and a half hour delay due to a mechanical problem with the medical helicopter and then a heavy thunderstorm soak the track. Roberts Jr used all his Grand Prix experience to the full and decided to take to the drying circuit with a cut-slick Bridgestone front tyre and a slick rear. The ex-World Champion used this tyre choice to maximum effect and recorded the fastest time in the closing seconds of Free Practice Two.

Team SUZUKI MotoGP racers Kenny Roberts Jr and John Hopkins were eighth and ninth fastest respectively during Free Practice One which was run in dry but humid conditions.

Roberts Jr (2'03.270) quickly adapted to the futuristic Shanghai circuit and topped the leader board on two separate occasions during the first session. Roberts Jr will be racing in his 150th Grand Prix this weekend and was pleased with the first day of testing. He said: "This track is really different to anywhere else I've ever ridden at - but in a good way. It has a great atmosphere and the whole place is just awesome.

"We had a good first session and spent time getting settings correct as we had no data to go on. The second session was wet so it was difficult to learn much from the bike settings - especially if the race is dry.

"We're still concentrating on making the bike more consistent for race distance in the dry. As far as being quickest in the second practice, that was down to my team and Suzuki having the right tyre at the end of the session. It shows we are trying hard, but that's always the same irrespective of position.

"We still have a long way to go but hopefully the bad luck I have suffered in the last couple of races will not re-surface."

John Hopkins (2'03.420) was also instantly on the pace aboard his Suzuki GSV-R prototype race bike. He was never out of the top 10 in the first session and used the conditions later on to test in readiness for Sunday's race, which could possibly be wet.

Hopkins commented: "The track is pretty cool and everything today was a learning process for me. I think I can go quite a bit quicker tomorrow if it stays dry, but we could have weather like we had this afternoon in the race so it was great to try all the different combinations.

"As Kenny showed at the end, it was drying quickly and that was great of him to try those tyres, as it helps me if that situation happens again."

Team Manager Paul Denning was happy to see a Suzuki GSV-R on top of the time-sheets. He said: I was very pleased for Kenny and his crew and it was great to see our bike at the head of the leader board.

"The day as a whole was very interesting for the Shanghai International Circuit, with the unfortunate delay for the helicopter and then the thunderstorm, but it was great to see our riders take on the challenge of such a demanding and different track - it is certainly unlike anywhere else on the MotoGP calendar.

"Both guys used their riding abilities to the full today and in very differing conditions. To have both of them in the top 10 is a real positive to take away from the first day."

Team SUZUKI MotoGP will have another practice session on Saturday morning and then a timed qualifier in the afternoon before racing in the Taobao.com Grand Prix of China on Sunday at 15.00hrs (local time) 09.00 (CET), the third round of the MotoGP World Championship.

Chinese Grand Prix Free Practice No.1 Classification:

1. Nicky Hayden (Honda) 2'02.327: 2. Marco Melandri (Honda) +0.158: 3. Sete Gibernau (Honda) +0.230: 4. Carlos Checa (Ducati) +0.337: 5. Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) +0.350: 6. Loris Capirossi (Ducati) +0.378: 7. Alex Barros (Honda) +0.489: 8. KENNY ROBERTS JR (TEAM SUZUKI MOTOGP) +0.943: 9. JOHN HOPKINS (TEAM SUZUKI MOTOGP) +1.093: 10. Troy Bayliss (Honda) +1.199:

Chinese Grand Prix Free Practice No.2 Classification:

1. KENNY ROBERTS JR (TEAM SUZUKI MOTOGP) 2'14.592: 2. Alex Barros (Honda) +0.484: 3. Sete Gibernau (Honda) +0.771: 4. Troy Bayliss (Honda) +1.174: 5.Max Biaggi +1.242: 6. Valentino Rossi +1.328: 7. Marco Melandri (Honda) +1.617: 8. Colin Edwards (Honda) +2.104: 9. Carlos Checa (Ducati) +2.249: 10. Toni Elias (Yamaha) +2.985: 13. JOHN HOPKINS (TEAM SUZUKI MOTOGP) +4.524: