Team Suzuki Press Office – December 12.
After a strong victory for the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team at the Bol d’Or, the opening round of the 2019 Endurance World Championship, the team took part in the first free practice sessions of the 8 Hours of Sepang in Malaysia where the team took advantage of this long day to test a few settings before the race.
This season, the traditional Winter break is interrupted by the arrival of a new round in the FIM EWC championship, the 8 Hours of Sepang, Malaysia where 51 teams are on the entry list of this second round of the championship.
After a stunning victory aboard the GSX-R1000 at the Bol d’Or back in September, and scoring 60 points in the world championship standings, SERT is once again the big favourite in this race.
The team that is now managed by Damien Saulnier can count on Etienne Masson and Gregg Black’s abilities to learn and quickly master the 5.543km Malaysian circuit. They were also able to rely on Vincent Philippe’s experience, as he was the only rider in the team to know the track, as he raced there several years ago during his MotoGP 250cc class career.
SERT is testing a brand new configuration of the GSX-R1000 and the team devoted this testing day to adjusting the bike’s set-up to the characteristics of this technical track. The arrival of rain at the end of the day did not make the riders’ work
easier, but the technical staff managed to gather valuable information. This hard work finally paid off during Night Practice as the SERT scored the fifth best time of the session.
The 8 Hours of Sepang, scheduled on Saturday 14th December at 13:00 (local time), will have a bittersweet taste for Vincent Philippe as it will be the ten-time World Champion’s ultimate race in his career.
Damien Saulnier -Team Manager:
“Today was a busy day. We have worked in several directions regarding the chassis, electronics and tyres. The arrival of rain did not make it any easier for us, but the return of dry conditions during Night Practice allowed us to find a good set-up for the bike. And as our riders are enjoying this wide and fast track, we remain confident for tomorrow’s qualifications!”
