Capirossi and Suzuki close to contract renewal

Thursday, 28 August 2008

Rizla Suzuki Team Manager Paul Denning confirms that talks with Loris Capirossi are at an advanced stage.

Rizla Suzuki will, `barring any disaster´ be boasting the services of Loris Capirossi for a further season in 2009, with a deal to keep the Italian veteran onboard nearing completion.

Team Manager Paul Denning reiterated his desire to keep Capirossi for a second year on the eve of the MotoGP star´s 277th Grand Prix appearance, an all-time record in the history of the World Championship.

`Suzuki and Loris should, barring any disaster, be together next year. That´s pretty much everybody´s intention. We can´t make any official announcement until the paperwork is processed by Loris´ people and by Suzuki´s people, but as soon as that takes place we will make a formal statement,´ said Denning, who also confirmed that the team are continuing to make attempts to retain fellow 2008 rider Chris Vermeulen.

`We are still talking with Chris, although we haven´t come to an agreement yet. We have further talks with his management this weekend regarding working together in the future. We´re very proud to have Chris riding for us, and would be happy to continue with him, but we´re still working on that at the moment.´

Although the door is open for both of Rizla Suzuki´s current riders, one thing that appears to have been ruled out is the appearance of a third bike for the team in 2009. Denning believes there may be a possibility of another GSV-R at their disposal after next season, but in the immediate future the factory can be expected to continue with their two-rider structure.

Capirossi added in the Thursday press conference at Misano that he may be using next year´s GSV-R prototype –debuted in the post-race Brno test- during the visit to San Marino, although he was non-specific as to whether this would be during practice, the race or another testing run.

`I was really happy to return to podium at Brno, and Suzuki are working really hard; at Brno we had a good two days of testing, and we will try to use the new bike again here at Misano,´ said the 35 year-old to the fourth estate.