Capirossi and Bautista visit Suzuki factory

On their way to the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia for the second test of 2010, Rizla Suzuki riders Loris Capirossi and Álvaro Bautista – along with Team Manager Paul Denning – stopped off in Japan where they were given a tour of Suzuki’s headquarters.

Suzuki’s Directors Mr. Toshihiro Suzuki and Mr. Masanori Atsumi and Managing Officer Mr. Sadayuki Inobe showed the trio around the ‘Suzuki Plaza’ museum, and Capirossi and Bautista also visited Suzuki’s race department where they met engineers and discussed the development of the 2010 GSV-R they will ride in this year’s World Championship.

“It was a great experience to visit Suzuki’s Head Office and Motorcycle Technical Engineering Centre,” said Capirossi. “I have been to the factory before but I never visited the Suzuki Museum, and it was amazing to see Suzuki’s technologies going right back to the start of the last century, and the first motorcycle from 1952.”

MotoGP rookie rider Bautista said: “The engineering facility is amazing, it really opened my eyes to what goes on to support us and after visiting the museum I know a lot more about Suzuki’s history. It is incredible to see such a huge company still feeling like a family business and everyone is so friendly and welcoming.”

You can watch footage of the visit in the attached motogp.com video.