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LANDMARK MOTOGP FOR RIZLA
SUZUKI AT QATAR OPENER
Rizla
Suzuki racers Loris Capirossi and Alvaro Bautista will both achieve
personal landmarks at the opening Grand Prix of the season in Qatar this
weekend.
Capirossi will celebrate his 300th Grand Prix start
when the race gets underway on Sunday evening. He already holds the
record for the most Grand Prix starts of any rider in the history of
motorcycle racing - his 277th race at Misano in 2008 overtook the
previous record held by Alex Barros - and the first race of 2010 will
see the experienced Italian begin his 21st season - and third decade -
at the pinnacle of Grand Prix racing.
Bautista will also make
his own personal landmark when the former 125cc World Champion - and the
Suzuki factory's latest recruit - makes his competitive debut in the
MotoGP class. Bautista has impressed during his inaugural pre-season
testing campaign on a MotoGP machine and is in confident mood ahead of
the 18-race Championship that lies ahead of him this year.
The
5,380m Losail International Circuit is situated just outside the city of
Doha in Qatar and has now become the regular first race of the season.
This year will see the third running of the race during the hours of
darkness, as the race and all practice will take place beneath thousands
of floodlights that illuminate the circuit to give an amazing and
individual feel to the event.
Rizla Suzuki takes to the track on
Friday evening for the first practice session, with two further
hour-long sessions on Saturday. The 22-lap race is scheduled to get
underway at 23.00hrs local time (20.00GMT) on Sunday 11th April.
Loris
Capirossi:
"The Qatar GP will see a big milestone in
my career as I start my 300th race! I never thought I would get to this
many, but I have been lucky in my career and I have always given 100%
and kept myself fit so that I have been able to stay at the top. I never
really think about how many races I have been in, but this number is
very special and I guess it will probably never happen for another
rider. Anyway, once the race has started, my attitude will be the same
as it was in 1990 - full gas and full attack! The race for the team is
also important because we have to continue with the improvements and
good direction that we found at the Qatar test last month. I know we
have some work to do, but we are very close now and all the guys in the
team and back in Japan have worked really hard. I hope we can challenge
the fast guys more consistently this year."
Alvaro
Bautista:
"For me this is a very important weekend
because it will be my first race in MotoGP. I have done ok in testing,
but racing is a different thing. I still have very much to learn about
the bike and about MotoGP because it is so different from 250, so I must
keep focussed and take everything as it comes. A target for this year
would be to be Rookie of the Year, but that will be difficult because
there are so many good riders and the racing will be close. I must learn
step-by-step and not do anything stupid in the early races. I am really
excited about my debut for Rizla Suzuki and just can't wait to get
racing!"
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