Rizla Suzuki has travelled back to Europe for the final instalment of the 2009 season with both riders in contention for seventh position in the World Championship.
Loris Capirossi currently sits in eighth place in the championship race, but is level on points with current seventh place incumbent Marco Melandri, whilst team-mate Chris Vermeulen is only three points behind Capirossi in 11th place. With four other riders all in with a chance of seventh, the final round will certainly present a race within a race as the six will be going all out to get the best finish possible.
Vermeulen will be making his final appearance for Rizla Suzuki at Valencia and is in a determined mood to leave the team on a high. He is currently the only rider in this season’s championship to have scored in every round and will want to continue with that record as he aims to give his crew, the team, Suzuki and all the fans something to remember in his last outing on the Suzuki GSV-R.
Valencia is now the traditional end of season venue for MotoGP and a huge crowd can always be expected to fill the enormous grandstands that surround the only stadium track on the calendar. Situated near the village of Cheste, just outside Valencia in Spain, the 4,005m Ricardo Tormo circuit is a mix of many tight corners where every tenth-of-a-second really counts as it is one of the most intense tracks that the riders visit. Valencia is also famed for its amazing race-end firework display which is traditionally started by the race-winner and can be heard from kilometres around.
Loris Capirossi:
“I am heading to Valencia in a totally fixed and determined state of mind. Last time at Malaysia was disappointing for the race, but the work we did in the dry leading up to race-day was very important and we will be able to use that info in Valencia. I am really confident that we can make a big impact at the last race and give the whole team something positive to take into the winter and on to 2010.”
Chris Vermeulen:
“I am totally focused on going out on a high at Valencia. This will be my last race in MotoGP – for at least a couple of years – and I want to make sure it is one that I can be proud of. My time with the Suzuki team has been great and my crew has worked tirelessly throughout my time here to give me the best bike they can whatever the conditions, so a good result will be as much for them as for myself. I have scored points in every race this year and want to make the last one the highest points scoring one. I will certainly be going for a podium this weekend, I know that will be tough, but that’s the target and one that I would really love to achieve!”
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