Suzuki continues to work on their MotoGP program, wrapping up a three-day test at the Australian Phillip Island track.
Along with their usual test rider (Randy DePuniet), Suzuki invited World Superbike’s Eugene Laverty (who races for Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) to test the new bike. As at Argentina, weather made testing tricky, with Turn 1 crashes for both riders due to the track surface, but the team says they learned enough to move forward with the bike’s design.
“The track conditions weren’t ideal … because of the low temperatures and also it was the first time for this new Suzuki bike here and we needed to make some adjustments,” said DePuniet.
“We also tested some Bridgestone tires for the next Grand Prix and some suspension balance settings. On the electronics side, I found the new traction control strategies to be very good and it was a step forward for us.”
Bad weather wasn’t the only trouble the Suzuki testers ran into. DePuniet also crashed while trying to avoid a goose that had wandered on to the course.
Suzuki is supposed to return to MotoGP competition next season, but there’s some speculation they might put in wild card entries later this season.
