SUZUKI WIN WORLD ENDURANCE OPENER
29 March 2005 - Suzuki GB PLC

Team Suzuki Castrol took a start-to-finish victory in the opening round of the World Endurance Championship at Assen, Holland today on the new GSX-R1000K5

Team riders Vincent Philippe (pictured) and Keiichi Kitagawa won the 500km race by two laps over the Kawasaki-mounted Bolliger team.

The race was incident-packed from the start with second-placed qualifier Suzuki Nederland being one of the last teams to get off the line after their engine refused to start. But by lap ten, they had tucked into third place behind Suzuki Castrol and Yamaha Austria No.7, with Yamaha Austria No.77, Yamaha Phase One and Kawasaki Bolliger slip-streaming.

Pace cars were called out after an accident on the entry to the start-finish line, bunching the field into two groups and when the incident was cleared, Suzuki Castrol were 40 seconds ahead with a real battle going on for second place.

Yamaha Austria No.7 crashed while holding second, but rider Gwen Giabbani was able to bring the bike back to the pits for repair and the team rejoined the race.

The Yamaha Austria No.77 bike was less fortunate, crashing out of second place but unable to continue. This allowed Kawasaki Bolliger to move up to second place ahead of their partner team Kawasaki Diablo, with Yamaha Phase One Endurance in fourth and Yamaha Shell Endurance Academy fifth.

Suzuki Nederland repeatedly moved up through the field before slipping back again because their pit-stops were not as fast as other teams.

Yamaha Austria No.7 were also on a charge, making up places as Ducati Spring Team crashed out of the top ten and Shell Endurance Academy made an unnecessary stop.

Suzuki Castrol made a super-quick fuel stop with just two laps to go but with their comfortable lead, this was a precaution worth taking: They finished the race two laps in front of second-placed Bolliger Kawasaki, who were a lap ahead of Diablo Kawasaki.

Yamaha Phase One was fourth ahead of Yamaha Austria No.7, 38 seconds behind.

The sixth to tenth placed finishers were all on the same lap, with only one-and-a-half seconds separating Yamaha X-One and Kawasaki Team RMT21.

Vincent Philippe:

''The race was very difficult. The first session was too easy, but after that I had a hard rain tyre and it was very difficult to stay on the bike. I am happy to finish and to win.''

Keiichi Kitagawa:

''This is the first time I have ridden here and it is a very difficult course. I am happy with this result.''

Dominic Meliand -Suzuki Castrol Team Manager:

''No problems; it was a good race. The conditions were difficult; very mixed but no technical problems. When the rain was light, it was hard to choose a tyre, but later it was an easy choice.''

1: Suzuki Castrol Team (FRA - Suzuki GSX-R1000 - Philippe, Kitagawa) 130 laps.
2: Bolliger Team (SUI - Kawasaki ZX10R - Kellenberger, Morillon, Mizera) -2 laps.
3: Diablo 666 (GBR - Kawasaki ZX10R - Mizera, Hutchins, Falcke) -3 laps.
4: Yamaha Phase One Endurance (GBR - Yamaha YZF-R1 - Cudlin, Notman, Nowland) -4 laps.
5: Yamaha Austria 7 (AUT - Yamaha YZF-R1 - Jerman, Giabbani) + 38.788.
6: Fagersjo-el.se (SWE - Suzuki GSX-R100 - Andersson, Minim, Carlberg) - 5 laps.
7: Shell Endurance Academy (GBR - Yamaha YZF-R1 - Rohtlaan, Wylie, Hogan, +18.136.
8: Team X-One ( ITA - Yamaha YZF-R1 - Tessari, Ricci) +36.202).
9: Team RMT21 (GER - Kawasaki ZX10R - Jennes, Bruning, Roth) +37.585.
10: Suzuki Nederland (NED - Veneman, Janssen, Steenbergen) +1:23.078.

www.suzuki-gb.co.uk

More News
  For March 2005
  From Suzuki GB PLC
  For World Endurance
  Biker247.com Home Page