SMETS READY FOR ITALIAN MX1 GP
10 June 2005 - Suzuki Racing

Team Suzuki will complete the last leg of an exhausting three-week trek of consecutive Grands Prix when they travel to the Castiglione del Lago circuit in Italy this week for round eight of the FIM MX1 Motocross World Championship.

Having visited Japan and Great Britain with Joel Smets picking up third and fourth positions overall, the Belgian squad will head to Southern Europe and the hard-pack course near the town of Perugia hunting their fifth podium of the season.

Although the former five-time World Champion slipped back to fourth in the standings last week, the top three positions behind leader Stefan Everts all drew closer in terms of points and Smets now lies just 23 away from second-placed Mickael Pichon.

The crew were further buoyed yesterday by news that Kevin Strijbos'' condition is improving and the youngster is looking for a return at the French Grand Prix in two weeks having been giving the all-clear to start racing again. The Belgian feels able to compete this weekend but is struggling for decent condition over a full moto and might be too late to make the Italian entry list.

Castiglione del Lago (Castle of the Lake) is located within one of the most picturesque regions in Italy and has not hosted a Motocross GP since 2002. Joel Smets was a winner at the venue in 2001 riding for KTM in the 500cc class.

The Italian Grand Prix is renowned for moving around and last year took place at the Gallarate circuit. Castiglione first made an appearance back in 1988 with a round of the 125cc World Championship. It then didn''t pop again until 1993 when former Suzuki hero Greg Albertyn won a 250cc Grand Prix, on that occasion riding a Honda. The track is quick and condensed into a tight layout with an uphill start. It will be the first real hard-pack test of the season for the riders.

The weather forecast for the weekend is excellent with sunshine and high temperatures predicted.

Joel Smets:

''Castilgione is a nice track and very different from what we have just had in Britain. It is hard-pack, technical and fast. It offers good possibilities for racing. I have been riding once this week and trying to take some rest; it is important to recover from the GPs but also to maintain the physical condition. The British GP was a great experience but now we must keep on pushing with the Championship. My self-confidence is improving all the time and I know that soon we will be close to two strong motos. I am still not at my best and that gives me hope for the Championship because I am taking good results each week.''

MX1 World Championship Standings (after seven rounds): 1. Stefan Everts 301. 2 Mickael Pichon 261. 3 Joshua Coppins 243. 4 Joel Smets (Suzuki) 238. 5 Ben Townley 204. 6 Steve Ramon 183. 7 James Noble 141. 8 Ken de Dijcker 138. 9 Brian Jorgensen 121. 10 Danny Theybers (Suzuki) 113. 16 Yoshitaka Atsuta (Suzuki) 75. 21 Kevin Strijbos (Suzuki) 48.

www.suzuki-racing.com

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