STRIJBOS 5TH IN SUGO QUALIFYING
20 May 2006 - Suzuki Racing

Kevin Strijbos guided his customised RM-Z450 to the fifth fastest lap-time today at a cloudy and very humid Sugo circuit for the Grand Prix of Japan, the fifth round of 15 in the 2006 FIM MX1 World Championship.

The 20 year old, who has had his name etched into Japanese on both his Shoei helmet and number plate, was 1.5 seconds away from Stefan Everts in pole position after making some suspension adjustments in the two free practice periods. The Belgian is racing in Japan for the first time this weekend.

The Sugo circuit was again meticulously prepared with the soft turf providing several lines and becoming rutted and rough. The terrain had been mixed with wood chippings and other elements that, coupled with the rainfall Friday night, made for a supple surface.

With only 30 entries the Timed Practice session was more about determining the gate order rather than a qualification process. The top 10 riders were split by more than three seconds on a technical course. Both Suzuki riders had been within the leading group in the earlier practice periods and Steve Ramon was only two tenths of a second slower than his team-mate to take sixth position.

Shinichi Kaga was riding an RM-Z450 as part of the works team and using a new fuel injection system. The Japanese rider managed a lap-time that placed him 23rd.

The weather forecast for tomorrow is positive with sunny conditions predicted.

Kevin Strijbos:

“The track is pretty cool and it is getting rough with a lot of ruts. We had some problems with the suspension so we changed everything after first practice but we could not find a good set-up. In qualifying we switched the shock and it was a lot better. It is hard out there because of the humidity and I am feeling the jetlag. I think another podium is possible tomorrow. Ken De Dycker has some good speed but I don’t think anyone will be running that pace over two 40 minute motos. Watching the lines will be important.”

Steve Ramon:

“We changed the front suspension a little bit today after the first practice but otherwise my riding was going well. I kept sixth which is ok for the start gate. The track is really rough and deeper than last year so it will be hard tomorrow. It is hot and humid but the conditions are the same for everyone. A good start will be important but there are a lot of lines for passing.”

MX1 Timed Practice: 1 Stefan Everts, BEL (Yamaha) 1:45.281, 2 Tanel Leok, EST (Kawasaki) 1:46.587, 3 Brian Jorgensen, DEN (Honda) 1:46.883, 4 Ken De Dycker, BEL (Honda)1:46.987, 5 Kevin Strijbos, BEL (Suzuki) 1:47.381, 6 Steve Ramon, BEL (Suzuki) 1:47.515, 7 James Noble, GBR (Honda) 1:47.567, 8 Cedric Melotte, BEL (Yamaha) 1:48.222, 9 Jonathan Barragan, SPA (KTM) 1:48.441, 10 Javier Garcia Vico, SPA (Honda) 1:48.463. 23 Shinichi Kaga, JPN (Suzuki) 1:52.460.

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