RIZLA SUZUKI BOOSTS SQUAD FOR 2005 BSB TITLE DEFENCE AS CRESCENT TAKES ON MOTOGP CHALLENGE
11 October 2004 - Rizla-Suzuki

RIZLA SUZUKI has appointed the vastly experienced Robert Wicks as its new Team Manager in a bid to strengthen its chances of retaining the British Superbike title in 2005.

Robert, 35, from Oxfordshire, has spent the last five years as the Marketing Manager for the World Superbike Championship and is widely acknowledged as a senior player in international motorcycle racing. He has unrivalled competition and commercial experience in bike racing and claims this opportunity to work for a leading team is a dream come true.

''I love motorcycle racing, it is in my blood and I have been very fortunate to be part of the organisation of the World Superbike Championship and thoroughly enjoyed my time there,'' said Robert. ''But now I am realising my own personal dream to join and be part of a top team thanks to this opportunity with Crescent and Rizla Suzuki.

''I will be taking over most of the day-to-day tasks of Paul Denning within Rizla Suzuki, letting him concentrate fully on Crescent''s new agreement to manage the Factory Suzuki MotoGP team.

''Rizla Suzuki is already one of the highest profile and most professional teams in BSB - or any Championship for that matter. With the Rizla Suzuki team staff staying largely unchanged for 2005, I will be hitting the ground running with a proven team of winners to work with. We all share the same aims to win on track, win off track by returning even more value to our partners and sponsors, defend our title in 2005 and make the whole trackside presentation even better.''

Crescent recently agreed with Suzuki Motor Corporation Japan to run the Factory Suzuki MotoGP team and therefore Robert will take the helm of Rizla Suzuki on November 1st 2004. He will be based out of the Crescent Performance Centre in Verwood, Dorset, and will be ably supported by triple BSB Champion Niall Mackenzie who will continue his involvement with the Rizla Suzuki Championship winning team, Simon Green the team Co-ordinator and an experienced technical crew.

Apart from the appointment of Crescent boss Paul Denning to the MotoGP effort, the staff at both Rizla Suzuki and the Suzuki Factory MotoGP team will remain largely unchanged. The Suzuki Factory MotoGP team will continue to be based at Edenbridge in Kent in 2005, with the BSB team based at the Crescent Performance Centre in Dorset.

Paul said: ''The appointment of Robert to take over from my role at Rizla Suzuki is a massive boost to an already strong team. He brings a wealth of experience and commercial acumen to a demanding job and I am sure will help Rizla Suzuki to re-write the rule books both on and off the track in all areas of performance. I have every confidence in Robert''s ability to deliver, especially with the support of Niall Mackenzie and an extremely strong team.

''I am naturally delighted that Crescent has been appointed to operate the Suzuki Factory MotoGP team. I will be starting to work on the MotoGP team in January 2005 but plenty is happening behind the scenes already. Crescent only accepted the MotoGP appointment on the understanding that the Rizla Suzuki BSB team would remain a high priority and the commitment to win is as strong as ever.

''I remain committed to Rizla Suzuki in BSB and will be keeping a close eye on all developments next season. The staff who are working on the Rizla Suzuki team are some of the best in the world and they are relishing the opportunity to get on and do an even better job than 2004. The MotoGP team has some of the most experienced and hardest working staff on its books and I look forward to helping them realise their full potential in 2005.''

www.rizla-suzuki.co.uk

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