MotoGP: EXCLUSIVE - Vermeulen confirms MotoGP with Suzuki.

[R1 Biker]

Chris Vermeulen has broken his silence over his racing future by today confirming to Crash.net that he has signed to ride for Team Suzuki in MotoGP.

Vermeulen, a long time Honda rider who finished second in this year's World Superbike championship with Ten Kate, has ridden for Camel Honda in MotoGP as a substitute rider for the past two events.

The young Australian quickly caught the paddock's attention by making solid, mistake free progress, which culminated in an eleventh placed finish - ahead of factory Honda rider Max Biaggi - last time out in Turkey.

However, with Honda unable to find a MotoGP seat for Vermeulen in 2006 - suggesting instead another year in WSBK - Suzuki team manager Paul Denning has pulled off a massive coup by persuading Vermeulen to partner John Hopkins on the GSV-R next season

"I've agreed to move to the Suzuki MotoGP team, which I'm very excited about," Chris told Crash.net during an exclusive interview at the NEC bike show. "It's my chance to be a full time MotoGP rider, with a factory team - a great team that has a lot of experience - they've won championships in the past and hopefully we can do it again in the future."

But was it hard to leave Honda?

"I've been with Honda for a long time, but basically they wanted me to stay in World Superbike and I thought, for my future, it was better to move to MotoGP," he confirmed. "This seemed to be a great option for me and I decided to go this way."

So how did the Suzuki deal come about?

"Quite easy really! I got in touch with Paul and then it went ahead," he replied. "No, we'd been in discussions for some time. I was very excited when he came and showed me what they want to do for the future and it gave me great confidence in them and hopefully we can do well."

And it must have felt good to beat Biaggi in Turkey?

"I was really pleased. My aim was to get inside the top ten, we finished eleventh, but I was in front of Biaggi and wasn't the last Honda so that was pretty cool – he (Biaggi) was a little bit annoyed about it to, so that was even better!" he grinned.

Vermeulen also explained just how different a MotoGP prototype is from a street based Superbike:

"It's very different compared with the Superbike, the GP bike is very different to ride - different brakes, tyres, lighter, different suspension, more electronic parts - it's a great motorcycle to ride, it's a racing motorbike," he said. "I only have two races of GP experience, but at least I do have a little bit of experience and hopefully that'll help for the future."

And did he feel at all star struck, lining up on the grid with the likes of seven-times world champion Valentino Rossi?

"No, definitely not. People say that, but I don't know... I've got a long way to go yet, a lot of races to win and a lot of experience to gain. But I'm looking forward to it," concluded Chris.

[racerdude413]

"I was really pleased. My aim was to get inside the top ten, we finished eleventh, but I was in front of Biaggi and wasn't the last Honda so that was pretty cool – he (Biaggi) was a little bit annoyed about it to, so that was even better!" he grinned.

i really like vermulen, been watching him race since he was in world supersport.

"No, we'd been in discussions for some time. I was very excited when he came and showed me what they want to do for the future and it gave me great confidence in them and hopefully we can do well."

i wonder how "bright" the future is for suzuki in motogp, hoppefully the upcoming switch to 800cc will level the playing field and give the Hopkins and Vermulen a true chance to win a couple GP's

[RdKetchup]

Envoyé par racerdude413

i wonder how "bright" the future is for suzuki in motogp, hoppefully the upcoming switch to 800cc will level the playing field and give the Hopkins and Vermulen a true chance to win a couple GP's

Tout à fait d'accord. C'est la seul facon que je vois pour Suzuki de ce sortir de l'impasse actuelle, arriver avec un 800cc compétitif. Ca donnerais alors un Vermulen avec une année d'expérience en GP (pour apprendre à connaitre les tracks, et les riders) capable de lutter dans le peloton à l'avant.

[R1 Biker]

Envoyé par RdKetchup

Tout à fait d'accord. C'est la seul facon que je vois pour Suzuki de ce sortir de l'impasse actuelle, arriver avec un 800cc compétitif. Ca donnerais alors un Vermulen avec une année d'expérience en GP (pour apprendre à connaitre les tracks, et les riders) capable de lutter dans le peloton à l'avant.

I agree.... Plus these 2 riders have great talent.. Vermulen has conspicuous talent watching him racing in WSBK... so if Suzuki invest more on there bikes... I don't see why not !!!

[chaosExpanding]

Moi aussi je doutes du move pour sa carrière. Suzuki sont loins d'être compétitifs en GP. On a vu ce qu'ils ont fait avec la carrière de Hopkins qui stagne depuis son arrivée en GP. J'espère qu'il ne restera pas trop longtemps avec Suzuki et qu'une écurie plus compétitive va le recruter pour 2007 parce que j'aime beaucoup le voir rouler.

[racerdude413]

J'espère qu'il ne restera pas trop longtemps avec Suzuki et qu'une écurie plus compétitive va le recruter pour 2007

pour que hopkins et vermulen signe avec eux, c'est parce que suzuki on du promettre un 800cc competitif.

De toute facon ya pas 10 equipes competitives, yen a a peine 3.

[HRC-E.B.]

Je pense que c'est dommage. Il aurait pu être champion du monde en WSB 2006 et aller avec une Honda pour 2007. Même si ce seront des "clean-sheet" designs pour 2007, reste que Honda dépense tellement plus que les autres en R&D pour le GP que c'est dur d'imaginer qu'ils n'auront pas, une nouvelle fois, la meilleure machine en vertu des nouvelles règles.

J'espère que ce n'est que moi qui suis pessimiste en pensant qu'il gâche son talent en coupant les liens avec Honda pour rentrer un an plus tôt...

[R1 Biker]

News, 28/10/05

Suzuki and Chris Vermeulen have agreed terms for the next two years, which will see the rising Australian star race the Suzuki GSV-R in the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Vermeulen joins Team Suzuki MotoGP from a successful season in the World Superbike Championship riding for Ten Kate Honda, the 23-year old finishing the season in second place overall. He will ride the Suzuki GSV-R for the first time in the forthcoming Valencia test on Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th November.

“I’m so excited about the prospects for next year,” said Vermeulen, who made his MotoGP debut at Phillip Island deputizing for Troy Bayliss. “It’s obviously going to be a difficult season to begin with - there are a lot of new tracks to learn, a new bike and a new team, but I know I am up for the challenge.”

“I’ve known Paul Denning since I came to England in the year 2000 and I’m really looking forward to working with him as well as the whole team. I’ll try to take that step up to fill the shoes of Suzuki World Champions like Barry Sheene - Barry was the guy that gave me my first chance - Kevin Schwantz and Kenny Junior. These are all guys that I really respect.”

“I’m also looking forward to working with Bridgestone as well as Suzuki. It’s another new tyre manufacturer for me. I’ve never ridden on them before, but I’ve heard and seen a lot of good things and hopefully we can do well together.”

“I want to thank Suzuki for giving me this chance in MotoGP and for trusting in my ability. Suzuki has been very honest about the current position, and about its future plans. I am very happy to be part of those plans and I’ll be doing everything I can to make sure Suzuki’s faith in me is repaid.”

Born in Brisbane in Australia, Vermeulen began racing dirt track bikes from the age of 12, before moving onto 250 and 600cc machines in the Australian Championship. In 2000 his talent was noticed by former Suzuki World Champion Barry Sheene, and the late Sheene persuaded Vermeulen to travel to Britain to race. A year in the British Supersport and Superstock championships followed and Vermeulen scored his first Supersport win at Donington Park, accompanied by five wins in the Superstock championship.

For the 2001 season Vermeulen moved onto the world stage with a ride in World Supersport and in 2003 raced to the title in only his third season in this very competitive championship. Vermeulen then made the progression into Superbikes in 2004, developing his machine into a serious contender and notching up four victories.

[Symbiote_X]

Super maintenant j'espère juste que Suzuki vont investir davantage dans leur programme de MotoGp!