Successful tests for new Alstare pair.

Team Suzuki Alstare riders Pierfrancesco Chili and Stephane Chambon have completed a profitable two-day test at Suzuka, riding the new 2001-spec GSX-R750 Suzuki.

Despite low temperatures, conditions were quite good during the two days and the team was able to gather a lot of useful information about the new GSX-R race bikes.

Chili, so near and yet so far from a number of race wins in 2000, posted a stunning lap of 2mins 09.63secs, with newcomer Chambon just two seconds slower. Both riders rode on race rubber and their times were only just beaten by Suzuki Japan rider Akira Ryo, who lapped on qualifiers.

"The new Suzuki is very, very good," Chili reported, "I am very happy with the tests and also very happy about the season ahead. Suzuki has done a great deal of work on the new 2001 bike, and it is a significant improvement over the one we raced last season. It is easier to ride, so we should be able to ride it much harder with less problems. I think I'm going to have fun next season."

Chambon, a graduate from the SuperSport class, concurred with his new team-mate, having had the chance to sample both the new bike and last season's mount in his two tests to date.

"Although I only rode the 2000 GSX RR750 Suzuki at the tests in Spain, I can tell that the new 2001 bike is much better," the Frenchman said, "I don't have Chili's experience, so I am still taking things fairly steadily, but, once I understand the bike better, I know it's going to be a good season. Suzuki has given us a very good machine and I feel very positive about 2001."

Chambon used a private three-day test session at the new Almeria circuit in Spain to initially get used to his new for 2001 superbike.

Despite poor weather on two of the three days, the French ace managed to get a feel for the new GSX-R750 and is happy he will be right on the pace when the racing starts next year.

The 1999 World SuperSport champion - who only just missed out on a repeat in 2000 - completed 50 laps of the Spanish venue, and pronounced himself happy with his fastest 1min 40secs lap. He is no stranger to superbike racing, having competed in the 1996 French championship, but sensibly used his first pre-season test session to ease himself into riding the extremely powerful Suzuki. It also gave him a chance to meet the full Team Suzuki Alstare in a relaxed atmosphere, something Chambon was grateful for. His new team-mate missed the first test session, however, preferring to make Suzuka his first outing.

"It was good to be able to get my first impressions of the factory Suzuki at a private test," Chambon admitted, "Of course, the bike is quite different to the Suzuki GSX-R600 I rode last season, so I took things fairly steadily. It's a little hard getting used to a superbike, and there's lots of work to do and things to understand compared to the SuperSport bike.

"Almeria is a good circuit for testing, -although it's quite a hard circuit to learn - it was a good circuit for me to start getting used to the bike. The second day was the best in all respects, and I was very happy with the progress we made. I am very happy to be riding a factory Suzuki in 2001 and getting 100 per cent commitment from Suzuki Japan. I am looking forward to the next series of tests and being competitive as soon as I can."