Suzuki MX Teams Set For Bulgarian Opener

Team
Suzuki Press Office - March 30.

The Grand Prix of
Bulgaria, at the award-winning Sevlievo circuit, will initiate the 2010
FIM Motocross World Championship this weekend and both Rockstar Teka
Suzuki World MX1 and Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2 teams begin their
quest for title success in the two classes as well as the Women's
category.

The first of 15 rounds (seven for women) will see
Clement Desalle and Steve Ramon take to the track in earnest on the
works RM-Z450s while Ken Roczen and Arnaud Tonus hope to continue
Suzuki's positive trajectory of progression and results in the MX2 class
with the 2010 RM-Z250. Larissa Papenmeier, the 2009 Women's World
Championship runner-up, will also steer a Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2
machine.

Sevlievo is widely acknowledged within the paddock and
Grand Prix circles as one of the best locations on the calendar for the
purpose-built facilities for teams, spectators, organisation and media.
It won FIM awards for Best Organisation in 2006 and 2007. The track
itself, set three kilometres outside of the small industrial town, is a
wide and quick layout with several long and steep uphill and downhill
sections. The dirt normally provides a hard-pack test and the lap-times
are usually very tight among the leading riders. It first hosted a Grand
Prix in 2003 and has been ever-present on the calendar since 2006. Last
year it entertained the second round of the FIM series.

Bulgaria
witnesses a return to the 'yellow-camp' for 20-year-old Belgian Desalle
who has competed three of his four years so far in the MX1 World
Championship with RM-Z technology. The 2009 Belgian Champion, who won
two Grands Prix and took seven podiums on his way to third place in the
2009 contest, has been adjusting to life as a factory rider since
joining the Rockstar Teka WMX1 squad during the winter.

"I feel
good and although things can always be a bit better I am working on
improving step-by-step without trying to put pressure on myself," he
said. "I feel good on the bike and we will continue to adjust small
things but I am happy with the set-up. Sevlievo is a good place to start
the championship; anywhere would be good for me! You have to be ready
to perform at every GP and I will try to do my best, as always. The
track itself is nice; it has one of the better infrastructures, and the
course is cool; some nice jumps, plenty of uphill and downhills. It is
fast but at the same time quite technical."

Team-mate Ramon will
start his fifth World Championship with the team and in that time the
30 year old has finished 3rd, 1st, 2nd and 10th. The Belgian is now one
of the oldest and most experienced racers in the MX1 category and will
be looking to erase the memory of 2009 in which a neck fracture at round
four caused him to miss the majority of the season. Ramon was 3rd in
2006 and 2007 in Bulgaria and has not dropped out of the top-10 at the
venue while in Suzuki colours. "The pre-season went really well and I
feel confident with my riding, physical condition and how we have the
bike,'" he said. "I like Sevlievo, it is a nice track to ride but it is
quick, so everyone is tight together and it can be hard to make up time.
You have to be up there from the start. People will be nervous at this
race and trying to see the speed of the others; personally I am really
looking forward to it and I want to be on the podium. I want a victory
but if I come away from this first race with a trophy then I will be
happy."

Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2 open 2010 with a genuine
title contender in their ranks since the exceptional explosion of Ken
Roczen as a Grand Prix rider from round five of the 2009 calendar (when
the German teenager reached the permissible age of 15 years in order to
compete). Roczen was the third highest point-scorer from his debut in
Portugal until the end of the season and celebratttttted an emotional
home victory at Teutschenthal. The flamboyant youngster has been in top
form during pre-season races, owning two events in the UK, one in
Germany and another in France on the 2010 RM-Z250.

Roczen will
make his first Grand Prix appearance at Sevlievo but is no stranger to
the Bulgarian dirt having entered junior world championship events at
the venue. "I have raced there before two times and it is a pretty good
track with some decent grip," he remarked. "It is the first Grand Prix
so I want to start in the right way and take as many points as possible
but the goal will also be to have a lot of fun!"

Roczen will be
joined by 18 year old Arnaud Tonus who will throw the RM-Z250 around a
Grand Prix course for the first time this weekend. The Swiss notched
three podium results during a pre-season in which he integrated with the
German squad and also acclimatised to his new motorcycle. Tonus'
admirable riding style and maturity mean that Teka Suzuki Europe World
MX2 has two of the most watchable teenagers in the MX2 field; which, for
2010, now sees the age limit of 23 years come into force. "My objective
will be to start the season in a good way and finish in the top 10 of
each race in Bulgaria and then be consistent and try to improve every
weekend," he said. "I like the track in Sevlievo; they prepare the
ground well and it's nice to race there. The track is pretty fast so it
will be quite close amongst the riders, so the start will be really
important."

The first race in the 2010 FIM Women's World
Championship also takes place this weekend and German Larissa Papenmeier
will wear the number '2' plate on her Teka Suzuki Europe World MX2
RM-Z. The 20 year old starts her third season as a Suzuki rider and will
come to Bulgaria ruing a slight hand injury but nevertheless hoping to
launch her bid for the third-ever Women's crown.

Early weather
forecasts predict bright conditions for the weekend with some showers on Saturday but clear
sunshine for race day. Live timing from the Grand Prix can be seen on
the official website www.motocrossmx1.com and free live
coverage can be watched on www.freecaster.tv