New Chinese challenge for Team SUZUKI MotoGP China hosts its first ever MotoGP event this weekend and Team SUZUKI MotoGP is on a steep learning curve as it aims to master the all-new Shanghai circuit. Team SUZUKI MotoGP knows that initial practice sessions will be critical to success as all teams strive to learn the correct lines and settings at the 5.2km circuit. The Shanghai track features a combination of tight slow turns and fast straights combined with rising and falling gradients, all of which should allow for exciting racing and plenty of overtaking. Team SUZUKI MotoGP travels to China buoyed by the hard-riding efforts of John Hopkins at the last round in Estoril – where he fought tooth and nail with the front-running group for much of the race before falling victim to the wet conditions. The team also stayed on in Portugal for an extra day and completed an encouraging Bridgestone race tyre test. Team Manager Paul Denning is looking forward to the race. He said: “China is a brand new venue for MotoGP and also a big market for Suzuki, so this is a very important race for us. “I was very happy to see John up with the leading pack at Estoril and he has shown that he deserves to be up there on merit. We – this means the team and John himself – need to get to the very top of our game together and better results will come. John is a very natural rider, a new circuit layout could maybe suit him well. “Kenny Roberts Jr had a successful test on the Monday following the last Grand Prix and found a much better pace, with gains from both the bike setting and the new Bridgestone rear tyre. I know he will want to put the early results from this season behind him and use his talents to get back into a challenging position. “The team is very excited about visiting China and look forward to putting on a good performance for a new band of MotoGP fans.” Team SUZUKI MotoGP will be racing in the Taobao.com Grand Prix of China on Sunday 1st May at 15.00hrs local time (09.00CET).