Brno MotoGP: Suzuki to test new engine spec

Chris Vermeulen and John Hopkins will test a new GSV-R V4 engine spec in a two-day test session after Sunday’s Czech Republic MotoGP race in Brno.

Designed for more horsepower and speed throughout the rev range, the engine wasn’t finished in time to be risked running in practice for the Czech Republic MotoGP in Brno.

But test and development rider Nobuatsu Aoki will set the engine up on Monday, with Chris Vermeulen and John Hopkins then evaluating the new spec motor in a back-to-back comparison against the current engine on Tuesday.

If successful, the new motor will be used in the remaining six races of the 2007 campaign, starting in Misano on September 3, 2007.

Suzuki team boss Paul Denning told MCN: “You won’t see anything particularly new externally on the machine but we will be testing a new engine spec that is here but wasn’t quite finished off early enough in terms of setting it up to ride in the Grand Prix.

“We’ll do set up work with that on Monday with Nobu and then back-to-back tests with John and Chris on Tuesday. We hope it will be used from Misano onwards. It’s basically just for a little bit more go everywhere in the range.”

John Hopkins will not be allowed to test any new 2008 prototype parts flown in from Japan following his summer move to Kawasaki.