MotoGP: Suzuki set to race new bike at Valencia

Suzuki's new MotoGP bike will make an early racing debut in the 2014 season finale at Valencia, reckons project chief Davide Bravo.

The team will be back in MotoGP next season after a three-year absence, and had previously hinted that it might make wildcard appearances alongside its test program this year. Bravo ruled out the possibility of racing at Suzuki's home event at Motegi in Japan in October as its test team will be working in Europe at the time. But he told Italian magazine Motosprint that test rider Randy de Puniet was set to race the new Suzuki at Valencia in November.

"If everything goes the way it's supposed to go, that is our plan," he said. "In October we'll do several tests including in Valencia, so the material will be there already. We'll also need [the race] as a final test before handing the bikes to our 2015 riders in the days that follow."

SLOW TEST PACE NOT A CONCERN

Suzuki was 2.5 seconds off the pace in its most recent appearance alongside the 2014 MotoGP field in Barcelona testing last week. Bravo insisted this was not representative.

"Randy, already during the first day, told the engineers that one of the two engines we had was a lot more aggressive, so the bike became harder to manage," he said. "On top of that, our electronics isn't 100 percent ready, since we are doing various experiments in order to find the best way.

"Basically, we are one second slower compared to one year ago. It's weird, but by putting the best package together we should recover a lot. Maybe the problem is that we have tried too many things, but at the end of the day that's why you test: you want to verify all possible material."

He is confident that Suzuki's test performances will not dissuade established riders from considering the team.

"It could be more difficult to convince certain riders, but it's also true that a new project is starting up, with great potential, and that can't be put in doubt because of lap times from one test," said Bravo. "I've spoken with six/seven riders and with their respective managers. But I don't want to list names for a matter of privacy and respect.

"Since I believe that the four works riders at Honda and Yamaha will stay where they are, I can say that the riders' market will see as main players the riders that fight for fifth position downward on the points table, and perhaps some young riders. But it's unlikely something will happen before the German GP."