Capirossi set to equal appearance milestone at Brno

MotoGP veteran Loris Capirossi will be competing at this 276th MotoGP event next weekend, equalling the record held by Alex Barros.

The Rizla Suzuki rider confessed that he was unaware of his approaching the momentous figure, having always focused on individual races rather than a legacy, although his milestone represents an impressive longevity in the World Championship.

`I didn´t know I was that close to equalling the record of racing at GP events! I think there are a few guys from the old days that might have done more races, as they used to race two or three different bikes at every meeting, but it is a great achievement for me to have raced at as many as anyone else,´ said the most experienced head on the premier class grid.

`My next target will be to make 300 – but the only important thing to me is that I am competitive and fighting with the best guys.´

The scene of his record-equalling race is an apt one, with Capirossi holding a great set of results at the Brno circuit. Only outside the top six in the Czech Republic on a single occasion, the Italian´s best moment in Eastern Europe came with a victory in 2006 onboard a Ducati.

`Brno has been a successful track for me and one I really like to race at. I won there in 2006 and would really like to do that again. I think the GSV-R will be well suited to the track and we will be very competitive there. My arm is still very sore and it is not 100% perfect, but it is getting stronger every day and I really hope that it will not trouble me too much during the weekend,´ concluded `Capirex´, whose 2008 campaign has been blighted by injury.

Teammate Chris Vermeulen is on a back-to-back run of MotoGP podiums that he is out to extend in Brno, having made a strong case for his continuation in the premier class. The Australian will also have a new version of the GSV-R in the post-race testing sessions scheduled at the Czech circuit.

`We finished the first-half of the season with good rewards from our efforts and I am sure we can continue that momentum at Brno. I got a good result there last year after a hard battle with Loris, and the Suzuki GSV-R was on the podium as well with John (Hopkins) on board, so it all looks good for a strong performance from the whole garage,´ notes the Suzuki star.

`We also have a test after the race when we have a new bike featuring chassis and engine developments, we have a lot of confidence and high hopes for the changes, and I´m looking forward to see how all our thoughts and ideas will translate on the track, but the main thing is the race and I am fully focused on keeping my podium run going!´