After finishing second in this year’s British Superbike Championship, Crescent Suzuki has decided to make the jump to the big leagues and will be contesting in the 2012 World Superbike Championship.
The British based team owned by MotoGP’s Rizla Suzuki’s manager John Denning and run by Jack Valentine has made numerous wild card appearances in World Superbikes, their latest was at this year’s Silverstone round where John Hopkins grabbed the pole position and finished 5th and 7th in the two races.
The Anglo-American rider who lost the title in his rookie year in the BSB Championship by just two points, is on the top of Crescent Suzuki’s shopping list, but Hopkins wants to make a return to MotoGP and is still waiting on a decision by LCR Honda’s team manager Lucio Cecchinello and Hopkins might get it this weekend at Sepang, as he’s wildcarding for the Rizla Suzuki team.
Press release after the jump.
Crescent Suzuki, the south of England-based Superbike racing team, is pleased to announce its participation in the 2012 World Superbike Championship.
Crescent has supplied Suzuki motorcycles from its dealership since 1963 and has competed in the British Superbike Championship since 1996.
The Crescent Suzuki team has enjoyed Championship success in both Supersport and Superbike classes, and only missed out on the 2011 British Superbike title, with American rider John Hopkins, by the very narrowest of margins after a thrilling finale.
The team has also achieved multiple World Superbike podiums over the years, when entered as a ‘Wild Card’, and achieved pole position with Hopkins at this year’s Silverstone race.
Crescent Suzuki intends to enter the Championship with exactly the same philosophy as it has always maintained – to use the best riders, staff, and machine technology possible and to aim for a completely competitive level of performance.
The team is confident that the Suzuki GSX-R1000, with additional developments and enhancements, will be able to compete with the best teams.
Crescent also looks forward to delivering commercial value for its partners, both in the team’s domestic UK market and further afield.
Crescent Suzuki looks forward to announcing its riders and commercial partners for the 2012 World Superbike campaign in due course.