De Puniet enters World Superbike with Suzuki

Randy de Puniet is back in competition! He will participate in the 2015 Superbike World Championship with the Suzuki Voltcom Crescent team. At the same time, he will continue the development of the GSX-RR, a Suzuki prototype engaged in MotoGP from next year.

The French n ° 14 is back to competition, the real one! And that naturally makes him happy: "doing tests all this year was nice, but what i really want of course is running !, Randy de Puniet readily admits.

His last race was not that long ago though, as Randy competed with the Yoshimura team – and brilliantly! – at 8am Suzuka: "I really enjoyed racing at Suzuka this year: being in the race, fighting and being on the podium is everything for me".

"I had the opportunity to join the Suzuki Crescent team for next season and I am really happy", insists the former Grand Prix rider (for 15 seasons!) who does not consider his transfer to World Superbike as a dismissal.

"My first priority was to stay with Suzuki because I want to stay in this family", exposes Randy before pointing out that the WSBK is for him"a new challenge: a new championship, a new motorcycle, new tires".

In short, as for Sylvain Guintoli in 2010 – also arrived and today in the fight for the title with Sykes on an Aprilia -: "everything is different, i have a lot to learn but i’m ready and very confident".

Paul Denning is at least as enthusiastic as his future driver, whom he will field. The manager of the – only – Suzuki team engaged in World Superbike had the difficult task of finding "a high quality driver to replace Eugene Laverty"left to try his luck in MotoGP…

"After a period of acclimatization to the GSX-R 1000 and Pirelli, I do not see why he could not place himself at the forefront"Says Mister Denning, who also emphasizes"that this contract is in no way guided by commercial interests".

The Suzuki big boss in World Superbike, however, admits to being interested in Randy’s test rider status: "its close collaboration with the Suzuki factory can also be positive for the World Superbike project"that the small English workshop in Verwood has been carrying at arm’s length for two years.

"I will join a very strong team, with a lot of experience and I think the bike will be good next year", considers for his part Randy de Puniet."We have a test program for this winter and I think we’ll be ready for the first race at Phillip Island next year.".

The n ° 14 will have a particularly busy year 2015 since it will keep its role of development pilot of the GSX-RR "with the responsibility in particular to adapt the behavior of the machine to the tires of the next supplier"Namely Michelin, with whom the Frenchman will communicate easily !

Finally, remember that Randy will also be on the track – with Bridgestones this time! – in Valence to participate in the. Randy de Puniet is – tall? – back to competition, let’s face it !

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