Rizla Suzuki turns back the clock

Schwantz and Mamola turn back the clock with Rizla Suzuki MotoGP

Suzuki World Champion Kevin Schwantz and Grand Prix legend Randy Mamola took to the track yesterday on a pair of Rizla Suzuki GSV-Rs, and the years rolled back as the two stars of yesterday completed some high-speed demonstration laps.

Both riders showed that they had lost none of their racing hunger as Schwantz first followed Mamola around the 4km circuit and then Suzuki's 1993 World Champion led the way for Mamola to follow him round.

The pair were involved in Rizla Suzuki MotoGP's journalist test event and the opportunity for the two to be on the track together was something that neither of them could resist.

The 'competitive' side of the demo laps was also evident as both riders unofficially recorded times within three seconds of the average race laps from Sunday's final Grand Prix of the season.

Kevin Schwantz:

"Any time you are out on the track and riding around with Randy it is entertaining, and it can turn into a competition almost immediately. I had just left the pits and I followed him around the track -- which was real interesting for me. Then I noticed he wasn't really going anywhere and I thought jeez I guess I just gotta try and run with him. It was nice to have both of us on the same bike -- the GSV-R responded well to everything I wanted it to do. Most of all though it was fun to be out there again with Randy because both of us have raced together in the past, he still looks like the same Randy that I battled against on the track all those years ago."

Randy Mamola:

"It's more than just Kevin and I out there - it is more the history of Suzuki. One of my first podiums was on a Suzuki and I have great memories from that, so it was great to be on the Suzuki bike nearly three decades later. When I saw Kevin on the track I thought this will be cool. Then we started to play and I looked round and he went past me. That was the best bit because I followed him and he still has that aggressive Schwantz style, and he can get the bike to turn right in the middle of a corner so differently to anybody. For both of us to be on Rizla Suzukis at the same time was just fabulous!"

-credit: rz