British-based MIST Suzuki will fly out to Portugal's Portimao WSB track this weekend to begin evaluations on the Suzuki 2009 GSX-R1000 even though the squad has lost its title sponsor in the credit crunch.
Team boss Mike Edwards is hoping to steal a march on other FIM Superstock Cup teams and their British equivalents in the BSB paddock by getting his riders up to pace.
Recent events in the World economy have made things hard for the team, particularly having just lostour major sponsor and one of our planned riders before the 2009 season really gets underway," said Edwards.
"Unfortunately this has put paid to our anticipated World Superbike wild card entry for the US round at Miller Motorsports in Utah but we hope to make up for this disappointment by contesting as many rounds of the National Superstock Championship in Britain as our finances will allow.
"No race fairings are available yet and no exhausts, suspension, or other performance parts either, even our new datalogging equipment has been delayed, but the test will still allow everyone to get used to the new bike and carry out some back to back comparisons with last year's bike."
