Frenchman Stephane Chambon is eager to get his first World Championship season on a Superbike underway after winning the World Supersport Championship, while his Italian team mate Pierfrancesco Chili is out to mount a serious assault on the championship. 

Both riders have benefited from a busy off-season testing regime to help them get used to their new for 2001 Suzuki GSX-R750 race bikes. Both riders have lapped the test circuits quicker than ever before and are now happy with their bikes and are confident they will manage to find good set-ups for the coming races. 

Chambon has ridden in the Superbike World Championship before, as a privateer, but this will be his first full-factory Superbike ride and he is relishing the chance to run with the 'big boys'. 

Pierfrancesco Chili - "I think the new GSXR 750 Suzuki has a lot of potential. I was happy with it right from the first test and it was only last time out that we found some problems. But, that's part of the game and we have to work out how to solve problems when they happen. Valencia is not one of my favourite circuits. It is the modern type with a lot of slow corners and we have to use second and third gears a lot. I like circuits where you can keep up good corner speed and go fast. That's what racing is for me. Last year Valencia was not very good for me ­ a ninth and a retirement, so I'm hoping that this year will be better." 

Stephane Chambon - "Last year I was on the Suzuki Alstare Supersport bike, so this year will be very different for me. I am enjoying the challenge of riding the bigger bike, but I'm sensible enough to know that I cannot just jump on the bigger bike and win straightaway. I'm going to start the season steadily, learn more about the bike and than begin to push really hard as soon as I feel confident." 

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