Loris Capirossi may have had a relatively tough start to his Rizla Suzuki MotoGP career, but the Italian is already being tipped to keep his factory GSV-R seat for 2009.
A bitter Capirossi lost his Ducati Marlboro ride to Marco Melandri after a difficult 2007 season, in which he salvaged one race win whilst team-mate Casey Stoner charged to ten victories and the world title.
The 35-year-old then moved to Suzuki with the aim of securing the factory's first dry victory of the four-stroke era but, with the 2008 GSV-R facing early season handling problems, Loris has been forced to settle for a best finish of fifth - and peak grid position of tenth - from the three rounds so far.
Team-mate Vermeulen, a Suzuki rider since 2006 and race winner in the wet at Le Mans last year, has qualified a high of twelfth and finished a best of eighth. So far, the Suzuki team-mates are split 2 - 1 in favour of Capirossi in both qualifying and race results.
As is the situation with most riders, Capirossi's two-year contract with Suzuki contains 'performance criteria'. This is done to ensure that if a rider/team partnership simply isn't working then there is no contractual obligation on either party to continue for a further year.
With the GSV-R playing catch-up, it is possible that Capirossi could impress the team but still not meet the performance criteria for an automatic contract renewal. For example, if the criteria lists an 'optimistic' minimum championship position, number of points and/or podiums by mid season.
However, if the criterion is relative - in other words measured against that of team-mate Vermeulen - then Capirossi stands a very good chance of an automatic renewal, making new contract talks unnecessary.
"Loris has got a contract for 2009 which is based on performance criteria and if those criteria are met he has an automatic renewal with Suzuki in any case," team manager Paul Denning told the official MotoGP website. "If they are not met he would be a free agent to look elsewhere and so would Suzuki. However, it has been such an excellent start to the relationship that at this stage we are very happy with Loris and I believe Loris is very happy with the team.
"I don't think we have seen the full potential from him or from the motorbike yet this year, and I think there is a very positive feeling looking toward the future," Denning continued. "So, we will wait until the situation on the performance based criteria is clear either way and then we will discuss the future, but I think Loris is very keen to do another year with Suzuki in MotoGP and we are certainly very keen to consider it in detail when it comes to that point."
Capirossi's manager Carlo Pernat revealed that 'something more' on the former 125 and 250cc world champion's future could be announced during June, suggesting a possible deadline for the performance criteria in his contract and confirming his intention to stay. The Dutch TT at Assen marks the midpoint of the 18-round 2008 season.
"[Capirossi's] aim is to continue on the Suzuki bike next year and his feeling with the team and with the bike is very good, even though the bike is new. I think the aim is to continue to work together and maybe after Mugello or Assen we can say something more," he said. "They have a very professional team and Loris is enthusiastic about things. Suzuki have a great budget and they listen closely to his feedback."
2009 would mark Capirossi's 20th year of grand prix racing.
Vermeulen's existing contract is believed to expire at the end of this year.
