Vermeulen aiming for podium at home

"In the last couple of years we haven't been particularly fast here, but we've come away with some good results," said Vermeulen. "We've tested at Phillip Island a lot in the last couple of years and have definitely made improvements with the Suzuki GSV-R around here.

"With the improvements we've made this year and the developments on the chassis, plus the way we have moved forward with the Bridgestone tyres, I really think we will have a good chance there to challenge towards the front and I would really love to be on the podium again in front of my home crowd!"

Teammate Loris Capirossi was back in the top ten after a consistent run to sixth at Motegi last weekend, following on from the wet disasters of Indianapolis, and the Italian believes he can also make a big impression in the Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.

"The next race is Australia and I really love the track on the Island," he said. "For sure it has been a good track for me and I've had some good results there.

"Maybe the weather is still a bit strange at this time of year because it is still really cold, but we hope that we get there and the bike works well and we can get a good result and continue with the progression of the GSV-R."