Capirossi content despite error

The Italian has been just off the leaders' pace throughout the weekend, and continued to show that form in the race, running with the leaders before making a mistake and losing ground. He recovered but just couldn't quite regain the top five placing before the finish.

"All weekend has been not too bad for us - we've worked hard to find the best setting and to try to work in a different method," Capirossi said. "The race was a bit tough and I tried really hard at the beginning, and stayed with the front group, but in the middle of the race I made a mistake and lost contact with Nicky.

"I fought back to him and tried to catch him on the last lap but unfortunately I lost the rear and missed the opportunity. I think we had a bike capable of top-five today, but to be any higher than that would have been very difficult."

His teammates Chris Vermeuelen and Kousuke Akiyoshi didn't fare so well, neither rider making it to the finish, Akiyoshi failing to complete the first lap after making a great start but crashing out soon after, while Vermeulen had a problem with the brakes on his machine.

"It's always very frustrating not to finish a race and when it is something that you have no control over that makes it even harder to take," explained Vermeulen. "I made quite a good start, but I had a couple of moments early on in the race as the tyres weren't quite up to working temperature.

"I got involved with a group of riders and as soon as the tyres started to work well I felt like I had a good speed and rhythm. After about three or four laps I started to have a bit of an issue with braking and stopping the bike, and eventually I ran off the track."

Despite Vermeulen and Akiyoshi's troubles, team manager Paul Denning was happy with Suzuki's performance, reflecting on Capirossi's stirring ride which, while ultimately not achieving what they'd hoped for, gave them hope and direction for future improvement.

"Loris showed great fighting spirit today to keep the GSV-R in the top-six and really we should've had Nicky for fifth, but sometimes - when you push to the maximum - it is easy to make a mistake and the chance to get him just didn't quite happen," Denning said.

"The most important thing is that Loris went to the maximum all race and the technical areas in which we need to improve to move us further forward are very clear.

"Chris has had a Japanese Grand Prix to forget and it's disappointing for him and for the whole team, given that he showed such good speed here in the test after the race last year and that we were coming here looking for a good result.

"Akiyoshi's weekend went from bad to worse to disaster! He's a great guy and a much faster rider than he was able to demonstrate this weekend. We hope that he has a much better weekend at the final round of the Japanese Superbike Championship that comes up soon."