FIXI Crescent Suzuki is on its way to Brno in the Czech Republic for this weekend's ninth round of the eni FIM Superbike World Championship following a hectic break for the whole team.

After the last round and test in Aragon, Spain, the FIXI Crescent Suzuki squad has had no time for a holiday, but have all been involved in getting geared-up for Brno. Leon Camier travelled to Japan to take part in the Suzuka 8-hour tests with the Yoshimura Suzuki team and John Hopkins undertook an extensive fitness and training regime back in America, to ensure he is in good shape for this weekend. The rest of the crew has been hard-at-work getting the Suzuki GSX-Rs prepared and servicing the Yoshimura-powered engines in readiness for the trip to the Czech Republic.

The Automotodrom Brno is situated in the south-east of the Czech Republic in the area of Kyvalka, about 16kms from Brno city centre. The present 5,403m Brno circuit was built in 1987 and is located in hilly woodland near to the old street layout - which previously staged Grand Prix races. The undulating nature of the track with its steep climbs, wide asphalt and many full-throttle passages, makes Brno a very fast and flowing circuit and the right set-up is important for fast laps, with the bike needing to work well both going into and coming out of corners. The World Superbike Championship first visited in Brno 1993 and it has been a permanent fixture on the World Championship calendar since 2005.

Camier and Hopkins will take to the track for the first free practice session on Friday, with the pair aiming to make sure they use the first two qualifying sessions to their full extent so they are both able to compete in Superpole on Saturday afternoon. The first 20-lap race of Sunday's double-header is scheduled to get underway at 12.00hrs local time (11.00hrs BST).

John Hopkins:

"I returned to the USA after Aragon and since then I have been very busy with getting myself fit. I've done many full days on my motocross bike, plus a lot of time training hard on my mountain bike and my road bike, so I'm feeling pretty fit as I head to Brno. I've also had the chance to do a few skydives, which has been really fun and enjoyable. Brno is one of my favourite circuits in the world, so I'm really looking forward to getting on track and hopefully earning our best finish of the year by far in both races."

Leon Camier:

"I've been to Japan since Aragon, riding the Yoshimura Suzuki bike that will take part in the Suzuka 8-Hour race. The bike was on different tyres to what we use in World Superbikes and so it didn't feel the same at all. I did pretty well in the tests, but didn't manage to get completely comfortable on the bike - certainly not as comfortable as I am on my FIXI Crescent Suzuki - so I'm now looking forward to getting back on my own bike at Brno. It is a flowing track and a blast to ride, so I'm ready for a lot of action and good results!"

Jack Valentine - Team Manager:

"We've been pretty much flat-out in the workshop since Aragon and there has been a real buzz about the place. Yoshimura has been a bit busy getting ready for the Suzuka 8-Hour race, so we've been servicing the engines and prepping the bikes and it's been a real hive of exciting activity in the workshop. Both riders are in good spirits and are looking forward to Brno where, once again, our priority is to do well in qualifying and Superpole. Because the competition is so close, we need good qualifying positions in order to a give ourselves a chance."

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