With his qualifying and race results, Suzuki’s Chris Vermeulen has ably demonstrated over the years that he is very fast on a wet track. His MotoGP victory last weekend only underscores this.
What makes a rider so good in the rain? Two factors contribute significantly. First, the rider must be extremely smooth in the way he handles throttle, clutch and braking. Second, he must be very fluid in the way he moves his body on the bike. Not surprisingly, these same factors make for a superb dry weather rider.
Although Vermeulen has been in the shadow of teammate John Hopkins to some extent this year (until last weekend), we are a big believer in his skill and potential. With a much better bike, and the always improving Bridgestone tires, it may be time for Vermeulen to assert himself at the front in all riding conditions.
