Ben Spies talks British MotoGP ride

Ben Spies has spoken about his forthcoming Suzuki MotoGP debut at the British MotoGP on June 22, 2008.

The reigning American superbike champion has been called up to replace injured Italian Loris Capirossi, who will miss the Donington Park clash with the broken right hand he suffered in Catalunya last Sunday.

Spies, who made a brief appearance on a factory Suzuki GSV-R in Valencia last November, said: “I first got word of it on Monday afternoon.

“There had been some phone calls from the head guys asking if they would be okay with me running it. There are some pros and cons to the whole thing, but in the end there are a whole lot more pros to it, and they think it’s better for seat time, for getting used to the tyres, for getting used to everything. And when I come to Laguna I can put my head down.”

Spies, who is also on standby for the Dutch MotoGP in Assen with Capirossi a major doubt for the Holland race, added: “I don’t have any pressure on me. Yes, I want to have a good result, but in the end I can’t expect anything.

“This is all foreign. I’m jumping in the deep end with no floaties on. So I’m just going to have fun.

“I hope Loris (Capirossi) has a speedy recovery, but it’s a good moment for me, just because I’ve always liked watching that track.

“To fill in for Loris, I mean, he was one of my heroes back in the day when he rode the Marlboro bike and he had the number two and the long hair. To be able to fill in for him is just a big honour in itself.

“I’m just going to go and have fun. At the end of the day it’s a motorcycle, it’s got tyres on it, I’m going to ride it as hard as I can.”

Spies will fly to the UK on Monday night and he reckons his Donington experience will only help him in his preparations for the forthcoming wild card appearances in Laguna Seca and Indianapolis.

“I wanted to show up at Laguna and come in there with not a big bang, but it’s a track I know so I could be competitive or try to, at least.

“Now when I get to Laguna I’ll have some knowledge, I’ll have a race and another test and I’ll be comfortable on the bike and a track and a bike I know, so then we’ll be able to start really seeing how I stack up against those boys,” said Spies.