Vermeulen out of Rizla Suzuki

AUSTRALIAN RACER Chris Vermeulen, the man tipped by Barry Sheene as a rising star of Grand Prix racing, will leave Suzuki at the end of the 2009 season.

The racer's manager, Phil Baker, told crash.net: "Chris has definitely left Suzuki MotoGP."

The former World Supersport champion secured a full-time grand prix seat with Suzuki for 2006, giving them their one-and-only MotoGP victory at Le Mans.

However, a string of podiums has failed to secure the 27-year-old's position in the team.

Last weekend, Suzuki announced at the Czech Grand Prix that 250cc title contender Alvaro Bautista had signed a two-year deal with the team. Veteran racer Loris Capirossi will remain with Suzuki for 2010.