Rizla Suzuki has joined forces with American motorsport design icon Troy Lee in a partnership that will see the team’s image inspired by his Southern California design studio.

Livery direct from Troy Lee and his team of designers will feature throughout the Rizla Suzuki MotoGP squad, from the 2010 Suzuki GSV-R itself through to the race suits that Loris Capirossi and Álvaro Bautista will be wearing as they battle with the world’s greatest racers around the globe in this season’s 18-race championship.

Troy Lee Designs will also create the livery for the team’s pit-box and hospitality unit, as well as the team clothing and merchandise ranges.

Troy Lee has been customising helmets ‘For the World’s Fastest Racers’ since 1981. The relentless commitment to creating products that exceed the cutting edge in style, design and quality has given Troy Lee Designs the reputation as an innovator in many different racing fields. The company has grown over the past three decades to include a product line ranging from high-performance helmets to a complete line of Motocross racing gear and casual wear.

With an amazing team of racers from the four-wheeled world of Indycar, Sportscars, NASCAR and World Rally, to the two-wheeled racers of Motocross, Supermoto, Enduro, Freestyle, Dirt Track and Road Racing, and to the cycling world of Mountain Biking, Free Riding to BMX, Troy Lee has enjoyed working with the best in the world and now he takes it one step further by joining forces with Suzuki’s Factory MotoGP team.

Rizla Suzuki is in action at Sepang in Malaysia this week, with the team’s 2010 ‘Troy Lee Designs’ inspired livery being launched at the Qatar test next month.

“Troy Lee Designs – and Troy himself – are iconic in the world of motorsport and Rizla Suzuki MotoGP is honoured to be able to introduce them to the world of MotoGP,” said Rizla Suzuki team manager Paul Denning. “To have Troy and his team responsible for the design process is great and – as you can imagine – the guys in our team are also delighted to be using a range of Troy Lee Designs equipment as well. There will be some nice Troy Lee-inspired surprises during 2010 and we’ll be really happy if we can go as fast as we’ll look!”

Troy Lee is also pleased with the new partnership to expand his long list of motorsport teams.

“We are really excited to join in this partnership with Rizla Suzuki. It has been a dream of mine to be a part of MotoGP and provide my artistic skills to some of the world’s fastest road racers,” Lee said. “I’m looking forward to a great year of racing from this team and a strong partnership. We at Troy Lee Designs appreciate the fact that every day the racers get out there and put it all on the line, and Capirossi and Bautista look like two guys who always give it everything.”