Six-time World Endurance Champions Suzuki Castrol will start its title defence at the opening round of the 2006 series at Assen, Holland on Bank Holiday Monday. The Suzuki Endurance Racing Team, Keiichi Kitagawa, Mathieu Lagrive and Vincent Phillipe, spearhead a full field of 42 teams aboard their GSX-R1000 Suzuki for the first of seven championship rounds that will include one faraway race in Suzuka, Japan.