Team Suzuki’s Phil Tainton with Craig Lowndes at the Top Gear Festival.

V8 Supercar star Craig Lowndes may have swapped his racing suit for leathers at the Top Gear Festival, but the performance was still blistering.

On board a Team Suzuki prepared GSX-R1000, the Suzuki ambassador was one of the highlights for the big crowd assembled at Sydney Motorsport Park, in a unique challenge against two-time MotoGP champion Casey Stoner in his V8 Supercar.

The two Australian motorsport icons battled it out in the aptly named ‘Fish out of Water’ event, with Lowndes demonstrating why the Suzuki GSX-R1000 is the machine to beat in the Australian Superbike Championship.

“I never miss a chance to get on to one of my own Suzukis, so I jumped at the opportunity to ride the championship winning superbike,” Lowndes said.

“To do it in a challenge alongside one of the best riders we’ve produced in Casey just added to the occasion.”

Lowndes praised the set-up of his new steed and said he felt instantly at home on board the Suzuki.

“It’s no fluke why Suzuki have so many Australian Superbike titles,” he added. “They have had some great riders, and all of them have been lucky enough to race machines prepared by the team at Phil Tainton Racing.

“The speed off the line was amazing and it was only my lack of time on the bike that cost me by braking too early going into some of the corners.”

Team Suzuki manager Phil Tainton was effusive in his praise for Lowndes’ riding skills.

“Craig made the jump to two wheels look easy, when we all know it isn’t,” said Tainton. “He’s the consummate professional and it was a delight to work with him.

“Everybody in the team was impressed with Craig’s ability to ride a superbike so well with such a limited preparation.”