| Rizla Rolling Out In MotoGP |  |
Rizla is the rolling paper product steeped in history. Back in the days (1532) when bartering was the way to exchange goods, Pierre de Lacroix swapped ‘paper’ for a bottle of Champagne – a pretty inspired deal. And just so you know, ‘Riz’ is French for ‘rice’ and ‘La+’ is an abbreviation for Pierre’s surname. Now 470+ years later it is the world’s number one selling Quality Rolling Paper, available in over 120 countries worldwide.
In the world of two-wheeled motorsport Rizla is now creating a history of its own, one that began with sponsorship of the great Kevin Schwantz and the Suzuki GP team in the 1980’s and more recently as team sponsors in the British Superbike Championship. Rizla Suzuki introduced Rizla Blue as a ‘race colour’ and that has now become synonymous with Suzuki and motorcycle racing. The Rizla Suzuki legacy is set to grow as it continues on its most competitive journey yet... the 2011 MotoGP World Championship.
– The Facts
1532 Frenchman Pierre de La Croix has a moment of inspiration when he exchanges a rolling paper for some of the finest Perigord Champagne.
1660 Ding! Inspired by their bright idea the Lacroix family realise their rolling papers are worth the paper they’re rolled from and start production. Good job too. Otherwise who knows what you’d be rolling with right now? Doesn’t bear thinking about really!
1736 Francois La Croix, later founder of Rizla+, buys his first paper mill.
1796 The French Revolution is in full swing, creating a plethora of paperwork! Only the finest for the French though. So whilst others were losing their heads, Napoleon used his to grant the Lacroix family a license to produce the finest rolling papers for his soldiers – and puts an end to all those books being torn up.
1865 Rice is nice - good on a plate, and good as a paper! Inspired, Rizla+ turn away from tissue and roll on with rice creating the original rolling papers.
1866 No better accolade to your work than your namesake - and so the Lacroix family inspired-by themselves, christen their rolling paper Riz La+.
1910 Yet more innovation! The first Rizla+ blue papers come off the production line. Thinner papers are born.
1929 Rizla+ introduce the first ever rolling machine - perfection all round!
1942 A sticky situation! The Lacroix brothers receive a patent to apply gum to their papers. Just another way Rizla has helped rollers over the years.
1948 Not usually ones to cut corners to improve the fine rolling papers, but Rizla did just that. Cutting the corners off the new Rizla green papers, to make rolling easier.
1954 Riz La+ becomes Rizla+. The inspirational name for the original rolling paper.
1986 Rizla+ starts racing with Suzuki in MotoGP for the first time.
2002 Taking to the race track, Rizla+ gets on its bike and Team Rizla Suzuki starts moving in British Superbikes!
2003 King size slim silver papers hit the shelves. These ultra-fine papers offer the ultimate in taste and flavour. Here’s the science – a typical human hair is 50 to 100 microns thick. A Rizla King Size Slim is just 20 microns, making it the experts’ choice.
2004 Team Rizla Suzuki wins the British Superbike team and rider championships.
2006 Rizla Suzuki MotoGP takes to the track the second time after 1986!
2007 Chris Vermeulen wins at Le Mans to give Rizla Suzuki MotoGP its first victory.
2008 Three times World Champion Loris Capirossi joins Rizla Suzuki.
2010 Former 250cc World Champion Alvaro Bautista from Spain joins Rizla Suzuki.
2010 Rizla Micron – the latest innovation from the R&D department – joins the family as the thinnest paper of the entire Rizla range
2010 Rizla launches the Rizla App on the I-Phone
2011 Rizla carries on in MotoGP with Suzuki and Spanish rider Álvaro Bautista. New Rizla logo launched exclusively on the Rizla Suzuki GSV-R
2011 The story continues to ROLL on…
