Schwantz: ‘Suzuki need to win’
World champions Joan Mir and Suzuki need to start winning races to boost their faltering title defence.
After eight races Mir and the GSX-RR have been absent from the top step with Yamaha (4), Ducati (2), KTM (1) and Honda (1) sharing the wins. And there is no better place to start than at Sunday’s Dutch TT according to Suzuki legend Kevin Schwantz. The good news for Mir and Alex Rins is that Suzuki tech upgrades are anticipated at Assen.
“They’ve got to start winning races otherwise the title chase is going to start to slip away pretty quickly, lots of points to catch up,” said Schwantz. “Rivals have closed the gap on some of the advantages Suzuki had last year. And to be in the race now you need to be starting up front so that also means qualifying better.”
Mir started 16th and finished ninth in Germany at the weekend.
The KTM turnaround of a new chassis, fuel boost and an in-form Miguel Oliveira highlights the need for a swift Suzuki response. Oliveira has out-scored Mir 65 points to 36 – including a Barcelona win – in the three races since the KTM upgrades at Mugello.
And a revitalised Marc Marquez and Honda could also sting Suzuki in the second half of the season.
Mir could do worse than channel Texas great Schwantz, a sublime master of the Assen venue with three 500cc wins (1990, ’91, ’93).
Mir senses the urgency and anticipates long awaited technical upgrades.
“It is really important to be very competitive in Assen, to be where we are used to being. Suzuki are working like animals to bring new stuff, they are very conscious of this and I expect something. They want the same as me, we share the same goal.”
‘Rivals have closed the gap since last year’