Enter the challengers
Why Suzuki’s set to hit the front
Sleeping giant Suzuki roused from dormancy in 2018 with a GSX-RR that was arguably their most potent weapon of the modern four-stroke MotoGP era.
The top of the podium may have proven one step too far, but Alex Rins and Andrea Iannone consistently jostled for the top three, which was a stark contrast to a tepid 2017 when no silverware was acquired. Success was immediate, with Rins taking his first MotoGP podium in the chaos of Argentina in just the second round of the season.
One of the undisputed highlights of the season was provided by Rins in a dramatic Dutch duel in Assen, which has already been dubbed the Race of the Century.
Rins took second in a 200mph brawl that featured an astonishing 175 overtakes to hand Suzuki their best result in 32 races since Maverick Viñales triumphed in the 2016 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Suzuki ended the season with an impressive tally of nine podium finishes, which eclipsed their best haul since 2002.
And the transformation in their performances justifiably earned rave reviews. World Champion Marc Marquez is convinced next season Suzuki can launch their strongest raid on the premier class title since Kenny Roberts Junior prevailed on the RGV500 two-stroke in 2000. That was the most flattering compliment of several lavished on the Hamamatsu factory, with Valentino Rossi also heaping praise on the sweet-handling and nimble chassis, which was lauded for midcorner turning and exit grip. “Suzuki made a very big step compared to last year and now they are fighting for the podium in every race. They have worked in a very smart way to increase their performance,” Rossi said. Pivotal to Suzuki’s future success will be their reaction to losing performance-enhancing concessions for 2019.
They had already surrendered benefits like an exemption from the in-season development freeze, additional engines and unlimited private testing at the end of 2016 on the back of a breakthrough year for Viñales.
And without the concessions for 2017, Suzuki made a mess of it. The choice of engine spec to homologate for 2017 was badly misguided and the GSX-RR became a wayward beast on corner entry because of a switch to a heavier crankshaft. Handcuffed by the engine development freeze, Suzuki were powerless to alter the motor hardware to improve braking stability and turning-in, and it took until the 15th round for Suzuki to even muster a top six.
If they can avoid a similar mistake in 2019, now that Suzuki are out of concessions again, Rins is confident the good times will continue to roll. He said: “Suzuki want to win races and I’m happy to be part of a project that is always trying to be faster. If we can keep on the same path I am sure we can be fighting for wins.”
‘If we keep on the same track we can win’