Team Suzuki Ecstar MotoGP has unveiled its new GSX-RR in Sepang International Circuit, where the first official testing session will start tomorrow. With this new bike, riders Álex Rins and Andrea Iannone will try to recover after a difficult 2018.
With Sepang testing sessions just around the corner, MotoGP manufacturers are already unveiling the machines with which they will fight for the upcoming world championship. Ducati was the first one, then Yamaha, and now Suzuki has presented its new GSX-RR, which will still be ridden by Álex Rins and Andrea Iannone.
Suzuki faces a 2018 season where its goal will be to improve its difficult 2017, on which the good results only came on the last rounds.
Team Manager Lin Jarvis is sure that “All the Suzuki engineers in the factory and the team members have been working relentlessly during the winter.” and is sure that “The most important thing is that we are starting again and we were able to harvest a lot of good experience from last season when we struggled so much (…). We have learnt from the difficulties and the group have stayed strong all the time despite the disappointing results.”
Team riders Iannone and Rins also shared their first impressions with the bike.
“I’m eager to restart after a long winter break without riding my GSX-RR,” says Iannone. “I think this bike suits my riding style pretty well, and I’m very motivated for the coming season. Once we identify the problems we suffered last year, and then add to that a really good technical basis, we can achieve our goals, and those are to try to fight in the top five in every race.”
“This new season is about to start and for me it is completely different to what I experienced last year,” says Rins. “This time I have had a ‘normal’ winter break; I mean I was able to train hard and I feel ready to start a new season. (…) Our idea is to gain more kilometres with the new GSX-RR, continue improving my pace on a MotoGP bike, and take everything race by race.”
The new Suzuki will do its first laps on track tomorrow, at the Sepang International Circuit. Officially, its debut will take place on the 18th of March, when the season will start under the lights in Losail, Qatar.