New-look Team Suzuki Ecstar gears up for MotoGP 2022

Team Suzuki Ecstar, the Japanese motorcycle brand’s factory-backed racing team, is preparing for the upcoming 2022 season of MotoGP. The team will be competing with an upgraded GSX-RR and with Mir and Rins on the saddle.

“The off-season has been a very busy one with a lot of hard work, both in Europe and in Japan. Everybody has been putting in a huge effort to prepare for a new season where we hope to be more competitive. We have a lot of trust in our project, and in our two riders, and we are keen to get started — not only in testing but racing. Our GSX-RR looks impressive and with support from our key sponsors, fans, and team members we want to put it on the top step as soon as possible. During the last test in Jerez, we saw great potential in the new components, and the feedback from our test rider Sylvain Guintoli as well as Joan and Alex was pretty positive. Because of this, we started the winter break with some nice vibes and in good spirits. Let’s see what we can show in this exciting new season,” said Team Suzuki Ecstar Project Leader and Team Director Shinichi Sahara.

For 2022, the team's entries will don a new logo and a new look: a combination of retro and modern Suzuki stylings as well as black flashes adding attitude to the slick, and now familiar, blue and silver.

The new bikes have been put through their paces at the pre-season testing held at the Sepang International Circuit last weekend, February 5 and 6. According to Suzuki, early feedback on both motorcycles suggests a well-rounded bike with improved competitiveness.

Both Mir and Rins have had a promising and successful off-season, balancing time out with hard training and track laps. After Mir finished third in the championship last year, his goal for 2022 is clear: fighting for the top spot.

“I took some time during the winter to relax and shut off after a tricky 2021 season. I was happy to finish 3rd in the championship but I’m hungry for more, and it was important to reset so that I could focus 100 percent on achieving my maximum. My pre-season training has gone well and I’m feeling fit and ready to attack. I’m looking forward to getting back on my bike, the tests that took place at the end of last year showed an improved performance that I’m happy with, so now it’s time to show the new livery and put more laps in ahead of the season start in around one month’s time,” said Joan Mir.

Rins, on the other hand, is aiming to add more consistency to his speed and powerful performances.

“The new GSX-RR looks amazing, and it also performs well! I’m really happy to be nearing the start of a new season. I’ve done a lot of training during the break, not only in the gym but also on my GSX-R1000R street bike. However, nothing compares to our race bike at the circuits. It's nice to reunite with the team, we are all focused on the same goal and I trust in them, we’ve all shown that we’re ready to achieve great things. The test days will be important, but we can’t wait for the first race in Qatar!” commented Alex Rins.

The 2022 season will be a tough challenge for everyone as the world continues to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022 season marks the longest championship ever with 21 races in the calendar and the debut of some new circuits such as Indonesia and Finland.

“I must start by thanking the entire team and factory for the work they’ve done during this short winter break. Our 2021 machine was balanced and competitive, but it was important to take a big step forward in 2022 to meet our goals. As we’ve seen, MotoGP is incredibly close with many fast riders and teams, and we want to secure our place on the podium. The 2022 GSX-RR has a similar base to last year’s bike but with a few crucial updates, especially in the area of engine performance. We wanted to maintain the manageability of our bike, which has always been strong in cornering and stability while improving the power delivery. With help from all the engineers in Japan and Europe we feel we’ve achieved this, so now it’s time to test it on track with our riders,” said Team Suzuki Ecstar Technical Manager Ken Kawauchi.

Finally, Suzuki encourages fans to join the team in gearing up for an exciting year ahead with #GearingUp, a fresh hashtag and slogan for the 2022 season that shows the team’s intentions for the upcoming race season. Suzuki says that the team looks to improve their performance and push everything up one gear in 2022.

Photos from Suzuki

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