Team
SUZUKI ECSTAR eager to step-up in an
exciting
2017 Championship
·
New line-up of rider is formed by Andrea Iannone (ITA) and Alex Rins
(SPA)
·
The goal is to close the gap with top teams and fight regularly for
podiums
Sepang International Circuit
29th January 2017
Team
SUZUKI ECSTAR has today presented its
new MotoGPTM project at the Sepang International Circuit as a
foreword to the kick-off for the season, which officially starts tomorrow with
the first IRTA test of the year here in Malaysia.
The Japanese team, led by Davide Brivio as Team Manager, Satoru
Terada as Project Leader and Ken Kawauchi as Technical Manager, will
begin the third season in the top category of motorcycling. After two seasons
of creation, hard work and development, 2017 will be a crucial exercise in
which Team SUZUKI ECSTAR seeks to become one of the best teams in the
World Championship.
Pursuing that goal this year, it has renewed its line-up of riders with
the acquisition of the Italian Andrea Iannone and young Spaniard Alex
Rins, coming from the Moto2 category. The GSX-RR 1000 will be contending
among the top machines of the world again with a good basis and many
improvements Suzuki wants to enhance the performance.
Iannone, born in Vasto (Italy) 28 years ago, debuted in
the premier class in 2013 with the Ducati Pramac and from the beginning he
showed his credentials with an extreme, aggressive and exuberant ride that
served him well, respect of his rivals and this permitted him to be amongst the
fastest riders in the world. Four years later, and after winning his first race
in the category last year in Austria, Team SUZUKI ECSTAR wants to be the
launch pad for Andrea to aim for new targets and to be able to regularly fight
with the top riders for podium positions.
On the other side of the box will be Rins, a 21-year-old
Barcelona teenager who begins his adventure among the world's best motorcycle
riders. With a natural talent for riding, and several times as a runner-up in
the lower-class categories, Rins looks to 2017 as a year of learning in the
premier class to get the experience to fight for higher goals in the coming
years.
Team
SUZUKI ECSTAR, based in Hamamatsu
city, is one of the most popular teams in the MotoGP category. The racing
history of the Japanese factory is a tale of success from the 70’s when
legendary British rider Barry Sheene achieved his first 500cc crown in 1976.
Then the legacy was taken by other famous names such as Marco Lucchinelli,
Franco Uncini, Kevin Schwantz and Kenny Roberts Jr. who added a total of six
500cc titles. The very latest success happened last year when the team scored
victory at Silverstone in the UK.
ANDREA
IANNONE #29
“I’m really happy to start this new adventure! Suzuki for me has always
been an icon of motorcycle racing and I hope to gain the affection of fans and
enthusiasts as the great riders who have been part of the history of this great
team! The coming season is a big challenge, but at the same a huge motivation
for me after some years riding for the same brand. This change of direction in
my career is so stimulating and I’m eager to return Suzuki with all the
interest and affection they have demonstrated to me. I look forward to
kicking-off the new season with the new blue colors and do my best to try to
achieve the best results possible for the team!”
ALEX
RINS #42
“The main objective of any rider in the world is to reach the MotoGP
category because it is the maximum expression of motorcycling. Then doing it
with the hand of Suzuki is the best way I could ever have imagined. The team is
amazing at the very first sight and the treatment they have given me since the
first minute is fantastic. The bike is awesome as well so I am very pleased,
very motivated and very grateful to Suzuki for the trust placed in me. It's
going to be a fantastic year in which we will learn a lot and that’s our main
goal from the beginning. The Valencia accident was a setback in our plans, but
we are working very hard to counteract it. I'm looking forward to getting back
on my Suzuki GSX-RR and meeting my new ‘family’ in the box".
SATORU
TERADA – Project Leader
“This season is going our third season after coming back to MotoGP and
we have so many expectations for that. We worked really hard to improve and
develop the bike during last two years and we could see the results coming out
throughout 2016, so we feel happy checking out the direction we took was the
correct one. Now we are pretty focused on 2017 and with the same hunger. We
think we’ve got a really good GSX-RR base for the coming season and we have to
still improve in some areas like electronics, but overall we are satisfied. We
are keen to see how our performance is at this very first test of 2017 in
Sepang and compare with our rivals where we are. Furthermore, I would like to
welcome our new riders Andrea and Alex to the team. Hopefully together we will
do a nice job!”
DAVIDE
BRIVIO – Team Manager
“The 2017 season will be important for us because it is already the
third consecutive season since returning to MotoGP. We are no longer rookies so
we must try to get closer to the other rivals. In addition, we have as a great
incentive two new riders. I think Andrea Iannone is mature and is ready to
achieve great goals if we are able to give him a good package with the bike.
And in the other side of the garage Alex Rins, with whom we started a new
adventure, a young driver with great talent and we will try to guide him to the
top of MotoGP. This is why we are looking at an interesting season, but we know
it will be difficult because all the teams have been very strong. It looks like
2017 will be a crucial year for everyone for different reasons, so we will face
a very strong group of opponents. But we want to be with them, we want to try
to be in the fight and get closer to the top, so we must try with Andrea at the
first moment and, once he gains experience, I think Alex will be in a position
to do so.”
