Alex Rins is expected to sign a two-year deal with the Ecstar Factory Suzuki team for 2017 and 2018, with the option to extend the deal for an additional two seasons through 2020.
Today’s reports come from the Spanish newspaper HOWand they say that a contract has yet to be signed between the factory and the Spaniard, but that an oral agreement has been made between the two.
Rins was very vocal in his desire to sign and drive for a factory team in 2017. Yamaha decided to sign Maverick Viñales to replace Ducati-bound Jorge Lorenzo. Honda decided to keep both drivers, leaving Rin’s only chance at a factory ride with Suzuki.
The negotiations should depend on the contract extension option. Suzuki was reluctant to sign another young rider for two years to gain valuable MotoGP experience and then move to a more established factory – similar to Viñales this year.
Despite the verbal agreement, nothing has been signed yet – although the signature is just a formality that needs to be done now. Brivio confirmed on Friday that Suzuki will confirm its driver line-up in Assen in two weeks.
With the signing of Rins, the factory line-up of Suzuki drivers is completely revised. Iannone was signed to replace Viñales after the Spaniard decided to join Yamaha and now Aleix Espargaro is being replaced by a younger Spaniard. Aleix is about to sign a deal for Aprilia alongside Sam Lowes for 2017 and rejects the World Superbike rapprochement between Kawasaki and Yamaha.
Photos via Pons Racing