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Suzuki rider Alex Rins is heading into the British Grand Prix this weekend full of motivation to build on a strong second season in the premier class and bring Suzuki back to the top step of the podium at the British Grand Prix.
Thanks to the agile handling of the agile bike, one of the most popular routes on the calendar for the GSX-RR. Upgrades last year should help Rins be even more competitive than ever this year. Hamamatsu engineers have managed to get more power out of their engine to close the gap to the front.
But while the improvements to the bike will increase Rins’ chance of a third career podium (and maybe even a debut win), it’s likely the 22-year-old’s own ascent last year that will really change his hopes.
This year he has shown on a few occasions that he is more than capable of walking in the mix when there is a knife fight for the lead (think Assen earlier this year or Phillip Island last season), and he will go on a route that has a lot in common with these iconic tracks.
After finishing ninth at Silverstone last year after a delayed start to the season due to injury, he was only able to get the best out of the bike in the late stages of the 2017 season. But while his MotoGP debut was hampered by both his injuries and Andrea Iannone’s decision to pick an engine spec that the Suzuki team had to contend with all season, he has a strong track record there in Moto2 and Moto3 – and says that he is confident that a podium finish is more than possible again this season.
“Silverstone is a track that we really like and we did a good job there last year. This year we arrive on a different bike and we are better prepared and I have a feeling we can be back on the podium now, although we really have to wait until Friday morning to see what it will look like in reality. “