Will history repeat itself with Suzuki’s first MotoGP win of the season in Aragon this weekend?
Crash MotoGP Podcast – Click here to hear Keith Huewen, Harry Benjamin and our very own Pete McLaren MotoGP talk
Last year Alex Rins broke the GSX-RR’s drought with a narrow win over Honda’s Alex Marquez and teammate Joan Mir on the first lap at Aragon.
Both Suzuki riders were on the podium again the following weekend when Franco Morbidelli won for Yamaha.
The next time I celebrated my first MotoGP win in Valencia, just before he took the world title, I took two Suzuki wins within three races.
Related articles
But the purple stain on the team abruptly disappeared and the factory has now completed 14 laps with no riders on the top step of the MotoGP podium.
In the case of Rins, it took until the most recent Silverstone lap to even finish on the podium in 2021 thanks to Fabio Quartararo’s second place, but he’s now trying to bring that momentum to a track where he’s “at home” ” feels.
Related articles
“MotorLand has a great layout, but what stands out most is the personal meaning to me. It’s very close to Valdealgorfa, where I spent the summer with my grandparents as a kid, so I feel at home, “explained Rins.
“We’re coming here from Silverstone with a strong momentum and this is a special track for me as I scored a lot of points in the two MotoGP races here last year.
“I have great memories of last year, I got a really nice win and the feeling was fantastic. That means that I’m going into this race with good motivation and confidence, especially after my result at Silverstone two weeks ago. “
Compatriot Mir had a frustrating time at Silverstone, slipping to ninth place after fighting for grip on the front tires and, despite being runner-up in the World Championship, is now a daunting 65 points ahead of Quartararo.
“Silverstone was bad for me in the end and the point gap has gotten bigger, but I’m second in the championship and I’m still eager to fight,” said Mir, who has taken four podiums so far this season.
“Since Silverstone we’ve worked hard to better understand how to get the most out of our bike and I’m confident.
“MotorLand is a circuit that I really like because it has pretty fast corners and that kind of ‘corkscrew’ that makes it a very special circuit and a good selection of corners, angles, ups and downs. It’s a different route because it changes a lot from one sector to another.
“I’ve always liked it a lot and I’m looking forward to racing here. Perhaps the most challenging part of the layout is sector 1 due to the quick paging. Also sector 3, where there are also several strong turns.
“Then you have the last sector where you enjoy a kind of break. I got two podiums here last year, so now I’m thinking about improving and aiming for victory or at least fighting for a podium again.”
After removing the new ride height device for Silverstone, where the faster entry into the straights undermined many of the acceleration benefits, the factory is expected to work with the other manufacturers to reinstate the system in Aragon, where there is a tight chicane on the straight back.