Suzuki MOTOGP - Features

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JEREZ IRTA TEST - Day 1

The best pictures from Team SUZUKI ECSTAR MotoGP from Jerez de las Frontera.

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Valencia Test - Day 2

The best pictures from Ricardo Tormo Circuit

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Joan Mir debuts in Suzuki colors

First images of Joan Mir ready to debut with the Team SUZUI ECSTAR colors.

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Valencia Test - Day1

Images of Joan Mir's debut on the GSX-RR and good shots of Alex Rins

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GP of Valencia - Race Day

Stunning images of the 9th podium of the season!

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GP of Valencia - Qualifying Day

The best shots of the stunning second place of Alex Rins and qualifying session of Andrea Iannone

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GP of Valencia - Day 1

Beautiful shots under the rain

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"Ricardo Tormo Circuit is like a football stadium"

After a long season of 19 rounds, the final round of the 2018 MotoGP Championship is upon us. As has been the tradition for several years, this grand finale will be held at Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia, Spain. The track, which has been on the calendar for almost 20 years, has a spectacular ‘stadium’ layout, with fantastic viewing opportunities for the many passionate fans who fill the grandstands every year.

alexrins blog

"A double in the triple!"

The triple, as we always call the three-races-in-a-row, could not have been better for us. Three weeks of flights, jet lag, training, sleeping away from home, changing schedules ... It has been three hectic and exciting weeks in which we have been able to take a step forward. The GSX-RR has performed in a wonderful way and the we can feel the massive amount of work from all the team members and the people pushing back in Hamamatsu. This work was rewarded with three podiums in three races, and this is a big gift for Suzuki.

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GP OF MALAYSIA -RACE PICS

The best shots from the Race in Sepang - MotoGP

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GP of Malaysia - QUALIFYING PICS

The best shots from Sepang

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GP of Malaysia - DAY 1

The best shots from the free paractuce 1 and 2 in Sepang

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"Sepang is very tricky due to the high temperatures"

Just a few days after a very positive race in Phillip Island, which saw Andrea Iannone take an excellent second place and Alex Rins finish close by in 5th, it was time for Team SUZUKI ECSTAR to head to Malaysia and Sepang International Circuit. The last in the long series of fly-away races, the track has very particular needs in terms of set-up and approach. Alex Rins’ Crew Chief, Manuel Cazeaux, tells us more.

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GP of Australia - RACE

The best pics from Race day at Phillip island

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GP of Australia - Qualifying

Thes bet pics from Quaklifying day at Phillip island

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"Phillip Island suits our bike so we have high hopes here"

Team SUZUKI ECSTAR head towards Round 17 of this year’s MotoGP Championship still feeling fresh from Alex Rins’ podium and the strong pace of Andrea Iannone just a few days earlier. This weekend, Phillip Island in Australia will offer a new set of challenges but it’s one that the team and their GSX-RR feels ready to take on. Iannone’s Crew Chief, Marco Rigamonti explains why…

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GP of Japan - RACE

The best pictures from Motegi race

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"The main thing to focus in Motegi is the braking"

After Buriram in Thailand kicked off the ‘fly away’ section of the 2018 calendar, the MotoGP paddock had a short rest before heading to Suzuki’s home in Japan. Twin Ring Motegi has been part of the MotoGP calendar for almost 20 years, and the popular circuit complex offers plenty of challenges for both teams and riders. Alex Rins’ Crew Chief, Manuel Cazeaux talks us through the key points and approach for this 16th round on the calendar.

special-features stories

These MotoGP bikes really fly!

The MotoGP caravan on its 22 stops and 15 countries (if we take into account the 19 calendar races plus the three pre-season tests) covers a total of 163,223 kilometres, which equates to approximately four times the circumference of the earth. Among these travels, the most expensive in terms of logistics and human movement are those in which the Championship personnel must collect all their gear, loading it up and traversing time zones to reach countries such as Argentina, Japan or Australia.

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The rider vs electronics in MotoGP

In 2016, only one year after Suzuki’s return to MotoGP, a new rule became effective introducing what is called “unified software”. This set a base for the electronics shared by all teams, and of course changed the way to manage the electronics on the GSX-RRs.

Let’s have a talk with Claudio Rainato, Electronics Engineer working with Andrea Iannone.

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GP of Thailand - RACE

Best pictures from Buriram - RACE

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GP of Thailand - Qualifying

Best shots from Saturday in Buriram

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"We never raced in Buriram so it will be a nice challenge"

After a successful and thrilling Aragon GP, it’s time for Team SUZUKI ECSTAR and the MotoGP paddock to move on to a brand new circuit to start the ‘fly-away’ part of the 2018 season. Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand, opened just four years ago and features an interesting layout with long straights and a variety of corners. Andrea Iannone’s Crew Chief, Marco Rigamonti, talks us through the approach to this new challenge…

blog davidebrivio

“Our target is to be in the Top 6 and get some more podiums"

The last race in Aragon was good for us! First of all because of the podium with Andrea, the fifth one we’ve achieved this season so far, so this means we have lost the concessions for 2019 and we are getting our level of competition closer to that of the other manufacturers, and participating in the races with no advantages from the concessions. For so many people maybe this could feel like a disadvantage or a bad thing, but honestly speaking we don’t want these concessions and we want to fight on the same terms as the other manufacturers.

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GP OF ARAGON - RACE

Best pictures of GP of Aragon

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GP of Aragon, Qualifying

The best shots from Saturday

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GP Of Aragon, Free Practice

Gallery of first day

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"Motorland is a difficult track plenty of braking at angles"

After a positive and successful race in Misano less than two weeks ago, Team SUZUKI ECSTAR and the MotoGP paddock head to one of the most modern circuits on the calendar - Motorland Aragon.

special-features stories

A ‘food truck’ for 15,000 people

The sound of a bell rings around the walls inside the truck. Waiters move quickly among pristine white tables. Steaming trays of delicious food descend from the staircase. The hospitality bustles with life, and the sounds of hungry visitors. A procession of guests lean together at the buffet, snooping the dishes that are prepared with dedication, each and every day, by the chef of Team SUZUKI ECSTAR, Michele Quarenghi, along with his second on board, Mattia Bonfanti, and the kitchen assistant Fulvio Tomasoni. They begin to tuck in, small blackboard signs revealing in chalk the secrets hidden in each hot pot.

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GP of San Marino - Race

PHOTO GALLERY

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GP of San Marino - Free Practice

GALLERY - First day of practice

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"Misano is a special track, plenty of fast corners"

Round 13, the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano, will hopefully see a welcome return to sunshine for the MotoGP paddock following the British GP wash-out just two weeks earlier. But this special track close to Rimini is still a tricky one as Andrea Iannone’s Crew Chief, Marco Rigamonti, explains…

special-features stories

MEET THE RIDERS IN MISANO THANKS TO 2 WHEELS FOR LIFE

The San Marino GP will be the scene of an exclusive initiative that will see Team SUZUKI ECSTAR’s riders Andrea Iannone and Alex Rins meet some generous and lucky fans. The chance comes from the auction organised by 2 WHEELS FOR LIFE, thanks to which the fans will be able to contribute to the charitable money collection by placing their bids for the ten items that have been donated by the two MotoGP riders.

The lucky winners of the auctions will then be offered the chance to enter the exclusive MotoGP paddock on Saturday 8th of September and join Team SUZUKI ECSTAR in the hospitality before receiving their items straight from the hands of Andrea Iannone and Alex Rins.

andreaiannone special-features stories

Pancakes for breakfast… but no Nutella

Living in a MotoGP paddock is an immersive experience. A rider needs a place for reflection when he’s not at full throttle out on the track. The motorhomes, those shiny and impressive rolling caravans with bright decorations you see parked up in the paddock, are a refuge, a place of calm and an exclusive space where the MotoGP riders take some rest, concentrate and focus, get prepped for the track, celebrate success - and lick the wounds of failure - alongside their loved ones.

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BRITISH GP - Race gallery

Full gallery British GP at Silverstone

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British GP - Qualifying Day

Pictures

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British GP - Gallery of first day

Actions shots from FP1 and FP2

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"In Silverstone we have great memories from 2016"

With the British Grand Prix just around the corner, Alex Rins’ Crew Chief Manuel Cazeaux took the time to tell us about the challenges offered by this classic track set in the English countryside.

Famed not only for its long history of motorsport racing, but also for it’s unpredictable weather - which often constitutes chilly winds and sudden downpours - this makes tyre choice one of the crucial factors over the race weekend…

“For sure here in Silverstone you have to pay attention to the track conditions because you often have a bigger range than usual of track temperatures, so we have to focus a bit more on the tyres and making them work well.”

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Grand Prix of Germany - RACE

Best pictures from GP of Germany

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Grand Prix of Germany - Qualifying 1

Best pictures from Day 1 in the Grand prix of Germany

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GP of Austria - The race

Images from the Austrian GP

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GP of Austria - Qualifying Day

Images from the second day at Spielberg

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GP of Austria - Free Practice

Gallery fo the first day at Spielberg

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"In Spielberg the elevation affects the engine"

Just one week after the Czech GP and a one day test at Brno, the teams and riders have moved on to the Red Bull Ring in Austria for another important race in this busy part of the season.

This circuit, set among the mountains of the Austrian Alps, has many unique qualities and requires the teams to work harder than ever behind the scenes to ensure a competitive bike. One of the key areas for the GP will be speed, as Andrea Iannone’s Crew Chief, Marco Rigamonti explains…

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GP of San Marino - Qualifying

GALLERY - Day 2 in San Marino

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Brno Test - Official Gallery

Images from the test in Brno

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GP of the Czech Republic - The Race

Images from day 3 in Brno

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GP of the Czech Republic - Pictures from Day 2

Pictures from Saturday

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GRAND PRIX OF CZECH REPUBLIC - DAY 1

Pictures from Day 1 - Brno

alexrins interview

“It’s only a little way to victory"

His baptism in MotoGP was a bruising one, but with these wounds he came out stronger. Alex Rins has achieved two podiums this year, and is now among the top riders in the world. He is hungry for victory and the GSX-RR could be his perfect weapon...

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"In Brno the riders spend a lot of time at full power"

Following a very short summer break, with just two clear weekends off, Team SUZUKI ECSTAR head to Brno for the second half of this intense 2018 season.

Alex Rins’ Crew Chief, Manuel Cazeaux, talks us through some of the key elements of this classic track in the Czech Republic. The circuit, which was first used in 1932 has undergone many changes over the years, but still possess an unusual hilly layout, and its undulating corners offer unique challenges…

“The layout means there’s an average to low corner speed, because the turns are almost all second gear, despite being quite long. So this is the main characteristic of Brno, along with the fact that half of the track is downhill and the other half is uphill. Although there’s nothing really, really special in the layout in the sense that there’s not one element which really stands out.”

andreaiannone interview

“Our potential is very high, we can aspire to everything”

It wasn't the year he dreamt of, but 2017 helped Andrea Iannone to keep his head up and learn from the difficulties. As soon as the bike was more competitive and the Italian recovered his good feeling, some very promising results arrived. Two podiums and strong battles at the front of the field are good signs for the second half of the season.

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Grand Prix of Germany - Qualifying 2

Best pictures from Day 2 in the Grand prix of Germany

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"Sachsenring doesn't require a lot of power"

The next track on the 2018 MotoGP calendar is Sachsenring in Germany. This will be round 9 and it will mark another important race for Team SUZUKI ECSTAR as they hope to cement their recent good form and take yet more podiums.

blog special-features

"Our main target now is to lose concessions"

We were very happy to see Alex fighting with the top riders in Assen, showing no fear and battling until the end with huge determination to achieve a nice podium. It was very exciting for us, and in general it was one of the most incredible races I’ve ever seen.

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Gallery of Assen's GP 2018

Suzuki Ecstar's best photos during Grand Prix of Assen race

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"The key in Assen is to make the bike dance"

With its traditional layout, Assen is unlike any other track on the current calendar. So we caught up with Alex Rins’ Crew Chief ahead of this historical GP to hear all about the unique challenges this circuit offers for the riders and bikes.

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Gran Premi Monster Energy of Catalunya

Pictures of the race in Montmeló

interview kenkawauchi

WE DIDN'T EXPECT SUCH GREAT RESULTS SO EARLY ON

After a 2017 season full of hard work and setbacks, without great results, 2018 began in a very different manner. Four podiums and a highly competitive bike have marked the reversal of Team SUZUKI ECSTAR’s situation. One of the people in charge; Technical Manager, Ken Kawauchi, explains what has changed between 2017 and 2018 and what we can expect for the rest of the season.

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Racing in MotoGP at 21ºC

With his glasses slipping down his nose, he gives a quick glance up, before returning his gaze to the computer screen. The temperature is nice inside the truck, a little climate bubble in the middle of the paddock. Russell Gregory Jordan (UK,1964) doesn’t care if it rains, snows, or if the sun is unbearably hot outside; "It's the best thing about this job, here in the truck I'm always at the same temperature: 21ºC," jokes the Briton who is in charge of controlling the spare parts for Team SUZUKI ECSTAR.

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GRAN PREMIO D'ITALIA OAKLEY - RACE

Photos Suzuki during the race in the Grand Prix of Italy 2018. Fourth and fifth position.

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GRAN PREMIO D'ITALIA OAKLEY - QUALIFYING

Photos Suzuki during Qualifyingin the Grand Prix of Italy 2018.

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GRAN PREMIO D'ITALIA OAKLEY - FP1/FP2

Photos Suzuki during FP1 and FP2 in the Grand Prix of Italy 2018.

special-features stories

APPROACHING BURIRAM

Let’s go behind the scenes of Team SUZUKI ECSTAR to understand what are the difficulties of getting to a brand new track and how engineers and the team staff handle all of this. We will have a talk with the four key roles that are mostly affected by the uncertain information; the logistics managers, the crew chiefs, the electronic engineers and – of course – the riders.