MotoGP

TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR HEADS TO THE ISLAND FOR ROUND 17


Team Suzuki Press Office - October 23

After Suzuki’s home GP in Japan, in which the team enjoyed time with employees from the factory, fans, and special guests such as the President of the company, Mr. Toshihiro Suzuki, Team SUZUKI ECSTAR moves on to Australia for the 17th round of the 2019 MotoGP World Championship held on Phillip Island.

Alex Rins fought well during a tricky Japanese GP, managing to push through to 7th place. This result was especially important as it keeps him 3rd in the championship, although he is now level on points with fellow Spaniard, Maverick Viñales. Phillip Island is one of Alex’s favourite tracks, and he is looking forward to riding there over the weekend and producing a good result. Twice a winner here in the past in the smaller classes, he finished a strong 5th last year.

Joan Mir put in a strong performance in Motegi, and the rookie admitted he is feeling more and more comfortable and competitive on each outing with his GSX-R since the injury which hampered his progress in August. Also a fan of Phillip Island, Joan took a win here in 2017 when he also won the Moto3 World Championship, and 2nd place in the Moto2 class in last year’s Australian GP.

Located off the southern coast of Australia, around two hours from Melbourne, Phillip Island is a popular destination with MotoGP fans, riders, and teams alike. The very first Australian GP was held on the island 30 years ago, and it has remained a staple ever since - despite a short break of six years in which the GP was held elsewhere in Australia. The area’s stunning coastal scenery, abundance of wildlife, and overall great atmosphere add to the experience every year.

A fast and flowing track, Phillip Island boasts the iconic ‘Lukey Heights’ - one of the most thrilling spots of the modern day calendar. It also has a 900m long straight and a balanced mix of seven left and five right turns.

Davide Brivio – Team Manager:

“We like Phillip Island and we usually have good results there. But I think it will be competitive because everybody likes this circuit! We’re arriving into the weekend feeling positive and knowing that our bike is working well, so we’ll try to have a good race.”

Alex Rins:

“I love Phillip Island and it’s a good track for Suzuki. Every year it’s different and the conditions can change quickly so you need to pay attention and push hard from the start. I aim to give my all from Friday morning onwards.”

Joan Mir:

“I really like Phillip Island, and especially arriving there after a positive race in Japan where I felt really good. I would love to take another step, which for me means fighting for the podium. I’ve had great results in the past, and I think it suits our bike well, so I’m really excited to see what we can do.”

TECHNICAL HIGHLIGHTS OF PHILLIP ISLAND

Manuel Cazeaux - Alex Rins’ Crew Chief:

“Phillip Island is so different to every other track. You only have two slow, hard braking, corners - Turn 4 and Turn 10. The rest are all fast and flowing corners so you need confidence with the front end of the bike, and you need to be able to carry speed because of how flowing it is. We work a lot on suspension, and then you also need to concentrate on making the bike turn well. Tyre wear is also a big deal in Australia, so you need to manage everything well. We hope to perform well, whatever the weather - which can be very changeable!”






For more stories about Alex Rins, Click Here. For photos, Click Here.

For more stories about Joan Mir, Click Here. For photos, Click Here.

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