MotoGP, 2021 was not Suzuki’s year

The Suzuki GSX-RR placed on the third and final step of the championship rostrum at the end of 2021, thanks to Joan Mir, who was nevertheless unable to defend his title all the way to the end. After a positive and consistent 2020, the new year didn’t bring the desired results and it appears that this was largely down to a technical issue. With respect to the competition, Suzuki was very late to introduce the rear holeshot device and, up until that moment, Mir had only seen the podium on three occasions.

A significant distance from the front

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Mir scored a total of six podiums in eighteen races, not enough to be able to defend the title and take on Fabio Quartararo and Francesco Bagnaia, but the Spaniard was at least consistent. Even when not at the front, he regularly scored significant points and only failed to finish one race, the French GP. But although he scored six podiums, there was no race win, and not for Alex Rins either. Neither of the riders was able to power the GSX-RR to the front, and at the end of the season Mir was 70 points from the new world champion. Not exactly an insignificant gap.

Rins too far off the pace

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Rins’ season was decidedly more challenging, with the rider rounding out the season in thirteenth place. His season can be summed up as follows – five DNFs, only one podium (at Silverstone) and an injury, sustained on the Thursday at Montmelò. The Spaniard scored less than half the points of Mir and, despite a happy interlude in his private life, when he became a dad to Lucas, he had a very hard time of it on track. So much so that he also finished the final Valencia race prematurely, just as he was battling for the podium.

Looking forward

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If we look at the final constructors’ championship standings, the Hamamatsu manufacturer placed third, behind Ducati and Yamaha, but 117 points from the front. Another significant gap. And so now the team must roll up its sleeves ahead of 2022 and work on the bikes in order to be ready for its rivals come February. It’s never easy to prove oneself a second time, but Suzuki has what it takes and will try to do just that in a few months’ time.

Translated by Heather Watson

2022 MotoE, the provisional calendar