Look out for Suzuki, MotoGP outsiders: the title is possible

Look out everyone, because the Suzuki silence is worrying. Worrying for their rivals, not for team Ecstar, which is doing well during this 2022 MotoGP season. Alex Rins lies second in the standings, Joan Mir fourth. And the gap to leader Enea Bastianini is small, just 5 points for the Catalan rider, 15 for the Majorcan.

Right now, the GSX-RR doesn’t excel in terms of overall competitiveness, but it has been consistent. And it is not actually slow, with the number 42 rider having already reached the podium twice, with a good third place finish at Termas de Rio Hondo, and an excellent second at Austin.

The 2020 world champion has not yet scored a podium finish but we wouldn’t be surprised if he soon does. Mir may not have taken any risks until now, but he is able to harness the resources that both he and the Hamamatsu bike possess.

Europa, the “true” MotoGP championship: Suzuki will attack

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It’s long been said that the real championship only gets underway with the European rounds. True or false, the statement has some sense, in that the teams and manufacturers have close ties to Europe, the riders are not forced to make long and tiring journeys, they train better and more often and they know the tracks inside out.

Portimao and Jerez are two circuits where Suzuki can do well and score great results. Joan Mir scored two podiums in the Algarve last year for instance, proof that ability through the turns can make up for a lack of engine power along the straight.

And we should also point out just how the GSX-RR engine has grown since last season, now more than able to transfer its horsepower to the ground and with top speeds in line with those of its rivals, better in some cases. If we add the first-rate frame and electronics, it is clear that team Ecstar will immediately be on the attack.

Strong competition, but in peaks and troughs. The Suzukis are always there

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From Qatar to the States, only European manufacturers have won so far. Ducati at Lusail, KTM at Mandalika, Aprilia in Argentina, and Ducati again at Austin. The Japanese manufacturers are yet to get off the line, if we’re talking single race wins.

And some are suffering more than others… Honda has stood out only in Doha, thanks to Pol Espargaró’s podium. Yamaha shone in Indonesia, Fabio Quartararo strong in the wet. But Suzuki has done better, with two podiums for Alex Rins.

No win yet, but there is real consistency. And substance. Even when things have gone badly, the GSX-RR bikes have still finished well within the top ten. And when they’ve had problems, the riders have still scored solid points, improving each time out, even at supposedly unfavourable tracks.

So, we say it again, look out for Suzuki. Portimao and Jerez will be good hunting ground for the team, with Portugal or Spain perhaps bringing the first win of 2022. Or, who knows, perhaps a fantastic double. And in that case, we’d have no more doubts.

Translated by Heather Watson

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