Andrea Iannone and Alex Rins have officially unveiled the 2017 Suzuki GSX-RR on the eve of pre-season testing. Preparations for the new campaign will get underway in Sepang on Monday and Suzuki’s new-look pairing have been presented in official team colours for the first time.
Like Team Suzuki ECSTAR, Iannone clinched his maiden MotoGP in 2017 and the Italian is looking forward to progressing his career still further with his new employers.
“I’m really happy to start this new adventure! Suzuki for me has always been an icon of motorcycle racing and I hope to gain the affection of fans and enthusiasts as the great riders who have been part of the history of this great team! The coming season is a big challenge, but at the same a huge motivation for me after some years riding for the same brand. This change of direction in my career is so stimulating and I’m eager to return Suzuki with all the interest and affection they have demonstrated to me. I look forward to kicking-off the new season with the new blue colours and do my best to try to achieve the best results possible for the team!”
Rins will be making his debut in the premier class after finishing runner-up in the Moto2 and Moto3 categories but after sustaining an injury in the post-race Valencia test, the Spaniard is looking forward to a trouble-free week in Malaysia.
“The main objective of any rider in the world is to reach the MotoGP category because it is the maximum expression of motorcycling. Then doing it with the hand of Suzuki is the best way I could ever have imagined. The team is amazing at the very first sight and the treatment they have given me since the first minute is fantastic. The bike is awesome as well so I am very pleased, very motivated and very grateful to Suzuki for the trust placed in me. It’s going to be a fantastic year in which we will learn a lot and that’s our main goal from the beginning. The Valencia accident was a setback in our plans, but we are working very hard to counteract it. I’m looking forward to getting back on my Suzuki GSX-RR and meeting my new ‘family’ in the box”
