Suzuki team manager Davide Brivio says his squad “didn’t expect” to lead the riders and teams championship heading into 2020, following a “special” Aragon Grand Prix performance.
Alex Rins scored his and Suzuki’s first victory of the season after holding off Honda’s Alex Marquez during the Aragon GP, while Joan Mir backed up his team-mate in third.
Mir’s fifth rostrum of the year-the highest of any racer this season-meant he also moved into the riders points lead by six over Fabio Quartararo, while his and Rins’ combined efforts also saw Suzuki climb to the head of the teams championship by four over Petronas Yamaha SRT.
Brivio affirmed post race that it will be important for Suzuki to “keep the momentum going” across the final four events should it want to secure its first title since returning to MotoGP full-time for the ’15 campaign.
“It was a special day, of course the first win of the season which we wanted and now we’re leading the riders and teams championship,” said Brivio.
“Of course there are quite a few races to go, but let’s enjoy the moment because another double podium is something great for us.
“We are not brilliant in qualifying, but Alex (Rins) starting from tenth position and being able to win the race is great and also Joan (Mir) doing a clever race from sixth to finish great is fantastic.
“We take things race by race, so we need to keep the momentum going.”
The Italian added that comprehensive developments of both the chassis and engine during the winter left the marque “confident of a good season”, despite its campaign not getting off to the greatest of starts.
“You never expect to lead the championship, but we developed the bike well during the winter,” continued Brivio.
“We developed a new evolution of the chassis, improved the engine a little bit so we were confident of a good season.
“Alex Rins was great in the beginning of the season but unfortunately the crash in Jerez where he injured his shoulder stopped our progress somewhat, so we had a tricky start to the year with Rins out and Joan’s crash in the first race.
“Then we kept going, we have two great riders and a good, well balanced bike but I didn’t expect to be in this position right now but let’s see what we can do across the rest of the season.”
Suzuki’s hasn’t claimed a premier class world title since 2000, when Kenny Roberts Jr scored four wins across the year to secure the crown ahead of a fresh-faced Valentino Rossi in his debut top class campaign.
Brivio has led Suzuki’s restructured racing organisation since it returned to MotoGP competition for the ’15 season.
The ex-Yamaha man has overseen the team through four wins-across Maverick Vinales and Alex Rins-with a best riders championship result to date of fourth, one apiece for Vinales and Rins in ’16 and ’19 respectively.
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