Suzuki became the final MotoGP outfit to unveil its challenger for 2021, its GSX-RR now sporting sponsorship from new partner Monster Energy for world champion Joan Mir and Alex Rins.
Its new livery remains very similar to the one it campaigned last season, with the only change being the addition of a black banner featuring Monster Energy branding adorning the bottom side of the machine, while the same design que can be seen on both pilot’s racing leathers.
Suzuki head into the ’21 campaign defending the riders and teams titles after an outstanding ’20 season that saw the manufacturer capture two wins and a further nine rostrums across the Covid-19 shortened 15-round schedule.
Mir secured the riders crown with a round to spare by finishing seventh in the Valencian Grand Prix having scored his debut premier class success just a race before at the same Ricardo Tormo venue, the ’17 Moto3 world champion ultimately ending the year 13 points clear of Petronas SRT’s Franco Morbidelli.
With the marque securing the teams prize at the same time as Mir’s riders championship it ended a 20 year drought since its last premier class title, a feat that came in the year 2000 after Kenny Roberts Jr secured the riders accolade.
The Hamamatsu-based organisation failed to win the manufacturers title after being pipped to the post by both Ducati and Yamaha, though a strong third was still a good reward for the relatively small company.
Rins’ title bid was curtailed early on after injuring his shoulder in the opening weekend of the ’20 season at Jerez, meaning he failed to stand on the podium until the eighth round of the year in Barcelona.
A run of five top four results in the following seven though-including an emphatic win in the Aragon GP- saw him mount an outside title challenge to his team-mate, though a tough final race in Portugal that saw him only manage 15th meant he actually missed out on the runners-up position to Morbidelli in the end.
In addition to dealing with the pressure of entering the new season as world champions, Suzuki will have to deal with the loss of team manager Davide Brivio-a key element of the Japanese marque’s success since it re-entered MotoGP for the ’15 season-after the Italian moved to the Formula 1 paddock in a new management role with the Alpine F1 Team.
Suzuki ultimately elected to not directly replace him, instead deciding to utilise the strong team Brivio has helped to build from within rather than head-hunt for a sole new manager externally.
