Two years of effort from Suzuki were rewarded at Silverstone with the magnificent victory of Maverick Vinales. The manufacturer, which had not won in MotoGP for nine years, wrote another page of history with four different brands winning in a single season, which had not happened since Ducati's eleven victories, the four from Yamaha, both from Honda and the only one from Suzuki in 2007.
No one at Suzuki is ready to forget the 2016 British Grand Prix because, as stated Davide Brivio to Maria Guidotti for bikesportnews.com, “this is such an important result. We didn't expect him to come so soon, but we knew Maverick had great talent, and he developed very quickly. It's a new project and such a victory gives us a lot of motivation: from the President to the engineers and mechanics. »
The victory at Silverstone was grandiose. Who should it be attributed to, the technicians or the pilot? “ I give credit to the engineers, replies Brivio. They have designed a balanced motorcycle with a chassis that is envied by most riders. Last year our weak point was the engine, but we improved the power and introduced the seamless gearbox.
“Then the credit goes to Maverick. He is only 21 years old and made his MotoGP debut as part of a new project that was to be developed. At Silverstone he had the perfect race. He was fast and focused throughout the weekend. He had a great first start then when they restarted after the red flag he started third but after half a lap he took the lead and was able to manage the race at the front.
“In terms of engine, Suzuki has reached the level of Honda and Yamaha, while Ducati remains the fastest bike on the grid. Of course, we continue to work on the engine, to find a little more power for next year, and on the electronics.
“We have a clause in the contract that could force Maverick to stay, but the driver must be motivated and believe in the project. So when he decided to move on to a new challenge, the choice of Iannone had value. He is fast and draws on four years of MotoGP experience. He is already a top rider and after a period of adaptation we expect him to use the full potential of our machine. With Rins, we start again with a rookie like we did with Maverick. It's a challenge within a challenge.
“Maverick Vinales is one of the drivers who will fight for the World Championship for the next ten years. He is intelligent and learns very quickly what it takes to go fast. He has all the talent and skills needed to be a protagonist. As Marquez has shown this year, race strategy is also crucial, but I think Maverick has all of these qualities. Next year he will be fast immediately and ready to fight for the title. I'm sorry it won't be with our machine.
“In addition, Michelin represents another important variable. There are different tires to choose from on the grid, which makes the races even more interesting. I think the spectacle that MotoGP has achieved this year is incredible. Eight different winners in eight races have proven that. »
