« After Rins' victory, we must not forget the vital role of the Suzuki test team with engineer Tom O'Kane and driver Sylvain Guintoli. They played a major role in the success of the motorcycle »wrote recently the excellent English journalist Max Oxley.
We caught up with Sylvain, who was finishing a test session in Jerez.
Sylvain, how did you experience this Austin Grand Prix?
“I experienced it at first quite relaxed on the sofa. Then my back left the backrest and I sat more towards the front of the couch. During the last part of the race, I was mostly standing in the living room jumping up and down and gesticulating.
“It was a tense GP, because he came from a long way. Alex Rins started from the third row, but at the start of the race he was not at the front. Then little by little he came back to Valentino and he had a perfect race, including tactically. It was a surprise because it was a circuit where we didn’t expect to perform very well.”
On a circuit with poor surface, the Suzuki seemed the bike that was the most stable, the most balanced? Was that your impression as well?
“Yes, above all it maintained its effectiveness throughout the race. This is a good sign because it means the bike is well balanced. Even on such a bumpy circuit, it did not lose performance from start to finish. It was effective with the worn tires too, so really a great performance from Alex and the machine.”
Alex Rins seemed to have total confidence in his GSX-RR, not fearing a slip (unlike the Honda, for example), and this gave him impressive confidence even with a great champion like Valentino Rossi glued to his rear wheel. in the last lap?
“Alex has a lot more experience now. He came back fifth in the Championship last year with a string of podiums and top 5 finishes. He has gained confidence, maturity and experience.
“We saw in this race that when he came back on Valentino, he didn't pass him straight away. He studied it and didn't let Valentino study it. He passed at the right time, then opened a small gap, which he managed on the last lap. The relationship he now has with his machine gives him this assurance and confidence.
“He has a style that is different, a bit like that of Kevin Schwantz at the time. The Suzuki turns well, so it brakes very hard, it has tighter lines. He manages to use this advantage, a bit like Schwantz's piloting: braking very late, going very quickly to the apex. In Austin, it was really beautiful the way he was able to use the potential of the bike.”
The Suzuki showed Austin this particular strong point, but it didn't seem to have any obvious weak points. Was this balance decisive for Alex Rins' victory?
“The weak points are gradually disappearing. In terms of engine, for example, compared to the Yam, the Suz is I think a little faster.
“On this GP, the strong point was this ability to use the front axle to come in very hard. Normally, lines like this are difficult to maintain when the tires wear out because it means you have to have a lot of angle on the apex. And that's the strong point of the bike: it runs really well.
“We saw him in the United States where he kept this style until the end. Valentino had much wider lines, while Alex could brake very late and keep his lines tighter.”
In the Manufacturers' World Championship, Suzuki is only 2 points behind Honda and Yamaha. Is this a surprise to you, and how do you explain it?
“No, it’s not a surprise, because at the end of last year, Alex had already had a string of very good results. We therefore expected him to be there at the start of the season, especially since the bike had made further progress during the winter.
“On paper, Suzuki is the manufacturer with the least extravagant racing department, and which focuses its resources on MotoGP. And now it’s working and it’s starting to pay off now. So it’s great, because against the giants that are the other manufacturers, it’s a fantastic result.”
Will you take part in the test session on Monday and Wednesday following the Jerez GP? On the other hand, are your planned wild cards Barcelona, Brno and Motegi?
“The planned wild cards are a priori Barcelona, Brno and Motegi. Testing will take place on Monday and Wednesday following the Spanish GP. I have just returned from Jerez where we have made good progress, we have worked on particular points. We now have a very interesting working method and we never stop learning and transferring the information to the racing team. There will be another test before Barcelona.
“I hope it continues to progress. But now the gains are really marginal because we are here! »
Finally, if a fairy offered you a wish for the Suzuki, what would you like to improve on this machine?
“This bike is starting to get really, really close to perfect. It's a joy to drive. To look at, for me it is the most beautiful, it is truly magnificent. This bike is very well balanced, and sometimes expecting something extravagant is not good. I would keep it as it is. For me, it's almost perfect. »
Photo above: The new Shark RACE-R PRO GP that Sylvain used last week in Jerez
Photos © Suzuki Racing, and Sylvain Guintoli
