Like Davide Brivio, the team manager of the Suzuki Ecstar MotoGP team (see here), Ken Kawauchi took advantage of the summer break to take stock, this time technical, of the first half of the season carried out by the men of Hamamatsu.
In 2017, from a technical point of view, the SUZUKI ECSTAR team struggled much more than anyone expected, and it was clear from the start that it would be difficult to compete at the top level. What has changed this year compared to last year?
KEN KAWAUCHI: Last year, as many know, we changed our engine specifications for the entire season. The main differences between the two engine specifications were noted in terms of handling. This problem, added to what happened with Alex and his injuries, and also with Andrea who had difficulty adapting to the bike during her first year with us, did not allow us to improve as much as we we wanted it. Even with the work of the test drivers, Sylvain Guintoli and Takuya Tsuda, we could not achieve a very good result. But in the middle of the season we tried to solve some handling problems, we tried new parts and we also worked on the chassis to get more balance, because we weren't allowed to get a new one. engine due to regulations. But with the changes we made, we were able to finish the last part of the season with a competitive bike, especially in the last four races.
How much have you learned in terms of technical improvements?
Last year we understood, because of the problems with the engine, what was the right way forward for the future. So from the very first moments we tried the new 2018 spec, we already knew which direction was best to take. We also realized that we could combine some good things from last year due to the continued development with the new engine specifications.
Four podiums so far in the first half of the championship, and you are regularly fighting for the top places. Did you expect such a good start?
Before the start of the new season, honestly our main goal was to fight for the podium in all races, but we did not expect such good results so early. We are therefore quite satisfied with the first part of the season with both drivers. We are very competitive even if we had crashes in some races where we could have fought for the lead.
Considering this, how far away from victory do you think the SUZUKI ECSTAR team is, right now?
(laughs) There is a Spanish rider in MotoGP who is very, very strong…. (more laughter). In this top category it is not easy to win, you need a special combination of things. Certainly our bike is now very competitive, and our riders are very fast, but we need a chance to be able to combine everything. Of course, if we have the opportunity, we will try to win as quickly as possible, but this category is very tough and very competitive.
What parts of the bike are you working on the most at the moment?
We are now focusing on improving stability when braking and entering corners. We must intensify our efforts in this area.
Speaking of Alex Rins, last year as a rookie he wasn't able to have a normal season due to the injuries he suffered, but he was still able to finish the season a good way. What do you expect from him in 2018, and does he still have much room to improve as a driver?
I hope and expect that Alex will always be in the Top 6, both in practice and in the races.
Let's move on to Andrea; it seems that he is progressing step by step, and he has had some podiums and good performances. How can he further improve his performance?
Initially, Andrea's riding style and the characteristics of the GSX-RR didn't fit very well and weren't a great fit. But Andrea has the speed, he is very fast, and he has worked to become more comfortable on the bike, which is why he has had good results.
How important is it, from a technical point of view, for a MotoGP team that both riders are constantly challenging and motivating each other to improve the performance of the bike?
This is very, very important because, for example, last season, when Alex was absent due to injuries and Andrea was alone to develop the bike, he could not achieve good results. This year, with both drivers in good form, they are competing together in some races for the same goals and for a team it is an ideal situation.
You did a test in Barcelona just before heading to Mugello: did you find anything new to help Team SUZUKI ECSTAR in the upcoming races?
We tested a lot of new parts and we were able to confirm that we are going in the right direction, but most of these improvements will come into play for next season.
MotoGP World Championship standings:
| 1 | Marc Márquez | Honda | SPA | 165 |
| 2 | Valentino ROSSI | Yamaha | ITA | 119 |
| 3 | Maverick VIÑALES | Yamaha | SPA | 109 |
| 4 | Andrea Dovizioso | Ducati | ITA | 88 |
| 5 | johann zarco | Yamaha | FRA | 88 |
| 6 | Jorge Lorenzo | Ducati | SPA | 85 |
| 7 | Danilo PETRUCCI | Ducati | ITA | 84 |
| 8 | Cal Crutchlow | Honda | GBR | 79 |
| 9 | Andrea Iannone | Suzuki | ITA | 75 |
| 10 | Jack Miller | Ducati | AUS | 57 |
| 11 | Alex Rins | Suzuki | SPA | 53 |
| 12 | Dani PEDROSA | Honda | SPA | 49 |
