Manu Cazeaux is Alex Rins' chief mechanic in a Suzuki team whose trademark is cohesion and pragmatism. It is thanks to these values that this real commando in the MotoGP paddock managed to bring back the drivers' title in 2020, while only two GSX-RRs have been on the track since the start of the brand's project in the category. Alex Rins' box companion explains how Joan Mir's world title event was experienced on the side of the first losers while talking about 2021 and a bike that is the envy of competition with larger budgets...
Manu Cazeaux is such an essential element in the organization Suzuki in Grand Prix that his name was raised at the time of reflection on the succession of a Davide Brivio leaving the Hamamatsu ship for an adventure in Formula 1. Chief mechanic ofAlex Rins, rumor however had it that the clan next door was that of Joan mir, reigning World Champion, expressed his reservations on the subject The latter would have feared a loss of balance in favor of the third ranked in the championship last year. Ultimately, another system, collegial, was finally decided.
Thus, if the cohesion and the superior interest of the brand always dominate at Suzuki, we must listen to all the sensitivities that remain so as not to disrupt a balance that is so rare at this level of competition. Emotions that Manu Cazeaux recognizes thus: “ it was hard for Rins to see Joan win the title, but Alex accepted it, he evaluated the season and saw episodes like the injury in Jerez. And then he had the chance to come back, but we didn't take advantage of it ».
The chief engineer recalls the recipe Suzuki so that everyone is pulling in the same direction: “ it’s something that’s in the team’s DNA. It was created this way with the return of Suzuki. Our rules always ensure that if there are new parts, they are for both drivers. In the team, we decided to be very transparent, the sharing of data is 100% clear, the reports are shared too. If I find something, even if I want to hide it, I can't. It is a method which guarantees the evolution ».
Manu Cazeaux: “at Suzuki the rules are clear”
« The important thing is to analyze and if the rules of the game are clear, you will not look for excuses outside, you will look inside yourself and your box. Even though they fight for the championship against each other, Suzuki keeps the rules clear » he assures in an interview with motogp.com. And he insists: “ I still hope to keep the rules of the game like this ».
For 2021, he knows that the room for progress at Suzuki is in the qualifying phase: “ It’s something we know we need to improve on.” he said. “I'm really confident that we will sort this out, and that we will be competitive in qualifying. Already last year we showed signs of improvement ". He ends by almost amusing himself with the praise given by the competition about the GSX-RR: “ It's a simple motorcycle, but it's technologically pushed to the extreme. Usually the simplest solution gives the best performance ».
Everything is going well in the best of all possible worlds at Suzuki. Or almost, because Manu Cazeaux would not take a dim view of two more GSX-RRs on the track, quite the contrary… “ I have always been in favor of the idea of having a satellite team. Of course it's difficult for the factory because they have more work but I think the benefits of having a satellite team are greater than the costs for technical reasons, for sporting reasons and I think that, sooner or later, to become a bigger project, we will need to have four pilots ". A subject which must be resolved in the coming weeks but which has fallen behind schedule with the departure of Davide Brivio ...
