Enormous hopes were raised at Le Mans by the appearances of Joan Mir and Alex Rins. This is the first time they have spoken after Suzuki’s announcement to leave the World Championship at the end of this season. A news leaked on the exam on Monday after the last Spanish GP and it was confirmed by a statement released directly from Suzuki’s headquarters in Hamamatsu.
The decision to withdraw was an initiative made in Japan without prior notice to the GGPP structure. For those responsible for it, for the pilots and for the rest of the team it was a huge shock.
The reaction to the news
Alex Rins: It became very difficult. I was shocked, I started to cry. I have given everything to Suzuki since 2017. I have given them a lot of information to build the bike. The mechanics are submerged, even more so the Japanese team. I rarely see Japanese people crying.
Joan Mir: When they tell you that logically it gives you a downturn, you lose motivation, but then you react. In Jerez they first told the riders and they let us be there when they informed the teams. Of course we want to be together.
Suzuki’s decision
Alex Rins: The news was a huge shock for me and for the team. Whether or not I understand Suzuki’s decision doesn’t matter. It’s even harder because we’re becoming competitive. We are first in the team classification, we are fighting for the championship.
Joan Mir: It’s very heavy. Of course it’s frustrating, but if this is the caliber of their decision, there must be an important reason, because we are doing well here and you all know that our team is special, exemplary. Suzuki has always respected us, so, I insist, there was something important that pushed them to make such a decision.
The motivation
Alex Rins: As a driver I have to stay focused. We will continue to do the same. Let’s race. What happened gives me more motivation. Let’s show Japan that they made the wrong decision. They told me that the bike development plans would be preserved, and I bought it from them.
Joan Mir: The motivation from now on is logically different. We will manage it in the best possible way. Suzuki has always acted professionally, I am sure they will continue to give 100%.
The future
Alex Rins: We negotiated, we were about to sign. I think the team didn’t know about the withdrawal, because otherwise they wouldn’t be negotiating. I had no choice but to move on quickly and see what happens next. Now I am not in a position to choose.
Joan Mir: Obviously we won’t be testing the new engine for next year in tests in Montmeló … We were talking about renewal and my idea was to continue with Suzuki, now that my manager has a job. I don’t want to talk about next year out of respect for my team.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
