Sylvain Guintoli tests 2022 new spec MotoGP engine for Suzuki in Qatar
2020 MotoGP champions Suzuki go into the 2021 season looking to repeat their impressive feat which saw them win their first riders championship in twenty years.
Suzuki made big steps forward last season with their engine and chassis in particular, and test rider Sylvain Guintoli has already began working on major components in this area for the 2021 bike.
Guintoli will no doubt hope to improve the package for factory riders Alex Rins and 2020 champion Joan Mir as the season goes on, while also putting an eye towards improving next year's engine.
Speaking about testing these components, Guintoli said: "We started straight away testing some new items. Today we did some more work with the chassis. We have a new chassis, new swing arm, some different suspensions as well.
"So we’ve done quite a lot of work already today, which was very interesting. So that’s it. Flat out, straight away. I haven’t ridden in five months, so I’m feeling it."
The Suzuki looked to be the strongest all-round package during the 2020 season. Aside from some one lap struggles in qualifying, the GSX-RR turned extremely well - something other riders highlighted on many occasions, while also conserving its tyre grip better than most.
So it is fair to say that improvements for 2021 will likely come in small details.
Guintoli added: "We’re looking for some improvements already in the philosophy that we’ve got already. Obviously it’s not working too bad at the moment, the 2021 spec.
"So the 2021 engine will be exactly the same. We’re looking to improve the qualities that we already have. Obviously the four-in-line is still missing a little bit of top speed, so we were trying to compensate a little bit in that way as well.
"At the moment obviously because the engine is already very good it’s not going to be some huge steps, but they are marginal gains. Same spirit of what we’ve been trying to achieve since the last few years."
Teams will be limited in regards to their engines for 2021 due to the freeze on engines, and with uncertainty on how much testing will be possible, the Frenchman is eager to make the most of the time on track.
"We’ve got this year with the frozen engine spec, the frozen rules. This kind of allows us to work for 2022. We have a new engine spec for 2022. So I’ve been working on that already.
"I think that was a very good thing to do because considering the situation with COVID, it’s so difficult. The few tests we had last year, we tried to use the time as good as possible.
"Working already for the future is really important now, because we don’t know what the year is going to be made of as well. We don’t know how many opportunities we’re going to get. So it’s great to be back on the bike. I’m having fun.
"Like I said, it’s been a while, like five months. But we need to get stuck in straight away and make the most of the time we have. The engine spec is not an easy decision, so we have to get stuck in straight away."
