Joan Mir and Alex Rins have opted for different GSX-RR fairings for the remainder of the 2022 MotoGP season
Suzuki is taking a two-pronged approach to the final season of its MotoGP programme. The technical specification of both Joan Mir’s and Alex Rins’ GSX-RRs is not exactly the same
When it comes to the choice of fairing, Mir and Rins have diverged. Mir had tested two fairings at the Monday test in Barcelona in early June and then settled on one of the two. In doing so, he drew his permitted season update.
“I tested both, and I tested them intensively. They are not too different,” says Mir, adding, “We are talking about details. It doesn’t change the characteristics of the bike. “
“One of the two versions gives a bit more downforce, whereas the other is a bit better in another area. For me personally and the problems I had in the first half of the season, the one I use now is the best solution,” said the 2020 World Champion.
Mir’s teammate Rins prefers the variant with more downforce. Mir, on the other hand, has opted for the other. “The development never stops in this area. It is true that Alex has chosen differently. But why he chose that way, I don’t know,” says Mir.
The aforementioned Rins had to skip the Barcelona test due to injury. He tried out the fairing he is now using for the first time in Saturday practice at the Sachsenring and found it to be good. Rins did not even test the one chosen by Mir.
“Because I couldn’t compare the two variants in Montmelo, I decided on the one that I thought was less risky. I didn’t want to wait until the Misano test to decide,” Rins explains, but admits: “I don’t know myself if that was the right decision.”
“The solution I chose,” says Rins, “is the one that gave more downforce in the wind tunnel. But it’s not that I need more downforce than Joan. I just thought the variant I chose was the less risky one. “
“There is less tendency to wheelie. But the bike is no worse when changing direction. It’s still very agile,” said Rins, describing the riding behaviour with the season update he decided on at the Sachsenring on Saturday.
