Photo: motogp.com
Kevin Schwantz, Suzuki's 1993 GP World Champion and appointed as MotoGP Legend in 2000, believes that Maverick Vinales is getting very close to the point where he can start winning races in the premier class. Naturally, Schwantz believes that Vinales would make a great choice if he stays with Ecstar Suzuki and helps them develop a bike that can climb on the first step of the podium.
Suzuki is not exactly a total stranger to Grand Prix titles, as House Hamamatsu has no less than six championships under the belt. The truth is that they all belong to the past age of road racing, with the first season win having Barry Sheene on the bike in 1976, and Kenny Roberts, Jr. being the last man to bring Suzuki the premier class crown in 2000.
However, after a short hiatus caused by the financial troubles of the company, Suzuki is back with a bang. An entirely new team, the all-new GSX-RR in-line MotoGP machine and two new young riders are starting to make a difference for the Japanese manufacturer.
While multiple CRT champion Aleix Espargaro is still searching for the best vibe with the GSX-RR, his younger teammate and 2015 Rookie of the Year Maverick Vinales brought Suzuki the first podium after 2008, when Loris Capirossi stepped on the Czech GP rostrum.
Talking with the French media at Le Mans, Kevin Schwantz declared that, in his opinion, the smartest career decision for Maverick Vinales would be to stay with Suzuki, regardless of how appealing becoming the teammate of Valentino Rossi is. "If I were Maverick, I'd say to myself: I could stand real chances of winning if I'd qualify higher on the grid and if my starts became better. This way, I could battle at the front of the pack!" Schwantz says.
Taking things one step further, Schwantz says that a "mildly successful" Vinales aboard a Suzuki would be far more valuable than the position of an overshadowed teammate of Rossi's. Suzuki is hell-bent to develop the best bike for Vinales and go the extra mile to provide him with the optimal package, Schwantz believes, whereas Yamaha would have certain reserves, given who's the star of the team.
And since Suzuki technically built the new machine with massive input that came from Vinales, the road that lies ahead has excellent prospects of becoming a glorious one. Instead of trying to look decent with Yamaha, Vinales could focus on developing both his skills and the bike.
For the American former racer, Vinales has all he needs in his garage in order to start winning. The only thing missing is to ascertain that winning is the result of a rider who understands that success is a mix of talent, hard work, intelligence and racing experience. Add Suzuki's continuously improving machine and the future is bright, Schwantz believes.
We remind you that Maverick Vinales is one of the riders credited with the best chances of becoming the teammate of Valentino Rossi after Jorge Lorenzo announced his move to Ducati in 2017. However, the paddock rumors are mixed, and we still have to wait for an official move until we make more speculations. Vinales is currently fifth in the MotoGP championship with 49 points, four less than Dani Pedrosa.
However, after a short hiatus caused by the financial troubles of the company, Suzuki is back with a bang. An entirely new team, the all-new GSX-RR in-line MotoGP machine and two new young riders are starting to make a difference for the Japanese manufacturer.
While multiple CRT champion Aleix Espargaro is still searching for the best vibe with the GSX-RR, his younger teammate and 2015 Rookie of the Year Maverick Vinales brought Suzuki the first podium after 2008, when Loris Capirossi stepped on the Czech GP rostrum.
Talking with the French media at Le Mans, Kevin Schwantz declared that, in his opinion, the smartest career decision for Maverick Vinales would be to stay with Suzuki, regardless of how appealing becoming the teammate of Valentino Rossi is. "If I were Maverick, I'd say to myself: I could stand real chances of winning if I'd qualify higher on the grid and if my starts became better. This way, I could battle at the front of the pack!" Schwantz says.
Taking things one step further, Schwantz says that a "mildly successful" Vinales aboard a Suzuki would be far more valuable than the position of an overshadowed teammate of Rossi's. Suzuki is hell-bent to develop the best bike for Vinales and go the extra mile to provide him with the optimal package, Schwantz believes, whereas Yamaha would have certain reserves, given who's the star of the team.
And since Suzuki technically built the new machine with massive input that came from Vinales, the road that lies ahead has excellent prospects of becoming a glorious one. Instead of trying to look decent with Yamaha, Vinales could focus on developing both his skills and the bike.
For the American former racer, Vinales has all he needs in his garage in order to start winning. The only thing missing is to ascertain that winning is the result of a rider who understands that success is a mix of talent, hard work, intelligence and racing experience. Add Suzuki's continuously improving machine and the future is bright, Schwantz believes.
We remind you that Maverick Vinales is one of the riders credited with the best chances of becoming the teammate of Valentino Rossi after Jorge Lorenzo announced his move to Ducati in 2017. However, the paddock rumors are mixed, and we still have to wait for an official move until we make more speculations. Vinales is currently fifth in the MotoGP championship with 49 points, four less than Dani Pedrosa.
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