The current points leader in the Moto2 class, Alex Rins, has just signed a two-year deal with Suzuki. Rins joins the Suzuki MotoGP effort alongside Andrea Iannone next year as part of a young, talented two-rider factory effort. Rins has never won a championship at the GP level, although he has finished second overall twice and has numerous wins to his credit.

The signing of Rins means Aleix Espargaró has lost his Suzuki ride, although we expect an announcement shortly from the Aprilia MotoGP team that Espargaró will joint them next year.

Here is the press release received by MD from Suzuki this morning:

Team Suzuki Press Office – June 20, 2016  Suzuki Motor Corporation announces the agreement with Alex Rins to become its factory rider for the next two seasons. This defines the Team Suzuki MotoGP rider line-up for 2017 and 2018 with Rins alongside Andrea Iannone aboard the factory GSX-RR.

Alex Rins Navarro was born in Barcelona on the 8th of December 1995 (20 years old) and started to race at the age of seven. His debut in the World Championship was in 2012, at the age of 16 in the Moto3 class. He won his first pole position at the second race of his debut season. He raced in Moto3 for three seasons, collecting a total of eight victories, becoming vice-champion in 2013. In 2015 he stepped up to Moto2, ending his first season in the class with 2nd place overall, winning the Rookie of the Year award after collecting two wins, a total of ten podiums and three pole positions. In 2016 he has already scored two wins and currently leads the points standing after seven rounds.

As a consequence of this new signing, the collaboration between Suzuki and Aleix Espargaró will come to an end after the 2016 MotoGP™ season. All the Suzuki family is extremely grateful to Aleix for his contribution to the growth of the MotoGP™ project and the development of the GSX-RR. Both Team SUZUKI ECSTAR and Suzuki Motor Corporation will continue their unconditional support to Aleix, looking forward to the best possible results in the remaining 2016 MotoGP™ races. Suzuki wishes all the best to Aleix Espargaró for a bright and successful future.

Davide Brivio – Team Manager:

“Alex Rins is a young rider who has already proven to have much talent, always fighting within the top positions of the World Championship since his debut in every class, making him the type of rider who we want to support for the future. To pair Andrea Iannone, an experienced rider with such a young talent as Alex creates a perfect combination for our challenge. We believe that the combination of these two riders, together with the further development of the Suzuki GSX-RR, can help us to create a strong team to compete at the maximum level. It wasn’t an easy choice and we feel sorry for Aleix who we would like to thank for his hard work and the real passion he has continued to put in our project since it started. We wish him all the best for his future but in the meantime we will support as best as we can to try to get the best possible results together until the end of this season.”

Rider Statistics for Alex Rins:

2016 Moto2:
Starts to date -7
1st – 2
2nd – 1
3rd – 1
Pole – 1
Points – 116
Position – 1

2015 Moto2:
Starts – 18
1st – 2
2nd – 5
3rd – 3
Pole – 3
Points – 234
Position – 2

2014 Moto3:
Starts – 18
1st – 2
2nd – 2
3rd – 4
Pole – 4
Points – 237
Position – 3

2013 Moto3:
Starts – 17
1st – 6
2nd – 5
3rd – 3
Pole – 8
Points – 311
Position – 2

2012 Moto3:
Starts – 17
1st – 0
2nd – 0
3rd – 1
Pole – 1
Points – 141
Position – 5

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