The summer break has come to an end for Team SUZUKI ECSTAR. Riders and crews are already heading to Brno where on Sunday the Czech Republic Moto Grand Prix will be held.

Both Andrea Iannone and Alex Rins spent the last month resting, but also made time to focus on physical and mental training in order to renew their enthusiasm to return to racing with a competitive attitude and in perfect shape.

The latest results before the break gave the riders and the engineers many indications as to which direction the development should take, so the R&D department in Japan was able to work on further improvements. Speaking of technical advancements, Mr. Shinichi Sahara, current SMC Racing Group Manager, will take part in Friday’s mid-season review press conference, where he will make the first assessment of the season so far.

The challenges at the circuit in Brno include a number of elevation changes through forested hillsides, as well as fast and slow corners which test engineering and the rider’s talent to the limit. The track has a length of 5.4 km (3.36 miles) with six left and eight right-hand corners. Sunday's MotoGP race will take place over 22 laps for a total distance of 118.9 km (73.9 miles).

Andrea Iannone 

“I’m happy to get back to racing, and I feel enthusiastic because I think that on Saturday in Sachsenring we could discover something important for my GSX-RR, that I may find a better feel with it and ride more confidently. I used this break to train a lot. I also took a rest especially to calm my mind, but the main focus has been the physical training. Now I feel perfectly focused. The circuit of Brno is one that I like, so I’m happy that we start again from there. In this second part of the Championship we have to produce better results than in the first nine races. I know that the whole team is eager to have some positive results as much as I am. That allows me to feel very comfortable getting back to the paddock. We are going to begin a tough challenge. We have to improve our performance and our results, but I’m confident we have all the potential to succeed.”

Alex Rins 

"This year’s vacation has been very different from what I was used to, just as the Championship has been very unusual for me. The various injuries I suffered since the end of 2016 marked and changed my whole calendar, so it likewise affected the program for this summer break. I tried to work as hard as possible to completely recover from the arm and the ankle injuries, as well as getting physically toned. To be honest, I truly enjoyed this training period. Now I feel stronger and fit, I was also able to enjoy some riding on motorbikes besides cycling and the gym.”

Alex Rins