STEFAN EVERTS BACK WITH SUZUKI LEGENDARY SUZUKI COLOURS PAGE 02 STEFAN EVERTS #72 Back with Suzuki for 2016 PAGE 10 TEAM SUZUKI GLOBAL RACING Investing in future champions PAGE 22 GSX-R LEGENDARY COLOURS Suzuki race teams celebrate on track NEXT ISSUE WORLD ENDURANCE WEC WINNERS: Dominique Meliand’s 14 winning Suzukis 2015 MOTOCROSS TOP SHOTS: Team Suzuki’s favourite MX photos revealed MY FAVOURITE GSX-R – FAN BIKES: GSX-R 30th Anniversary – from Suzuki fans SUZUKI ECSTAR MOTOGP™ TESTING Introducing new tech at Valencia & Sepang FULL CIRCLE STEFAN EVERTS RETURNS TO SUZUKI Almost 25 years have passed since Stefan Everts joined his father Harry in delivering an FIM 125cc Motocross World Championship for Suzuki – a 12th crown in 15 seasons for the RM125 – and now one of the most famous names in the rich history of the sport is making his return to the brand where it all started. 02 TEAM SUZUKI RACING December 2015 Racing News 03 “IT IS A VERY BIG CHALLENGE AND A BIG RESPONSIBILITY…BUT ACTUALLY, I THINK I AM READY FOR IT” Everts’ magnificent achievement of 101 Grand “I have been friends with Sylvain for many years as fuel injection and electronics and all the while able to build up some experience on the other side Prix victories and 10 world titles as a professional and we’d always talk at the GPs. I knew for a keeping Suzuki at the forefront of the premier of the fence. I feel ready! And I needed something racer began with Hamamatsu’s finest technology while that he was looking at retirement and a time class of the FIM series. Names like Strijbos, De new. at the beginning of the 1990s. Sylvain Geboers to stop,” explains Everts, who ‘retired’ himself at Dycker, Ramon and Desalle have all boosted the – a faithful steward and long-time bastion of the end of a final championship triumph in 2006 large silverware collection at Lommel in the last “With Suzuki it will be a lot,” he adds. “I will have Suzuki’s racing progression at the highest level for and has barely stepped away from Grand Prix. 10 years. to run a company with a lot of people under my three decades overseeing 125, 250 and MX1 title “We never really talked about it too much because wings. I’ve worked in the past with the Japanese success – plucked the young Belgian to continue I was very busy in my former job but it got to a Everts will take on this mantle and the lofty and it is a completely different way to go about where the likes of Gaston Rahier, Akira Watanabe, point where I was not happy in what I was doing standards set by Geboers and his dedicated team things. It is going to be different but fun and I’m Harry Everts (three times), Eric Geboers, Michele for a living and we talked more. I was excited of professionals that have not changed radically sure it will be rewarding.” Rinaldi and Donny Schmidt had trodden about it from the beginning. We chatted for some through the passing of many racing campaigns. previously. months and I made my decision in the summer.” GRP also oversees Suzuki’s MX2 and European Stefan, since 2006 you’ve had a range of Championship programme that has witnessed responsibilities like working with R&D, senior Now, with Everts’ acquisition of Geboers Racing GRP – Suzuki’s forceful European base located talent like Ken Roczen, Jeremy Seewer and Brian management, team management and rider Promotion (GRP) from the former 250cc Grand in Lommel and a few kilometres from the Hsu grow-up and prosper ‘in yellow.’ coaching. At Suzuki what will it be now? Prix winner in the early 1970s, the 43 year old notoriously tough sandy Grand Prix venue – has has come back to launch a new stage of his post- been the breeding ground for the development of “It is a very big challenge and a big “I think it will still be a multi-functional role. I competitive career and take Suzuki onwards into the company’s flagship off-road racer, the RM- responsibility…but actually, I think I am ready for will need good people in my team that I can trust the third decade of the century. Z450, since the model was introduced to replace it,” he states. “I have the age and the knowledge. I and can rely on but I will need to make some the potent RM250 in 2004. The works team has have been retired for nine years and thanks to my major decisions that I’m sure will come up. What helped evolve the motorcycle through phases such job as co-ordinator at another manufacturer I was will also be important for me is to continue to 04 TEAM SUZUKI RACING December 2015 Racing News 05 “I LOVE THIS SPORT SO MUCH AND I LOVE TO TRAVEL “THEY WERE AND BE AT THE RACES. I LOVE FINDING NEW TALENT. I STILL LOVE WINNING!” MY FIRST LOVE” have this close relationship with riders and help comments like ‘what is he doing trying to be a “I think a lot of things can be changed. I think I cannot do all of it and need the help of Suzuki and support them. I think it is a strong extra team owner?!’ for the last few years Sylvain has been going into but I think it is the right time to try and fit it benefit I can bring. In this respect I have to give a mode of just getting the team organised and together. It will take a few years of course and I credit to my Dad for all his help on this side. I “It is something that motivates me even more to I believe some sort of ‘refresh’ and some new have three and five year targets in my mind.” will also work with sponsors and try to find new show that I can do it. I love the fact that people motivation pumped into the team will help. partners. I need someone who can help prepare feel they have to say those things because it drives Sylvain has a few years on the clock and I think As an athlete Everts wore FIM championship that part. We have been talking only about a me on. I really feel ready for what I am doing even it is totally understandable that he does not have medals with three other Japanese brands and has few sides of the job; we haven’t even mentioned if someone will say: ‘he’s crazy.’ I love this sport that dynamism to push forwards any more. I’d notable legacies with two of those manufacturers. the testing and development of the bikes and so much and I love to travel and be at the races. I like to change the team set-up in the future, such The fact that Suzuki is where his illustrious career the whole strategy behind the team structure. love finding new talent. I still love winning! I want as the fact that we have the hospitality truck surged into the big time is not lost on the Belgian. Fortunately Sylvain will be at my side for the to be the best and I was born this way and will that is really cool but needs to be used more and “They were my first love,” he says. “Sylvain is the next three years to help me out for some things die this way. I want success with this team. A lot perhaps can look even better in the future. I’d one who got me into Suzuki. He saw me riding like the contact with Suzuki and to teach me also of things need to change, to move and be pushed like to create a really strong team image. On the as a 13-14 year old and he was impressed. Suzuki how to do things in the best possible way and forward. It will be hard work and a ‘helluva job multimedia side we can work harder and expand shipped two bikes from Japan at a time when slowly gain the trust of the Japanese engineers and but I always try to think of the positive side. our profile more. The interaction with the fans they were not doing much at all in off-road and management.” is important. On another side I’d like to push motocross. They had stopped for a few years but Suzuki has been at the front of MXGP for so Suzuki with their model range and give more he gained their support and that was where it all It’s curious that through your career people long and constantly in title contention. There options for the market. Things like merchandising started for me. I raced for him for five seasons and made comments like ‘he cannot win with will be pressure to keep that going, but are as well. I see a lot of paths we can explore. I see a we won a championship and took a second and a Husky, he cannot win 100 GPs, he cannot win there also things you want to change and see big opportunity. third. Those were some great years and I respected three motos in a day’ and now they also make done differently? what Sylvain and Suzuki gave me.” 06 TEAM SUZUKI RACING December 2015 Racing News 07 STEFAN EVERTS Q & A How do you see the MX2/ Ben Townley is onboard. Some European Championship side of people would consider the 30 the team developing? year old a risk, others might see it as an inspired move.