Suzuki using 2014 electronics for first two WSB rounds

The Voltcom Crescent Suzuki WSB team will take advantage of a dispensation in the 2015 technical rules to run their 2014-style Motec ECU at the first two rounds of the new season. This will give them time to bring their 2015 Magneti Marelli ‘kit’ electronics up to full usability before taking to the WSB tracks in anger.

Issues with supply of hardware in time for the usual very early start in the WSB season was one limiting factor in sticking with the 2014 system for now, particularly as the first two rounds will be long hauls at Phillip Island in February and Thailand in March.

“We will use our current electronics system in the first two rounds of 2014, only for the reason that the new system will not be ready to implement at the first two rounds,” said Team Principal Paul Denning. “I think our first (Marelli) ECU only arrived at the end of December. We will be ready with it for the third round, but it is just not possible to implement for the first two races.”

Denning explained why Suzuki switched from Motec to Marelli in these days of cost capped WSB electronics and significant attempts to unify one basic race kit per manufacturer. “Suzuki preferred to have a platform with one supplier for obvious technical and commercial reasons,” said Denning. “That is fine with us and, at the end of the day, if the strategies are right then the hardware is somewhat irrelevant. We have got guys on the team with very good experience of the Marelli system and there is potentially a little bit more capacity within the Marelli to find further improvements over and above what we have got now. But it needs to be implemented and working properly before we can do that.”

Alex Lowes and Randy De Puniet will test in Portugal shortly using their 2015 engine spec again, with only small changes from their last outings at Jerez. “We tested a new spec engine there so it is a refinement of the bike we used at the last test in Spain last year,” confirmed Denning. “There will not be a lot new to see on the bike.”