Joan Mir might use 2022 Suzuki chassis in remaining races

Joan Mir might not wait until next season to race the 2022 Suzuki GSX-RR chassis and instead use it in the remaining rounds of this year.

After evaluating the factory's latest 2022 engine on Tuesday at the Misano test, world champion Mir then tried the accompanying new frame on Wednesday.

While the MotoGP rules prevent engine design changes during the season, there is nothing to prevent the 2022 chassis being used immediately, providing it fits with the current engine.

"I'm happy because we tried the 2022 engine yesterday then today the new chassis, which also might be useful for the last races of this season as the feeling I got is very positive," Mir said.

"The direction is quite good of the chassis, looks like it's stopping better [under braking], but also there are some negative things. Normally when you gain something [like this] you lose a little bit of agility or something. So now we have to work on the bike, the geometry and all of this, to make it better on turning and all this.

"But if we are able to stop the bike a bit better, then we will also accelerate in a better way.

"Of course we cannot use the 2022 engine yet, but the chassis is something that [maybe] we will use in the next races. After the first morning with the chassis I feel it's the direction I need to be stronger.

"This morning, I was able to see how the chassis was for 10 laps on a new soft tyre and I was able to be really competitive. Not really pushing for a lap time I was able to make my best lap time here at Misano. So it means that we are following the right steps."

Meanwhile, the 2022 engine retained the current GSX-RR character but ticked the box of being a little more powerful.

"About the engine, we have to work a lot on the electronic side to put it all together and see the real potential of the engine. But at the moment looks like it is a little bit more powerful, following always the character of the Suzuki bike. So it's something interesting," Mir said.

"Of course it's difficult to find a revolution with an Inline-4 engine but you feel that you have more power, so it’s always nice.

"Now we have to work in some different areas and I think one thing we can improve a lot is the aerodynamic side of our bike. It's something that we know that there is some margin, so I think if we put it all together we can have a great bike next year."

Team-mate Rins, who was 15th fastest, gave the engine a clear thumbs-up for the future:

"Sincerely yes, it's what we were asking for. We were asking for an engine with more power and they bring an engine with more power. I'm quite happy because after the first time we tried in Jerez they modified some things and it's working much better. It has a good potential.

"We are doing a lot of laps with the new engine, trying to adapt the more power we have to our chassis, our swingarm. I'm quite happy with how it's going."

The Spaniard also worked on refining Suzuki's new rear ride-height device.

"It's getting better yes. They bring something new here and it's working a little bit better. I did two long runs of 10 laps without, 10 laps with, and sincerely when I was using I was having a good feeling and riding quite fast. My fastest lap time this morning was with the medium tyre."

Rins confirmed that an 'automatic' version of the ride-height device, which can be primed on the way into corners and then lowers automatically on the exit, won't be seen on the Suzuki this season.

Mir and Rins, currently third and 13th in the world championship standings, have six podiums between them but no race victories.