Source: Supplied.

Suzuki Motor Corporation has announced 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 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,” team manager Davide Brivio said.

“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.”

Rins’ 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 second place overall, winning the Rookie of the Year award after collecting two wins, a total of 10 podiums and three pole positions. In 2016 he has already scored two wins and currently leads the points standings 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.