Next year only five instead of six manufacturers are expected to compete in the MotoGP World Championship. Because Suzuki has surprisingly decided to withdraw.
Bad news spread like wildfire in the paddock at the IRTA MotoGP test in Jerez on Monday: The Japanese Suzuki management in Hamamatsu has decided to withdraw the MotoGP factory team at the end of the 2022 season. A new five-year contract was signed and announced last year between the Suzuki Motor Company in Hamamatusu and World Championship promoter Dorna-Sports SL. It only expires at the end of the 2026 season.
A high-ranking Dorna official confirmed the correctness of this report to SPEEDWEEK.com in the evening. Silence is being maintained at Suzuki for the moment, as first the team needs to be briefed and factory riders Joan Mir and Alex Rins need to be cleared of the matter.
The reasons for the withdrawal have not yet been announced. They are not known at Dorna either.
Tomorrow the Suzuki team manager with Shinichi Sahara and Livio Suppo will go public with a press release. The fact is: Mir and Rins have to look for new employers in the MotoGP World Championship.
Ten days ago, team manager Livio Suppo, who joined Suzuki in January and made long-term plans, announced: “We want to continue with both pilots.” But the contracts of the two drivers expire at the end of the year.
The news from Japan took Livio Suppo and the entire Suzuki team by surprise. As late as 4 p.m., the Italian was apparently unaware of the decision to retreat.
Suzuki has always been fickle when it comes to involvement in motorsport series. The Japanese have long since dropped out of the Superbike World Championship, and out of the blue they withdrew from the Motocross World Championship after 2017. And in the MotoGP class Suzuki stopped after 2011, when for 2012 they went with 1000cc instead of 800cc. The creative break until 2015 was also used to develop an in-line four-cylinder instead of the unsuccessful V4 engine.
Suzuki Ecstar has had one of the best driver duos in recent years. Mir surprisingly won the 2020 World Championship with a GP victory in Valencia, Rins has already won three races on the Suzuki GSX-RR. Rins and Mir are currently in 4th and 6th place in the drivers’ championship.
Results MotoGP Jerez (May 1st):
1. Pecco Bagnaia (I), Ducati, 25 Runden in 41: 00.554 min
2. Fabio Quartararo (F), Yamaha, +0,285 sec
3. Aleix Espargaró (E), Aprilia, +10,977
4. Marc Marquez (L), Honda, +12,676
5. Jack Miller (AUS), Ducati, +12,957
6. Joan Mir (E), Suzuki, +13,934
7. Takaaki Nakagami (J), Honda, +14,929
8. Enea Bastianini (I), Ducati, +18.436
9. Marco Bezzecchi (I), Ducati, +18,830
10. Brad Binder (ZA), KTM, +20.056
11. Pol Espargaro (E), Honda, +20,856
12. Miguel Oliveira (L), KTM, +23,131
13. Alex Marquez (L), Honda, +25,306
14. Maverick Vinales (E), Aprilia, +27.358
15. Franco Morbidelli (I), Yamaha, +27.519
16. Luca Marini (I), Ducati, +29,278
17. Andrea Dovizioso (I), Yamaha, +35.204
18. Fabio Di Giannantonio (I), Ducati, +35.361
19. Alex Rins (E), Suzuki, +38,922
20. Remy Gardner (AUS), KTM, +43.378
21. Lorenzo Savadori (I), Aprilia, +44.299
22. Jorge Martin (E), Ducati, +1:07.681min
– Stefan Bradl (D), Honda, 15 laps back
– Johann Zarco (F), Ducati, 16 laps behind
– Darryn Binder (ZA), Yamaha, 20 laps behind
Championship status after 6 of 21 Grand Prix:
1. Quartararo 89 Punkte. 2. Aleix Espargaro 82. 3. Bastianini 69. 4. Rins 69. 5. Bagnaia 56. 6. Mir 56. 7. Zarco 51. 8. Brad Binder 48. 9. Marc Marquez 44. 10. Oliveira 43. 11. Miller 42. 12. Pol Espargaró 35. 13. Martin 28. 14. Viñales 27. 15. Nakagami 21. 16. Morbidelli 18. 17. Alex Márquez 16. 18. Bezzecchi 15. 19. Marini 14. 20. Dovizioso 8. 21. Darryn Binder 6. 22. Gardner 3.
Constructors’ Championship:
1. Ducati, 131 Punkte. 2. Yamaha 89. 3. Aprilia 83. 4. Suzuki 80. 5. KTM 76. 6. Honda 57.
Team World Cup:
1. Suzuki Ecstar, 125 Punkte. 2. Aprilia Racing 109. 3. Monster Energy Yamaha 107. 4. Ducati Lenovo 98. 5. Red Bull KTM Factory 91. 6. Pramac Racing 79. 7. Repsol Honda 79. 8. Gresini Racing MotoGP 69. 9. LCR Honda 37. 10. Mooney VR46 Racing 29. 11. WithU Yamaha RNF 14. 12. Tech3 KTM Factory 3.