Suzuki has officially confirmed that it is in talks with Dorna Sports to withdraw from MotoGP for 2022 only.
Following a post-Spanish Grand Prix test in Jerez last Monday, Suzuki management reportedly gathered MotoGP race teams in the afternoon and announced a decision to withdraw from MotoGP for the rest of the season.
Suzuki’s decision to just return to MotoGP in 2015 shocked the team. Dorna Sports also issued a statement about the report, arguing that manufacturers could not withdraw MotoGP on their own.
However, Suzuki released a press release on May 12. He said he would withdraw from MotoGP in response to the posting situation and the changes facing the automotive industry.
“Suzuki Corporation is in talks with Dorna Sports to end its participation in the FIM Road Racing World Championship (MotoGP) at the end of 2022,” Suzuki said in a statement.
“To accelerate the response to the current economic situation and the major changes facing the automotive industry in recent years, Suzuki will focus its funding and human resources on the development of new technologies.”
“We would like to thank all the fans who have supported Suzuki’s motorcycle racing activities and gave us warm cheers.”
Suzuki has been the mainstay of MotoGP throughout the 500cc era and has won world titles with Barry Sheene, Marco Lucinelli, Franco Uncini, Kevinche Wants and Kenny Roberts Jr.
Suzuki continued when MotoGP switched to a four-stroke system, but did not make an entry for Alvaro Bautista from one in the 2011 season and withdrew due to financial difficulties at the end of the year.
After that, Suzuki rebuilt the project in a few years and returned full-time in 2015. Maverick Viñales won the Silverstone in 2016 for the first time since 2007, and Joan Mir won the world title for the first time in 20 years in 2020.
Suzuki suffered last year as long-time team boss Davide Breivio moved to the Alpine F1 Team. Project leader Shinichi Sahara took on the role of de facto team boss, but he admitted that he had too many roles and brought in 2022 former Honda and Ducati bosses Ribio Suppo.
Joan Mir and Alex Rins both had a contract with Suzuki until the end of 2022, and Joan Mir said he intends to continue with Suzuki in the preseason. Alex Rins also said in Portugal that Suzuki had shown him that he was keen to hold him in 2023.
Joan Mir is reportedly likely to move to Honda in 2022 as Marc Marquez’s teammate on behalf of Pol Espargaro. Meanwhile, Alex Rins’ future remains very uncertain at this stage.
Category: Category: F1 / MotoGP