Suzuki had already left MotoGP for the first time in 2011, before returning four years later. Dorna Sports must now validate the team’s decision.
The Japanese manufacturer Suzuki confirmed Thursday that it is in discussions with the promoter of the MotoGP world championship (Dorna) to leave the discipline at the end of the year.
«Unfortunately, the current economic situation and the need to focus its efforts on the great changes that the world of motorized industry has been facing in recent years force Suzuki to transfer its costs and human resources to the development of new technologies.“, is it written in a press release.
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Suzuki’s departure from MotoGP was announced on Monday May 2 by the specialized site Motorsport.com, according to whom the leaders of Suzuki had gathered the members of the team in MotoGP to inform them of their decision to leave the discipline at the end of the season.
Dorna Sports, the promoter of the world championship, had then “officially contacted» the factory to remind him of the terms of his current contract until 2026, which does not allow him to «make this decision unilaterally».
A historic team, Suzuki had already left the discipline at the end of 2011, before returning to it in 2015. In 2020, it won the title of world driver champion thanks to the Spaniard Joan Mir, as well as the title of the best team. The manufacturer’s title eludes him in the modern era, however, having won his seven crowns in the former premier 500cc class from 1976 to 1982.
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In the current format, 24 motorcycles are entered in MotoGP. Eight by Ducati (2 in the factory stable and 6 in “satellite” teams), four by Yamaha, Honda and KTM (2 official motorcycles and 2 satellites each) and two factory motorcycles at Aprilia and Suzuki (ridden by Joan Mir and the other Spaniard Alex Rins).
La Dorna explained last week that they already have potential replacements ready to join the MotoGP grid in 2023. Before the French Grand Prix this weekend, 7th round out of 21 this season, Alex Rins and Joan Mir are 4th and 6th in the championship dominated by Frenchman Fabio Quartararo (Yamaha).
