Dorna CEO makes further statement on Suzuki MotoGP situation

Suzuki MotoGP Pull Out

Subsequent to the official statement released earlier this week by Suzuki confirming their intention to exit from MotoGP, Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta made this statement overnight at Le Mans.

Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta on Suzuki

“We were surprised by the news we received in Jerez, regarding the communication from Suzuki with the team, and I was advised by Livio Suppo that the decision was not to continue after this season. The first thing we said is that we could understand, but we need to talk to know the situation because we have an agreement with Suzuki signed just last year. We need to understand exactly where is the problem. Regarding that, we will have a meeting with Suzuki representatives next week, with members of the Board.

“For me it’s important to say that we obviously are not happy with Suzuki leaving, but the most important thing is that the Championship is in very good health. Immediately after we saw the news about the situation, we received a lot of demands from manufacturers or individual teams, and then we need to decide. For us to have a Championship with five manufacturers and six private teams is exactly the same we had last year, and it’s ok for us. Depending on how the proposals look, we will decide if we want to replace Suzuki or we will continue with the situation as it is without Suzuki.”

Suzuki Statement from earlier this week

Suzuki Motor Corporation is in discussions with Dorna regarding the possibility of ending its participation in MotoGP at the end of 2022.

Unfortunately, the current economical situation and the need to concentrate its effort on the big changes that the Automotive world is facing in these years, are forcing Suzuki to shift costs and human resources to develop new technologies.

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to our Suzuki Ecstar Team, to all those who have supported Suzuki’s motorcycle racing activities for many years and to all Suzuki fans who have given us their enthusiastic support.

Only a couple of weeks ago Suzuki celebrated their 500th podium in Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing.

In 2020 Suzuki Motor Corporation marked its 100th anniversary and 60 years in racing, the same year that Joan Mir dominated the top class and took the MotoGP crown. And now, two years later, another important moment is marked in Suzuki’s history books.

The story started on June 4th 1962 when Ernst Degner took the brand’s first podium, riding the RM62 in the 50cc class at the Isle of Man (which in those times was a World Championship round).

Just three years later the Hamamatsu factory hit 100 podiums in Finland with Hugh Anderson and, fittingly, the 200th podium was taken by a Finn; Teuvo ‘Tepi’ Lansivuori in 1975.

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In the next decade Italy’s Marco Lucchinelli made it 300, and in 1993 it was Kevin Schwantz who secured Suzuki’s 400th podium.

Suzuki Wins & Podiums

In between these major milestones, a number of very talented riders and champions have added to the tally; the likes of Barry Sheene, Randy Mamola, Kenny Roberts Jnr along with our own Daryl Beattie, Chris Vermeulen and Jack Findlay.

Suzuki’s most successful class in terms of podiums is 500cc/ MotoGP, 316 in total, and the rider with the most podiums for the brand is Kevin Schwantz – a brilliant 51 rostrums for the American on the RGV500.

Schwantz was present in Austin to witness Alex Rins taking the 500th podium, and he was joined by other former Suzuki podium-sitters; Randy Mamola, Maverick Viñales, Franco Uncini and John Hopkins as they all toasted the success together with Team Suzuki Ecstar.

In recent years, Joan Mir and Alex Rins have been star performers for Suzuki on their GSX-RR machines, taking a total of 28 podiums between them.

Suzuki riders with most wins

Suzuki riders with most podiums

Suzuki podium milestones