The following press release is from Suzuki.
Team Suzuki Press Office – June 17. Suzuki Motor Corporation will return to FIM Road Racing Grand Prix MotoGP in 2015.
After two years suspension since 2012, Suzuki Motor Corporation has organised its test team to undergo more practical running tests at its advanced development stage and will participate in the official joint testing to be held at the Catalunya circuit in Spain. Through continuing running tests at the circuits inside and outside Japan for further development and refinement, Suzuki Motor Corporation will participate again in MotoGP racing from 2015.
Suzuki Motor Corporation will feed back advanced technology to be derived through MotoGP racing activity to develop further attractive production models.
The outline of testing team and racing machine to be developed are as follows:
Chief members of Europe testing team in 2013:
– Team manager: Davide Brivio
– Development rider: Randy De Puniet
MotoGP machine to be developed:
– 1000cc In-line four GP racer
I think that as they haven’t raced in over 2 years, the fact that a second/third tier rider like DePuniet was able to get the bike within a second of the fastest riders on the track is promising.
I’ll try to stay optimistic for now.
Funny that some tried rumors that they would wait until 2015 to rope in Rossi??? fat chance on that!
I think DePuniet is a better racer than you think.
Yawn…
It’s Sad to see the demise of Suzuki but at leas they’ll go out with a bang …R.I.P. Suzuki.
re: “It’s Sad to see the demise of Suzuki but at leas they’ll go out with a bang”
the rumors of their demise are greatly exaggerated. however what’s actually sad is the futile pursuit of glory in MotoGP when what they should be doing is going “hammer and tongs” with a product they ACTUALLY MANUFACTURE (one million-th GSXR anyone?) in WSBK.
“Raise the sail with your stronger hand…”
a Japanese proverb often quoted by Soichiro Honda himself. really gotta wonder what manner of dysfunction is going on in hammamatsu when a westerner can school them in their own culture…?
Unfortunatly it only seems exaggerated …I know people and Suzuki is in deep doo-doo. They have closed several bike factories in other countries and are closing dealerships all over the place . It’s a matter of time now. Not if but when.
YIIKKEESSS…! well I know they restructured their dealer network stateside yanking a few franchises. admittedly, i’m just hoping that would be enough.
btw, did you hear, mat mladin (yes that mat mladin) is talking about a return to racing…!? I thought it sounded strange, since he clearly appeared to have “swallowed dynamite” at that recent appearance at Infineon. maybe the so called “bug” he speaks of was in the form of the classic briefcase stacked with 100’s slid across a conference table …? 🙂
http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/seven-time-champion-mladin-looking-to-make-comeback-to-ama-pro-superbike/
wow. As much as he despised the DMG take-over, I think the boredom of running away from the field really drove him away. I think seeing Josh Hayes running away from everyone else, especially last year gave him the spark to return to possible actual competition. He said he had no real interest in 2009 after Spies left.
I think Mladdin was a cry-baby and a cherry-picker. All the real talent kept moving up always leaving him in the top by default. Not that Mat isn’t a good rider (in a Max Biaggi way).
Don’t really know for sure but I think Mladin stayed in the AMA Superbike/Suzuki spot because he was making more $ than if he went anywhere else. If he comes back now it must be from boredom or to compete again at something he loves to do.
You’d have to think that the quickest way they’ll start improving is to get right back in there and competing asap.
CRTs are improving all the time, and with another two years’ development, while the Suzuki runs on one or two tracks only….. well, who would your money be on?
If that came to pass, it would be a pR disaster for Suzuki; even more than last time out.
Dorna wont let Suzuki jump in and compete. They can buy anothers place on the grid, but no one wants to sell thier place. They have to wait until Dorna opens the grid for more spots in 2 years. Even then they will have to buy their own tires.
One would think Dorna would welcome Suzuki with open arms, but alas they aren’t.
The grid is half full even with the CRT bikes. There are currently only 12 Factory prototypes. Who’s “spot” are they holding onto?
re: “One would think Dorna would welcome Suzuki with open arms”
yes, on the surface one WOULD think that… but only when one is rationalizing while not in possession of all the facts. think about it. it’s not like we haven’t seen human beings make this mistake a 1000 times.
it’s akin to forming a hard/fast opinion on say a controversial topic in the news, and thinking you’ll be correct (as if), having only seen a sound byte or two on TV. really…? you might wanna go deeper.
re: “CRTs are improving all the time”
7. Aleix Espargaro ESP Power Electronics Aspar (ART CRT) 1m 42.537s
8. Randy De Puniet FRA Suzuki Test Team (Suzuki) 1m 42.676s
and here it is, out paced by a wobbling CRT at it’s very first test. when people see what they want to see, details get overlooked.
I’d be interested in seeing the whole results sheet. Any Ducatis behind it? I’ve seen Hondas and even a Tech-3 Yamaha lower in the list than 8th this year.
As for having all the facts, you are correct, I don’t know what goes on behind the scenes. As a viewer I can plainly see what is important to me though, which is the MotoGP series is an overpriced, under-competitive show and I am thinking about switching tv/cable carriers to get access to channels that will show me WSBK and AMA SBK. You know, “racing”.
re: “As for having all the facts, you are correct, I don’t know what goes on behind the scenes.”
no no sorry, I don’t mean behind the scenes or anything. Suzuki simply has had a TERRIBLE performance record in grandprix going all the way back to 2000/2001. this in front of the world. it all began conspicuously with the throwing of Kenny jr. and his title defense under the bus. at the risk of sounding politically incorrect… it was a “midget toss”.
We as fans are prone to judge a program’s success harshly. No win = failure. Suzuki was heading in the right direction with Alvaro Bautista who is probably missing the bike despite having been on a Honda the past couple of years now.
I think Bautista has shown all he is capable of doing in both Suzuki and Honda. He needs to join DeAngelis and Elias back in Moto2 from the end of this season on. The last time Suzuki had a minor “spark” was when Hopkins finished 4th in the final standings in 2008. He jumped ship to Kawasaki, which was really the end of Hopkins, Suzuki and Kawasaki all together.
For a first up effort…with a second tier rider…I think that’s pretty good. But of course…you could prob do better eh *Norm*
I’d sure like to see some competition. This Yamaha/Honda parade is pretty boring.
Guess they didn’t have as much in the piggy bank as they thought.
and a year ain’t gonna put it there. 10 years maybe…?
hurry up and wait…? brilliant. looks like some folks just got SUCKERED for a year. like to try for 2…? told ya. curious, where’s ezpelata on all this…? he doesn’t give a rat’s how nice the kit looks. hammamatsu can “announce” all they want, but without a corresponding announcement of a 3yr commitment to motogp…? all of this smoke and mirrors guys. here’s a thought, how ’bout we all take a step back from the cliff and just watch what happens.
At one time, didn’t you say no way, never, ever? Yep, you did.
and it still might be that. only it could be EZPELATA who utters those words. they ain’t on anybody’s grid yet kid.
And when they are Old Timer, how would you like your crow prepared?
re: “how would you like your crow prepared?”
with a side of backmarking and getting lapped.
breaking news, single bikes are for the paparrazzi and those active in “fantasy roadracing” like yourself. hell, STANBOLI created a single bike with a CP engine and he’s not some giant factory…!?
you’re forgetting (or never knew to begin with?), the dictate is 2 bikes, 10 engines, and 2 riders. a far cry from what we have here. but be sure to let me know when all that shows up. lol
GREAT NEWS ……..more competition is always better! Sure would be nice to Spies ride for them again but who knows.
re: “GREAT NEWS ……..more competition is always better!”
disappointing news, their boast was 2014.
re: “Sure would be nice (for) Spies (to) ride for them…”
…in WSBK.
Hope they hire a fully healed up Ben Spies.
That would be nice to see them come together again.
I hope they do well. It will be great to see Suzuki back on the grid. Hope DePruniet isn’t their rider though. That guy wads up a bike every race.
LOL!!! Ain’t that the truth…
I’m with you Mickey…It will be great to see a beautiful Suzuki running in MotoGP, I hope it happens