Suzuki MotoGP
2022 nameTeam Suzuki Ecstar
BaseHamamatsu, Japan
Cambiago, Milan, Italy
Riders' Championships5
1976, 1977 - Barry Sheene
1993 - Kevin Schwantz
2000 - Kenny Roberts Jr.
2020 - Joan Mir
Teams' Championships1 2020

Suzuki MotoGP was the factory-backed team of Japanese motorcycle manufacturer Suzuki in the MotoGP World Championship, most recently using the name Team Suzuki Ecstar for sponsorship purposes. Suzuki withdrew from MotoGP competition at the conclusion of the 2022 season, winning their final race with Álex Rins.[1]

History

1970s

In 1971, Grand Prix racer Jack Findlay and his business partner Daniele Fontana constructed a racing motorcycle using a Suzuki T series engine with a chassis of their own design.[2] Findlay rode the motorcycle to victory in the 1971 Ulster Grand Prix marking the first victory for a Suzuki motorcycle in the premier 500cc class, as well as the first-ever 500cc class victory for a motorcycle powered by a two stroke engine.[2][3]

Suzuki first entered a works team in the 500cc Grand Prix World Championship in 1974 with riders Barry Sheene and Findlay riding the Suzuki RG500.[4] The motorcycle was designed by Makoto Hase using the proven square-four, two stroke engine architecture that Suzuki had developed during their successful Grand Prix racing program in the 1960s.[5] The RG 500 was proven successful in its first race at the 1974 500cc French Grand Prix when, Barry Sheene finished in second place behind the defending world champion, Phil Read. The team's first victory came in 1975, a pole-to-finish win by Barry Sheene at the Dutch TT. Sheene finished the season 6th overall with two wins.

Having developed the RG500, Suzuki ceded direct control of their Grand Prix racing program to their British importer, Suzuki GB in 1976 so that, they could concentrate on developing they first four stroke motorcycle, the Suzuki GS series.[5] Barry Sheene won the riders' championship in 1976 with a total of five wins.[4] Sheene's second 500cc riders' championship came in 1977 with six wins. Teammate Steve Parrish was fifth.

In 1978 with two wins on the new Suzuki RGA, Sheene finished second in the championship behind Yamaha rider Kenny Roberts. Teammate Wil Hartog was fourth overall, also won two races. The 1979 championship was again won by Roberts with Virginio Ferrari finishing second, Barry Sheene third and Wil Hartog fourth, all riding the new Suzuki RGB.[4]

1980s

Randy Mamola and Graeme Crosby joined Suzuki in 1980. While Yamaha rider Roberts won his third title, Suzuki riders Mamola was second, and Marco Lucchinelli third. Lucchinelli became the 500cc World Champion in 1981 riding the new Suzuki RG 500 gamma for the Roberto Gallina racing team.[6]

Lucchinelli left Suzuki to join Honda in 1982. He was replaced on the Gallina team by Franco Uncini who went on to win the World Championship with five wins. Uncini was severely injured at the Dutch TT at Assen in 1983 and was unable to defend his title. Suzuki withdrew factory support at the end of the season.[6]

After three years away Suzuki returned in 1987 with factory supported entries. While not a full-time return, riders Takumi Itoh and Kevin Schwantz had some good results aboard the new Suzuki RGV500. Suzuki made a full return to racing in 1988 with Schwantz finishing 8th overall with two wins whilst teammate Rob McElnea finished the season in 10th place.[6] With a total of six wins, Schwantz was ranked fourth for the 1989 season.[6]

1990s

In 1990 Schwantz was second overall with five wins while teammate Niall Mackenzie was 4th.[7] Another five wins ranked Schwantz third overall in 1991. Doug Chandler became Schwantz's teammate for 1992 during which Schwantz enjoyed one win to finish the season fourth followed by Chandler's fifth place overall.

Schwantz won his long-awaited first World Championship in 1993 with four race wins. His new teammate Alex Barros also scored a win and finished 6th overall.[7]

In 1994, Schwantz was 4th overall with two wins whilst Barros was 8th.[7] Early in the 1995 season, Schwantz decided to retire from motorcycle competition. The other Suzuki rider Daryl Beattie finished the season second with two race wins.[7]

Scott Russell joined Beattie in 1996. Russell finished the season 6th while Beattie suffered serious injuries pre-season and did not have his previous form. He finished 18th.[7] Beattie was joined by Anthony Gobert in 1997. Beattie finished the season 11th and Gobert 15th. A fifth-place finish by Beattie was the team's best result that season.

Suzuki entered an all Japanese riders lineup in 1998 with Nobuatsu Aoki and Katsuaki Fujiwara. Fujiwara however was injured during pre-season tests and Aoki contested the world championship alone. He finished 9th for the season with a best result of 4th place. New rider Kenny Roberts Jr. joined Aoki in 1999. Roberts Jr. took Suzuki's first win in the four years since 1995. His four wins gave him second place in the championship. Aoki was 13th.[7]

2000s

Roberts became World Champion in 2000 with a total of four victories,[8] Aoki was 10th overall.[7]

In 2001 Sete Gibernau joined Roberts riding the Suzuki RGV500. Gibernau finished ninth overall and Roberts 11th.[9]

In 2002, the debut year of the new MotoGP class, Roberts and Gibernau rode the new Suzuki GSV-R four-stroke motorcycle. The team's best result was a 3rd-place podium finish by Roberts at the Brazilian Grand Prix. Overall, Roberts finished 9th and Gibernau 16th.[9]

John Hopkins joined Roberts in 2003. Hopkins came seventh at the Spanish Grand Prix. However, Roberts missed three races due to a crash in the Italian Grand Prix and finished the season 19th two places behind Hopkins in 17th place.[9] The rider line-up remained the same for 2004 while Bridgestone replaced Michelin as the team's tyre supplier.[10] Hopkins finished the season 16th with Roberts Jr. again two places behind in 18th.[9]

Once again the rider line-up remained the same for 2005, while Englishman Paul Denning became the new team manager taking over the position of Gary Taylor.[11] Roberts took a second place podium-finish in the wet British Grand Prix but finished the season 13th. Hopkins finished 14th for the season.

Chris Vermeulen joined Hopkins in 2006.[12] Hopkins finished the season 10th while Vermeulen finished 11th with a 2nd place podium-finish at the 2006 Australian Grand Prix.

Both riders stayed with the team in 2007 and raced the new 800cc Suzuki GSV-R. Vermeulen took Suzuki's first win since the advent of four-stroke regulations and finished the season 6th overall. Hopkins finished 4th with four podium finishes.

For 2008, Chris Vermeulen was joined by Loris Capirossi as the rider lineup and the same lineup remained in 2009.

2010s

For the 2010 season Álvaro Bautista joined the team.

For the 2011 season, the team fielded only one GSV-R for Bautista with no replacement for Loris Capirossi, who moved to the Pramac Racing team. At the end of 2011, Suzuki pulled out of MotoGP citing the need to reduce costs amid the global economic downturn.[13]

In June 2013, Suzuki announced that they would return to MotoGP with a factory team in 2015.[14] On 30 September 2014, Suzuki confirmed that it would participate in MotoGP from 2015, with Aleix Espargaró and Maverick Viñales as their two riders. They raced a newly developed MotoGP machine, the GSX-RR, with a restructured team organisation led by Davide Brivio.[15]

2020s

In 2020, Suzuki secured the team's title for the first time, while rider Joan Mir secured the rider's title, becoming the first Suzuki rider to do so since Kenny Roberts Jr. in 2000.

On 12 May 2022, Suzuki announced they were "...in discussions with Dorna regarding the possibility of ending its participation in MotoGP at the end of 2022".[16] Suzuki were reported to have contractual obligations to participate until 2026.[17] Suzuki won two of their final three races in Australia and Valencia.[18][1]

MotoGP results

By rider

Year Class Team name Bike Riders Races Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points Pos.
2022 MotoGP Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR Spain Joan Mir 16 0 0 0 0 87 15th
Spain Álex Rins 19 2 4 0 0 173 7th
Japan Kazuki Watanabe 1 0 0 0 0 0 31st
Japan Takuya Tsuda 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
Italy Danilo Petrucci 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC

By year

(key)

Year Team Motorcycle Tyres No. Riders 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Points RC Points TC Points MC
2002 Telefónica Movistar Suzuki Suzuki GSV-R D M JPN SAF SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GBR GER CZE POR RIO PAC MAL AUS VAL
15 Spain Sete Gibernau Ret 16 9 12 Ret Ret Ret 6 Ret 4 Ret 8 Ret 14 12 13 51 16th 150 4th 143 3rd
10 United States Kenny Roberts Jr. Ret Ret 8 5 Ret 7 6 14 11 4 3 6 8 9 Ret 99 9th
51 Japan Yukio Kagayama Ret 0 NC
Team Suzuki Test 33 Japan Akira Ryō 2 11 15 13 11 14 11 41 18th —
2003 Suzuki Grand Prix Team Suzuki GSV-R M JPN SAF SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GBR GER CZE POR RIO PAC MAL AUS VAL
21 United States John Hopkins 13 13 7 Ret Ret 15 15 11 Ret 17 18 DNS Ret 12 13 29 17th 55 10th 43 5th
10 United States Kenny Roberts Jr. 14 15 13 16 Ret 15 20 17 17 15 14 9 11 22 19th
71 Japan Yukio Kagayama Ret 12 4 25th
43 Japan Akira Ryō 20 0 (6) 24th
Team Suzuki Test 43 Japan Akira Ryō 10 6 24th —
2004 Team Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki GSV-R B SAF SPA FRA ITA CAT NED RIO GER GBR CZE POR JPN QAT MAL AUS VAL
21 United States John Hopkins 13 15 Ret Ret 14 15 9 8 Ret 6 Ret 8 Ret 15 12 45 16th 89 9th 73 5th
10 United States Kenny Roberts Jr. Ret 8 12 Ret 17 16 7 8 17 10 14 Ret 37 18th
32 Spain Gregorio Lavilla 16 17 0 NC
71 Japan Yukio Kagayama 11 14 7 23rd
Team Suzuki Test 32 Spain Gregorio Lavilla Ret Ret 0 NC —
2005 Team Suzuki MotoGP

Red Bull Suzuki (Rd. 8)

 Suzuki GSV-R B SPA POR CHN FRA ITA CAT NED USA GBR GER CZE JPN MAL QAT AUS TUR VAL
21 United States John Hopkins 14 Ret 7 16 11 Ret 14 8 11 Ret 14 5 9 17 10 15 13 63 14th 126 8th 100 5th
10 United States Kenny Roberts Jr. Ret 12 Ret 13 15 15 16 14 2 11 11 8 7 11 63 13th
9 Japan Nobuatsu Aoki 16 Ret 0 NC
2006 Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki GSV-R B SPA QAT TUR CHN FRA ITA CAT NED GBR GER USA CZE MAL AUS JPN POR VAL
21 United States John Hopkins 9 Ret 17 4 15 10 4 6 8 10 6 7 6 12 12 6 11 116 10th 214 5th 151 4th
71 Australia Chris Vermeulen 12 Ret 7 Ret 10 14 6 10 16 7 5 12 11 2 11 9 Ret 98 11th
Team Suzuki Test 64 Japan Kousuke Akiyoshi 13 3 21st —
2007 Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki GSV-R B QAT SPA TUR CHN FRA ITA CAT GBR NED GER USA CZE SMR POR JPN AUS MAL VAL
21 United States John Hopkins 4 19 6 3 7 5 4 5 5 7 15 2 3 6 10 7 8 3 189 4th 368 3rd 241 4th
71 Australia Chris Vermeulen 7 9 11 7 1 8 7 3 16 11 2 5 2 13 11 8 7 6 179 6th
Team Suzuki Test 64 Japan Kousuke Akiyoshi 17 Ret 0 NC —
9 Japan Nobuatsu Aoki 13 3 25th
2008 Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki GSV-R B QAT SPA POR CHN FRA ITA CAT GBR NED GER USA CZE SMR IND JPN AUS MAL VAL
7 Australia Chris Vermeulen 17 10 8 Ret 5 10 7 8 7 3 3 6 5 9 Ret 15 9 13 128 8th 248 5th 181 4th
65 Italy Loris Capirossi 8 5 9 9 7 7 Ret WD 7 15 3 7 16 6 10 7 9 118 10th
11 United States Ben Spies 14 2 (20) 19th
Team Suzuki Test 11 United States Ben Spies 8 6 18 (20) 19th —
64 Japan Kousuke Akiyoshi Ret 0 NC
9 Japan Nobuatsu Aoki 17 0 NC
2009 Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki GSV-R B QAT JPN SPA FRA ITA CAT NED USA GER GBR CZE IND SMR POR AUS MAL VAL
7 Australia Chris Vermeulen 7 10 10 6 10 11 5 8 13 13 11 11 9 10 11 6 15 106 12th 216 6th 133 4th
65 Italy Loris Capirossi Ret 7 6 8 5 5 9 Ret 11 11 5 7 5 Ret 12 9 14 110 9th
2010 Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki GSV-R B QAT SPA FRA ITA GBR NED CAT GER USA CZE IND SMR ARA JPN MAL AUS POR VAL
19 Spain Álvaro Bautista Ret 10 DNS 14 12 14 5 Ret Ret Ret 8 8 8 7 5 12 11 9 85 13th 129 6th 108 6th
65 Italy Loris Capirossi 9 Ret Ret 10 Ret 13 7 11 10 Ret 11 Ret Ret Ret DNS 13 Ret 44 16th
2011 Rizla Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki GSV-R B QAT SPA POR FRA CAT GBR NED ITA GER USA CZE IND SMR ARA JPN AUS MAL VAL
19 Spain Álvaro Bautista DNS 13 12 12 5 11 13 7 Ret Ret 6 8 6 Ret Ret C Ret 67 13th 73 8th 73 4th
21 United States John Hopkins 10 DNS C 6 21st
Year Team Motorcycle Tyres No. Riders 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Points RC Points TC Points MC
2014 Team Suzuki MotoGP Suzuki GSX-RR B QAT AME ARG SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GER IND CZE GBR SMR ARA JPN AUS MAL VAL
14 France Randy de Puniet Ret 0 NC 0 NC 0 NC
2015 Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR B QAT AME ARG SPA FRA ITA ESP NED GER USA CZE GBR SMR ARA JPN AUS MAL VAL
25 Spain Maverick Viñales 14 9 10 11 9 7 6 10 11 11 Ret 11 14 11 Ret 6 8 11 97 12th 202 5th 137 4th
41 Spain Aleix Espargaró 11 8 7 7 Ret Ret Ret 9 10 14 9 9 10 6 11 9 7 8 105 11th
2016 Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR M QAT ARG AME SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GER AUT CZE GBR RSM ARA JPN AUS MAL VAL
25 Spain Maverick Viñales 6 Ret 4 6 3 6 4 9 12 6 9 1 5 4 3 3 6 5 202 4th 295 4th 208 4th
41 Spain Aleix Espargaró 11 11 5 5 6 9 Ret Ret 14 Ret Ret 7 Ret 7 4 Ret 13 8 93 11th
2017 Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR M QAT ARG AME SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GER CZE AUT GBR RSM ARA JPN AUS MAL VAL
29 Italy Andrea Iannone Ret 16 7 Ret 10 10 16 9 Ret 19 11 Ret Ret 12 4 6 17 6 70 13th 130 6th 100 4th
42 Spain Álex Rins 9 Ret DNS 17 21 11 16 9 8 17 5 8 DSQ 4 59 16th
12 Japan Takuya Tsuda 17 0 NC
50 France Sylvain Guintoli 15 17 17 1 27th
2018 Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR M QAT ARG AME SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GER CZE AUT GBR RSM ARA THA JPN AUS MAL VAL
29 Italy Andrea Iannone 9 8 3 3 Ret 4 10 11 12 10 13 C 8 3 11 Ret 2 Ret Ret 133 10th 302 4th 233 4th
42 Spain Álex Rins Ret 3 Ret Ret 10 5 Ret 2 Ret 11 8 C 4 4 6 3 5 2 2 169 5th
50 France Sylvain Guintoli Ret 19 21 0 NC —
2019 Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR M QAT ARG AME SPA FRA ITA CAT NED GER CZE AUT GBR RSM ARA THA JPN AUS MAL VAL
36 Spain Joan Mir 8 Ret 17 Ret 16 12 6 8 7 Ret 8 14 7 8 5 10 7 92 12th 301 (304) 5th 234 4th
42 Spain Álex Rins 4 5 1 2 10 4 4 Ret Ret 4 6 1 Ret 9 5 7 9 5 5 205 4th
50 France Sylvain Guintoli 13 20 12 20 7 25th
2020 Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR M SPA ANC CZE AUT STY RSM EMI CAT FRA ARA TER EUR VAL POR
36 Spain Joan Mir Ret 5 Ret 2 4 3 2 2 11 3 3 1 7 Ret 171 1st 310 1st 202 3rd
42 Spain Álex Rins DNS 10 4 Ret 6 5 12 3 NC 1 2 2 4 15 139 3rd
2021 Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR M QAT DOH POR SPA FRA ITA CAT GER NED STY AUT GBR ARA RSM AME EMI ALR VAL
36 Spain Joan Mir 4 7 3 5 Ret 3 4 9 3 2 4 9 3 6 8 Ret 2 5 208 3rd 307 3rd 240 3rd
42 Spain Álex Rins 6 4 Ret 20 Ret Ret 11 11 7 14 2 11 Ret 4 6 8 Ret 99 13th
2022 Team Suzuki Ecstar Suzuki GSX-RR M QAT INA ARG AME POR SPA FRA ITA CAT GER NED GBR AUT RSM ARA JPN THA AUS MAL VAL
9 Italy Danilo Petrucci 20 0 30th 260 6th 199 5th
36 Spain Joan Mir 6 6 4 4 Ret 6 Ret Ret 4 Ret 8 Ret Ret DNS 18 19 6 87 15th
42 Spain Álex Rins 7 5 3 2 4 19 Ret Ret Ret DNS 10 7 8 7 9 Ret 12 1 5 1 173 7th
85 Japan Takuya Tsuda Ret 0 NC
92 Japan Kazuki Watanabe 21 0 31st

References

  1. 1 2 Duncan, Lewis (6 November 2022). "Rins was 'crying on the grid' before taking Suzuki's farewell MotoGP win". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  2. 1 2 Jack Findlay obituary - The Telegraph
  3. ↑ "MotoGP Milestones". crash.net. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 "Suzuki Motorcycle History: Racing History 1970s". Global Suzuki. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  5. 1 2 Noyes, Dennis; Scott, Michael (1999), Motocourse: 50 Years Of Moto Grand Prix, Hazleton Publishing Ltd, ISBN 1-874557-83-7
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Suzuki Motorcycle History: Racing History 1980s". Global Suzuki. Archived from the original on 7 February 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Suzuki Motorcycle History: Racing History 1990s". Global Suzuki. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  8. ↑ "Kenny Roberts Jr, Biography and Information". highrevs.net. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Suzuki Motorcycle History: Racing History 2000s". Global Suzuki. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  10. ↑ "Suzuki MotoGP Team Makes Choice Of Bridgestone Tires Official". Road Racing World. 17 November 2003. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  11. ↑ "Paul Denning, Suzuki Team Manager". MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 6 August 2005. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  12. ↑ "Vermeulen Signs Two-year Deal With Suzuki MotoGP Team". Roadracing World. 28 October 2005. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  13. ↑ "Suzuki to suspend MotoGP operation due to 'tough circumstances'". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Press Association. 18 November 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  14. ↑ Ramsey, Jonathon (18 June 2013). "Suzuki back in MotoGP for 2015". Autoblog. AOL. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  15. ↑ "Suzuki return to MotoGP™ with Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales in 2015". MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 30 September 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2014.
  16. ↑ "SUZUKI ANNOUNCEMENT". www.suzuki-racing.com. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  17. ↑ Dorna contacts Suzuki to remind it of contract conditions the-race.com, 3 May 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2022
  18. ↑ Duncan, Lewis (16 October 2022). "MotoGP Australian GP: Rins wins last-lap thriller, Quartararo crashes out". www.autosport.com. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
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