Alvaro Bautista (Rizla Suzuki) - Photo Credit: MotoGP.com
Suzuki Motor Corporation have confirmed that they will take no part in the 2012 MotoGP World Championship, citing the global financial crisis and the recent natural disasters in Japan as the reasons.
The Rizla Suzuki team's participation had been in some doubt for months as the Japanese manufacturer remained silent on their plans for 2012. At first, the British-based team had hoped to continue, albeit with an 800cc bike which they tested at Valencia, before introducing a 1000cc challenger midway through the season.
But on Friday, the manufacturer confirmed in a statement what they called a “temporary suspension” of their MotoGP activities and still plans to return for the 2014 season.
“Suzuki Motor Corporation has decided to suspend temporarily its participation in FIM Road Racing Grand Prix MotoGP from 2012”, they explained.
“This suspension is to cope with tough circumstances mainly caused by the prolonged recession in developed countries, a historical appreciation of Japanese Yen and repeated natural disasters.
Having an eye to returning to MotoGP in 2014, Suzuki will now focus on developing a competitive new racing machine for that class.
Suzuki will continue motocross racing activity and support of road racing activities using mass-produced motorcycles, by obtaining FIM homologation and co-operation with the supplier of its development racing kit parts.”
The withdrawal now leaves Honda, Yamaha and Ducati as the only remaining manufacturers in the championship as Suzuki joins Kawasaki in pulling out of GP racing in the last three years.
