Press Release | July 15, 2022
Suzuki Motor Corporation and Dorna have come to an agreement to terminate Suzuki’s participation in MotoGP at the end of the 2022 season. Suzuki will also terminate its factory participation in the World Endurance Championship (EWC) at the end of the 2022 season. [scroll to end to see recent update… Ed.]
Here is the statement from Suzuki…
We will continue to race in the 2022 MotoGP and EWC championships, maintaining our maximum efforts to win the remaining races. We aim to continue our support for our customers’ racing activities through our global distributor network.
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all Suzuki fans who have given us their enthusiastic support and to all those who have supported Suzuki’s motorcycle racing activities for many years.
Statement from Toshihiro Suzuki, Representative Director and President:
“Suzuki has decided to end the participation of MotoGP and EWC in the face of the need to re-allocate resources on other initiatives for sustainability. Motorcycle racing has always been a challenging place for technological innovation, including sustainability, and human-resource development. This decision means that we will take on the challenge to build the new motorcycle business operation by redirecting the technological capabilities and human resources we have cultivated through the motorcycle-racing activities to investigate other routes for a sustainable society.
“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all our fans, riders and all stakeholders who joined us and enthusiastically supported us from the development stage since we returned to MotoGP racing.
“I will continue to do my best to support Alex Rins, Joan Mir, Team Suzuki Ecstar and Yoshimura Sert Motul to compete competitively until the end of the season.
Thank you for your kind support.”
Discovery Sports Events welcomes Suzuki’s ongoing support of customer teams in EWC
Update from July 15, 2022
Discovery Sports Events, promoter of the FIM Endurance World Championship, is placing on record its appreciation of Suzuki Motor Corporation’s participation in the EWC and is pleased to acknowledge its pledge to continue supporting customer teams competing in the series.
Suzuki Motor Corporation confirmed in a press release issued earlier this week that it is aiming “to continue our support for our customers’ racing activities through our global distributor network,” while “maintaining our maximum efforts to win the remaining races” of the 2022 season.
The organization also confirmed that its decision to no longer continue its participation as a factory entity in the EWC is due to the “need to re-allocate resources on other initiatives for sustainability”.
François Ribeiro, Head of Discovery Sports Events, the EWC promoter: “Suzuki Motor Corporation has been a long-term and enthusiastic supporter for the EWC, participating in the championship to showcase its technical know-how and qualities to customers around the world. While factory participation and support is welcomed, for the EWC to have thrived the way it has done so for more than 40 years owes so much to the dedication of the privateer teams. Their continued support and investment is a big part of the championship’s success and longevity and is why we are already looking ahead to the 2023 EWC with great anticipation and excitement.”
With support from Suzuki, France-based Yoshimura SERT Motul—an amalgamation of the Yoshimura and Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (SERT) outfits—claimed the FIM Endurance World Championship in 2021 and tops this season’s standings heading to next month’s 43rd Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours following victory in the 24 Heures Motos at Le Mans in April and its fourth-place finish in the 24H SPA EWC Motos last month. During Discovery Sports Events’ (previously Eurosport Events) tenure as EWC promoter, the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team claimed the title at the end of the 2019-20 season and also in 2015 and 2016.
