2013/5/3. 

Some shots of the new Suzuki motoGP prototype have been circulating through the internet. The bike will soon be tested on European soil, at the official motoGP tests. 

The test rider Nobuatsu Aoki has stated recently that the bike features a new engine and frame. The engine is probably an inline four cylinder layout. It is not yet known if Suzuki will make an agreement with a motoGP team in order to return to the highest level of racing. 

However the name of Randy De Puniet keeps on spreading as a test rider and the motoGP rider of the new bike.





2013/2/27. Suzuki will take part at the post race tests of the 6th round motoGP in Barcelona and specifically at 17th of June. The test riders will be Nobuatsu Aoki (the factory test rider) and a European rider who has not been named. However it should be reminded that Randy De Puniet had talks with Suzuki. It was after Valencia 2011 that Suzuki announced withdrawing from motoGP racing, due to the global financial crisis. The new bike conforming with the 2014 specifications has been extensively tested in Japan. 

 Aoki said that the Team is happy with the engine and frame of the revised version tested last week although there are many things yet to be improved. The engine should be a big-bang in-line four-cylinder one. Suzuki has been asked to associate with an existing team entering the MotoGP, which could be Aspar. The manager of the team to be formed has not been named either.
 
Comment: It is essential for Suzuki to test the bike along with the other factory teams, improving and comparing it at the same environment, before formally entering the 2014 Championship. There is a lot of work for the team to be done and if things remain about the same with the present, the CRTs and then the Ducati factory team will be the closest to be matched. One thing is for sure: If this is a successful effort, motoGP will be even more interesting for everyone.




2012/12/12.
    Speaking to   BBC Sport,  Carmelo Ezpeleta, head of rights holders Dorna, says: "They are asking us (Suzuki) to have some testing during the 2013 season and if everything goes well maybe we will see them in 2014." 
      "Nothing is agreed yet but this is not our main issue. We have three manufacturers at the moment in Honda, Yamaha and Ducati. If Suzuki are in we have four, and that would be the same as Formula 1, so it is not a big problem. The main thing is to have more competitive races. If we can do that with more manufacturers than all the better, but having competitive bikes is the key."


2012/11/20.   Randy De Puniet confirms talks with Suzuki.
 

     The French rider still has a contract with Power Electronics Aspar motoGP team for 2013, riding a CRT Aprilia. It seems that there will not be any problem with his current team concerning the development of the Suzuki. 
      The extensive tests will be conducted probably in Europe by the Suzuki factory team. There were rumors that Suzuki initially had talks with Ben Spies and Cal Crutchlow. 

      “We just need to wait and see what is the Suzuki plan and to understand where and when the tests will be. But this could be a very good opportunity for me to be back on a prototype bike and to develop a factory machine. I really hope this will happen,” said de Puniet to the British MCN

www.motograndprix.gr