Suzuki has at last confirmed what we have all suspected since the middle of this year, and what veteran journalist Michael Scott reported in GPWeek: The Japanese factory is to pull out of the MotoGP series from 2012. The press release expresses their intention to keep working on their 1000cc MotoGP machine, with a view to returning to the series in 2014.
Though the optimism expressed is laudable, making a return to the series after pulling out is hard enough under normal circumstances, but given the combination of the global financial crisis, the earthquake and tsunami back in March, and the continuing corporate difficulties over the 19.9% stake in the company sold to Volkswagen, coming back to MotoGP could pose serious difficulties. Added to this are the rule changes currently proposed and expected. The move to 1000cc in 2012 has long been known, but Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta's announcement that he wants everyone racing under a single set of rules, including a rev limit and a spec ECU, means that waiting could be the smart thing to do. Once the rules have been settled, then it could be time to start work on a bike for racing in MotoGP.
