It’s hard to say goodbye to a good friend, especially when they’ve enriched your life with such memorable moments. For many MotoGP fans, Team Suzuki Racing fits that bill. Ever the underdog, the Hamamatsu squad didn’t post the best qualifying times or top the speed trap standings. Still, Suzuki remained competitive over the last few seasons, even seizing its first rider’s title since 2000 thanks Joan Mir’s consistent 2020 performance.
With heavy hearts, MotoGP fans already bid adieu to the team and its beautifully-clad GSX-RR at the 2022 Valencia Grand Prix. However, Team Suzuki Racing hasn’t fully wrapped up operations just yet. On the first day of the last month of the year, Suzuki announced that it would cease Team Suzuki Racing’s online presence by the year’s close.
The firm will shut down the following websites at the end of December, 2022:
- www.suzuki-racing.com
- www.facebook.com/Team.Suzuki.Racing
- www.youtube.com/user/SuzukiRacingNews
- www.suzuki-motogp.com
- www.facebook.com/suzukimotogp
- www.youtube.com/suzukimotogp
Some fans may wonder, "the MotoGP season ended nearly a month ago, why haven’t they disbanded already?"
Well, most racing sponsorships and contracts last the duration of the calendar year. For that reason, Joan Mir couldn’t bear Honda logos on his leathers or RC213V at the Valencia Test. With Mir transferring to the Respol Honda team in 2023, Suzuki allowed the 25-year-old to demo his new steed, despite the fact that he was still a contracted Team Suzuki Racing rider.
The same rules applied to Alex Rins, who honored his personal Alpinestars and Nolan sponsorships but couldn’t flaunt LCR Honda branding during the post-season test. In short, Team Suzuki Racing must wrap up its 2022 obligations before it can officially close up shop.
In an official statement, Suzuki goes on to say, “We take this opportunity to thank you for visiting and supporting the site for so many years.”
As fans, we thank Suzuki for the memories and wish it the best of luck with its future plans.
