On Monday, Suzuki Motor Corporation announced that it will be rejoining MotoGP™. However, the Japanese marque will make its comeback in 2015 as opposed to next season, as expected by many in the paddock. Davide Brivio explains the reasons behind the decision and how it should benefit the company.

Suzuki was last involved in MotoGP™ in 2011, when it departed and pinpointed 2014 as a likely comeback season. Following Monday’s day of post-race testing in Barcelona, on which Nobuatsu Aoki and Randy de Puniet rode the new 1,000cc in-line four prototype, Test Team Manager Brivio explained the verdict regarding 2015.

"Suzuki thought we needed more time to develop," Brivio told motogp.com in an exclusive video interview. "There are some quite important rule changes coming up – new electronics and even more restricted fuel consumption. To enter MotoGP and to challenge such strong competitors as the two brands that are dominating now is not an easy thing.

"We like to be prepared and to be ready for that, so one more year will be very useful to set up the bike and fix the decision about specification. So, we have delayed it by one year, but I think it is very, very important and very positive that Suzuki has announced that we will re-enter MotoGP."


Brivio went on to explain that at present Suzuki is still running an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) supplied by Mitsubishi, but that the choice to stall re-entrance until 2015 will allow the company an added year to work with the Magneti Marelli hardware:

"We are still running on an ECU from Mitsubishi, which is historically a Suzuki partner. Now of course, due to the regulations in MotoGP, we will switch to Magneti Marelli, but the equipment has just arrived at the factory so our electronic department is studying and trying to understand it. We hope, by the end of the year, to be able to run Magneti Marelli hardware on the bike and start to do a few laps with it; we also hope to be able to use all of 2014 to develop this technology."

Following its Barcelona test on Monday, Suzuki now moves on to MotorLand Aragon for a two-day outing beginning on Wednesday. It will share the circuit with Yamaha Factory Racing, LCR Honda MotoGP and, for the first time, Repsol Honda Team.

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