How the MotoGP paddock has offered refuge to Suzuki's former team

On 2 May last year, what was to be MotoGP's biggest news story of the year was announced: Suzuki pulled the plug on its factory entry and would not comPete in 2023. The news fell like a bombshell in the paddock, especially in the ranks of the Japanese team. Its members - about 50 or so - learned of the surprising decision that same day, at the end of the official test after the Spanish Grand Prix held at Jerez.

With a five-year contract to remain in the world championship until 2026, Suzuki said goodbye to MotoGP before even a third of the first year of its commitment with series promoter Dorna had been completed. This manoeuvre put the company in a difficult position, its team members even more so. The blow left most in a state of shock, leaving them with the uncertainty of not knowing what was going to happen with their future.