Suzuki’s quest for a team manager was over. After a year of searching for a replacement for Davide Brivio, who left MotoGP to join the Alpine F1 team at the end of 2020Suzuki has finally announced the hiring of Livio Suppo to run the MotoGP team.
Suppo is a very experienced team manager who founded Ducati’s MotoGP team when they first entered the tournament in 2003, and runs the Repsol Honda team after leaving Ducati at the end of 2009.
The recruitment of Suppo came after Suzuki spoke to a series of applicants.
They spoke to Wilco Zeelenberg, but Zeelenberg has committed to the RNF project with Razlan Razali, and has worked with Yamaha in one position or another since he retired at the end of the 2000 season. He wants to stay in the Yamaha family.
There were also rumors of Johan Stigefelt joining Suzuki, after the former Swedish driver was tipped off when Petronas Yamaha disbanded to become RNF, but that was never beyond rumours.
Suppo had expressed a desire to join Suzuki at the start of the 2021 season, but Suzuki decided it was better to wait until the season to decide. Negotiations have been going on since the beginning of the year and have only just ended.
“I am very proud to be the Suzuki Ecstar Team Manager and delighted to be re-entering the MotoGP Championship after four years,” said Suppo. “I am also honored to be involved in this wonderful project with Suzuki; it will certainly be a challenging task to be part of the historic manufacturer in MotoGP who just won the 2020 crown in their 100th anniversary year. ”
“I also feel it will be a great experience to start working with two talented riders like Joan Mir and Alex Rins, both of whom are capable of fighting for the top spot in MotoGP. Sahara-san’s proposal came at the perfect time for me, I’ve been busy starting my e-bike company, but I’m definitely missing the opportunity and am ready to go back. ”
“Racing has been my life for most of my career and I will do my best to bring my experience to Team Suzuki Ecstar. I know they’re a great team, but also a great team of people, so this can be of great help in reaching our goals sooner. MotoGP is getting more and more exciting these days, with plenty of fast riders and competitive motorcycles from all manufacturers. ”
“It was a tough challenge for everyone involved, where all the little details can make a difference, I am ready to rejoin the game and give my all to be with Suzuki. top.”
Suppo’s first job will be to oversee the re-contracting of current drivers Joan Mir and Alex Rins. Keeping Mir on board seems like a complicated proposition ahead of the Sepang test, with the 2020 world champion expressing displeasure with the progress Suzuki has made.
Mir’s public opinion has changed drastically after Sepang, Suzuki GSX-RR 2022 is the step he expected.
Source: Suzuki Racing
