Suzuki celebrates 500th podium in Grand Prix motor racing

500 GP for Suzuki

Suzuki is celebrating in style today after Alex Rins took the factory 500th podium across the classes with second place at Circuit of the Americas.

This impressive milestone comes on the same day that the MotoGP series celebrates the 500th Grand Prix in the ‘Racing Together’ era (a partnership between FIM, Dorna, MSMA and IRTA).

In 2020, Suzuki Motor Corporation marks its 100th anniversary and 60 years in racing, the same year that Joan Mir dominated the first division and won the MotoGP crown. And now, two years later, another pivotal moment is recorded in Suzuki’s history books.

The story begins on June 4, 1962 when Ernst Degner stepped onto the brand’s first podium, riding an RM62 in the 50cc class at the Isle of Man (it was a World Championship final at the time).

Just three years later, the Hamamatsu factory hit 100 podiums in Finland with Hugh Anderson and, fittingly, the 200th podium was taken over by a Finn; Teuvo ‘Tepi’ Lansivuori 1975.

Over the next decade, Italy’s Marco Lucchinelli hit the 300 mark, and in 1993 it was Kevin Schwantz who claimed Suzuki’s 400th podium.

Suzuki Wins & Podium

Amid these milestones, some very talented drivers and champions have been added to the count; people like Barry Sheene, Randy Mamola and Kenny Roberts Jnr.

Suzuki’s most successful tier in terms of podiums is 500cc / MotoGP, totaling 316, and the racer with the most podiums for the brand is Kevin Schwantz – the American who has won 51 outstanding titles on the RGV500.

Schwantz was in Austin to see Alex Rins step onto the 500th podium, and he was joined by other Suzuki podiums; Randy Mamola, Maverick Viñales, Franco Uncini and John Hopkins as they toasted together Team Suzuki Ecstar.

In recent years, Joan Mir and Alex Rins have become the star performers for Suzuki on their GSX-RR machines, taking a total of 28 podiums between them.

Suzuki racer with the most wins

Suzuki racer wins the most podiums

Suzuki’s Milestones