Suzuki confirms its MotoGP future until at least 2026

Suzuki has joined KTM, Ducati, Honda and Yamaha in signing up for the next five-year MotoGP contract cycle, from 2022-2026.

Suzuki won its first premier-class title since 2000, with Joan Mir, last season, while two wins for team-mate Alex Rins also helped secure the teams' title.

By contrast, Suzuki had claimed just one race win from 2002-2011, before leaving MotoGP due to the financial crisis.

The factory returned with the new GSX-RR machine in 2015, which has now won races in the hands of Maverick Vinales, Rins and Mir.

Suzuki is known to be considering a satellite MotoGP project for 2022, with the likes of VR46, Petronas and Gresini all rumoured possibilities. However, Davide Brivio's winter departure as team manager has complicated the issue and today's announcement only concerns the future of the official Suzuki team.

“As Suzuki Motor Corporation we are proud to continue to compete in the MotoGP World Championship, as we all share the challenging ambition of measuring ourselves against the top motorcycling competition in the world," said Shinichi Sahara, Suzuki Project Leader and Team Director.

"We started this new journey in 2015 and in only six years we achieved the Riders’ World title, together with the Teams’ title, and we are still hungry for more success.

"For these reasons we have extended our agreement with Dorna, with the hope and the commitment to continue the development of the technical and racing sides of the company.”

“We are very happy with the renewal of the agreement with Suzuki, a factory with which we have been riding along for years in the World Championship and enjoy a great cooperation," added Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta.

"Their return to MotoGP in 2015 was immediately proved a success and confirmed with the culmination of winning the World Title in 2020 with Joan Mir, we proudly extend this partnership and hope to continue setting milestones with this iconic brand.”

Mir and Rins, currently fifth and seventh in the world championship, are contracted to Suzuki until the end of next season.

Aprilia is now the last remaining manufacturer to official re-sign with Dorna. The Italian manufacturer is splitting from Gresini and set to have its own Factory grid places next year, but might also support a satellite entry.