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

Suzuki's unexpected departure left more than 40 professionals virtually jobless for the 2023 MotoGP season. But that human drama has been successfully corrected by the paddock itself, with most former Suzuki crew-members absorbed into other operations

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.