Livio Suppo returns to the MotoGP paddock as the new Suzuki Ecstar team manager. In early 2021, Davide Brivio announced that he would be leaving the Suzuki team for the Alpine Team in Formula 1. With Brivio, Suzuki won a world title in 2020 for the first time since 2000. It soon became clear that Shinichi Sahara could not combine the position of team manager with that of chief engineer, a job he has been doing since Suzuki’s return to MotoGP. And now Livio Suppo has been recruited.
Suppo is one of the most experienced and successful managers in the royal class. He helped Ducati and Casey Stoner to the title in 2007; in 2011, he left for Repsol Honda and convinced Stoner to follow him. In 2012, the duo won another world title together, this time with Honda. Three more titles would follow with Marc Márquez in 2013, 2014 and 2016.
“I am very proud to be the team manager of Suzuki Ecstar and I am happy to be back in the MotoGP championship after four years,” said Suppo. “It will certainly be a challenging task to be part of a historic manufacturer in MotoGP, who took the title in 2020 in the year of their 100th anniversary. I also think it will be a great experience to work with two talented drivers like Joan Mir and Alex Rins, who are both capable of competing at the top.”
For 2022, the GSX-RR received a new chassis, a more powerful engine and an improved ‘shapeshifter’ (holeshot device). Improvements have also been made to the electronics and tire management. So, just 10 days into the first race of the season, things are already looking positive for Suzuki.
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