When Suzuki announced that they would be pulling out of MotoGP at the end of the 2011 season, they were keen to emphasize that the withdrawal was only temporary, saying they were planning a return to MotoGP in 2014. Though many paddock regulars were sceptical about such a suggestion, Suzuki are sticking to their guns, it seems. In an interview with Italian website GPOne.com, Suzuki Racing's technical director Shinichi Sahara reaffirmed that they were still working towards a 2014 return to MotoGP, based on the motorcycle the factory had been developing before the decision was made to pull out.
"We already had our 1000cc bike ready when Suzuki's management decided to pull out of MotoGP," Sahara told GPOne.com. "The bike has already been tested at Ryuyo, and we were very satisfied with the results achieved. We still believe we will return in 2014 with a competitive bike," Sahara said. The Japanese engineer was also asked if Suzuki had switched to an in-line four, and though he said he could not give technical details, he did reveal that Suzuki had chose to "stay faithful to our engine layout," a hint that the bike will remain a V4.
No comments:
Post a Comment