Suzuki bowed out of Grand Prix racing in style when Alex Rins won the 2022 Valencia GP by nearly four seconds on November 6, 2022. Taking the last two of three races on the MotoGP calendar, the team proved its pedigree and worth, even if the House of Hamamatsu already announced its plans to pull the plug on the project by season’s end.
The bittersweet news doesn’t stop there, though. After packing up the operation for the final time, Suzuki MotoGP team manager Livio Suppo sat down with GP One’s Marco Caregnato. Among other things, the pair discussed the fate of the team’s universally-loved GSX-RR race machines.
“A couple of these bikes will end up in some museum, the others will end up destroyed along with the spare parts and all,” revealed Suppo. “All Japanese manufacturers do it for tax reasons because otherwise they would be active and would have to pay taxes. Since they are no longer usable, they choose to always destroy everything.”
Though the vast majority of Suzuki's MotoGP prototypes will end up in the crusher, we hope one 2022 unit makes its way to rider Alex Rins’ residence.
“I have asked for it,” admitted Rins, “but they already told me that this is paid. If I have the opportunity, yes [I will buy it].”
Following the news of Suzuki’s imminent departure, Rins received his 2020 GSX-RR from Suzuki in July, 2022. The bike currently decorates his Andorra, Spain, home. After capturing two more race wins for the Japanese marque, the current LCR Honda rider declared his desire to add the 2022 GSX-RR to his collection.
“The one I have at home in 2020, for finishing third in the championship, does not start,” revealed Rins. “I told [Shinichi] Sahara that I would like, when the Valencia race is over, to get on the motorhome, but he told me that it was not possible and that the matter had to go to Japan.”
We’re crossing our fingers that at least one number 42 GSX-RR survives the purge, especially after Rins helped elevate the project over the past five seasons.
