Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Vinales have finally been confirmed as forming Suzuki’s MotoGP line-up for its 2015 return aboard the newly dubbed GSX-RR
Espargaro, older brother of Tech 3 rider Pol, switched to Forward Yamaha this season and is dominating the new Open class. The 24-year-old has claimed his first podium and pole position this season and is sixth in the world championship.
Espargaro last rode Factory class MotoGP machinery during a tough debut season at the satellite Pramac Ducati team in 2010. His route to the Suzuki seat saw him drop to Moto2 in 2011, then return to MotoGP to lead both seasons of the CRT class with Aspar Aprilia.
Nineteen-year-old countryman Vinales is currently third in the Moto2 standings as the top rookie rider for Pons Kalex, with two wins to his name.
A four-time race winner in his rookie 2011 125GP season, Vinales saw his 2012 Moto3 title hopes implode during a dispute with the Avintia team. The teenager then moved to Calvo KTM and won last year’s crown with a last-gasp victory in a three-way showdown at Valencia.
Vinales is the only Moto2 rider so far confirmed to step up to MotoGP next season, with title leader Esteve Rabat announcing that he will remain with Marc VDS even if he wins the crown.
However Vinales will face competition for next year’s rookie of the year title from Moto3 Championship leader Jack Miller, who is moving straight to MotoGP on an Open class Honda.
Former Yamaha MotoGP leader Davide Brivio will be the Team Suzuki MotoGP manager.
The announcement confirms that Randy de Puniet will not get a race seat with the team having stepped back from racing to concentrate on Suzuki MotoGP test duties this year. The Frenchman is expected to make a wild-card appearance at November’s Valencia finale, though the manufacturer has only confirmed the wild-card appearance so far.
Suzuki ‘suspended’ its MotoGP activities due to the financial crisis at the end of 2011 – having won just one race since the switch from 500cc two-strokes to four-strokes in 2002 – but has taken part in official tests for the last two years as it develops a new Inline four-cylinder motorcycle codenamed the XRH-1.
