Suzuki is making official this morning what was announced yesterday. A press conference will take place during the Qatar Grand Prix, during which journalists will be able to question Livio Suppo directly.
SUZUKI ANNOUNCES THE ARRIVAL OF LIVIO SUPPO
Team Suzuki press office – February 23.
Suzuki Motor Corporation and Team Suzuki Ecstar join forces to announce that Livio Suppo will take over the role of Team Manager for Team Suzuki Ecstar effective immediately.
It's no secret that project manager Shinichi Sahara was looking for a Team Manager to join the team for 2022. After a transitional 2021 season in which the team was forced to create a management committee, with With Sahara taking on the role of interim Team Manager, a solution was found and an agreement was reached before the season opener in Qatar on March 6.
Livio Suppo is a well-known manager in the MotoGP paddock. He began his career 28 years ago with the Benetton Honda team in the 125cc and 250cc categories. Since then, he has spent 11 years at Ducati as a project manager, leading Casey Stoner to be crowned champion. He then moved to HRC, where he was team manager for seven years, and won five more titles. Since leaving MotoGP, Suppo has set up an electric bike company, but he believes now is the perfect time to return to the paddock.
For the Suzuki Ecstar team, the arrival of Suppo provides a boost of confidence ahead of a season where an increase in performance compared to last year is necessary. After the winter tests, Joan Mir and Alex Rins felt positive about their possibilities for the upcoming season, and the addition of an experienced and successful manager who strongly believes in teamwork and enjoys working in a optimistic atmosphere will undoubtedly boost the morale of the Suzuki team.
Shinichi Sahara – Project manager of the Suzuki Ecstar team: “ I am very happy to announce the news of Livio Suppo as our new Team Manager before the start of the new season. I am convinced that Livio is very well suited for this position, as he has a lot of experience and a great passion for winning. He understands how teams work and that team atmosphere is important when it comes to being competitive consistently during a season. Some of our teammates already have the experience of working with him, and I have known him for a long time because he has been in the paddock for many years. We have already seen promising signs and improvements in our performance during winter testing, and I believe Livio will join us to further strengthen our team and we will become even stronger. »
Livio Suppo, Racing Consultant – Manager of Team Suzuki Ecstar: “ I am very proud to become the Team Manager of Suzuki Ecstar and happy to re-enter the MotoGP Championship after four years. I am also very honored to be involved in this great project with Suzuki; it will certainly be a challenge to be part of a historic manufacturer in MotoGP, which recently secured the crown in 2020, its 100th anniversary year. I also think it will be a great experience to start working with two talented riders like Joan Mir and Alex Rins, both capable of fighting for the top in MotoGP. Sahara-san's proposal came at the perfect time for me, I have been busy setting up my e-bike company but I certainly missed the paddock and was ready to come back. Racing has been my life for almost my entire career and I will do my best to bring my experience to Team Suzuki Ecstar. I know it's a big team, but also a big group of humans, which could help us achieve our goals faster. MotoGP is becoming more and more exciting today, with many very fast riders and competitive bikes from all manufacturers. It's a tough challenge for everyone involved, where all the little details can make the difference, I'm ready to be part of the game again and give my best to be at the top with Suzuki »
