This season, Suzuki presents itself as a player that will have to be counted on to win the MotoGP title. With a well-born GSX-RR and a Alex Rins revealed, the men of Davide Brivio have enough to disrupt the duel that has been going on for two years between the Honda official, Márquez, and the Ducati factory rider, Dovizioso. Not bad, but to anchor yourself at the top of the table in this demanding category, relying on a single bike and a single rider is uncertain. Having a satellite structure for support is always more comfortable. But for the Hamamatsu coat of arms, this is not yet relevant.
The satellite team is a sea serpent at least as well known as the Arlésienne played on the same theme at Aprilia. Except that the Italians do not deploy quite the same means, are not yet at the level and have already announced a development policy more focused on soliciting a test group sent to the Grand Prix front with invitations.
At Suzuki, on the other hand, the question of the satellite team is a broken promise every year. Which is a blow to the commitments made with the promoter Dorna. But since the manufacturer returned to MotoGP in 2015, it has been playing alone. And it will continue next year. The one who asks for more investment from his Japanese bosses, either Davide Brivio, thus regrets Motorsport-Total.com : " a satellite structure will barely be completed before 2021 . We are talking about it at the factory so that we can do everything logistically and materially for the additional motorcycles, but things are happening very slowly ».
It must be said that by waiting, the best opportunities for a solid ally are gone. LCR is closely linked to Honda, as is Pramac to Ducati. Tech 3 has entered into a new partnership with KTM and Petronas with Yamaha. So only Avintia would be an opportunity. Currently, the Spanish team has a contract with Ducati for the 2019 season. This also includes an option for 2020. Currently it is carrying out, for the first time in its history, the season with two Desmosedici from the previous campaign. But its results hardly encourage Suzuki to consider a possible collaboration with Avintia as possible.
There are also two grid positions left vacant, resulting from the departure of the Marc VDS team. These two plots are left fallow by Dorna in view of a possible arrival of the VR46 team from Valentino Rossi.
