MotoGP 2022: Livio Suppo, Suzuki’s trump card

If I think about Livio Suppo, one of the adjectives that comes to (my) mind is successful. He was there when Ducati won the title with Casey Stoner, he was there when Marc Marquez ran away with the MotoGP trophy with Honda. So the fact that Suzuki has now hired him as team manager looks to be a good decision on paper, and says a lot about the manufacturer’s commitment heading into 2022.

A fundamental figure

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In 2020 the Japanese manufacturer was walking on air thanks to the extraordinary success of Joan Mir, who won the title in the year that Suzuki also celebrated its 100th anniversary. 2021 was then its first year without a team manager following Davide Brivio’s departure, and it proved to be an uphill climb. There were various issues, the riders not always satisfied from a technical standpoint for example, but Suzuki has learned its lesson, realising that a team manager is essential.

Mir and Rins welcome the arrival of the Italian

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Hence, the decision to hire Livio Suppo, a manager with significant experience and who returns, after four years away from the paddock, with even greater motivation and a real challenge ahead of him. Will he be able to win with a third manufacturer? This is of course the goal, and both Mir and Alex Rins welcome him with open arms. On social media, the Majorcan comments: “Welcome Livio, we’ll be stronger working together”. And the Spaniard echoes his team-mate’s words: “Welcome Livio, I can’t wait to work with you!” Basically, the riders couldn’t be happier about the decision and are keen to get back to work. Suzuki has got itself one of the best team managers around, and now has all the ingredients to strike fear into its rivals once more.

Translated by Heather Watson

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