Given the news about Suzuki and racing recently, it was probably not a shock to anyone to hear that Suzuki has confirmed its withdrawal from the British Superbike Championship (BSB), ahead of the 2023 season.
This decision follows the termination of Suzuki’s MotoGP involvement, end of factory support in the Endurance World Championship, and the discontinuation of the GSX-R1000R model from European markets.
Suzuki’s exit from BSB also brings an end to their six-year partnership with Hawk Racing, who will now be providing its young riders, Charlie Nesbitt and Josh Owens, with Honda machinery for 2023.
The partnership between Suzuki and Hawk Racing has seen the Suzuki GSX-R1000R win superbike and superstock races with Bradley Ray, Richard Cooper, Sylvain Guintoli, Kyle Ryde, Gino Rea, Tim Neave, Billy McConnell, and Charlie Nesbitt. In 2019 Cooper also helped steer Suzuki and Hawk Racing to the National Superstock 1000 Championship title.
Away from BSB, Cooper took podium finishes at the North West 200, and Michael Dunlop raced the GSX-R to victory in the 2017 Senior TT, the bike’s first appearance at the prestigious Isle of Man TT races.
Suzuki’s involvement with racing is not ending completely as it will continue to support racers campaigning GSX-R machinery at all levels via its Race Parts Programme. The company also looks set to launch its first electric motorcycles in the coming years, while continuing to develop its road bike range, with the new GSX-8S and V-Strom 800DE being launched this year.
