rins

Despite lengthy delays to the 2020 MotoGP season due to the coronavirus pandemic, some are calling for another test session to be arranged before racing eventually restarts. Suzuki MotoGP project manager Shinichi Sahara is not among them.

With MotoGP producing arguably its most competitive era of racing, the 2019 season saw plenty of races decided on the last lap and on many occasions the final corner. Here’s a recap of those dramatic moments from last year.

- Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta says his new target for the 2020 MotoGP season is a minimum of 10 rounds but wants to put on as many as possible.

With Suzuki celebrating its 100 th anniversary and 60 th year of racing, it is the perfect time to look through the history of the Hamamatsu team.

Alex Marquez has claimed victory in the inaugural MotoGP Virtual Race after seeing off Francesco Bagnaia.

Follow live coverage of the inaugural MotoGP Virtual Race, a six-lap race at Mugello, here.

While some MotoGP manufacturers can at least use the coronavirus delay to work on problematic parts or reliability issues, Suzuki was one of the teams already looking in great shape for the planned Qatar season-opener on March 8.

Suzuki, which won two MotoGP races last year, has enjoyed one of the strongest 2020 pre-seasons of any manufacturer with Alex Rins and Joan Mir consistently fast throughout testing in Sepang and Qatar.

After last year's qualifying woes, Alex Rins has more justification than most in fitting new tyres for a time attack during MotoGP pre-season testing.

The opening day of the second and final official 2020 MotoGP pre-season test took place in Qatar on Saturday. Testing began at 1pm and ended in darkness at 8pm.

- In an interview with Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, he reveals Kawasaki requested a MotoGP wildcard entry for its Superbike team but were turned down by the series organisers. Ezpeleta also expects to retain its six current MotoGP manufacturers in the next round of factory contracts.

Alex Rins has confirmed rumours that Suzuki is set to join MotoGP rivals Ducati, Aprilia and now Yamaha in using a holeshot device to help with race starts. But the Spaniard added it might no longer be enough just to lower the bike on the grid.

Fabio Quartararo set the quickest lap time on each of the three days at the 2020 Sepang MotoGP Test. As such, if the Malaysian Grand Prix was held tomorrow the young Petronas Yamaha star would surely be favourite for pole position.

The Suzuki MotoGP team presented its 2020 livery at Sepang on Thursday (pictured), where there had been rumours that a new contract extension for Alex Rins would be announced.

As part of the build-up towards the Sepang MotoGP pre-season test, the Suzuki Ecstar team unveils its 2020 GSX-RR and livery.

- After Yamaha left the door open for Jorge Lorenzo to make wildcard MotoGP appearances in 2020 , his home round at Circuit de Catalunya has been targeted for his racing return.

With preparations ramping up for the 2020 MotoGP world championship season, teams are beginning to confirm launch dates ahead of the start of pre-season testing and the opening round.

Suzuki Project Leader Shinichi Sahara concedes his team’s 2019 results didn’t reflect expectations despite two wins for Alex Rins and pinpoints key areas to improve for both his riders and with the development of the GSX-RR.

Alex Rins has given himself 8.5 out of 10 for his 2019 MotoGP campaign with Suzuki having gone through ‘ecstasy’ highs with his maiden wins along with the lows of an inconsistent season.

- Marc Marquez tips Fabio Quartararo to be his “next big rival” in the future in MotoGP.

Suzuki heads into the MotoGP winter break with engine design 'finalised' for the 2020 season and confident of having 'made a step' with the GSX-RR.

Joan Mir has given an enthusiastic review of Suzuki’s prototype engine for 2020 despite being uncertain if it delivers outright top speed gains against the older specification.

Suzuki’s technical manager Ken Kawauchi says it remains too early to lockdown its 2020 engine specification choice but both Alex Rins and Joan Mir are “around 80% satisfied” with the new prototype following the two-day Valencia MotoGP test.

The MotoGP paddock has provided tributes to Jorge Lorenzo following his surprise retirement announcement at the end of this season, with Valentino Rossi calling him “one of the most important MotoGP riders of the modern era”.