MotoGP Suzuki in Japan later this year, and has been asked to ride a factory Suzuki in the nationally all-important Suzuka 8 Hours race.

The Frenchman elected to stay in the middle class this year, “although I had some options in MotoGP”, but is more likely to be ready to move next year. “I hope to be with Suzuki in 2017,” he said. If Viñales elects to stay there, this would leave Aleix Espargaró on the open market, along with his younger brother Pol.

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