With the Marc VDS team also pulling out of MotoGP to concentrate on Moto2 in the wake of their internal financial controversy, this means MotoGP numbers next year will drop from 24 to 22.
The entry shrinkage leaves space for the much-vaunted Suzuki satellite team … but it will not happen next year, at least.
This was revealed in an interview with Dorna by Suzuki project leader Ken Kawauchi, bringing to an end rumours of a deal with the Marc VDS team.
Ken Kawauchi
The smallest of the Japanese factory squads had been trying to put together a satellite team for next season, “but unfortunately it was too short time,” he said.
But the desire to have four Suzukis on the grid remained, “maybe in 2020 or 2021”.
By Michael Scott
Marc VDS mechanic, Argentinian MotoGP 2018