Suzuki quitting MotoGP?

SUZUKI look very likely to axe their MotoGP project after missing Friday's deadline to commit to the championship for 2012.

According to GPWeek an email from Rizla Suzuki team boss Paul Denning to fellow team members informed them that they would not be taking part in the premier class series next year. In the email Denning said there is hope that the manufacturer will return to racing in 2014, with the manufacturer continuing development on their 1000cc prototype.

No official announcement has been made by the factory but Suzuki's lack of commitment towards continuing in the series has been visible, with no 1000cc bike brought to the tests at Valencia last week and Alvaro Bautista leaving the squad for 2012. The fact they missed Friday's deadline is the final nail in the coffin.

Suzuki are rumoured to have two engine configurations for the bike, a V4 like the current GSV-R and an inline-four - which the Japanese manufacturer may use in another project.

Randy de Puniet tested for Rizla Suzuki last week at Valencia, setting competitive times on the GSV-R800 against the 1000cc bikes that will be raced in 2012. The Frenchman had hoped for a ride with the team and now may be off to World Superbikes with a limited number of places left in MotoGP.

A CRT ride could be de Puniet's last chance to stay in the premier series next year, but the 30-year-old admitted to having no desire to riding on one of the production-based prototypes.

Paul Denning was unavailable for comment.