Suzuki emulates MotoGP rival Honda, adds designated racing division

SRC will be an independent division with its own budget, like the Honda Racing Corporation.

Its creation is intended to give Suzuki's MotoGP outfit more autonomy in the management of its resources.

Until now, any request of the Davide Brivio-led Suzuki Ecstar outfit had to be communicated to the manufacturer's Hamamatsu headquarters, where Suzuki bosses would make a decision.

This was widely regarded as a handicap for the MotoGP outfit, as decisions and communication would sometimes take more time than was optimal.

SRC will also oversee the brand's other motorsport programmes, such as its Endurance World Championship effort and its factory MotoAmerica team, which won the 2017 Superbike class title with ex-MotoGP rider Toni Elias.

It remains to be seen whether the new structure will enable Suzuki to add a satellite team to its premier-class roster.

The idea to supply a privateer outfit with GSX-RR bikes has been on the cards for a while, but the factory decided against such an expansion last year despite a deal with Marc VDS looking likely at one point.

Brivio said at the end of 2018 that adding a satellite team was still a "target" for his MotoGP operation, and his push for that will have been helped by his team's strong showing last season - in which Alex Rins and Andrea Iannone combined for nine podiums.

Suzuki is currently coming off of an encouraging first pre-season test at Sepang with rookie Joan Mir and Rins, who was buoyed by his "incredible" race pace on used tyres.