Catalunya MotoGP: Suzuki delay third bike decision

Suzuki has delayed a decision on whether it will supply a third GSV-R 800cc machine in the 2008 MotoGP world championship until the British GP at Donington Park later this month.

The Japanese factory is still in the final stages of an internal feasibility study about supplying a third bike for next season to be run by Spaniard Jorge Martinez.

Martinez was hoping for an answer at this weekend’s Catalunya GP, but factory Suzuki team boss Paul Denning has told MCN that a decision is unlikely to be communicated to the former world 125 champion until the British GP on June 24.

Martinez has been in discussions with 1993 world 500 champion Kevin Schwantz about the American running his one-rider squad, with Alex de Angelis and Toni Elias leading candidates for the ride should a deal be completed.

Denning said: “There is no further movement. The reason it is taking some time is that Suzuki would love to do something with an additional bike but there are still some processes to go through. That’s going on internally at the factory and there is nothing anybody in the paddock can do about that. I wouldn’t like to suggest anything, we have presented the opportunity and the facts and it would be wrong to make any comment, but a decision is likely in Donington.”