For those of us who got into the sport in the 1970s, the news of Suzuki leaving the MXGP series, even if it’s just for a year, is sad news. I like many grew up seeing names like Joel Robert, Roger DeCoster, Gaston Rahier, Harry Everts and even Stefan Everts put the yellow magic on top of the box.

However, with them arriving at the ten year make of no world titles in the MXGP or MX2 classes, it seems like their motivation and dedication to the sport has more or less disappeared.

It was nearly 50 years ago, after an era of domination by companies like CZ and Husqvarna, the Japanese decided to take the sport seriously and dominated, winning their first title in 1970 with Joel Robert. Suzuki had stolen the tough Belgian from CZ, who had won the 250 world title in 1968 and 1969 for CZ. Robert would add titles in 70, 71 and 72 for Suzuki, and as the same time Suzuki employed De Coster in the 500cc class. He would win on the yellow machine in 1971, 72, 73, 75 and 76.

Suzuki also dominated in the 125cc class, winning the first 10 titles in the small litre class, with Gaston Rahier (75,76,77), Akira Watanabe (78), Harry Everts (79, 80 and 81), Eric Geboers (82 and 83) and finally Michele Rinaldi (84) all helped make sure Suzuki were known (just like KTM now) as the master team in the paddock.

While Suzuki lost its domination as Roberts and DeCoster aged, and the HRC team took control, they still had some success. Brad Lackey winning the 500cc title in 1982, Georges Jobe the 250 title in 1983, Alex Puzar the 250cc title in 1990, Donny Schmit, Stefan Everts and Pedro Tragter the 125cc titles in 1990, 1991 and 1993.

Greg Albertyn would win a 250cc title in 1994 and Mickael Pichon two in 2001 and 2001, the success of Suzuki was more or less over. Steve Ramon would be the last Suzuki world title winner in 2007, in the 250 class and as KTM started to take complete control of the MXGP and MX2 titles, with Yamaha and Honda also throwing their hand in the winning performances, it was becoming more and more difficult for Sylvain Geboers to find a budget which would put him in with a chance against the almighty orange army of KTM.

When Stefan Everts took over the mantle from Geboers, there was hope that maybe he could find the budget and support to make things matter again for Suzuki. A breath of fresh air in the team didn’t bring them a world title, they had GP success with Jeremy Seewer winning weekends, and Hunter Lawrence giving the team one last weekends of success at this year’s MXoN, winning the MX2 class. Unfortunately, though, it seems that Suzuki, just as they had done a couple of decades ago decided it was time to take a break from the sport in Europe. We all hope they return, but let’s hope if they do, they do it with the same motivation and determination as KTM, HRC, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Husqvarna. Otherwise it might be better if they close this chapter in the sport forever.