De Puniet confirms Suzuki talks

Randy de Puniet used his home Grand Prix of Le Mans to confirms rumours that he is currently talking to Suzuki about their potential return, but the Frenchman refused to confirm that he will riding the new bike during its official return at the Barcelona post-race test next month.

“Sure I am speaking with Suzuki since last year, to develop the bike this year,” said RdP.

“This could be a very good opportunity for me, for this year, to come back with a factory team, develop a factory bike and maybe even come back next year.But my first priority now is to do a good season, and if I can do a job to develop the Suzuki at the same time then we’ll see what happens.”

Jorge Martinez Aspar has already confirmed that his rider is free to test the Suzuki prototype in Barcelona, in amongst rumours that Aspar could be working towards an agreement with Suzuki, after Dorna have said that Suzuki need to join an existing team for next season.

de Puniet is sat third in the CRT standings behind former prototype man Hector Barbera and team mate Aleix Espargaro. de Puniet, is a former factory Kawasaki MotoGP rider, and that’s why it is widely acknowledged that Suzuki are favouring RdP over his more “successful” team mate.

A factory rider isn’t all about race results, but also about feedback, and advancement of the bike, and it is believed that the Frechman would be the better man to help progress the undoubtedly very raw Suzuki when it returns.