MotoGP icon Davide Brivio is departing Suzuki to join Fernando Alonso’s Alpine Formula 1 team.
The man who took Suzuki to the top of the world after years in the doldrums has called it mission accomplished on two wheels, for now, as he begins his adventure with four wheels.
Although no confirmation has been forthcoming as yet from Renault F1 Team, which morphs into Alpine F1 Team this year with Alonso leading the charge alongside Esteban Ocon.
Brivio released the following statement: “A new professional challenge and opportunity suddenly came to me and in the end I decided to take it. It has been a difficult decision. The hardest part will be to leave this fabulous group of people, whom I started this project with when Suzuki rejoined the Championship.
“And it’s hard to say goodbye also to all the people who have arrived over the years to create this great Team. I feel sad from this point of view, but at the same time I feel a lot of motivation for this new challenge – which was the key when I had to decide between renewing my contract with Suzuki or starting a completely new experience.
“Achieving a MotoGP title is something that will remain in the Suzuki history books and it will always have a special place in my life memories. I would like to deeply thank all the Suzuki management for their trust and confidence in me, which they had since the beginning.
“I would like to thank every single member of our MotoGP group in Japan and at the track, all the Suzuki network, and of course all the riders who rode for the Team in this period, especially Joan and Alex who did a great 2020 season.
“Joan becoming World Champion was a dream come true for me and for all the people who worked hard and accompanied me on this magnificent journey. I wish the best to Team Suzuki MotoGP, I hope that the results in the future will be better and better and I will always be a Suzuki fan. Thanks very much Suzuki!” concluded Brivio.
He has worked with the likes of Valentino Rossi who he famously convinced to ditch Honda for Yamaha to become the Italian legend’s team manager and big part of the VR46 legacy.
More recently, in 2020, he engineered Joan Mir to Suzuki’s first title in MotoGP since 2000.