until Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League
Departing MotoGP manufacturer Suzuki has picked Kazuki Watanabe as its replacement for the injured Joan Mir.
The 31-year-old Japanese rider comes as a left-field choice to step in for the 2020 world champion, who injured his right ankle in an opening-lap airborne crash at the Red Bull Ring.
Suzuki would’ve normally called up test rider Sylvain Guintoli, but the Frenchman himself is continuing to recover from an injury that ruled him out of the Suzuka 8 Hours.
And while it’s believed that Suzuki explored the possibility of drafting in local hero Danilo Petrucci – who left MotoGP at the end of 2021 and has been representing Ducati in MotoAmerica this year – it has now settled on Watanabe.
The Japanese rider is part of the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team – which will also cease its activities in the World Endurance Championship at the end of 2022 – and was on this year’s Suzuka 8 Hours podium in third place alongside Gregg Black, as part of a depleted crew that lost Guintoli to injury and former Avintia MotoGP rider Xavier Simeon to a COVID-19 absence.
Watanabe is also a regular for Suzuki in the Japanese Superbike championship.
“We are very sorry that Joan won’t be able to race in Misano and we wish him a fast recovery!” said Suzuki team boss Livio Suppo.
“Meanwhile we’re pleased to welcome Kazuki Watanabe to our team, he has a lot of experience with Suzuki and he is putting together a strong season in the All-Japan [Superbike] series, he also got third at the Suzuka 8 Hours just a few weeks ago.
“The GSX-RR will be a very different challenge, but we will do our best for Watanabe-san in order for him to get the maximum out of this experience!”
Watanabe’s experience in the grand prix paddock spans a smattering of intermediate-class starts between 2008 and 2010, with a best finish of 14th on home soil at Motegi.
