Image: Alex Gobert (Foremost Media).

Suzuki Australia will increase its involvement in the 2017 Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK), but has no plans to enter a fully-fledged factory team when its all-new GSX-R1000 arrives next year.

Team Suzuki exited the series following Wayne Maxwell’s 2013 title win, however the release of a new superbike in the market has sparked speculation that Suzuki would be re-entering an official operation in 2017.

That won’t be the case, Suzuki Australia national marketing manager Lewis Croft has confirmed to CycleOnline.com.au, however an expanded satellite support model will provide further incentives for customer teams to enter the GSX-R1000.

“We’re endeavoring to provide more grassroots support and we’ve had several teams approach us,” Croft commented. “We want to provide assistance with motorcycles, potentially parts support and contingencies. It’s a matter of weighing it all up and seeing what works best – there could be more than one team that we directly support in that way.”

The new GSX-R1000 isn’t due to arrive in Australia until May-June – with the GSX-R1000R not scheduled to land until even later – and that’s also a factor that could swing which teams enter Suzukis in next year’s series. Top teams fielding the current GSX-R1000 this year included Brayden Elliott’s family-owned squad and Next Gen Motorsports.

Image: Keith Muir.

Elliott won the Australian Supersport Championship in 2015 riding a Suzuki before shining as a rookie in the Superbikes this season, benefiting from having Suzuki legends Phil Tainton and Shawn Giles in his corner during that period.

2011/2014 title-winning team Next Gen has also proven a professional package using GSX-R models, fielding Sloan Frost, Ryan Hampton and Ted Collins this year.

It’s rumoured that yet more potential privateer organisations have been in contact with Suzuki in search of manufacturer support, as teams eye the 2017 GSX-R1000 as one of the most anticipated new-generation models on the market. It’s not yet determined which effort will feature as Suzuki’s primary entry.

Croft also revealed that Suzuki Australia is currently in the stages of finalising a wide-spread contingency structure to be announced, that will be available to all riders aboard GSX-R machinery in the ASBK. It’s understood it will be molded around top-three round and championship financial bonuses in a bid to bolster Suzuki’s presence within the series.