Video: Suzuki returns to MotoGP at Valencia

Suzuki made its long-awaited return to MotoGP at the final race of the 2014 season at Valencia, Spain back in November after more than a year of testing at various racing circuits across the world. Former MotoGP star Randy De Puniet was given the opportunity to race the new GSX-RR at Valencia as a reward for his contribution of testing duties at numerous tracks, and also in order to find out just where the bike stood in comparison to its rivals. While the Frenchman's foray back into the MotoGP field didn't end up as hoped (he qualified 20th and then ended up pulling out of the race with an engine failure), it did give Suzuki some idea of where they needed to concentrate their development over the winter break.

Suzuki signed MotoGP Open class standout Aleix Espargaro and young rising star Maverick Vinales for 2015, and they quickly got to work following the race for the three-day post-season tests at Valencia. Espargaro found his stride on his new factory mount and finished the test just one second off of World Champion Marc Marquez. The test was Vinales' first ride on a MotoGP bike after a season in Moto2, so he had to come to grips with both the motorcycle and the Bridgestone tires, which have far different behavior than the Dunlops used in Moto2; he ended up 21st on the timesheets.

The video produced by Suzuki shows a behind-the-scenes look at the action during both the race weekend and the post-season test at Valencia: