Suzuki has told mahbx.com that legendary race engineer and team manager Erv Kane🍒moto will not be working for the factory MotoGP team next season.

Kanemoto, who has prepared machines that have won 64 grands prix and seven world championships, had been operating as a 'technical consulta🍒nt' at Suzuki in 2004 - and was credited with helping move the GSV-R project forward.

"Erv will no longer be working with Suzuki's MotoGP team," a team spokesman told mahbx.com. "His efforts in the last year have been instrumental in moving the performance of the GSV-R forward and Suzuki is grateful for his a🐼ssistance.

"A team structure is being put in place by new manager Paul Denning that will strengthen the team's technical abilities on al♎l levels."

Kanemoto has been tipped toꦡ team up with former rider Max Biaggi🍌 in a Jerry Burgess type role at the Repsol Honda team for 2005.

Biaggi rode 250cc Hondas for Kanemoto Racing in 1993 and 1997 (when h🃏e won his fourth quarter-litre world title), then made his headline grabbing 500cc debut with the American's team in 1998.

Rumours of a Kanemoto/Biaggi reunion firs🎃t surfaced after the August MotoGP summer breꦚak - but were in the form of a story linking Biaggi to a Suzuki ride next season.

Biaggi publicly dis🦩missed such talk as "silly gossip dreamed up on the beach", but it seems that - with Kanemoto having left Suzuki - Max could well link up with his former team manager in 2005, at the factory Honda outfit.

Meanwhile, one part of Suzuki's MotoGP effort that won't be changing for next year is the use of a V4 engine configuration. With progress made on chassis and tyres this season, the♍ GSV-R's lack of top speed is seen as its greatest weakness - and Suzuki is 'investing heavily' to solve the problem.

"The V4 configuration is being retained for 2005 and Suzuki rema▨ins confident in its potential," said the spokesman. "The engine has exceptional strengths that assist with driveability and use of power.

"The immediate challenge is to increase top-end horsepower and the Factory is investing heavily to achieve this during the winter months - this programme is already well unde🏅rway," he added.

Kenny Roberts Jr and John Hopkins will remain w♑ith Team Suzuki for the 2005 MotoGP season.