As much as the riders and cutting-edge machinery take the spotlight in the adrenaline-fueled races of the MotoGP, it can be argued that the crews behind the scenes deserve just as much credit for the success of race teams. Indeed, hundreds and hundreds of man hours go into the development of racing teams, not to mention, to ensure everything runs smoothly during the course of the race weekend.
In Suzuki’s case in particular, we’ve come to see the racers Alex Rins and Joan Mir build their careers and achieve success alongside the Japanese manufacturer. What we don’t usually see, however, is the hard work that maintaining a competitive standing in the world’s premiere class of motorcycle racing entails. It goes without saying that the success of the Suzuki MotoGP team is greatly attributable to the folks behind the scenes, and now, we pay tribute to one of the Suzuki MotoGP team’s members who sadly lost his life after a long and arduous fight against cancer.
Raymond Hughes, a mechanic who worked with the Suzuki MotoGP team, passed away on August 22, 2022, following a battle with cancer. Following the sad news, Team Suzuki Ecstar took to social media to honor Hughes, highlighting the important role he played as part of the Suzuki MotoGP family. Hughes was part of the Suzuki MotoGP project from the beginning of the brand’s current run in the racing series, and has worked alongside the likes of Aleix Espargaro, Andrea Iannone, and Alex Rins.
Apart from being a staple in the Team Suzuki Ecstar paddock, Hughes also had a love for another facet of the two-wheeled world: cycling. Team Suzuki Ecstar’s tweet referenced this concluding with “Cycle in peace, mate.” Apart from what Team Suzuki Ecstar has shared on social media, Raymond Hughes, for the most part, led a private life. We send our sympathies to his family and friends following his passing.