The Grand Prix Commission took the opportunity at Brno to announce various changes to the rules for MotoGP for this season, as well as some changes for 2010. They also took the opportunity to confirm that the 125cc class will make way for a MOto3 series in 2012.

As expected, there have been some radical overhauls to the maximum engine rule that many teams are starting to struggle with – current rules state that teams are only allowed a maximum of 6 engines, and if they use more than their alloted amount, then riders will be required to start races from the pit lane.

Carmelo Ezpeleta said:
“Today we had many different things to discuss in the GP Commission, things that were proposed in the last commission and that were to be approved today. The most important is regarding the MotoGP class, with clarification that to be a Claiming Rule Team (in 2012) the team must present their candidacy and then be unanimously approved by the Grand Prix Commission members. Secondly, regarding the technical exception we have for the CRTs, that they have 12 engines instead of six and 24 litres fuel capacity instead of 21. This exception can be changed with the majority approval of the GP Commission members. The rest of the rules remain as they were.”

“We have also agreed that from 2012 the 125cc class will be replaced by Moto3, this has been approved in principle by all the members. The MSMA gave a majority approval and the rest of the members – the FIM, IRTA, and Dorna – have all approved. The basic concept is a 250cc, 4-stroke, one-cylinder engine with a maximum bore of 81mm. The aim is to make this category more competitive and cheaper. Our idea now is to make it a multi-engine category and not a single-engine class. Many things are still to be discussed but it is to be implemented for the 2012 season.”

Read all the changes that were announced below:

- MotoGP class for 2012 -

Technical Specifications (as already announced on 17/02/10)

Capacity: Up to 1000cc
Number of maximum cylinders: 4
Maximum bore: 81mm
Maximum weight: 150 kg (up to 800cc) and 153 kg (over 800cc)
Maximum number of engines available for use by each rider: 6
Fuel tank capacity: 21 litres

Exceptions for Claiming Rule Teams (CRT’s):

Maximum number of engines available for use by each rider: 12
Fuel tank capacity: 24 litres

The selecion of the Claiming Rule Teams (CRT’s) will be by unanimous decision of the Grand Prix Commission. Modification to this exception due to performance of the teams requires the simple majority of the Grand Prix Commission.

- Immediate application -

Official MotoGP post-race tests

For these tests of 1 day duration, each rider will be restricted in the quantity and specification of tyres that they may use at a single test event as follows:

For all practice sessions, a maximum of 8 slick tyres will be allocated, specifically:
Front slick tyres: 2 of Specification “A” + 2 of Specification “B” = 4 in total.
Rear slick tyres: 2 of Specification “A” + 2 of Specification “B” = 4 in total.
During all practice sessions, a maximum of 4 wet tyres, specifically:
Front wet tyres: 2 of the standard specification
Rear wet tyres: 2 of the standard specification

In addition each rider may use 1 set of tyres (1 front + 1 rear) retained from their allocation for the preceding event. These tyres may be new or used (NB. used tyres must still be mounted on wheels from the preceding event), and the team must inform the tyre supplier which set of tyres (1 front + 1 rear), if any, they wish to retain for the test within 2 hours of the preceding race finish.

Number of engines for MotoGP

For 2010 the manufacturer members of MSMA who did not win at least 2 dry races in 2008 + 2009 seasons can use 9 engines instead of 6.

Event schedule for the Gran Premio de Aragon

The schedule below prepared by Dorna has been agreed:

Friday, 17 September 2010

09:05-09:45 – 125cc Free Practice 1
10:05-10:50 – MotoGP Free Practice 1
11:10-11:50 – Moto2 Free Practice 1
13:05-13:45 – 125cc Free Practice 2
14:05-14:50 – MotoGP Free Practice 2
15:10-15:50 – Moto2 Free Practice 2

Saturday, 18 September 2010

09:05-09:45 – 125cc Free Practice 3
10:05-10:50 – MotoGP Free Practice 3
11:10-11:50 – Moto2 Free Practice 3
13:05-13:45 – 125cc Qualifying Practice
14:05-14:50 – MotoGP Qualifying Practice
15:10-15:55 – Moto2 Qualifying Practice

Sunday, 19 September 2010

08:40-09:00 – 125cc Warm Up
09:10-09:30 – Moto2 Warm Up
09:40-10:00 – MotoGP Warm Up
11:00 – 125cc Race (19 laps)
12:15 – Moto2 Race (21 laps)
14:00 – MotoGP Race (23 laps)

- Application 2012 -

Newcoming manufacturer in MotoGP

Any new manufacturer entering the MotoGP class and not being selected Claming Rule Team (CRT) will be allowed to use 9 engines instead of 6 for their first season.

Moto3 Class

The 125cc class will be replaced by the Moto3 class. The basic technical rules of this class are:

- Single cylinder 250cc 4-stroke engines with a maximum bore of 81 mm.
- Each engine should last for 3 races minimum and cost not more than 10,000 € (final cost will be announced)
- Each manufacturer if required should be ready to supply a minimum of 15 riders.

This proposal has been agreed by the majority of MSMA.

After not showing the MotoGP Qualifying yesterday, they manage to top it all off by cutting the 250cc race just over half-way though and instead making you rush online to watch the rest of it. What a joke.

And now after having my anger peaked, I have to stomach sitting through the main race listening to Charlie Cox puffing out his usual ‘catch-phrases’: “Nightmare in a bubblecar”, “Once more over the stripe”, “Needed that like a third armpit”, talking to Steve Parrish and referring to him as “Oh Oracle”, and then droning on and on about “stealing each others lunch”, etc…etc…

ARRRGH. *Shakes Fist*. Surely I should be able to withhold part of my license fee for this. Especially after the BBC’s alleged public commitment to the importance of MotoGP that they made at the start of the season when they were faced with MotoGP fans protesting that they had won the rights.

Suggest you use this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints

Alternatively vent your frustration and leave an offensive comment about the BBC or Charlie Cox in the comments field – I won’t be censoring anything. Here’s mine:

Charlie Cox is the special olympics of sports commentary and MotoGP fans need the BBC coverage like “a third armpit”.

In an interview with Carmelo Ezpeleta, head honcho of MotoGP rights holder Dorna, stated that Kawasaki have a contract that runs to 2011 and despite frantic work behind the scenes trying to get another team to run the Kawasaki bikes, if no agreement was reached then legal proceedings against Kawasaki could follow.

Carmelo Ezpeleta told Reuters: “Legal action is the last step. We would try to ask them for compensation. It must be resolved because the season is almost starting. “In two or three weeks maximum we have to have a solution or even earlier.”

“The financial crisis has impacted the sport in a big manner,” he said. “We think it’s an important issue but we have enough tools to resolve it. I am very, very optimistic about the measures we are taking in this situation because I think this is an opportunity to better place MotoGP in the world than before the crisis.”

When asked about the growing threat of World Superbikes to MotoGP, a series that is more popular than ever before and offers two races per weekend and a packed grid, Ezpeleta said he did not see any threat to MotoGP.

“We can both survive fantastically. We were surviving for many years and there is no reason to think it’s a problem. If superbike is going well then that’s good for us to.”

Ezpeleta’s company, Dorna Sports, holds the commercial rights to MotoGP and has signed an agreement with an unnamed Singaporean company to stage a round of the 18-leg world championships.

“Yes, I can confirm that we have signed an agreement with a promoter to stage a round of the motorbike world championships in Singapore,” Ezpeleta told the Today newspaper.

“But it depends when the permanent track you are going to build will be completed. I understand it will be up in three years’ time, so you can have a race there as early as 2011, if not 2012.”

Unlike the Formula One Grand Prix Singapore held around its city streets in September, the bikes will race on a purpose-built track in the Changi area of the island.

Despite the difficult economic climate, Singapore Sports Council (SSC) chief executive officer Oon Jin Teik said that plans for the track have not changed.

“The Changi racetrack is a major component of SSC’s overall motor sports industry development plan in Singapore and it is intended to be funded by the private sector,” said Oon.

“The current financial climate will have an impact on the types and number of bidders that we will be able to attract. Nonetheless, it can only serve to improve their quality and proposals.”

Ezpeleta added that Asia was an important area for the sport’s future.

“Asia is important to MotoGP’s growth and Singapore is at the centre of it, that is why we want to hold a round there. But like I said, my agreement with the promoter in Singapore is subject to the track being built,” he said.

Asia will host three Moto GP next year — in Japan, Australia and Malaysia — although China has been axed from the calendar.

[Background note: Charlie Cox is one part of the race day commentary team for the BBC coverage of MotoGP]

Ok, let me start by getting something off my chest first – Charlie Cox is an twat who ruins pretty much every race I watch on the BBC with his ‘catchphrases’, ‘jokes’ and barely concealed sexism and borderline racism – I seem to recall him repeatedly referring to the Tech 3 Yamaha team in 2007 as ‘Team Froggy’. So, I guess that could be worse, but its another stick we can use to beat his puffy body with I guess. I’d imagine with every blow he’d wheeze out one of his catchphrases – “I need that like a third armpit” *WACK* “”I need that like a third armpit” *WACK* “I need that like a third armpit” *WACK* etc……

Some of his repetitive quotes that BBC viewers of MotoGP have to put up with include:

• “He needed that like a third armpit” (usually mentioned in every single race at least once a lap)
• “A nightmare in a bubblecar” (again, used repeatedly in every single race)
• “As useful as the bottom half of a mermaid”
  

He’s the David Brent of race day, he’s the special olympics of sports commentary…he’s the Sid Wadell of MotoGP (except far less entertaining than Sid)

The good news: This weekend’s Valencia MotoGP is likely to mark his final MotoGP commentary for the BBC. He’s been fronting the Australian version of Top Gear and rumours are that he’s going home to focus on that, which is great news for race fans. The BBC are yet to confirm their plans for MotoGP for 2009, and who will be their chosen commentary team, but I’m in favour of rescuing as much of the Eurosport team as possible (although I think Julian Ryder has signed up for working with Dorna directly already).

Lend your voice here: Open Petition to the BBC

A few months ago, as I’m sure you’ve probably heard from more ‘newsworthy’ blogs and sources, Dorna announced that they wanted to increase MotoGP coverage across Europe by giving priority to free-to-air television networks and they had decided that the BBC would have exclusive coverage of MotoGP for 2009 (and Eurosport would lose the rights to show MotoGP).

Currently the BBC covers the main race (usually on BBC2), and qualifying, the 125 and 250 races are only shown on the BBC’s BBCi service’ – there is also no free practice shown, no real post race interviews, and a nasty habit of cutting the programs short and allowing MotoGP to be pushed off the schedule. Over the last few races, as well as having to listen to Charlie Cox, BBC viewers have had to cope with a load of scheduling issues, lack of 125 and 250 coverage – some choice highlights of vocal motogp fans from the BBC forum below:

The BBC have also secured rights for F1 coverage and haven’t really issued a definitive plan of action to keep both MotoGP and F1 fans happy on those race days where there may a conflict or clash over times – the concern is clearly that F1 will get the key coverage and MotoGP will get relegated to one of the interactive channels. Until clarity about the BBC’s MotoGP plans are revealed, fans have only got this year’s evidence and general mistreatment of MotoGP at the hands of the BBC to assume that next year could be a diaster.

A petition to Dorna has been online for a while to keep MotoGP on Eurosport and is currently showing well over 5,000 signatures, make your voice heard here: KEEP MOTOGP ON EUROSPORT