Officially Official! MotoGP To Move Back To 1000cc In 2012

http://superbikeplanet.com/2009/Dec/091211a.htm

This just in from the FIM:

FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix
- Changes to the 2010 Regulations -

The Grand Prix Commission, composed of Messrs. Carmelo Ezpeleta (Dorna, Chairman), Claude Danis (FIM), Hervé Poncharal (IRTA) and Takanao Tsubouchi (MSMA), in the presence of Messrs Vito Ippolito (FIM President), Ignacio Verneda (FIM Sport Director), Javier Alonso (Dorna) and M. Paul Butler (Secretary of the meeting), in a meeting held on December 11 in FIM Headquarters in Mies, unanimously decided to introduce the following amendments to the Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix Regulations. Changes in bold.
Application 2010

Sporting Regulations

1.1.1 A series of motorcycle races counting toward the FIM World Championship for riders and constructors (engine for 125cc and MotoGP - frame for Moto2) will be organised.


1.21 Behaviour During Practice and Race

.../...

20) Penalties for infrigment of article 2.3.6 (Engine durability in MotoGP).

- Infringement before the race: the rider will start the race from the pit lane 20' after the start of the race.

- Infringement during the race: ride through.


Application: from 2012

Basic concept for MotoGP

- Maximum displacement: 1000cc

- Maximum number of cylinders: 4

- Maximum bore: 81 mm

ENDS

MONEY IN THE BANK!! Let's hope with less electronics too!

Also: reading>adam

Application: from 2012

Basic concept for MotoGP

- Maximum displacement: 1000cc

- Maximum number of cylinders: 4

- Maximum bore: 81 mm

Originally Posted by tamer

Also: reading>adam

I copied it straight from SOUP, so whoops x2.

well well well. hopefully things will change for the better.

hmm... i wonder if we'll see production bikes....

good news for ben spies... exactly what he wanted..

Well that was sooner than I thought... This could be the first of the death knells for MotoGP, in my opinion.

If the series maintains its prototype engines, the manufacturers will have to go back to the drawing board, again, to build an almost entirely new motor. Honda and Ducati will not be able to run their favored V-5 configuration, with the maximum cylinders limitation. With the advances in electronics that have occurred in the interim, a simple increase in capacity will not affect the kind of closer/better racing that I'm sure Dorna is hoping for. End result, Suzuki probably pulls the plug (barring any vast strides at GP success in the 2010 or 2011 seasons), and who knows if Ducati can come up with the capital to start from scratch, all over again.

If the series allows production engines, even heavily modified, the WSBK principals are probably already ginning up their lawyers for a massive and protracted lawsuit against those of MotoGP. I can't see how that would end well for Dorna, as I don't believe they could afford to defend such a suit...


Either way, not good times for GP. The only alternative they would be left with would be a nearly spec series, in which the electronics, tires and maybe even engines are supplied, and only the chassis are true prototypes. And how many manufacturers would actually want to participate in that? Nevermind what the fan base will think of it...

I think it is way to early to speculate on any of this. This is three years down the road...

only time will tell on this one. i cant wait to see some proto types