During day two of the Sepang test, Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta gave an update on discussions over future regulations for the MotoGP World Championship.
Ezpeleta is working with the manufacturers in order to limit costs and also ensure that the customer teams (using satellite or CRT machinery) can be competitive relative to the factory teams.
Proposals currently on the table include agreeing some form of upper limit on how much each factory should spend on its MotoGP project per season, through new restrictions on the use of expensive technology and materials.
Meanwhile, the prospect of a spec ECU and/or rev limit seems to be receding.
2013 looks could see a one bike per rider rule, which would mean modifying the flag-to-flag rules for a wet/dry race, while 2014 might see a limit of two factory and two satellite bikes for each manufacturer.
The rest of the grid would therefore be made up of CRT entries.
The 1 million euro per customer bike remains a target and customer teams would therefore have the option of leasing a satellite bike for that amount, or owning a CRT bike. Some form of trophy for the top CRT rider is also possible.
Crash.net asked Ezpeleta about MotoGP grid numbers and the issue of close racing: “Number of riders is not a problem. We have 21 and that is very close to the maximum number we want to have. Now the idea is to have them competitive.
“There have always been differences between the factory bikes and whoever is leasing bikes. One of the main reasons is the riders. The best riders are with the best bikes. If we could do the opposite - best riders on worst bike - it would be different! But this is racing.
“In principal we are going step-by-step to achieve the goals. First step was to have enough bikes on the grid. We have that. Now the second thing is to have them competitive.
“We are discussing a lot of new ideas about how we can improve in all areas. For example, we also talked [on Tuesday] in the MSMA-Dorna meeting to maybe create certain rules [a 'Super License'] to admit riders to MotoGP. That is something we are talking about with the FIM and teams.”
The next meeting about the future shape of MotoGP will be held at the Jerez test on March 23.
source: crash.net
