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MotoGP changes for 2012
FIM President Vito Ippolito and Dorna Sports CEO
Carmelo Ezpeleta confirm engine capacity changes, which will come into
effect for the 2012 season.
Today the Grand Prix Commission members reconvened in Geneva at the
FIM headquarters to discuss future developments for the MotoGP World
Championship.
Following talks between MotoGP’s governing body the FIM, series
rights holder Dorna Sports and the MSMA, the Commission agreed to
change the maximum engine capacity of the MotoGP class to 1000cc for
the 2012 season. A limit of 4 cylinders will also be introduced, with a
maximum cylinder bore measurement of 81 mm.
Mr Ippolito said: “The main changes we have decided on are new rules
for the MotoGP class. We will have four cylinder engines, 4-stroke of
course, with a 1000cc maximum, and the bore of the cylinders will be
81mm. This base will give all the manufacturers the opportunity to
start work. At the beginning of next year we will produce the new rules
in a more complete format, but that is the basis; 2012 will be the year
of a new era of MotoGP.”
Mr Ezpeleta stated: “It was a very important meeting to decide the
future of the MotoGP class. From 2012 the bikes will have an engine
capacity of up to 1000cc, have up to four cylinders and the maximum
bore will be 81mm. It’s a very important measurement because with this
we can have all the characteristics of the engine. This has been
approved and between now and the start of the 2010 season we will have
another two meetings to define the rest of the specifications for this
new class.”
Timeline of engine changes in recent years:
2002 - Introduction of 990cc 4-stroke MotoGP (instead of 2-stroke 500cc).
2007 - Maximum engine capacity reduction from 990cc to 800cc.
2009-2010 – Maximum engine usage (6 engines per rider in 2010).
2012 - Maximum engine capacity increased to 1000cc, with a limit of 4 cylinders and a maximum 81mm cylinder bore.
Several minor technical rules change were also announced for 2010, alongside further regulations related to the new Moto2 class.
Source: MotoGP.com