FIM and Dorna Change thier minds again with MotoGP

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Taken from the MotoGP web site.

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


Anyone remember why they went to 800's in the first place ??????? Wasn’t the Kato death the tree of fear baring fruit for rider safety as a result of the 990's often unusable awesome power?

Fast forward 5 years and think what sort of BHP they will have by 2015 , my guess would be getting close to 280+

I guess it will reconfirm the premier class again as let’s be honest the 800's are not as fun to watch, if it wasn’t for the Rossi/Stoner/Lorenzo 3some this year’s racing would have been a fun as watching golf!

Mind you Rossi would no doubt be after a 1 litre title before he moves for good. Guess Ducati will already be crunching numbers and drafting a 2 year contract to put to him at the end of next year for that for sure.

[Mully]

I thought they went to 800 cos the 990s were too fast too.

But I heard the propeller heads made the 800s just as quick, so that negated that idea.

Maybe they figure they need to be 1000cc to compete with SBK.... I dunno.

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My understanding of it from various reasons that where given over a number of articles and interviews i read and saw at the time was that the main reason was power. The 990's had simply too much of it, mostly the torque figure being the draw dropper on the dyno.

Lets think back, honda's last generation RC211V was speculated to be putting out over 250hp although that was never confirmed or denied by honda in typical HRC fashion. For a bike that had a maximum weight of 149kg lets do the math on the power to weight ratio...

anyone else pitching a tent at the thought of twisting the throttle on that on a retired runway ??

It is interesting but the Kato death at Suzuka is often used as a point in relation to the power of those machines in the 990 era.

Guess well see what else they say when that question officially gets put to the powers that be, im sure i aint the only one wondering in hind sight.

[pritch]

The comments I've read suggest that lowering the limit to 800 was a panic measure. Sure the litre bikes were faster on the straight, but the 800s had higher corner speed and guess where most riders come unstuck?

It does help to understand that the people at Dorna know sweet FA about bikes. The FIM would like to get back in the drivers seat but that won't happen in the immediate future

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The FIM would like to get back in the drivers seat but that won't happen in the immediate future

Yeah cant ever see that happening, its all about TV rights which Dorna own out-right. You could almost say its thier own private comp. BSB is constantly changing too which Dorna also own the rights to.

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The comments I've read suggest that lowering the limit to 800 was a panic measure.

Youre the second person in 3 days that said what they read suggested the same. Im sure they would have thought it through

or not................

[TuonoTom]

Back to 500cc two strokes i reckon

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Back to 500cc two strokes i reckon

well mate if it aint for the tree hugging movement we would have never lost them,

Well maybe we would have, most of the mechanics in the paddoc agree'd the technology had gone about as far as it could with 500 strokers.

Still id give my left nut to smell them again on methanol , not to mention the slight mahogany that would swell down south due to the sound being track side again!