MotoGP bosses have confirmed today that the 250cc class will be replaced by a 600cc series called Moto2 from 2011 – but engine configurations can be twin, triple or four-cylinder and they will have to run spec-electronics.
And competitors will be allowed to buy each other's engines after a race for a fixed price of €20,000 (£17,600) meaning it will not make commercial sense to build a motor that costs any more than that.
Engines will also be rev-limited (16,000 for fours, 15,500 for triples and 15,000 for twins) and penumatic valves are not allowed. Also banned are variable timing and lift systems.
The spec-elecronics package, supplied by Dorna, means only the ECU/fuel injection control units supplied by the series Organiser are allowed to be fitted. Electronic control units include the timing transponder, engine RPM control and datalogger systems.
Minimum weights have been set at 135kg for fours, 130kg for triples and 125kg for twins and the chassis must be prototype, not based on an exsting roadbike, which gets round the problems of copying the World Supersport series.
Carbon brakes are banned, as are carbon composite wheels. The bike will run on 17in rims on slicks that will be limited in number. There is no news yet on whether they will be single-make tyres.
Teams will only be able to have one bike per rider, and only two engines per bike are allowed at any round. The engines are also to be made from conventional metals such as aluminium alloy – magnesium and titanium have been banned.
Download the full rulebook here
