Dorna wants competitive CRT bikes
MotoGP commercial chief Carmelo Ezpeleta is determined to ensure the gap between the works and CRT bikes in 2012 is not too large, and that the new class remains cost-effective.
Nine of the 21 bikes in the 2012 MotoGP field will be running to the Claiming Rule Teams regulation, which allows for a greater element of production technology in what must remain primarily a prototype motorcycle, and Ezpeleta has opened admitted that he sees the lower-cost formula as the series' future.
So far in testing, the CRT bikes have been clearly slower than the traditional MotoGP machines, but Ezpeleta is adamant that the championship will not become a two-tier contest, and that the works teams' pace and spending must be controlled.
"We must immediately do two things: The first is to keep the grid is as compact as possible," he was quoted as saying by the official MotoGP website.
"This is not to say that there will be no differences, but to make sure that the CRT bikes are as close as possible to the factory bikes.
"Second, that factory bikes don't technologically advance to performance levels that could be dangerous, with costs that can't be assumed.
"For the problem is not just how to reduce costs, it's that if someone invests a significant amount, wins the championship and then leaves, it leaves you with nothing."
Ezpeleta believes a common ECU is likely to be the answer to containing both costs and speeds, and keeping the CRT bikes within range of the works machinery.
"I think we will be able to resolve these issues by consensus," he said. "If not, we have ideas, such as the introduction of a spec ECU or a rev limit, which could be launched as early as 2013, a year in which the championship will be completely different compared to 2012.
"The establishment of the single unit, according to the manufacturers, would be the biggest limiter to continued technological development.
"We are looking at what the best way of limiting the performance - and thereby costs - will be, to ensure that a satellite team will be able to obtain bikes at a maximum of one million Euros per season, whether through selling, through a long-term leasing commitment, or through CRTs, although this cost seems excessive to me for a CRT."
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at least we will see some more overtaking maneuvers ...
They should have encouraged wcm back in 2004 when they enterd a bike into the class ,they would be healthy numbers on the grid now
I Didnt make myself clear enough , what i meant was is that there is 12 prototypes. Prototypes are the only bikes capable of actually winning a race , this year at least! @dougie. Mccowan yes there are only a few riders who win races but because of these crt bikes it will be even more unlikely to have more race winners because there is only 12 bikes who actually have a chance , and like you said only a few riders can actually win! So everybody get ready for the most boring year of motogp yet!
Hi
Callum
I can bet you that there will be CRT Aprilia's (and maybe others) that will kick some satellite bottom
and there there is not 12 potential winner there are probably 5 if Ducati get their stuff sorted.
CRT will eventually rent/buy "factory" engines from Honda Yamaha and if Rossi get the frame sorted even Ducati engines will be in CRT frames (Ducati can not risk a CRT Ducati beating them:) if that is the case I can see some Ducati satellite teams swap to other frames with the Ducati engine pronto:)
GO CRT with Factory Engines:)
Cheers Claes
Ezpeleta has done for MGP what Schettino did for the Costa Concordia
Ezpeleta is more in the news than the riders and bikes = a really sad and poor state of MGP affairs
@ callum Why do you say there will only be 12 bikes that could win and therefore what's the point of the CRT bikes??? When to my memory there have only been 6 or 7 guys who've won motogp in the four years of 800 racing!!!! I might be mistaken but other than the 4 Aliens, Spies, Dovi who else has really been in with a chance. It wouldn't matter if there were 30 full factory bikes on the grid you'd only get half a dozen winners if your lucky...
My only problem with them is that its going to make the racing twice as boring because there will only be 12 bikes that can actually win a race! The only thing exciting thing we are gonna see with these bikes will be letting the faster prototypes lap them
@ callum iv'e seen you make dozens of comments about too many crt's so what is your idea of the way to go bear in mind the whole world is in recession, so dorna's idea of a more reasonable series is not your choice so what do you suggest?
@james, thats the problem! Yes there will be more bikes but it wont make a difference to the racing up front , with only 12 prototypes , might as well just make extra class for crt bikes
No not enough CRT bikes callum ? I,d like to see more,so we get some racing just like moto 2.
I love Moto GP and have watched for 30 years. As much as I like the works bikes,there is not enough dosh to pay for lots of works machinary. So as litle as I like it, CRT will be the way forward IMO.
I didnt like loosing 250 GP bikes or the 500's and now the demise of GP 125 into moto 3.
Moto 2 has been an excellent series with some brilliant racing and thats what I want. "REAL RACING". Bashing fairings,swopping places continously etc so hopefully moto 3 and the CRT bikes give me my fix !!!!!!!!!!!!!
CRT is a waste of time as is the evolution class in BSB. Eventually were are just going to have production racing
Within 5 years CRT bikes will be the ONLY bikes on the grid,top factories will drop out.
Anyway the racing??? at the front is rubbish,becoming more like speedway,get the start and clear off.
Jade
i'm not sure if CRT is the future of motogp but something drastic does need to happen. In my opinion factories can either be the saviour or the demise of a sport like this. If there are lots of manufacturers involved you will get the best spectacle and the best racing, but as soon the number of factory teams drops the racing becomes boring and repetitive with little competition as we have seen recently. I can't see other factories flooding into motogp in the near future so perhaps they should kick the factories out (this will NEVER happen) and have closer matched independant teams providing better racing. Unfortunately the money will go with the factories into other areas. Perhaps its a reflection on the times and motorsport just doesn't interest the manufacturers any more. May be they have found that as a marketing exercise, which is what it is all about for the factories, motogp isn't value for money or perhaps just doesn't work.
To be honest I don't really care if the bikes are works prototypes or CRT all I really care about is that the racing is good.
If MotoGP 2012 can give as good racing as BSB 2011 I will be more than happy
too many crt bikes!!
i totally agree with you Tamas but i fear it will fall on deaf ears they've made their mind up that crt will succeed when we know it wont
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