News 9 Jan 2010

MotoGP: FIM and Dorna reveal more regulation revisions

The FIM has released further information on the regulations for the 2010 MotoGP World Championship categories in a statement released this morning.

The Grand Prix Commission, made up of Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, the FIM’s Claude Danis, IRTA president Hervé Poncharal and the MSMA’s Takanao Tsubouchi, in the presence of FIM president Vito Ippolito, FIM sport director Ignacio Verneda, Dorna’s Javier Alonso and race secretary Paul Butler unanimously decided in a meeting on 11 December to introduce specific amendments for the championship.

Practice on MotoGP-spec bikes at GP circuits is forbidden for contracted riders in the MotoGP class during the calendar season and the breaks except for practice included in the schedule of the events; practice during the day immediately following the Spanish Grand Prix (Jerez) and the Czech GP (Brno) and during the two days immediately following the last GP (Valencia), as well as any activity authorised by the Race Direction.

Practice by contracted riders with machines eligible for the MotoGP class is also forbidden during the winter at any circuit except for at a maximum of six days of official tests organised by Dorna/IRTA at GP circuits included in the calendars of the preceding or following year. No testing is permitted during the period starting on 1 December of one year and finishing on 31 January the following year, both dates being inclusive with the exception of the ‘Rookie’ riders who are allowed one three-day test during November/December.

The winter test schedule must be approved by the Grand Prix Commission, the decision being made by the Grand Prix Commission on 7 November at Valencia.

In 125cc and Moto2, wildcard riders are exempt from practice restrictions which apply to contracted riders in these categories. Until this decision, wildcard riders had been unable to practice or race at any GP circuit in the 14 days before the race.

The Grand Prix Commission also agreed on modifications to the Medical Code, with regards to the minimum medical requirements for events. The medical service comprising of equipment, vehicles and personnel must be organised in such a way and in sufficient number to ensure that an injured rider can be provided with appropriate and all necessary emergency treatment, with the minimum of delay and to facilitate their rapid transfer to further medical treatment in an appropriately equipped medical centre or definitive medical care in a hospital with the necessary facilities to deal with their injuries or illness, should this be required.

It was also decided at that meeting in December that the MotoGP class would be switching to 1000cc engines in 2012, however no mention has been made of the capacity change in the latest release.

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