This year marks a historical one for the Moto2 World Championship as Triumph enters the grand prix arena as the official engine supplier of the intermediate category. Striking a three-year arrangement announced in mid 2017, Triumph has since been developing its race-ready 765cc powerplant based on the production Street Triple RS engine (derived from the Daytona 675R).

With more than 2500 race pace laps at a range of European circuits, the extensive two-year engine development program of factory-based, dynamometer and track testing has resulted in the official product that will roll out for its first race in March at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar.

Image: Supplied.

The new race engine is built to bring more power and torque, designed to rev harder and run with a lower inertia and all delivered in a lighter weight package.

The Street Triple RS engine was launched with over 80 new parts from the previous generation of Street Triple, and with the race engine in addition, changes include a modified cylinder head with revised inlet and exhaust ports, higher compression ratio, titanium valves and stiffer valve springs, and high flow fuel injectors.

Along with that, a low inertia race kit alternator has been fitted, as well as revised ratios of first and second gear, a race developed slipper clutch (tuneable), and revised engine covers for reduced width.

Image: Supplied.

The engine will be complimented by an ECU developed by Magneti Marelli, a collaboration in which Triumph has supplied the base data and the provision of engines, and a full test mule and Triumph technical support team.

The result, in road set-up, is an engine delivering the highest ever level of performance for a Street Triple, producing 138 horsepower at its peaks, placing approximately eight horsepower more than the outgoing Honda unit, which was based off the four-cylinder CBR600R.

In the engines official test amongst Moto2 riders and teams at Jerez last year, a number of contenders riding different chassis both featuring the new 2019 Triumph triple 765cc race engine, recorded practice lap times inside the fastest lap record at the Spinish Jerez Circuit of 1m41.890s.

Image: Supplied.

It was considered a landmark achievement by the British manufacturer in one of the first times riders had ridden the 2019 season race bikes in the new configuration, while also confirming an exciting – and faster – era of the Moto2 category.

The intermediate class will make its first outing at Jerez on 20 February for the maiden test of 2019, followed up by a test on 1 March at Qatar, providing one final opportunity to prepare for the 10 March season-opener.