Six Claiming Rule Teams were officially invited to participate in next year’s Moto GP 1000cc class. The teams invited, not surprisingly, are already participating in the Moto2 category. The teams will be allowed additional fuel – three extra liters compared to the factory teams. Additionally, the CRT teams will be allowed additional engines to use during the year (twice the number allowed per rider in comparison to the factory teams).
These CRT teams are expected to use WSB spec engines provided by BMW, Aprilia, and possibly Kawasaki. These engines are hugely powerful, and it is hard to imagine they will give away much to the factory bikes. Max Biaggi, for instance, went nearly 207 mph at Monza earlier this year aboard his Aprilia race bike, a bike both heavier and less aerodynamic than the bikes that will compete next year in MotoGP. The added fuel allowance, together with the increased allocation of engines to the CRT teams, could also allow them to run a higher state of tune, at least theoretically, than the factory bikes. Of course, CRT teams can lose their engines through the claiming process.
All of which makes the 2012 series that much more interesting. Here’s the press release announcing the invitation to the six CRT teams for next year.
As previously notified, the existing teams in the MotoGP class will all be offered a contract of participation with IRTA for the 2012 FIM MotoGP World Championship Grand Prix season.
Applications from new teams for this class exceeded the likely number of places available. Following the selection procedure it has been decided to offer additional contracts of participation with IRTA to each of the following teams, all of whom currently participate in other classes of the FIM MotoGP World Championship Grand Prix.
BY QUEROSENO RACING
FORWARD RACING
KIEFER RACING
MARC VDS RACING TEAM
PADDOCK GP RACING
SPEED MASTER
In each case the offer is with respect to one rider only and is subject to the submission of their final plans.
Applications from new manufacturers wishing to participate in MotoGP continue to be evaluated. Further information will be provided when a decision has been taken on such applications.
Is there any chance any of the CRT teams could win anything, or is this just a way to add bikes to a somewhat small field?
That’s a good point. WSBK lap times on the same circuits as MotoGP would probably be interesting.
Sorry, that should read “Claiming Rule Team”, not “Rules”. 😉
Yeah, I was interested in the “Claiming Rules” as well. I think it will be interesting to have the mix in MotoGP. Here is a link to an article that explains them.
http://www.crash.net/motogp/news/168905/1/fim_explains_2012_motogp_claiming_rule.html
can anyone explain the claiming process to me please
hope they can be competitive, what happens currently in f1 is ridiculous…