FIM boss gives thumbs up to 1,000cc switch
Added on Sunday, December 6th, 2009 by Carole Nash Editor
FIM boss gives thumbs up to 1,000cc switch
FIM president Vito Ippolito has claimed that 1,000cc machines are the best way forward for MotoGP, despite criticisms from World Superbikes.
MotoGP promoter Carmelo Ezpeleta confirmed to Spanish television at the final round of the season at Valencia that the proposal for a championship that features both 1,000cc prototype and production motorcycles was on the table and that the championship could ditch the 800cc format as early as 2011 in an attempt to cut operating costs.
The proposals are thought to largely have the support of the teams, riders and manufacturers and Ippolito believes that a 1,000cc championship would be the way forward.
“MotoGP manufacturers want 1000cc engines, so that’s the way now,” Ippolito told Motosprint.
“The 800cc formula hasn’t worked because power is more or less the same [as 990cc], but cornering speed has increased. And costs have increased too.”
Ippolito also dismissed the claims of WSB promoter Infront Motor Sports, who reacted angrily to the proposals and even hinted at a legal challenge to the new format, with the FIM chief claiming that the two championships would still retain enough separation under homologation rules, with MotoGP still being considered as a prototype series.
“The difference is the rule about homologation: a bike is or isn’t homologable (the way in which road-going versions of superbikes are produced),” Ippolito claimed. “The discussion starts and ends here. It doesn’t matter whether the engine is 1000, 1200, or 750cc – MotoGP can’t be homologated, so it can have whatever engine it wants, since the discriminating factor is another one.”
He added that he believed that MotoGP and Superbikes cater for different audiences and can therefore happily co-exist whatever regulations are in place.
“We are satisfied with both series, because they meet the requests of the fans,” said Ippolito. “SBK offers the opportunity of racing and showing off to people who have less resources, while MotoGP is the global image of motorcycle racing.
“So we need both, but it’s important to keep a difference between the two: someone who watches Superbikes watches his own bike racing. MotoGP is different, and someone who watches it wants to see something else.”
