WSB boss hits out at MotoGP proposals
Added on Friday, November 20th, 2009 by Carole Nash Editor
WSB boss hits out at MotoGP proposals
World Superbikes boss Paolo Flammini has hit out at proposals reportedly being considered by Dorma Sports to turn MotoGP into a 1,000cc championship.
Flammini believes that plans to scrap 800cc prototypes to move to a championship that, according to proposals thought to be being considered for 2011, allows both 1,000cc prototypes and production models, would constitute a breach of the contract that World Superbikes has with the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM).
Under plans to reduce costs, and appease riders who are known to be unhappy with the 800cc format, Dorna boss Carmelo Ezpeleta told Spanish television broadcaster RTVE in Valencia that a proposal to allow 1,000cc prototypes and production models was being discussed for 2011.
“Right now, it is not going to be possible to switch in 2011, because the agreement with the manufacturers means that we could only make that change before the end of the 2011 season if there was unanimous agreement among the manufacturers. But we are thinking about a return to a 1000cc capacity from the start of the 2012 season, and we will start discussing it this weekend,” he said.
It’s believed that the proposal will be popular with manufacturers, most of whom would already have a model in their range that would be eligible to compete “off the shelf” in a modified series.
But Flammini was angered by the suggestion, believing that World Superbikes, currently the only international 1,000cc championship for production motorcycles, could be hit hard by Dorna’s proposals.
He has also suggested that the switch would go against an agreement that WSB has with the FIM and hinted at legal action if those agreements were to be broken.
“I will continue to repeat my earlier point of view. We have had assurances from the President of the FIM, Vito Ippolito, that these new rules would not be approved,” he told Italian website GPOne.com. “So far, he has been true to his word, and I hope that this will continue to be the same in the future.
“We are ready to take whatever action is necessary to defend the contract we have with the FIM, which, let us not forget, also covers the 600cc class based on production bikes.”
