MCN is reporting that the days of 125GP may be numbered as Dorna and the FIM get ready to replace the small displacement GP series with what’s being called the new Moto3 race class. Drawing from the formula found in Moto2, Moto3 features prototype bikes with 250cc four-stroke single-cylinder motors. However instead of a single-spec motor rule, as found in Moto2, Moto3 appears to be open to multiple engine manufacturers.
Allegedly the new series is designed to bring some teams out of the crowded Moto2 class, where 40 bikes can be found on the starting grid, and put them into the lower racing class where they would be more competitive. This also serves the double purpose of bolstering the entry-level GP racing series ranks, as some teams have jumped ship to Moto2 for the added exposure and relatively lower costs.
Adding more fuel to the fire is the rumor that Honda has already been testing what could be a Moto3 prototype. Said to have been taking laps around Motegi, Honda has supposedly wedged its 250cc thumper into an RS125 chassis. The result has been a lap time that’s 1.5 seconds faster than 125GP bike.
If rumors are to be believed, the new Moto3 race series could be seen by 2012, as MotoGP gets set to change its racing format back to 1000cc displacements.
Source: MCN
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