Moto2: 600cc Racing to Replace 250cc GP Series

[Asphalt & Rubber]

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This article comes from AsphaltandRubber.com
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FIM has*announced*that a four-stroke 600cc racing class will replace the mid-level 250cc GP class in 2011. Named Moto2, the series is slotted to be a*prestigious,*but still cost-effective way to do prototype racing. Read all the changes after the jump, including the Yankee-Swap provision.

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Moto2 will share regulations stemming from MotoGP and the 250cc class. The 600cc, four-stroke motors will have a maximum speed of 16,000 rpm (for 4-cylinder engines, with 15,500 and 15,000 rpm limits for 2 and 3-cylinder engines, respectively).*Electronic systems will be more limited than those currently permitted in 250cc, which has seen select factories bringing in traction control in recent years. Moto2 rules will allow for data loggers, ECU and timing transponders supplied by the organiser, with a maximum total cost of the ECU’s components set at 650 euros (about $860). No other electronic control, nor datalogging systems, will be permitted on the bikes.

There are no restrictions on the frame of the motorcycle, letting the class use fully*prototype chassises. However, no production bike parts will be permitted for the frame, swing arm, fuel tank, seat and cowling. A list of illegal parts is also supposed to be released in the near future, but carbon disc brakes have already been mentioned. This is all done in the name of cutting the cost to go racing, and to make race day a more equal footing.

This last rule has to be our favorite though:

Moto2 machines will be limited to one per rider, with a maximum of two complete engines. Those engines used in any given race will be available for purchase by rival competitors, for the fixed price of €20,000, in the hour following a Moto2 Grand Prix

It’s like Yankee-Swap meets motorcycle racing. This alone should make race day interesting to watch.

Source: FIM



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