MotoGP to continue with CRTs
But FIM hopes Honda's production racer could inspire the other manufacturers
FOR 2013 MotoGP will continue with CRT bikes but with Honda's plan to introduce affordable production prototypes in 2014 FIM president Vito Ippolito hopes that other manufacturers may follow suit.
Ippolito's objective for years has been to get manufacturers to supply prototype machinery like Grand Prix's nostalgic era when the grid was populated with privateer Honda NSRs, Yamaha YZRs and Suzuki RGs.
The FIM president told Motosprint (as translated by Autosport): "Next year we will continue with CRTs, with the aim to build more competitive bikes for 2014, thanks to further development and rule changes." - Referring to the introduction of a control ECU and rev limit in 2014, with the aim to close the gap between CRT and MotoGP machines, plus attracting manufacturers like BMW, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Aprilia to the grid.
Ippolito added that CRTs came about after manufacturers said no to the FIMs request that they build production prototypes.
Although their uncompetitiveness has been well-documented, the answer could be through Honda plans to sell production versions of the RCV factory bike for under a £1million bracket. Ippolito hoped that if the Japanese manufacturer introduces a cheaper RCV then other manufacturers will follow suit. He explained: "We want to convince the manufacturers into building those famous production prototypes that worked so well in the 80s and 90s and kept the sector going.
"Real racing bikes, competitive while not too expensive. Those were the 500cc years, but it can be done with MotoGP too."
