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Aprilia and Suzuki Have More Engines for the MotoGP Season

The 2016 MotoGP season introduces a lot of new things for all the teams lining up on the grid, and the spec ECU and the unified software are only two of them.
MotoGP action at Le Mans, 2015 1 photo
Photo: Movistar Yamaha
The disappearance of the former CRT class, which was later renamed Open triggers a lot of modifications to the rules book. New tires, the number of engines available for a team, the frozen engines, the limited testing and the amount of fuel bikes can now carry in a race may start to play a very important role in the evolution of the premier class.

Valentino Rossi, interviewed recently at the launch of the 2016 MotoGP team, said that he doesn't expect to see dramatic changes for the riders at the top, but estimates that the rest of the riders will become more competitive.

This would translate into a fiercer battle for the positions below the podium, and with a much tighter pack fighting closer to the leaders. Such predictions are true for the former Open bikes, and for the new constructors on the grid, Aprilia and Suzuki.

The same fuel limit for all the bikes, but new teams have more concessions

All the motorcycles that make the start in a race in MotoGP 2016 will be allowed to load as much as 22 liters of fuel , regardless of how "old" or competitive they are.

On the other hand, the new teams will be able to use nine engines per season, as opposed to the former ruling that saw only seven allowed. At the same time, the engine development will not be frozen throughout the season, and the teams will be free to make changes and experiment as they wish.

When it comes to testing, the book says that the teams that are subject to concessions can freely test with both their contracted and test riders as much as they please. Even more, a softer tire will be allocated.

Concessions come and go

The concession points system remains effective, with a team that earns six such points losing the advantages immediately. Initially, the concessions would have been lifted at the start of the next season, but this changed when Ducati started making solid progress.

Irrespective of whether a race is declared dry or wet, a team earns three concession points for a victory, two for a second place and one for a rider on the last step of the podium. Any combination contributes to accumulating six points and leads to losing the concession.

Likewise, if a manufacturer fails to score a single point in 18 rounds, the full set of concessions will be available next season.
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