Grid Shrink Due to 800cc Rules, MotoGP Promoter Thinks

In a recent interview with Italian magazine Motosprint, Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta stated that he feels like the grid numbers might have not shrunken if the championship had not adopted the 800cc engine regulations four years ago, especially after Kawasaki's pull-out last year and Suzuki's decision to cut back to one bike for 2011.

"I'd say it shows that the manufacturers have made mistakes in their planning and are now in a crisis for a situation they wanted to have. The case of Suzuki is paradoxical, as was the case for Kawasaki," Ezpeleta said when asked whether manufacturers had become too powerful.

"The manufacturers wanted the 800cc class, so it was them causing the escalation of costs that, because of the crisis, forced them to take a step back. Now not all of them can maintain their commitments because of financial problems," he added.

However, Ezpeleta is keeping his hopes high that the number of riders on the MotoGP grid will boost in 2012, following the decision to increase the maximum engine capacity to 1000cc.

"I'm still discussing with Suzuki, to convince them to field at least two bikes in 2012, with the new 1000cc class," he said.

Grid numbers dropped to as low as 17 by the end of the season, but Ezpeleta is confident that it will increase to 22 thanks the new regulations.

Ezpeleta also stated that he believes there will be new manufacturers for 2012, but he can’t be sure. "In any case, with the ones we have now, we are already able to have a good show. If more are to come then it will be fantastic, because the objective is to have 22 bikes," he said.