MotoGP prototypes will be using five engines instead of the six this 2013 season to contest the entire 18 rounds of the calendar.
When the FIM released the new sporting and technical regulations last November, the five engine rule was listed to be come effective in 2014, and it was a compromise between Dorna and the MSMA and tied to the decision to permit the factory teams to use their own software systems instead of the mandatory ECU in 2014 and not imposing a rev limit, but the teams would have to use five engines with engine development frozen during the 2014 season.
However, when Dani Pedrosa told the press during last week’s Sepang test that he was testing engine durability “because of the engine rule, which is 5 now”, people were puzzled and the amended November rule book was pulled out to see what Pedrosa was talking about, since the five engine rule was listed as effective for 2014 and not 2013, so Spanish website motocuatro.
com contacted a Dorna spokesperson who explained that 2014 was a typo error and that each MotoGP rider will have only five engines available in 2013.
The MotoGP.
com website has now edited their November 10th press release “MotoGP™ Regulations – Decision of the Grand Prix Commission” with Effective 01 January 2013: MotoGP Class The maximum number of engines that may be used in a season is limited to: – MSMA manufacturers machines (Maximum four per manufacturer) 5 engines* *(story edited 12/02/2013)Photo of Jorge Lorenzo losing a new engine during last season’s Assen GP.