Acknowledging what we all know but don’t WANT to know – that there is only 9 months left till 2012, the FIM is acting swiftly to firm up the grid for the start of the new formula. Interested teams must register by April 29, the first day of practice for Estoril. They must complete a formal application by the first day of the French GP (2 weeks later) and must lodge a 20000 Euro deposit to IRTA by June 3rd, the first practice day at Catalunya.
After the EOI’s are examined at Estoril, teams that meet the criteria will be sent a prospectus from which they can formally apply. This formal application will be required to have detailed information on which the FIM can base their decision.
A provisional entry list will be published soon after the June 3 deadline for lodging of deposits.
BMW is rumoured to be interested (why wouldn’t they be with the FIM doing everything they can to sink the WSBK series altogether?) but it’s only rumour at this stage. It is generally felt that anything that can boost grid sizes from their present pathetic 17 bikes (likely to be 16 at Estoril), is a good thing. Many, however, myself included, foresee a “two-tiered” championship where the factory bikes will clear off into the distance leaving the “lesser” production-based bikes floundering and fighting amongst themselves for 15th place and downwards, hardly a rewarding spectacle.
Memo to the FIM, quantity does not necessarily mean quality.
On another subject, writing in the influential gpweek magazine, Michael Scott is suggesting that it is entirely possible that a weight penalty system could be brought into MotoGp to help even out the perceived advantage that jockey-sized riders like Dani Pedrosa have over “normal” sized riders, like Rossi. Given that the suggestion is COMING from Rossi and given the influence he has, don’t be surprised to see a system of some sort being introduced come the start of 2012. You read it here first. For the record, there is no evidence to suggest that being smaller confers a SPEED advantage, but there certainly is a case to be made in terms of fuel consumption. Given that the 21 l tank size will remain for 2012, maximising fuel consumption (or should that be MINIMISING?) will be an issue.