Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta says he has tabled a proposition to scrap MotoGP's rookie rule with the Grand Prix Commission.
Ezpeleta, who had previously been adamant the rule would stay in place, said his reversal was based on discussions with the series' current satellite teams - the squads the rookie rule is designed to protect. The regulation precludes MotoGP newcomers from riding for factory teams in their debut year.
Rather than supporting the rule however, Ezpeleta says Tech 3, LCR and Gresini valued keeping their existing riders over the benefits of keeping the rookie rule in place.
Assured therefore that there were no objections to scrapping the rule, Ezpeleta said - as reported by AUTOSPORT last week – that applying to cancel the rule was the logical next step.
"We talked to the people who might enjoy this rule, the four independents. They decided it was more important to keep their existing riders than to have the possibility of having new riders coming from other categories," he told the MotoGP website at Silverstone.
"We decided from common sense to propose to the Grand Prix Commission the request to cancel the rookie rule.
"The request was made by the MSMA [Motorcycle Sports Manufacturers Association] in Jerez and we said no.
"Now after many discussions with the independent teams we decided it is better, and in the help of the independent teams, to cancel the rule.
"This is something that needs to be approved by the GPC regarding the possibility, that's all."
The implications of the rookie rule have been hotly debated in the aftermath of Casey Stoner's shock retirement, and Honda's subsequent desire to call up Moto2 starlet Marc Marquez into its works squad.
While the rookie rule prevents this at present, it would also be difficult for Honda to place him with a satellite team – as has happened in the past – due to potential conflicts over the fact Marquez in backed by works team sponsor Repsol.
Ezpeleta acknowledged that the MotoGP landscape had changed since the rookie rule's introduction, and hinted it was another factor behind his call to scrap the rule.
"The situation is that the rookie rule was implemented to protect the interests of the independent teams. [At that] moment we had around 20 factory bikes, all of them similar performance," he said.
"Today the situation is not fixed, but we have factory bikes and CRT. Most probably [a] new rider in their first year in MotoGP can use one of the existing four non-factory bikes or be in the CRT. [If CRT is the only choice] maybe then the people prefer to stay in Moto2 or do other things."
I'm more interested on the battles that is Moto2 actually. So Dorna can do whatever.
andi - Red GPZ900R, GPZ750R1, KLR650 Tengai, KLR250 "my dad's motorbike is cool it is all ways clean.oheter pepole' s motorbikes
are't like my dad's one it's because their is one not always clean." -ariel circa 2007 http://GPZninja.blogspot.com/
Don't understand how scrapping the rule allows the satellite teams to keep exiting riders. Surely if Bautista, crutchlow or dovi were offered a factory ride they would be gone in a flash.
Sounds like a very weak excuse to me.
However if they don't scrap it, I lay money on Gresini or LCR having an extra bike next year, and I doubt it would cost the team anything.
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If I was honda I would say to Stoner......" heres the rest of your $million contact ........... and then either put some work into pedrosa or try and upgrade some1 from Moto 2 with a few extra dollars.......surely an Ant West would love a crack on a machione with some extra pace......>
2009 ZX-6r Monster Energy Edition - Hotbodies MGP Growler slipon, DynoJet PCV, Dyno Jet Auto Tune, K&N Race Airfilter
Dafuzz31 wrote:If I was honda I would say to Stoner......" heres the rest of your $million contact ........... and then either put some work into pedrosa or try and upgrade some1 from Moto 2 with a few extra dollars.......surely an Ant West would love a crack on a machione with some extra pace......>
Ant west would ride it and bag the shit out of it and say how fucked the bike is and how little hes getting paid.
They should lock that guy in a box for wet days only.
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Dafuzz31 wrote:If I was honda I would say to Stoner......" heres the rest of your $million contact ........... and then either put some work into pedrosa or try and upgrade some1 from Moto 2 with a few extra dollars.......surely an Ant West would love a crack on a machione with some extra pace......>
Ant west would ride it and bag the shit out of it and say how fucked the bike is and how little hes getting paid.
They should lock that guy in a box for wet days only.
true that .
Rossi will be on a Repsol Honda next year. You just wait and see....
".....shut the gate on this one Maxie......it's the ducks guts !!............."
andi - 
