[kropotkin thinks...] - 2012 MotoGP Entries: 11 Teams, 16 Riders, But Names Only At C

[Ninjette Newsbot]

If you enjoyed reading this article, please click here to view it on Kropotkin's site, MotoGP Matters.

-----------------

There are many reasons to look forward to the 2012 MotoGP season, not least because of the influx of new entries expected because of the new rules. And we are drawing tantalizingly close to finding out the names of the teams involved, but at the moment, their names are still a carefully guarded secret. Hence the general sense of frustration when the FIM today issued a press release that is pregnant with possibility, yet almost entirely devoid of content: After announcing at Estoril that 13 teams and 21 riders had entered, at Le Mans, Dorna and IRTA reviewed the list of entries and whittled it down to 11 teams and 16 riders, and the FIM issued the press release shown below: No names, no hints, no information.

So what do we know about the 2012 entries? One thing that we do know is that Norton have submitted an entry for two slots on the grid. However, the iconic British brand will not be accepted as a CRT team, instead, Norton will have to compete on the same footing as Suzuki, with just 21 liters of fuel and 9 engines - with manufacturers who have not won a MotoGP race in recent years being given an extra engine allocation. Beyond Norton, there are very few factories believed to be interested. There remain whispers of KTM reviving its old V4 project, but a direct entry is thought to be unlikely.

read more