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Originally Posted by Angela O  If it's already been posted I'll remove it, but if not, not a good read IMO. 2010: Final year for 250cc MotoGP class
28 June 2008
A June 27th meeting of the MotoGP Commission in Assen, Netherlands concluded with an important announcement: FIM, the governing body of international motorcycle racing, has decided to eliminate the 250cc class from MotoGP racing.
As of 2011, the 250cc class will be replaced with a new 600 category that will feature 4-stroke engines limited to 600cc and a maximum of 4 cylinders. Fuel regulations will call for the use of unleaded fuel that is restricted to 10 mg/kg of sulfur, down from the current requirement of 50 mg/kg.
Manufacturer’s that are interested in competing in the new class will have until July 31, 2008 to make their intentions known to FIM and Dorna Sports SL, the commercial rights holder for the MotoGP series. Open discussions will start after the cut-off date to determine more detailed technical specifications for the series.
The dramatic bump in displacement brings the second tier of the MotoGP series very close to the 800cc restriction of the premier class. It will be interesting to see how small the gap in lap times between the two classes will become: in this year’s qualifying session in Catalunya, the difference between the pole winner’s lap times in each class was only 4.5 seconds.  I think it's daft to do this but we'll just have to wait & see how it pans out I suppose. |
I'm wondering about it because the guys form SporTV said that one of the reasons why motogp cc was reduced from 990cc to 800cc is because it was too close of SBK and now 250cc will become 600cc? Well, isn't it also a bit close to 800cc? Just thinking...
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F1 deal to prompt Silverstone switch? Friday, 4th July 2008
With Formula 1 heading to Donington Park, Silverstone are set to step up their campaign to poach MotoGP too.
The announcement that the Formula 1 British Grand Prix is to switch from Silverstone to Donington Park could well provide the catalyst needed for MotoGP to move in the opposite direction.
As reported by Crash.net in February, Dorna was already considering moving the British round of the championship from Donington Park, its home since 1987, to Silverstone from 2010.
"We are talking with Silverstone, but we have not taken any decision," Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta had revealed. "Our contract with Donington goes to 2009. Donington has been our partner for many years and has priority.
"But at the end of this year or the beginning of next year we will talk about the possibility of staying at Donington or going somewhere else.
"The pit boxes have been renewed [at Donington], but there are problems with the size of the paddock," he said. "Maybe Silverstone will be another way for MotoGP."
With Donington Park promising a £100million investment in order to lure Formula 1 further north, such upgrades are now set to take place - but at the same time Silverstone is sure to pull out all the stops to try and replace F1 with MotoGP.
Currently, Donington Park is a favourite with the riders - its various crests and undulations making for one of the most challenging circuits on the MotoGP calendar. By contrast, Silverstone's flat and wide surface is unlikely to favour spectators who won't be able to see much of the action from one vantage point.
However, Donington Park also has its critics. Spectators have often complained about tricky access, despite its close proximity to the M1 and East Midlands Airport, while the latter has been blamed in the past for creating a slippery surface - something that has been vigorously denied.
On top of that, Donington Park was heavily criticised after spectators once again invaded the circuit on the warm down lap during last month's British Grand Prix.
The British round of the motorcycle grand prix world championship was held at the Isle of Man from 1949 to 1976, then moved to Silverstone from 1977 to 1986, before settling at Donington Park the following season. 
F1 to Donington and MotoGP to Silverstone... I ask: WHY????
Gi