FIM detail the changes in regulations for the 2010 season

The Grand Prix Commission, composed of Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, Claude Danis (FIM), Hervé Poncharal (IRTA President) and Takanao Tsubouchi (MSMA), in the presence of Messrs Vito Ippolito (FIM President), Ignacio Verneda (FIM Sport Director), Javier Alonso (Dorna Sports) and Paul Butler (Secretary of the meeting) unanimously decided in a meeting on December 11 to introduce specific amendments for the MotoGP World Championship.

As reported in December, one of the main changes agreed upon by the Commission was the increase in maximum engine capacity to 1000cc in MotoGP for the 2012 season. Today, in a new release, the FIM has given details of other regulations decided upon in the December meeting, which will be effective for the 2010 season.

In the MotoGP class, practice by contracted riders with machines eligible for the MotoGP class is forbidden during the season and the breaks at any circuit included in the Grand Prix calendar of the current year with the following exceptions:

Practice included in the schedule of the events;
Practice during the day immediately following the Spanish Grand Prix (Jerez) and the Czech GP (Brno) and during the two days immediately following the last GP (Valencia);
Any activity authorised by the Race Direction.

Practice by contracted riders with machines eligible for the MotoGP class is also forbidden during the winter at any circuit with the following exceptions:

At a maximum of six days of official tests organised by Dorna/IRTA at Grand Prix circuits included in the calendars of the preceding or following year. No testing is permitted during the period starting on December 1 of one year and finishing on January 31 of the following year, both dates being inclusive with the exception of the ‘Rookie’ riders who are allowed one three-day test during November/December.

The Winter test schedule must be approved by the Grand Prix Commission.

This decision was taken during the Grand Prix commission on November 7 in Valencia.

In 125cc and Moto2, wildcard riders are exempt from practice restrictions which apply to contracted riders in these categories. Until this decision, wildcard riders had been unable to practice or race at any Grand Prix circuit in the 14 days before the race.

The Grand Prix Commission also agreed on modifications to the Medical Code, with regards to the minimum medical requirements for events.

The medical service comprising of equipment, vehicles and personnel must be organised in such a way and in sufficient number to ensure that an injured rider can be provided with appropriate and all necessary emergency treatment, with the minimum of delay and to facilitate their rapid transfer to further medical treatment in an appropriately equipped medical centre or definitive medical care in a hospital with the necessary facilities to deal with their injuries or illness, should this be required.

Other changes to take effect in 2010 relate to the Start Procedure and Disciplinary and Arbitration Code, all of which are available here.