Racing: MotoGP engines 1000cc from 2012
But no more than four cylindersMotoGP racing will turn its back on 800cc engines at the end of the 2011 season, to be replaced by prototype 1000cc powerplants of no more than four cylinders.
The annoucment was made in a joint statement by FIM President Vito Ippolito and Dorna Sports CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta, taking the world's premier road racing championship back to near where it was - at least in a capacity setting - between 2001-2006 when 990cc engines were used.
But the biggest change this time is the four-cylinder limit, which means that Honda, for example, couldn't return to the V-five powerplant is used before the current 800cc regulations were introduced in 2007.
There will also be a maximum cylinder bore measurement of 81mm.
Ezpeleta said: "It was a very important meeting to decide the future of the MotoGP class. This has been approved and between now and the start of the 2010 season we will have another two meetings to define the rest of the specifications for this new class."
The last world champion under the old 990cc rules was American Nicky Hayden (pictured).
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