The new development concessions system in MotoGP has been approved and unveiled, with effects starting from the testing day tomorrow in Valencia. The rules have been passed by the Grand Prix Commission.
The system regulates test days and riders, the quantity of wildcards, engines, and tyres, as well as engine specifications and freezes, and aerodynamic updates. Manufacturers are classified into four groups (A, B, C, and D) based on the percentage of maximum points possible to be within each window.
There are two windows to assess the performance: from the first to the last round of a season and from the first round after the summer test ban until the last race before the test ban in the following season. This enables quicker gain or loss of concessions, aiming to balance the competitive level further.
If a manufacturer changes groups during the second window, the limits on test tyres, the riders allowed for private tests, the number of wildcards permitted, and aerodynamic updates are immediately adjusted. In the case of a downgrade from Group C to Group D, the engine allowance is increased, a free engine specification is granted, and an additional aerodynamic update is allowed if a previous one is discarded. Conversely, if a team moves up from Group D to Group C, the reduction in the permitted number of engines only takes effect in the following season, and the engine freeze comes into play if that manufacturer doesn’t return to Group D by the end of the season.
Here are the concession parameters under the new system:
- Group A (Equal to or above 85% of points)
- Tyres to tests: 170
- Private Tests: Only with test riders
- Tests at GP circuits: 3
- Wildcards: 0
- Engines per season: 7 or 8
- Engine Specification: Frozen
- Aerodynamic Updates: 1
- Group B (Between 60% and 85% of points)
- Tyres to tests: 190
- Private tests: Only with test riders
- Tests at GP circuits: 3
- Wildcards: 3
- Engines per season: 7 or 8
- Engine Specification: Frozen
- Aerodynamic Updates: 1
- Group C (Between 35% and 60% of points)
- Tyres to tests: 220
- Private tests: Only with test riders
- Tests at GP circuits: 3
- Wildcards: 6
- Engines per season: 7 or 8
- Engine Specification: Frozen
- Aerodynamic Updates: 1
- Group D (Less than 35% of points)
- Tyres to tests: 260
- Private tests: Free
- Tests at GP circuits: Any GP circuit
- Wildcards: 6
- Engines per season: 9 or 10
- Engine Specification: Free
- Aerodynamic Updates: 2
Wildcards in groups C and D are not subject to engine specification freezing, with a limit of three wildcards before and after the summer test ban. Regarding aerodynamic updates in Group D, despite being two, it’s necessary to discard a previous specification.