Moto3: With the change in regulations, costs rise, smaller teams at risk

The Moto3 class was created with the clear intention of limiting costs and encouraging the entry of new champions. After just two and a half years (the category made its debut in 2012) we are going in the opposite direction. Honda, one of the promoters of the category, which had made its debut in the CEV with Miguel Oliveira, has fielded a line-up closer to that of MotoGP this season. In the garage of Alex Marquez and Alex Rins there are in fact HRC engineers working on the Honda NSF250RW, which this year wants to beat its enemy KTM. At Assen, for example, the two official Hondas had particular exhausts, which crossed under the tail, in the style of the RC213V and it is not the first time this season that they have been updated.

This massive entry is a response to the Austrian company, which according to the Japanese men was guilty of having "broken" the balance of the championship in 2013, not only from the point of view of the costs of the bikes, but also of the riders' wages.

There was then an unprecedented change in regulations for this category. The last of which will prohibit the participation of frame builders such as Suter or Kalex or for example Ioda, who last year presented a home-built motorbike but with a Honda engine. In fact, only manufacturers will be admitted and so we should see a championship made up of KTM, Honda, Husqvarna and Mahindra.

The losers will be especially the smaller teams, those who will not be able to afford the outlay of large sums of money. Among this also the RW Racing GP Team. Here's what team manager Jarno Janssen had to say about it to Motor.nl “For next year there are a number of options. KTM, Husqvarna, Mahindra and Honda. If we had been given the opportunity to continue with the Kalex KTM, with 100.000 euros we would have had the opportunity to field a rider, including material. Not too high a cost.” The reality, however, is that the KTM will cost around 250.00 euros and the Honda 400.000.

This could lead the Team to think about abandoning racing “The sponsorship market is dramatic at the moment and will be for a while. We are committed to visioning some projects, but we may also be forced to stop.”