Last August, GPOne.com exclusively reported on the changes planned for 2027 concerning the technical regulations for the Moto3 World Championship, which has been contested since its launch in 2012, with single-cylinder four-stroke engines with 13,500 rpms, producing around 60 hp. The focus of the discussions between Dorna and the manufacturers didn't only involve an increase in displacement and power (to V2 power sources with 500 cc and up to 80 hp) but also cost reduction.
The interest of GP promoters worldwide, sponsors, TV stations, and spectators in the Moto3 has been declining for years. Furthermore, the gap in displacement between the 250 cc Moto3 class and the Moto2 (which uses three-cylinder 765 cc Triumph engines that produce up to 145 hp) should be reduced. The Moto2 displacement was suddenly increased by 165 cc in 2019, due to the switch from the Honda CBR600R engines to the Triumph standard engines.
Although the discussions about the technical future of the Moto3 were conducted in the strictest of secrecy, the first important data leaked out in the summer of 2024. It became apparent that World Championship promoter Dorna was imagining standard engines with 500 cc V2 engines. It remained unclear whether the concept of a prototype chassis should be maintained, line in the Moto2, or whether the complete racing motorcycles should be supplied by one manufacturer, like in the MotoE World Championship.
The Pierer Group has, so far, used the KTM RC250GP in the Moto3 World Championship under four brand names (KTM, Husqvarna, GASGAS, and CFMOTO), which no fewer than eight teams and 16 riders trusted in 2024. The number remains unchanged for 2025, but the GP participation of Husqvarna and GASGAS has been terminated for 2025, due to the financial decline of the Pierer Group.
Dorna's managers and technicians have been negotiating with all potential manufacturers since the summer of 2024 to figure out which motorcycle factory is willing to supply the vehicles desired under the conditions and costs Dorna wants.
Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola was generally interested, because the Piaggio Group has a successful history with the Aprilia, Derbi, and Gilera brands in the lower GP classes (125 and 250 cc, at that time, with the two-stroke rotary valve. In the foreseeable future, however, Aprilia Racing won't make a binding commitment, since the MotoGP has absolute priority with the two teams and the new factory rider duo, Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi. "I can't say whether we'll be involved in the Moto3 at some point in the future," Rivola said today, when asked by GPOne.com.
Another Italian manufacturer, Fantic, turned down the offer last year because it's not capable enough. Even at Ducati Corse (which is sufficiently busy with the MotoGP, MotoE, SBK, SSP, and motocross), the enthusiasm for a Moto3 commitment was limited, although Gigi Dall'Igna would've liked to build an innovative Moto3 prototype in Borgo Panigale. But Dorna was turned down by Ducati regarding the standard motorcycle project.
For the time being, it's difficult to estimate whether a factory will be found in the near future, which will reach a contractual agreement with Dorna to manufacture the Moto3 standard motorcycles for at least three years. The key data from Dorna's plans for the future of the Moto3 are based on the experience with the Moto2 partner, Triumph, where the 765cc engine series served as the basis for the World Championship, at a manageable cost. Dorna's ideas for the Moto3 World Championship include new racing motorcycles that are more powerful and faster, and also heavier. A 500cc two-cylinder from the series should serve as the basis, and the performance should be closer to that of the Moto2.
This was originally a sensible approach, which was also supported by many former riders and teams. But the fallacy of the debate is that Dorna insists on a series engine (like in the Moto2) that should produce 20 hp more than today's 250cc engines, namely, about 80 hp. However, several engineers have now calculated that 80 hp can't be extracted from a 500 cc V2 series engine! This isn't technically feasible, unless all the performance components are extensively developed and tuned, but then the cost framework planned by Dorna will explode.
Dorna's goal is that the future Moto3 bikes should be one second faster per lap than today's, despite weighing 20 kg more.This is why the discussions with the irritated manufacturers have been going in circles for months. As a reminder: along with their motorcycles, the Moto2 riders must weigh at least 215 kg; in the Moto3, the minimum weight is 152 kg. If it's increased to 172 kg, the 1 second of time saved will be difficult to achieve.
There are also significant differences in costs between Dorna's demands and ideas and the calculations of the manufacturers that, given the current economic conditions, have little interest in supplying Dorna and the teams with standard motorcycles at a financial loss. In the Moto3 World Championship, the teams currently estimate the material costs for two riders at approximately 500,000 Euros per year if new motorcycles are purchased. But if the displacement and number of cylinders are doubled, and the power is increased from 60 to 80 hp, the costs will also rise accordingly. You don't have to be a scientist to understand that. A blind man can see it.
In 2024, a chassis in the Moto3 World Championship could 87,000 Euros and, for 2025, the amount was increased to 100,000 Euros. Each Moto3 manufacturer could receive 60,000 Euros per rider for the engine package. However, Dorna is imagining a partner that will charge a maximum of 45,000 Euros per unit for the future chassis of the 500 cc V2 bikes, that is, less than half the current price. And, for the 500 cc engine package (six to seven engines will probably be needed per year), the supplier should only charge 30,000 Euros per season.
KTM AG is currently unable to submit an offer due to the insolvency proceedings. CEO Stefan Pierer announced cost-cutting measures in the summer of 2024 and made it clear to Dorna that Moto3 activities must at least be cost-covering from now on. So far, Honda has signaled a certain interest, since the Japanese also supply the Moto3 Production Racers for all kinds of junior series and talent cups in cooperation with Dorna. However, there is no firm commitment. Yamaha might be willing to step in as an engine supplier if the desired engine specification matches an existing series engine. Yamaha doesn't want to supply complete motorcycles, under any circumstances.
This is why the idea of having standard engines, but allowing teams to have individual prototype suppliers for the chassis - line in Moto2 with Kalex and Boscoscuro - isn't completely off the table. But this concept would of course lead to significantly higher costs.
CFMOTO Racing Development's ambitious Manager, Su Zhen - who celebrated the first World Championship title win with David Alonso in 2024 - has expressed interest in the Moto3 project. He'd like to present the Chinese manufacturer as a supplier of the Moto3 standard motorcycles. But KTM isn't a technical partner for the time being, so CFMOTO can't make a binding commitment to Dorna.