As GPOne.com exclusively reported two days ago, the technical specifications for the Moto3 World Championship will be radically changed for 2027 (or, if necessary, for 2028). The displacement and number of cylinders will double, from 250 to 500 cc and from one cylinder and two cylinders. The engine power is supposed to increase from 60 to 80 hp. Dorna plans to switch from prototypes to one-make bikes. However, since Yamaha, for example, only wants to supply engines and, even then, only if such an engine already exists in the model range, the planned subcontract could be designed in such a way that the standard engines are installed in prototype frames from different manufacturers. But, in this case, Dorna's planned cost structure would be thrown out the window.
It's not surprising that no motorcycle factory has yet wanted to commit to Dorna's financial ideas. While Honda and KTM are allowed to charge €100,000 per Moto3 frame in 2025, the supplier will only be allowed to charge the teams €45,000 in 2027 despite double the displacement, two cylinders, and an additional 20 hp.
And, for the 500 cc engine package (six to seven engines will probably be needed per year), the supplier, who has yet to be determined, will only be allowed to charge €30,000 per season and rider.
The budget allowed for the current 250 cc Moto3 engines for 2025 was increased from €60,000 to €80,000. Of this amount, the team association, IRTA, will pay €70,000, and the teams will have to pay €10,000 per rider and season. IRTA contributed the entire €60,000 for the 2024 season.
In one sentence: the supplier of the 80 hp 500 cc V2 Moto3 one-make motorcycles should only be collecting €75,000 per rider and year for the frame and engines. In 2025 and 2026, this package will cost €170,000!
As a comparison, in the Moto2, the three-cylinder 765 cc Triumph engines cost €60,000 per year and remain the property of Triumph. A frame costs more or less €120,000.
"But if the displacement, number of cylinders, and horsepower are increased in the Moto3, and the weight increases by around 20 kg, you'll also have to factor in higher material costs in the event of a fall. We know that, from the heavy Moto2 motorcycles, on average, three additional frames are destroyed per rider every year in falls, which costs around €75,000. This financial burden hasn't been a problem in the Moto3 so far because the lower bike weight means you don't have such serious fall damage."
The technical upgrade for the Moto3 bikes has a clear goal: to better prepare the riders for bigger challenges in the Moto2.
The harmless 250cc vehicles don't pose too many challenges or tests of courage for the riders.
After Albert Arenas' Moto3 world title wins (on the KTM 2020) and Lorenzo Dalla Porta's (on Honda 2019), it has become clear that they lack the necessary riding capability for the more demanding Moto2 World Championship. Izan Guevara (World Champion on GASGAS 2022) has also had a surprisingly difficult time in the middleweight class so far. "Aspar" Martinez's protégé finished the Moto2 World Championship as a rookie in 22nd place in 2023 and, last year, he didn't get beyond a disappointing 17th place overall.
The Japanese rider, Ayumu Sasaki, Moto3 vice world champion in 2023, also left a lot to be desired as a Moto2 rookie in 2024. He only collected 7 points in 20 races and embarrassed himself by finishing 26th in the world championship.
Former successful GP racers, such as Aspar Martinez, Sito Pons, and Luca Boscoscuro are now well-known talent scouts and agree that the Moto3 with 60 hp today doesn't place many demands on riding skills and that, thanks to professional teams, less talented riders can also reach the top, only to fail in the Moto2 in the years to come. That's why Dani Pedrosa is also in favor of increasing the displacement and engine power.
The successful German Moto3 team owner, Peter Öttl, who has won five GPs (80 and 125 cc), doesn't unconditionally share this view. "The performance of the Moto2 rookies will soon change for the better, because young talents like David Alonso, Collin Veijer, and Dani Holgado - who are now coming to the Moto2 and have only spent two or three years in Moto3 - are of a different caliber. They can also quickly manage the transition from the Moto3 to the Moto2. They're exceptional talents who'll master and get to grips with the bigger bikes pretty quickly."
Alonso, Veijer and Holgado could handle the upcoming class change in 2025 with as much confidence and top results, for example, like Red Bull KTM Ajo's protégés Raúl Fernández and Pedro Acosta in the past.
But the discussions about the new Moto3 technical regulations and the effective costs, as well as the search for a willing motorcycle factory, which wants to provide one-make bikes, will last for a while. perhaps even until spring 2026. In this case, the Moto3 250 cc bikes will remain with us for 2027.
The eight Moto3 teams with 16 riders that are relying on KTM again in 2025 are waiting eagerly to see whether KTM AG can keep all its contractual promises despite the insolvency proceedings.
Those team managers are keeping their fingers crossed and hoping that they'll receive their spare parts and all engines for the season as agreed, and that all the revisions will be completed on time until the end of the 2025 season. The test engines will be picked up in Munderfing at the end of January.
Displacement of three GP categories
2002 to end 2006
125 cc 2-stroke
250 cc 2-stroke
990 cc 4-stroke
2007 to end of 2009
125 cc 2-stroke
250 cc 2-stroke
800 cc 4-stroke
2010 to end of 2011
125 cc 2-stroke
600 cc 4-stroke
800 cc 4-stroke
2012 to end of 2018
250 cc 4-stroke
600 cc 4-stroke
1000 cc 4-stroke
2019 to end of 2026
250 cc 4-stroke
765 cc 4-stroke
1000 cc 4-stroke
2027
500 cc 4-stroke
765 cc 4-stroke
850 cc 4-stroke