Following the lead of Formula One, which limits drivers to eight engines per season and froze engine development from the end of 2006 until at least 2010, MotoGP is instituting engine restrictions. From the Czech GP, following the summer break, a maximum of five engines can be used in the final eight races, seven if the Hungarian round is cancelled, as has been strongly rumored. No changing of parts will be permitted except daily maintenance. Forbidden entirely are ceramic composite materials for brakes discs or pads, launch control, and electronic controlled suspension. Stoner, for one, isn't interested in giving up his carbon brakes. "I've ridden steel brakes quite a lot and they seem to work well, but whether we run out of brakes now with the speed we get out of these bikes now it might be a little bit hairy."The proposed changes for 2010 are even more far-reaching. They include one less GP, one bike per rider, no Friday MotoGP practice or qualifying, and engines that last three full rounds. The cost of leasing bikes to satellite teams will be reduced and all machinery must last for two years. To Domenicali, "the goal is very clear. We have a state of recession so we must have very strict cost control. It is easier to find the solution if we can all find an agreement together as manufacturers.
"Today engine life depends on each manufacturer. Some engines might only do 400 kms, but on average we do between 600 and 800 kms with our engine. But the goal is to double that number." Formula One penalizes teams if they have to fit a ninth engine.
"We still have to define if it is a penalty with points like a rider does the race from the position he qualified, but then only gets half of the points," Ezpeleta said. "Or you start at the back of the grid with a kind of lag in time in order for it to be safe at the first corner. We want to avoid a dangerous situation where you start from the back being the fastest and then you try and overtake four just in the first corner. This is still under discussion but there will be some form of penalty. But the rider will be allowed to race." Added Domenicali, "Extending engine life by around 50 percent for 2010 is the best way to reduce costs. Also for next year, I think it will be good to reduce it to one bike per rider. That will be a huge saving. And this will allow the manufacturers to not only save money, but also to make some of the bikes they would have built to be made available for new teams who want to participate in the championship. This would then become more attractive for teams like Aspar (team owner Jorge Martinez) if they can choose the bike they want and to have a two-rider team."
There has been talk in both F-1 and MotoGP of a rider salary cap, similar to many American pro sports. "I think Valentino (Rossi)," who reportedly makes around $18 million a year from Yamaha, "will leave pretty quick," Stoner said. "I think a lot of other riders will be happy to just go along with it, because maybe they're there for the racing. But maybe some other riders that are there for a lot more than just the racing will struggle to do something like that." As for Hayden, "I think right now I'm safely under the margin," he joked. "Unless I get another championship any time soon, the last couple years I been dipping into my pocket. I got a little bit of room before I get back to the cap. Cut somewhere else, get rid of those electronics."