Nine CRT entries approved for 2012 MotoGP season

MotoGP organiser Dorna sees the lower-cost CRT regulations, which allow elements of modified production machinery, as the future of the championship. Several existing MotoGP satellite teams have already made the switch, and will be joined by new entries from Moto2 and Superbikes.

An FIM statement said: "A list of MotoGP class entries for 2012 was considered by the Commission. The list contained nine entries plus one reserve entry using CRT machinery of various types.

"Participation of all CRT entries was approved by the Commission on the understanding that the granting of CRT Status was subject to review by the Grand Prix Commission at any time."

It is not currently clear which teams will provide the nine CRT bikes, with not all the newcomers' plans yet announced.

Kiefer, BQR, Marc VDS, Paddock, Forward and Speed Master were the squads initially given MotoGP entries under the CRT system in the summer, but of these teams only Forward Racing and Speed Master have so far confirmed MotoGP plans, fielding Colin Edwards and Anthony West respectively.

Former Kawasaki Superbike squad Paul Bird Motorsports has announced that it will run a CRT bike for James Ellison, while there have also been suggestions of CRT entries from the Ioda, Laglisse and Grillini teams.

Aspar is switching from a customer Ducati to CRT Aprilias for Randy de Puniet and Aleix Espargaro, while Gresini will run a CRT FTR-Honda for Michele Pirro alongside its Honda RC213V for Alvaro Bautista.

There will be just 12 standard MotoGP bikes on the grid next year alongside the CRT machines. Honda will run works bikes for Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa plus customer machines for Bautista and LCR's Stefan Bradl. Ducati fields Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden's factory Desmosedicis and satellite teams Cardion AB (with Karel Abraham) and Pramac (with Hector Barbera). Yamaha sticks with two works bikes (Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies) plus two Tech 3 entries (Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Dovizioso).

The FIM also announced that riders who fail to lap within the 107 per cent cut-off in qualifying can make the start if they get within that margin of the pacesetter in the warm-up, and that riders who take engine change penalties will be held at the pit exit for 10 seconds after the green light is shown.