MotoGP chief Carmelo Ezpeleta thinks CRTs would fly with top riders

There was a clear gap between the pace of the two motorcycle types during the 2012 season, although Aspar's Aleix Espargaro led the wet finale at Valencia, where Gresini's CRT rider Michele Pirro claimed a class-record fifth place.

Despite initial criticism of CRT, Ezpeleta believes they are not far behind the top bikes in performance.

"In our opinion CRT has been a big success for the 2012 season," he told the official MotoGP website.

"I know that this was in wet conditions, but in any case, a CRT was leading the Valencia Grand Prix for many laps.

"The bikes are not very far away. Theoretically the riders that are using the CRT are not the best.

"I think this is impossible, but if any of the top riders would use a CRT, I don't know how big the difference would be."

This year Bridgestone is providing bespoke rear tyres for the CRT bikes, some of which will also begin work on the new spec ECU.

Ezpeleta believes this will also bring CRT squads closer to the front.

"Now they will have some improvement in the tyres, but also we will develop together with Marelli and some of them the new ECU that will be compulsory in 2014 for the non-factory teams," he said. "This gives us a big expectation."