MotoGP rookies banned from factory teams.

MotoGP rookies will be banned from riding for a factory team, as part of new rule changes to be introduced for the 2010 season (see separate story).

On Saturday at Jerez Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpetela and FIM president Vito Ippolito revealed that, among the regulation amendments for next season, will be a rule forcing all rookies to spend at least one season in a satellite team.

"For next year we will also change some regulations for entry into the MotoGP class; new riders will not be allowed to participate in a factory team," said Ippolito. "The new riders from 250cc class or Moto2 or any other championship arriving to MotoGP will be allowed to participate only in private or satellite teams."

The rule is intended to help support the satellite outfits and will provide manufacturers with further incentive to back at least one independent team in addition to their official outfit.

However, it is bad news for the likes of rising superstars such as Ben Spies (WSBK), Marco Simoncelli (250GP) and Alvaro Bautista (250GP), tipped to join MotoGP next season and naturally aiming to secure the most competitive rides possible.

Nevertheless, it will still be possible for rookies to receive the latest factory machinery and factory support - within a satellite team.

Rookies that have recently entered MotoGP with factory teams include Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha), Randy de Puniet (Kawasaki), Dani Pedrosa (Honda), Nicky Hayden (Honda) and Marco Melandri (Yamaha).

Valentino Rossi made his premier-class debut as a factory Honda rider in 2000, but raced for a one-man Nastro Azzurro Honda team, rather than the official Repsol Honda outfit.

Chris Vermeulen's first full MotoGP season was as a factory Suzuki rider, while Spies made his MotoGP debut as a wild-card for the factory Suzuki squad.

It is not clear if the new rule will also apply to wild-card or replacement riders.