Official: Moto3 to replace 125cc

At a meeting of the Grand Prix Commission during this weekend's Czech Republic Grand Prix at Brno, it was confirmed that the 125cc class - the only two-stroke category remaining - will also be replaced by four-strokes from 2012.

Unlike Moto2, the four-stroke class that replaced 250cc at the start of this year, the new Moto3 championship will not have a single engine supplier.

125cc is the last category remaining from the inaugural 1949 World Championship season.

The statement read:

"Application 2012

"The 125cc class will be replaced by the Moto3 class.

"The basic technical rules of this class are:
- single cylinder 250cc 4-stroke engines with a maximum bore of 81 mm.
- each engine should last for 3 races minimum and cost not more than 10,000 EUR (final cost will be announced)
- each manufacturer if required should be ready to supply a minimum of 15 riders.

"This proposal has been agreed by the majority of MSMA."

The premier grand prix class changed from 500cc (two-strokes) to MotoGP (four-strokes) in 2002.