KTM: “Important we keep Honda and Yamaha, but concessions are a humiliation”

MotoGP sporting director Carlos Ezpeleta insists the championship is “working hard to help” the struggling Japanese manufacturers who recently ruled but now languish behind.

Concessions have, in the past, aided each of the European manufacturers but the rule could be tweaked to assist former powerhouses Honda and Yamaha.

"The 'concessions' are not the right approach," said Stefan Pierer, CEO of the Pierer Group which owns KTM, to Speedweek. 

"The Japanese don't want that either, because such a process is tantamount to humiliation.

“Something like that hurts the pride of the Japanese, you don't do that. 

“But we can imagine other concessions. For example, more test days so that they catch up closer to the top again.”

The 2014 concessions rule benefitted any team which had not achieved a dry win in the previous season, including Ducati.

The technical advantages that came with concessions were reduced in 2016 when mandatory ECUs were introduced.

The current rule states that a team is only eligible for concessions if they go a whole season without a podium - but both Honda and Yamaha have managed to do this already.

The major concern is that the manufacturers, if they do not improve, could follow fellow Japanese brand Suzuki by quitting MotoGP.

So KTM are on board with helping them somehow.

"I think the current discussions about the regulations are reasonable," Pierer said.

“Now we wait and see what comes out. 

“It is important that we keep the two Japanese manufacturers in the championship."