FIM tightens rider restrictions.

The governing body of world motorcycle racing has decided to crack down on riders wishing to enter the premier GP500 class without sufficient experience

Represented by the Grand Prix Commission, comprising GP promoter Dorna's chairman Carmelo Ezpeleta, Claude Danis of the FIM, IRTA teams' representative Sito Pons, MSMA's Takanao Tsubouchi and commission secretary Paul Butler, the governing body approved the following measures at a meeting convened over the Valencia GP weekend.

All new regulations will take effect from the beginning of next year [1 January 2002]

The main discussion centred around qualification for the superlicence necessary to compete in the GP500 class, with the committee that, to earn the right to race, riders must have:

* finished in the top 15 places of the FIM 500cc World Championship in either of the previous two seasons;

* finished in the top five places of the FIM 250cc World Championship in either of the previous two seasons;

* finished in the top three places of the FIM 125cc World Championship in either of the previous two seasons;

* finished in the top three places of the FIM Superbike World Championship in either of the previous two seasons;

* been approved by the Grand Prix Commission for a full season Grand Prix Superlicence;

* been approved by FIM/TWP/IRTA for a one-event Grand Prix Superlicence;

The new rules would have prevented the likes of Leon Haslam from making the jump to GP500 this season, unless his application had been specifically approved by the governing body.

The Commission also discussed the rules surrounding the FIM Manufacturers' Licence, stating that 'all manufacturers must be in possession of the appropriate FIM Manufacturers' Licence'.

In addition, the following subjects were also raised:

Substitution of riders

* no substitution or replacement of the entered rider may be made after 1730hrs on the first day of the event, except in the case of the 500cc class where substitutions may be made - in the case of injury or force majeure only - up until 1200hrs on the second day of practice (ie prior to the final qualifying session);

Restrictions of materials

* engine materials: the basic structure of the crankshaft and camshafts must be made from steel or cast iron; pistons, cylinder heads and cylinder blocks may not be composite structures which use carbon or aramid fibre reinforcing materials;

* brake calipers: all brake calipers must be made from aluminium material with a modulus elasticity no greater than 80 GPa;

* all parts materials: no parts of the bike or engine may be made from metallic materials which have a specific modulus of elasticity greater than 50 GPa (g/cm3).