MotoGP announces 2013 line-up


MotoGP News
Date: 26/November/2012

MotoGP plans to expand from 21 to 24 full time riders next season. However the growth will come not from factory participants, but increased privateer entries.

The provisional line-up announced by the FIM contained few surprises, with the twelve manufacturer machines - divided equally between Honda, Yamaha and Ducati - known well in advance.

The only new information was the naming of the two Paul Bird Motorsport riders. PBM joined MotoGP under the new privateer ‘Claiming Rule Team’ regulations this season and is expanding to two entries for 2013.

Rumours linking Columbian Yonny Hernandez to PBM have proved correct, with the former Avintia rider listed on the English team’s Aprilia motorcycle, while the biggest surprise of the entry list is the appointment of Ulsterman Michael Laverty for the second seat.

Laverty, 31, is the older brother of World Superbike race winner Eugene and finished fifth in this year’s British Superbike Championship. He is to ride a ‘PBM’ bike - expected to compose of an Aprilia engine in a British designed chassis.

The only place still to be confirmed is a second IodaRacing entry, alongside Danilo Petrucci. Speed Master, which suffered funding problems during this season, is the only team not returning in 2013.

World Champion Jorge Lorenzo (Yamaha) intends to race with his #99 instead of the #1.

The 2013 MotoGP calendar is also close to completion, with the planned return to Argentina having been postponed by a year due to a travel warning issued by the Spanish government for Repsol employees.

Repsol is one of the biggest sponsors in the MotoGP paddock, but in dispute with the Argentinean government. Just two days after the calendar deadline, the Spanish government removed the travel warning - but it was too late to reinstate the event.

The season-opening Qatar round has been delayed by one week to help fill the gap. The 2013 calendar will now remain at 18 rounds, with Estoril in Portugal dropping away and being replaced by a new event in Austin, Texas.

2013 MotoGP entry list
Manufacturer riders:
#4        Andrea Dovizioso       ITA     Ducati Team (Ducati)
#6        Stefan Bradl                GER    LCR Honda MotoGP (Honda)
#11      Ben Spies                    USA    Pramac Racing Team (Ducati)
#19      Alvaro Bautista           SPA     Go & Fun Honda Gresini (Honda)
#26      Dani Pedrosa               SPA     Repsol Honda Team (Honda)
#29      Andrea Iannone*        ITA     Pramac Racing Team (Ducati)
#35      Cal Crutchlow             GBR    Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (Yamaha)
#38      Bradley Smith*           GBR    Monster Yamaha Tech 3 (Yamaha)
#46      Valentino Rossi           ITA     Yamaha Factory Racing (Yamaha)
#69      Nicky Hayden             USA    Ducati Team (Ducati)
#93      Marc Marquez*           SPA    Repsol Honda Team (Honda)
#99      Jorge Lorenzo             SPA     Yamaha Factory Racing (Yamaha)

Privateer (CRT) riders:
#5        Colin Edwards                       USA    NGM Mobile Forward Racing (FTR Kawasaki)
#7        Hiroshi Aoyama          JPN     Avintia Blusens (FTR)
#8        Hector Barbera            SPA     Avintia Blusens (FTR)
#9        Danilo Petrucci           IA        Came IodaRacing Project (Ioda-Suter)
#14      Randy de Puniet         FRA    Power Electronics Aspar (ART)
#17      Karel Abraham            CZE    Cardion AB Motoracing (ART)
#33      Michael Laverty*        GBR    Paul Bird Motorsport  (PBM)
#41      Aleix Espargaro          SPA     Power Electronics Aspar (ART)
#67      Bryan Staring*            AUS    Go & Fun Honda Gresini (FTR Honda)
#68      Yonny Hernandez       COL    Paul Bird Motorsport  (ART)
#71      Claudio Corti*                        ITA     NGM Mobile Forward Racing (FTR Kawasaki)
#??       ‘To Be Confirmed’     ???       Came IodaRacing Project (Ioda-Suter)

* Rookie.

2013 MotoGP Calendar
7 April             Qatar               Losail*
21 April           Americas         Austin
5 May              Spain (STC)    Jerez
19 May            France                         Le Mans
2 June              Italy                 Mugello
16 June            Catalunya        Catalunya
29 June            Netherlands     Assen**
7 July               Germany         Sachsenring
21st July          United States  Laguna Seca***
18 August       Indianapolis    Indianapolis
25 August       Czech Rep.      Brno
1 September    Great Britain   Silverstone
15 September San Marino      Misano
29 September Aragon            Aragon
13 October      Malaysia          Sepang
20 October      Australia          Phillip Island
27 October      Japan               Motegi
10 November Valencia          Valencia

* Evening race
** Saturday race
*** Only MotoGP class
(STC) = Subject to Contract

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