Spanish news site AS.com has an interesting story that breaks down the cost teams will have to bear in the new Moto2 600cc prototype series. Moto2 replaced 250GP for one main reason: money. The series was designed to be cheaper to enter and cheaper to compete in, as well as having bikes that were more analogous to what is making it into consumers’ hands on the showroom floor. So did Moto2 live up to these goals? The answer as AS.com found out is a resounding yes. Click past the break to see the price breakdown and comparison to 250GP.
For a team to enter Moto2 they’re going to need over €700,000 per season. This price includes the cost of the motorcycle itself, race registration, team staffing costs, and the 600cc motor to name only a few things. The full price breakdown goes something like this:
- €17,250 registration deposit for each rider in the team
- €70,000 (Suter) – €145,000 (RSV) for the Moto2 race bike sans motor
- €90,000 to lease and maintain the Honda 600cc quasi-prototype motor, adding on a €20,000 bond if a team believes the motor is not within spec, which is forfeited if the motor is determined to be in proper tune
- €400,000 maintenance costs and mechanic salaries for the Moto2 bike for the season (Suter states you can purchase and maintain their bike for €400k/season)
- €90,000 in engine leasing and maintenance costs per season
- €40,000 for Dunlop tires: 12 tires per weekend, 204 tires for the season
- €3,500 for a 2D datalogger, which is used on all of the bikes
Total Price: €720,750
That sum is still a fairly large number, but consider the fact that in 250GP teams paid over €1.2 million for a 250cc race bike alone. This exorbantent number is primarily due to the fact that the Aprilia RSA250 in factory kit dominated all of its rivals, which meant that Aprilia could pick its price, knowing teams would pay it if they wanted to be competitive on the grid. In up-front costs alone, this makes the Moto2 bikes ten times cheaper to purchase, even in their most expensive variety.
With many riders in the Moto2 riding for free, or in some cases having to bring money with them in order to get a ride, the remaining costs to run in the 600cc series come down to auxiliary items like hospitality, marketing, and travel costs. Even including these standard charges, Moto2 proves to cost wouldbe competitors nearly half as much money as 250GP, while still proving to be more relevant to street bike development. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea afterall.
Source: AS.com via MotoMatters
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