Suzuki gets increased engine allocation

Loris Capirossi and Alvaro Bautista will have access to three new factory Suzuki GSV-R engines this season, MCN can reveal.

MCN understands Suzuki has been given special dispensation to increase its engine allocation from six to nine in 2010 having encountered issues with the new mileage restrictions in MotoGP.

Riders were restricted to just six engines in 2010 as part of a cost cutting drive to counter the impact of the global economic crisis.

If a rider needs to use more than the six allocated engines the penalty is starting a race from pitlane ten seconds after the race has commenced.

But an agreement thrashed out during last weekend’s German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring will see the Japanese factory exempt from the current six-engine rule.

It is understood there was always an unwritten understanding between the factories that Suzuki would be allowed to request additional engines if it became apparent it could not manage to use just six in the 18-round world championship.

Less than halfway through the 2010 campaign and Suzuki is already moving close to using its allocation of six engines well ahead of its rivals Honda, Yamaha and Ducati.

Capirossi has already used four engines and will soon need to use two more with mileage high on the two he is currently campaigning.

One of his engines was withdrawn after qualifying for his home race in Mugello after a blow-up and his third engine has been raced in Mugello, Silverstone and Assen. He raced engine number four in Catalunya and Sachsenring last weekend.

Spanish rookie Bautista is in a dire predicament having already started to use his fifth engine after just eight races.

Two of his engines have also been withdrawn from the allocation leaving the former world 125GP with just one fresh engine for the remaining ten races of the season.

The new rule governing Suzuki’s allocation is expected to come in with immediate effect from this weekend’s American MotoGP race at Laguna Seca.