Yamaha confirms MotoGP engine lease agreement

Yamaha Motor Co Ltd announced the confirmation of an agreement with Dorna to supply leased engines to private teams in MotoGP for the 2014-2016 seasons. There was no price listed in the press release, but it’s been rumored that the YZR-M1 engine lease package will cost around €1 million (nearly $1.3 million) per year. The teams will be responsible for the chassis and other running gear on the bikes, and it’s a pretty sure bet that there will be no development support with the engine package.

The teams who lease the Yamaha M1 engines will be part of the “Non-MSMA” class beginning in 2014 that will be just below the full prototypes (and satellite teams). The non-MSMA teams will be able to run 24 liters of fuel (versus the 20 liters that the full prototypes will be forced to run with)—same as the CRT teams—and they will have to use the spec Marelli ECU and software provided, whereas the full MotoGP prototypes will still be able to run their own software in the spec ECU.

Honda is said to be developing a “customer-spec” RC213V that will also be eligible for the non-MSMA class as part of an agreement between the MSMA and Dorna to allow them to continue developing their own software and engines in MotoGP for the foreseeable future. No official announcement from Honda yet on this option, although HRC VP Shuhei Nakamoto has admitted that Honda is already well into development on this project.

The following is the official press release from Yamaha Racing:

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd can confirm it has entered into an agreement with the MotoGP World Championship Promoter, Dorna Sports S.L., to supply YZR-M1 engines on an annual lease basis to participating teams in the MotoGP Championship.

The initial program will operate for the 2014-15-16 seasons.

The agreement comes as a result of Yamaha’s work with Dorna and the sport’s governing body, the FIM, to further promote the MotoGP World Championship.

The lease agreement facilitates an increase in competitive engines being available for teams competing in the premier class. The teams will then be free to develop their own bikes around the Yamaha engine or contract an independent chassis manufacturer to construct the complete bike.

Full details of the engine lease supply offer will be available shortly to serious prospective enquirers.

Interested teams are requested to contact Dorna or Yamaha Motor Racing directly.