The expected freezing of MotoGP engines is official: from February 2025 until the end of the current era, Ducati, KTM and Aprilia will not be allowed to make any changes
“This is to control costs and maximize parity before the new regulations are introduced in 2027,” the FIM’s press release said. However, this rule only applies to Ducati, KTM and Aprilia.
Yamaha and Honda are currently excluded. “Concession category D manufacturers are not subject to the engine specification freeze unless they change class,” clarifies a statement from MotoGP rights holder Dorna.
The aim of this is to ensure that the Japanese manufacturers, who have fallen behind, can continue to “work on the key areas of their machines” in order to eliminate the “performance deficit at the top” as quickly as possible.
Ducati, KTM and Aprilia, on the other hand, will have to compete with the same engine specification for two years. There are only a few possibilities to change something about the engines homologated before the season opener in Thailand.
“Certain corrections for reasons of safety or reliability or due to the proven unavailability of components are permitted, provided that they do not result in an increase in performance,” the FIM statement said.
For the manufacturers, the agreement on the frozen engines is primarily a relief. Because by the 2026 season at the latest, the focus will shift to the development of the 2027 bikes. The displacement will be reduced from 1,000 cm³ to 850 cm³. In addition, from 2027, manufacturers will have to dispense with ride-height devices and adapt to the restrictions in the field of aerodynamics.
