Aprilia could benefit from the widest concessions this summer

With the evolution of the MotoGP concession system, there are now four categories (A, B, C and D), based on the points of the various brands in the manufacturer’s championship. Today, Aprilia and KTM belong to group C, a notch above Honda and Yamaha.

While the two Japanese brands benefit from the greatest freedoms in relation to the technical regulations, the two manufacturers of group C cannot modify their engine or carry out private tests with their full pilots. The group has currently only welcome Ducati, with the maximum restriction.

The purpose of this new rule was to allow Honda and Yamaha, in great difficulty in recent years, to reduce their delay. However, the results of the first five Grands Prix of the season suggest that KTM, but especially APRILIA, are now a good chance of joining the latter group from August.

The most obvious case is that of Aprilia. The Italian brand is in fact the absence of Jorge Martín. Wounded during the pre-season, the world champion could only participate only one of the five rounds at this stage, and again, he was physically reduced and finished the weekend by injuring himself again, seriously.

A change in August?

As we said, the concessions are based on the points scored in the manufacturer’s championship, that is to say that they take into account the result of the best pilot classified for each of the brands with each sprint and at each Grand Prix.

Above all, they are evaluated over two periods. The first goes from the first to the last Grand Prix of the previous season, in order to establish the situation to start the championship. Then, a second period from the first Grand Prix according to the summer break until the last test preceding the summer break of the following season: this calculation is used to reassess this distribution in groups in the event of a significant change, and it is worth for the rest of the season.

In other words, a new calculation will be made this summer at the time of the truce of the championship. This will come into force the day after the GP of the Czech Republic, on July 21, and will extend until August 13.

Aprilia is in the most delicate position.

Photo de: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Let’s go to the calculation! To stay in group C, Aprilia and KTM must have marked at least 35% of the total manufacturer’s points at stake between the Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024 and this year’s BRNO test: this gives a total of 298 points to display (out of the 851 points in play in total).

However, it is clear that the task promises to be difficult for the Italian team. To maintain itself in its category of concessions, it should indeed combine 118 points on the next seven Grands Prix. This gives an average of 16.9 points per weekend, while in 2024, with several successes to its credit, the average score of Aprilia was 15.1 points per Grand Prix. This year, its average is only 10.6 at this stage.

KTM is in a slightly more favorable situation. The Austrian brand only is missing only 78 points by Brno to maintain itself in group C, an average of 11.1 points per grand prix. Knowing that its average was 14.7 last year and 11.6 since the start of the current championship is possible.

KTM is likely to stay in group C of concessions.

Photo of: MotoGP

Yamaha and Honda still far from the promotion

What about the two brands that are already in group D?

In terms of performance, Yamaha stands out since he is the only manufacturer to have deprived Ducati of a trophy and a pole at this stage of the season, thanks to the performance of Fabio Quartararo at the GP of Spain, which he won second place. Only, counting the points scored by Yamaha since Silverstone last year, there are still 160. This requires an average of 22.9 on the seven Grands Prix to come, much above what she was able to achieve recently.

Get out of group D will also be an impossible mission for Honda. He misses 191 points for that, an average of 27.3 points per grand prix: unattainable in the current state of things.

The fact is that appearing in this last group is not necessarily bad news. For Yamaha, it is even a boon at a time when the development of its future V4 engine is growing. This group is indeed the only condition allowing to multiply private tests, including with racing pilots, and possibly break the engine frost to which the other brands must bend.

Finally, let us recall that if a manufacturer was to go from category C to D during the calculation done at the summer break, its restrictions would be immediately lifted. On the other hand, a passage from category D to C does not lead to a limit on the engines before the following year-provided, of course, not to go back to the last group in the meantime.

The concession system for the 2025 season: