Update: A follow-up question, from Twitter, about how the new engine rules will affect wild-card entries was also put to Danny Aldridge:

"I honestly don't t♑hink a current Moto3 Manufacturer would offer a wildcard the EUR60K rental deal. But you are correct in that the engines are still for sale (most likely at a slightly lesser specification), as both the CEV (Spanish) and CIV (Italian) Championships run their own Moto3 classes.

"My understanding from the manufacturers is that they are happy to continue to supply these championships, as they are a great feeder for up and coming teams and riders.

"Wild-cards also have the possibility to rent the engines for a single GP from the manufacturers. For exampl♊e, Geo Technology (the company that built the first Moto2 engines for us) are the official supplier for Honda wild-card engines.

"We have also opened the rules to allow a manufacturer that is nꦆot in the Moto3 champio🍬nship, but is competing in the CEV, the right to enter as a wild-card during the season. So someone can showcase their bike to teams for a possible full entry the following year."

A rule change for 2017 means Moto3 teamඣs will now 🔜rent, instead of purchase, their engines from a manufacturer.

mahbx.com spoke to MotoGP Technical Director Dann🍨y Aldridge to find out the reasons behind the switch and what it will mean in🅠 practice...

mahbx.com:
Danny, ca🙈n you tell🍨 us more about why the change has been made from buying to renting engines in Moto3?

Danny Aldridge:
For the last two years, what happened is that teams were able to purchase their six engines per rider for a set price. And they would literally keep those engines. The ಞphilosophy behind it was that teams could then either use the old engines as test engines, or sell them on to local championships.

It worked to a certain degree, because we had some wild-cards turn up that had engines which had been used by full-t♍ime teams the previous y🐼ear. We could tell because they still had our seals on them.

Unfortunately, from t꧃he manufacturer side, it wasn't cost efficient and they were also rightly concerned with protecting their technology. We've now changed the situation, so that the teams have to give al💫l their engines back, to address those concerns.

There is now a 'Moto3 Engine Rental Package' that costs 60,000 euros per rider, which is the same price as before. For that the team will get six engines, two🌱 throttle bodies and two complete gearboxes. Previously the gearboxes had to be purchased separately.

This [same price, 60,000 euros] might seem unfair to the teams as they will no longer have their old engines to sell or use as test e🌞ngines, but Dorna and IRTA now heavy subsidise the cost of the engine packages for each team. Meaning, they will not be any worse off♎.

The manufacturers are also helping with the budget because, whereas before they had to build all six engines for each rider - because they were keepiܫng them - now they can re-condition engines.

Eacജh manufacturer must g🧸ive at least two engines to each rider for the first race. Then there is schedule - approved by me as the Technical Director - for the replacement of engines during the season.

The important thing is that each manufacturer must tak🐽e away an old engine, or supply a new engine, to all of its riders at exactly the same time.

mahbx.com:
And will𝕴 you s🏅till allocate the engines to each rider?

Danny Aldridge:
Yes, it's still a random allocation by us, a lottery, exactly the same as is used in Moto2. The rules are very strict. So even in the case of reconditioned engines, a manufacturer cannot say 'this engine was previo❀usly allocated to a certain rider, give it back to him𒊎'.

Eve🐻rything will go back into the random engine allocation system, so it's completely fair.

KTM, Honda and Mahindra will again be the three full-time manufacturers in Moto3 this season. The first official test of 2017 will take place at Jerez from March 8-10.