Although MotoGP is freezing some development until the start of 2022, it will still be possible for Independen🎃t teams currently using older material to be upgraded to the latest engine and aerodynamics next season.

That's bec🌳ause the cost-saving regulations, issued in response to the coronavirus pandemic, state:

'For the first event of 2021 riders will be allowed to choose between any engine or aero-body specification that the manufacturer homologated in 2020'.

And it's not just the engine and aerodynamics.

Since changes can be made as normal in other areas of the bike - so fa🔯ctory teams will still be first to get new parts outside of the engine and aero - there is nothing in the rules to prevent a saꦆtellite team switching from a 2019-spec to complete 2020 bike at the start of next season. A new frame might well be needed anyway, to fit the latest engine.

M♉ost Independent MotoGP teams already have the latest🐭 (2020) engine and aerodynamics from their manufacturer. However, the exceptions are as follows:

• Avintia riders Johann Zarco and Tito Rabat have Ducati GP19s rather than the latest GP20.
• Takaaki Nakagami has 2019-spec RC213Vs.
• Petronas Yamaha's Franco Morbidelli has 'A-spec' YZR-M1s instead of 'Factory-spec'.

In Ducati's case, since it su🌠pplies more MotoGP machines than any other factory, the difference in spec is largely for logistical reasons.

As well as continuing factor🔯y support for official team riders Andrea Dovizioso and Danilo Petrucci plus Pramac's Jack Miller this season, Ducati has also upped its output to include GP20s for Miller's team-mate Francesco Bag෴naia.

Zarco also pushed to get the latest bike at Avintia this year, but ultimately accepted it simp🉐ly wasn't possible to support a fifth rider on the latest bikes.

The question was therefore whether, as presumably would have been the case without the coronavirus, Avintia is to receive 2020 bikes for the 2021 se✨ason - which, due to the technical freeze, would now no longer be 'year-old' but close to factory spec.

It seems not, with Ducati telling mahbx.com its 2021 machine line-up will be unchanged from 2020ꦇ:

'Ducati Team: GP20

Pramac Racing: GP20

Avintia: GP19'

It remains to be seen if LCR and Petronas wiꦏll be upg🥀raded to both riders on 2020/Factory-spec machines next year.

As well as cutting engine costs by banning a new design for 2021, manufacturers🐭 will also save money this year due to a lower number of ꦕ;engine changes allowed for the short 10-12 race season.

However, Gigi Dall’Igna's proposal for MotoGP to join Moto2 and Moto3 in having only one bike per rider (no spare bike) next season was notܫ backed by the other manufacturers. Perhaps such a rule would have allowed Ducati to also♐ supply GP20s to Avintia next season, without raising costs, since existing machines could have been used.