32 bikes on inaugural Moto3 grid

A 32-strong field, including British duo Danny Kent and Danny Webb, will contest the inaugural Moto3 world championship in 2012.

The 250cc four-stroke single-cylinder class replaces the 125cc two-stroke category this year and the opening year of competition looks to be a battle between engines made by Honda and KTM.

15 entries will use the Honda NSF250R engine but two will not use the Honda chassis, including title contender Maverick Vinales, who will use a British-built FTR frame.

Nine entries will use the new KTM motor but four of those will use the German Kalex frame.

Other projects on the grid are the Italian Ioda machine, the Oral and MZ.

The Indian Mahindra squad is also running a two-rider effort which includes Kent rider Webb, who claimed the last 125GP pole position in history at the Valencia round last November.

Highly-rated Kent will ride a KTM machine for the Red Bull Ajo squad. He will be joined by German Sandro Cortese and rising Australian star Arthur Sissis.

Of the Brits who also contested the final 125GP class in 2011, Taylor Mackenzie will continue his career in the British Supersport series while Harry Stafford is yet to confirm his plans for the forthcoming season.

Provisional Moto3 entry list
3 LUIGI MORCIANO ITA – IODA RACING PROJECT, IODA
5 ROMANO FENATI ITA – TEAM ITALIA FMI, IODA
7 EFREN VAZQUEZ SPA – TEAM LAGLISSE, HONDA
8 JACK MILLER AUS – TECHNO RACING, HONDA
9 TONI FINSTERBUSCH GER – RACING TEAM GERMANY, HONDA
10 ALEXIS MASBOU FRA – TECHNO RACING, HONDA
11 SANDRO CORTESE GER – RED BULL KTM AJO, KTM
14 BRAD BINDER RSA – RW RACING GP KALEX, KTM
19 ALESSANDRO TONUCCI ITA – TEAM ITALIA FMI, IODA
23 ALBERTO MONCAYO SPA – ASPAR TEAM, KALEX KTM
25 MAVERICK VIÑALES SPA – BQR, FTR HONDA
26 ADRIAN MARTIN SPA – TEAM LAGLISSE, HONDA
27 NICCOLO ANTONELLI ITA – GRESINI RACING, HONDA
30 GIULIAN PEDONE SWI – PHONICA RACING, ORAL
31 NIKLAS AJO FIN – TT MOTION EVENTS RACING, KTM
32 ISAAC VIÑALES SPA – ONGETTA-CENTRO SETA, HONDA
39 LUIS SALOM SPA – RW RACING GP KALEX, KTM
42 ALEX RINS SPA – MONLAU COMPETICION, HONDA
44 MIGUEL OLIVEIRA POR – MONLAU COMPETICION, HONDA
51 KENTA FUJII JAP – TECHNOMAG-CIP, HONDA
52 DANNY KENT GBR – RED BULL KTM AJO, KTM
53 JASPER IWEMA HOL – MOTO FGR, FGR HONDA
55 HECTOR FAUBEL SPA – ASPAR TEAM, KALEX KTM
61 ARTHUR SISSIS AUS – RED BULL KTM AJO, KTM
63 ZULFAHMI KHAIRUDDIN MAL – AIRASIA-SIC-AJO, KTM
77 MARCEL SCHROTTER GER – MAHINDRA RACING, MAHINDRA
84 JAKUB KORNFEIL CZE – REDOX-ONGETTA-CENTRO SETA, HONDA
89 ALAN TECHER FRA – TECHNOMAG-CIP, HONDA
94 JONAS FOLGER GER – MZ RACING TEAM, MZ
95 MIROSLAV POPOV CZE – PHONICA RACING, ORAL
96 LOUIS ROSSI FRA – RACING TEAM GERY, HONDA
99 DANNY WEBB GBR – MAHINDRA RACING, MAHINDRA