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Full 2018 MotoGP entry list announced, plus Moto2 and Moto3 moves

The FIM, grand prix motorcycling's governing body, has issued a 24-bike entry list for the 2018 MotoGP season.

The entry list does not confirm any new riders, with all 24 seats having been already filled, but it does clarify the rider numbers and official entrant names that will be used next year.

Four rookies - Xavier Simeon, Thomas Luthi, Franco Morbidelli and Takaaki Nakagami - arrive in the premier class next year, forming MotoGP's largest newcomer group since the 2015 season.

The grid size increase from this year comes courtesy of an extra bike for the LCR squad, which for the last two seasons has run a sole Honda for Cal Crutchlow but has now added Nakagami to its line-up.

Nakagami and Crutchlow will ride with title sponsorship from Idemitsu and Castrol and respectively.

While Luthi, Morbidelli and Nakagami will all use their rider numbers from Moto2, Simeon will use #10, as his usual #19 is already in use by Aspar rider Alvaro Bautista.

Of this year's grid, Avintia Ducati pair Loris Baz and Hector Barbera and Aprilia's Sam Lowes are absent from the 2018 entry list.

Barbera and Lowes will both step down to Moto2, with the Pons and Interwetten squads respectively, while Baz returns to the World Superbike championship after signing a deal with Althea BMW.

A total of 10 nationalities are represented on the 2018 grid, an increase of three from this year.

Zdroj: autosport.com