New team set for Valencia debut?

The MotoGP grid could be set to swell in 2010 following tentative confirmation that a new privateer team is planning to compete at the Valencia finale as a prelude to a full-time entry next season.

The identity of the team is FB Corse Engineering and while specific details are relatively scarce, Italian sources Motoblog are suggesting that they will enter a self-penned bike that will be powered by a three-cylinder engine.

The team's plans are ambitious too, pencilling in the final round of the season at Valencia to make their racing debut before participating fully in 2010 as potentially the only fully privateer team on the grid.

While no formal announcement has been made about the plans, messages on the team's website appear to confirm their plans saying it 'will debut in Valencia this year' and 'will race in MotoGP in 2010 as the only private team'.

Furthermore, FB Corse claim theirs is the only engine to be 'based on Formula 1', although further sources have suggested it is a reworking of the engine BMW were developing before they canned their MotoGP project to compete in World Superbikes instead.

FB Corse themselves are an Italian concern with a long history of motorcycle racing, including a stint in the World Superbike Championship.

The team's planned arrival will be a boost for MotoGP, which has suffered this season following Kawasaki's decision to pull out, as well as the withdrawal of Sete Gibernau's Grupo Francisco Hernando Ducati team.