The Grand Prix Commission (GPC) has approved an increase in engine allocations for the 2022 MotoGP season.

Each entry is now allowed to use eight engines during the season before incurring a penalty, or 10 in the case of Concession teams, up from seven and nine respectively.

However, the extra unit will only be allowed from Round 19 of what is a 21-round campaign.

The change to the sporting regulations is an addition to a rule to account for seasons of 21 or 22 rounds, per the official calendar issued prior to the first race of the season, having previously only made reference to seasons of 20 races or less.

“This regulation was established when the calendar comprised less than 20 races,” read the GPC’s Decision document, in part.

“Because the 2022 calendar foresees 21 races it has been agreed to allow the use of one further engine providing that, ultimately, there are 19 races or more.

“The extra engine may only be used for the 19th or subsequent races.”

It means that 22 of the full-time riders will have eight engines at their disposal this season, noting that each entry is two physical motorcycles at an event and hence at least two engines installed for any given weekend.

Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales are the exceptions given Aprilia remains the only Concession manufacturer.

The former’s podium last time out at Jerez means that the Noale marque has in fact reached the points threshold to lose Concessions, but most of those privileges are only cancelled effective the following season.

Ironically, it was Viñales, as a factory Yamaha rider, who was consigned to a pit lane start in the 2020 European Grand Prix after breaching his allocation in the saga over non-homologated valves which saw the Tuning Forks lose constructors’ and teams’ championship points.

Gresini Ducati rider Enea Bastianini was quickest in Friday practice for this weekend’s French Grand Prix.