The X3 ''(stylized as the X
3)'' is an 800 cc
V4 race bike built by
Ilmor Engineering to compete in the 2007
MotoGP
Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the highest class of motorcycle road racing events held on Road racing, road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held sin ...
series.
The X3 is the
brainchild of Ilmor co-founder
Mario Illien
Mario Illien (born 2 August 1949) is a Swiss engineer specialising in motorsport engine design and comes from Chur in the Graubünden, Canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. Despite living in a country in which motor racing was banned in 1955 (when ...
and former grand prix rider
Eskil Suter
Eskil Suter (born 29 June 1967) is a former Grand Prix motorcycle racing, Grand Prix motorcycle road racing, road racer and current motorcycle chassis constructor from Switzerland.
Motorcycle racing career
Born in Turbenthal, Canton of Zürich, Z ...
of Suter Racing Technology (SRT). Illien used his world championship winning
F1 engine experience to design the machine's V4 powerplant, with Suter, who has previously designed
Kawasaki's MotoGP chassis, in charge of the twin-spar aluminum frame.
2006 Season
With rider
Garry McCoy, the X3 made its debut as a wildcard entry at the
2006 Portuguese Grand Prix and then two weeks later at the
2006 Valencia Grand Prix where the emphasis was more on testing than competition. McCoy exceeded expectations, putting in consistent performances to bring the Ilmor team their first two championship points and the first ever points awarded for an 800 cc capacity bike, though McCoy arrived last in both occasions, four and seven laps down respectively.
2007 Season
McCoy worked as a test rider for on the X3 development team and was expected to ride for Ilmor in 2007, but
Andrew Pitt and
Jeremy McWilliams were chosen instead.
[Ilmor Announce 2007 Riders](_blank)
official Ilmor press release, accessed 18 December 2006 On 15 March 2007 after one race, the team announced that they were taking a break from Moto GP as a result of funding issues.
[Ilmor pull out of MotoGP temporarily](_blank)
autosport.com, accessed 15 March 2007 On 30 April they announced that they would run a "slimmed-down" set-up focused purely on engine development, releasing all unnecessary personnel but keeping under contract riders McWilliams and Pitt.
Image:IlmorX3-001.jpg, Garry McCoy riding the Ilmor X3 at the 2006 Valencia Grand Prix.
Image:IlmorX3-002.jpg
References
External links
Ilmor Engineering
official site
Ilmor GP
official site
Grand Prix motorcycles
Motorcycles introduced in 2006
{{Motorcycle-racing-stub