MotoGP Blog

2009 sees the first in a raft of changes instituted by Dorna to make MotoGP more affordable to compete in, and to increase competition between the teams. The changes won’t stop in 2009 either - they will continue in the off-season and the paddock will be a very different place in 2010. So what are the measures, and how will they affect the sport?

2009: Engine Controls

The Rule: Only five engines may be used per rider from Brno to the end of the season. That is eight races. Given the riders have two bikes (and two engines) each, and some riders choose to switch between the two through free practice until they find a feel for one of them, it’s not quite as straighforward as may be imagined at first. An engine is deemed to be used when it exits the pit lane, so any time a new engine is out on track it counts as used. Reliability, then, will be the key in addition to performance.

Effects: The proposal is to dock 10 points from a rider (and presumably, from the manufacturer and the team) every time an additional engine over the allocation is required by a rider. This targets the points a rider has accumulated, and is a severe penalty which could easily be a championship decider. We are also likely to see negative points totals in the championship as some of the back-of-the-grid strugglers get penalised without having accumulated more than 10 points.

The alternative to the point-dock is to follow the F1 route and penalise the rider in the next race by docking time or grid positions from the rider after qualification. MotoGPBlog prefers this, as it disadvantages the rider if he is at the front of the field and encourages action through the race as the rider fights to recover position.

Removing points that the rider has earned in other races is a poor decision. These points should be sacrosanct and not negotiable, after all they recognise the effort and risk the rider and his team has put in to achieve the results. Docking points in this way devalues this equation and will potentially upset the balance of the championship. Who wants to see a World Champion decided by point deductions? A big Thumbs Down on this one.

2010 Engine Controls and Motorcycle Restrictions

The Rule: Six engines allowed for the whole Championship. Only one motorcycle per rider.

Effects: While we may not see too many effects in 2009, in 2010 this rule really kicks in and it is inevitable that rider placings in the Championship will be affected. It will reduce costs for factory and satellite teams alike, and will probably result in some additional work (and cost) to improve reliability. We may see teams “turning down” engine performance in races, or for the whole season, slowing down the bikes in order to make engines last longer. The rev limit rules which were floated in 2008 are now redundant - why bother? The manufacturers will impose their own rev limits to make sure the bikes run on. Thumbs Up, even though this means effectively this is not a prototype series any more. But then, when we lost the tyre wars that went out of the window.

2009 No Friday Morning Practice

The Rule: The Friday Morning practice session is removed. Friday afternoon will still happen.

Effects: Used to trial early settings for the race and to shake down the bikes after the transport, the session will not be too badly missed. Rossi can have a lie in while Stoner can do another 20K on his mountain bike. A sesible move, though it probably will not save a huge amount of cash. Thumbs Up.

2010 No Friday Practice at all (proposed)

The Rule: Race weekends will effectively start their action on a Saturday, and Friday will be used for “promotional purposes”. More of those awful, staged videos of hung-over and bored riders enjoying local culture or cusine will be coming our way.

Effects: Friday afternoon is generally used to get a race set-up settled on the bike, leaving Saturday free for qualification preparations. This could compromise the rider’s set-up for the race, but along with the tyre changes (and lack of a pure qualification tyre) they have little else to do on a Saturday. There will be grumbles from some riders, and probabaly some from event organisers losing out on an additional day’s revenue, but again, fairly sensible from Dorna. Thumbs Up.

2010 Only 5 People in the Garage Allowed to Touch the Bike

The Rule: Essentially, 5 engineers are allowed. The wording of the rule is designed to negate the idea of giving a sixth mechanic the title of “Team PR Exec” and having them get their hands dirty on the bike. Limits the personnel working on the bike.

Effects: Saves the teams some money in wages and airfare. Could possibly compromise reliability (see Engine Controls), but although the mechanics will be forced to be less specilised, you can bet they will be well drilled by the manufacturers. Any effects will, therefore be secondary, and only seen (and penalised) via the Engine Reliability rulings. Thumbs Up. Fewer drunk mechanics on a Sunday night can only be a good thing.

2010 No Rookies on Factory Motorcycles

The Rule: Factory teams cannot sign rookie riders. Riders migrating for other series - World Superbikes or the 250cc championship (or Moto2) - may only sign for satellite teams.

Effects: The first casualty of this is likely to be Simoncelli, who will be forced next year, if he makes the leap, to sign for one of the satellite teams. The idea is to spread the talent about in the field and try and make the racing closer. The actual effect is probably going to be to piss off the bright young things who are being forced into doing another year of apprenticeship before moving to the big guns. No doubt the factory teams will also have these guys on retainers before they even get to 250cc. All the rule will do is impose a year of running about mid-field to the new talent, effectively delaying the impact on the established order by another year as the gap between factory and satellite will, MotoGPBlog fears, be too much for sheer skill to bridge, unless it’s a Yamaha. Thumbs Down.

While we see and agree with the need to cut costs to ensure the survival of the sport, we don’t agree with all of the measures. In particular the penalty for engine changes over the allocation seems very harsh. However, if it is a choice between this and no MotoGP, we’ll take this.

A couple of sources in the paddock have provided details of the Bridgestone tyre proposals for 2009 in advance of the formal announcement later today. The FIM have already pronounced Bridgestone as sole tyre supplier this morning in Malaysia, and these proposals were distributed to the riders on Friday night. MotoGPBlog understands the proposals are as follows:

- 20 tyres per rider per weekend.
- the 20 tyres available consist of 8 fronts and 12 rear tyres.
- there will be two compounds available, split evenly across the 20 tyres.
- seven compounds in all will be made by Bridgestone, but only two will be available at any single weekend.
- only one carcass construction will be available.
- there will be a limit on the number of tyres available for testing.

The initial response of the riders to the one-make proposals was positive, they agreed that they would not oppose the rule, and indeed there was a positive approach by many riders that they would finally be getting Bridgestones. Following the briefing this weekend, this mood has changed to one of dissatisfaction. This stems from the lack of options available to them each weekend in 2009 compared to their options now. It is very much a case of “be careful what you wish for”.

Secondly, the limit on the testing tyres will severely limit the number of testing sessions, and who can take part. MotoGPBlog believes this restriction may be as low as 150 tyres per manufacturer per season (as reported on Eurosport on Saturday) in which case only the factory riders in each team will get any testing of any significance whatsoever. Bridgestone may be forced to increase this limit, but this may indicate why Qatar and Sepang winter tests are likely to be axed, and why the Valencia test this year has been largely curtailed.

Why are Bridgestone making so few tyres available to the teams? It is a question of cost. Bridgestone will not receive any funding from the teams, the FIM or Dorna for the supply of the tyres, the tyres are supplied at Bridgestone’s cost entirely. There was no competing bid for the supply, so what Bridgestone offered is what the Grand Prix Commission have had to accept, and is what the teams must make do with.

It will be a brave new world for the riders and teams in 2009, and yet another year in which the ground rules have significantly changed. It will have a profound influence on the performance of the teams and the riders’ race results; the riders able to get the best out the rubber available through setting up their chassis and suspension will be the ones getting the results.

Significant resistance is being encountered by Dorna in the organisation’s attempts to introduce a single-make tyre rule in the MotoGP class in 2009. The grounds for the proposal this year are to limit corner speeds and increase rider safety, without circuit owners incurring large costs year on year for further improvements, run off areas, air fences and so on. In other words, the aim is to slow down the bikes.

There is a meeting of the Grand Prix commission (see previous post on the 600cc class war for the details of the make-up of the GPC) to make the call this weekend. MotoGPBlog understands the following:
- IRTA (the teams) want a single tyre rule to cut costs and save money.
- Dorna want a single tyre rule to cut costs for circuit owners. The IRTA and Dorna will therefore vote the same way, as per usual.
- MSMA (the manufacturers) do not want the single tyre rule as this reduces competition and differentiators between the teams. All the factory teams have tyres made specifically for their chassis and suspension set-ups. If all have the same tyre, that is one less factor to make the difference. Provided the MSMA vote unanimously, they hold a veto over the proposal, in the same way as they did last year.

This impasse has led to some interesting proposals. Ducati have offered to run their three satellite bikes on Michelins, and have not ruled out switching all five to Michelin. This is the same approach they used when Bridgestone arrived on the scene: take advantage of having something different to Rossi to beat him, as beating him on the same equipment is harder.

There is, according to Eurosport, a gentleman’s agreement between the tyre companies that the field be split no more widely than 60/40 between the tyre companies. With five Ducatis on Michelins, this would mean a further three Michelin runners would need to be found. Where might these come from?

Repsol Honda are likely to keep Bridgestones for Pedrosa, but it is not impossible that Dovizioso stays on Michelins on the other side of the garage. Yamaha will almost certainly be all-Bridgestone next year. If the Gresini Hondas also took Michelins, and LCR and Scott take Bridgestones, the deal is done. Also potential Michelin runners are all three Kawasakis, after their less than brilliant showing this season.

And so it is not impossible that the tyre situation is resolved in a way that allows Michelin and Bridgestone to continue to compete. It is also still very possible that the single-make tyre rule will still be introduced. With luck we will know this weekend.

This weekend promises to be a big one in many ways, mostly for the 2009 season. Let’s start with 2008:

- Rossi may wrap up the title at Motegi. Remember 2007? Motegi is where Stoner managed to put the title beyond anyone’s reach after his super-dominant season. This is an indication of what dominance Rossi has had since Laguna.

- The split of JiR and Scott should be further clarified. Has JiR allowed Dovi to go to HRC? Have they swapped him for satellite Hondas? Have Scott got the cash and connections to run a bike and team of their own?

- We may get clarification of the Aspar Kawasaki rider. One thing is certain, Aspar needs to get this sorted out soon, if not this weekend.

- The Grand Prix commission meets for the first time since they called the meeting in July around proposals to slow down the bikes so the circuits do not have to spend so much on safety improvements year on year. Proposals include a common ECU (very difficult technically to achieve), a single-make of tyre available to the teams, motorcycle weight increases, and a return to 990cc engines. Of all of these, the single tyre rule is the most likely to come to fruition, sadly. We’ll find out this weekend what the decision is.

All of this without a motorcycle turning a wheel. It promises to be an important weekend in more ways than one.

The internecine politics within the world of racing is being laid bare by the proposals currently being implemented by the Grand Prix Commission. It has been generally recognised for some time now, indeed since the demise of the two-stroke 500cc class, that the 250cc bikes had a limited lifespan. Not relevant to the road, most manufacturers or the MotoGP class in any way, polluting and expensive to make and run, the end was clearly nigh when Honda announce it was suspending development of their 250cc bike last year. The issue for some time now has been what to replace the 250s with. Previous proposals from KTM, suggesting a 4-stroke 500cc twin configuration, and Aprillia suggesting a 250cc two-stroke single manufacturer series, bit the dust as both were seen as of no relevance to the MotoGP class by the other MSMA manufacturers. The latest proposal being considered is 600cc four stroke class, but this is treading on the toes of Superbike, and Superbike doesn’t like it.

Here’s a rough guide to how the politics stack up, who is crying foul, and the forces causing a 600cc four-stroke class to be proposed. The players involved are:

• Dorna: commercial rights holders to the MotoGP series;
• FG Sport: commercial right holders to the World Superbike series;
• MSMA: Motorcycle Sport Manufacturers Association, representing the manufacturers competing in MotoGP;
• IRTA: International Race Teams Association, representing the interests of the teams and major suppliers to MotoGP;
• FIM: Fédéraction Internationale de Motocyclism, the governing body of motorcycle racing.

Such is the MotoGP politics that the MSMA, FIM, IRTA and Dorna (the Grand Prix Commission) have to agree any proposal. As was clear at the time of the control tyre debate last year, the MSMA holds a veto over any technical changes, provided all the members of the MSMA vote “No”. Another wrinkle is that the IRTA always supports Dorna by voting the same way. This is the landscape within which the debate unfolds.

The FIM, recognising that things for the 250s had to change, and probably prompted by rumblings from the MSMA and Dorna, suggested proposals be considered for the replacement of the 250cc class. The only thing the FIM wanted to avoid was a conflict with FG Sport and Superbike production racing - bikes you can buy and ride on the road.

The FIM suggested to Dorna they come up with a proposal to replace the 250s. Ultimately, Dorna want to make more money from the racing for which they hold the commercial rights (the Grand Prix circus). Making it easier and cheaper for manufacturers and teams to compete in the lower classes means more exciting racing and more viewers, meaning ultimately more sponsors and cash in the Dorna bank account. It is logical, then, that Dorna want to see the lower classes made affordable to enter, ensuring a feed of teams, riders and sponsors to the top MotoGP class. The cost of running a current 250cc team is huge: something like 1 million Euros to lease an Aprillia 250cc bike for the season; at the end of the season you have to hand it back. Dorna, then, want to lower the entry bar.

So Dorna, and mindful of any conflict with Superbike, suggested an engine size for the new class of 625-640cc, steering clear of the capacity of any production series and put this forward for discussion with IRTA and MSMA.

The MSMA are of course also keen to keep costs down. The MSMA, taking the Dorna suggestion into account, have proposed the engine size be reduced to 600cc, but with prototype frames and suspension to differentiate from the 600cc production machines. This has been voted on by the MSMA and received a majority in agreement - probably KTM and Aprilia voted against, although proceedings are not made public. A majority is all the MSMA needs to go back to the Grand Prix Commission, and they got this, so the 600cc proposal went back to the Grand Prix Commission.

As soon as this news reached FG Sport they immediately cried foul, the suggestion being that this would effectively be a production bike on the track, and so would be in contravention of the MotoGP and FG Sport commercial rights.

It does look as though FG Sport have a strong case. However the Grand Prix Commission rubber-stamped the proposal on the 27th June, which means that this is likely to be the final decision even once FG Sport’s lawyers have had their slice of the action. Download a PDF of the proceedings: fim-press-080627

The press release makes it clear that any manufacturer wanting to take part in the new class must declare an interest by 31st July 2008, and following this the details of the technical specs will be worked out. Costs will most likely be kept down through limiting electronics, weight reduction and revs. According to Neil Spalding writing in MCN, this is likely to include race-only crankcases to satisfy FG Sport’s complaints, and the electronics may be controlled by a Dorna-provided ECU ensuring standardisation in a similar way to F1. This also has the side effect of opening the door to the introduction of the standard ECU into the MotoGP class in the future.

However it works out, the 250cc class is going in 2011 and is being replaced by a four stroke class. This is great news because it ensures the continuing relevance of the sport in the real world, rather than some being mired in an esoteric ideal of the past. There will be complainers, and not just FG Sport, KTM and Aprilia, but the sport must move on and this is a massive step towards the modernisation of the lower classes.

MotoGPBlog reported last year that there was a startling lack of representatives regularly turning up to meet to discuss safety prior to each round; only Rossi and Capirossi were regulars, following KR Jnr’s resignation part way through the 2007 season. Ezpeleta made it known in January that he wanted the situation to improve, rightly so, and as a result the Rider Safety Commission will now consist of one rider from each manufacturer - except Ducati which has nominated both riders. Obviously the boys at Ducati are done testing for the year and have time to spare…

• Ducati: Stoner and Melandri
• Yamaha: Rossi
• Suzuki: Capirossi
• Kawasaki: Hopkins
• Honda: Pedrosa

The commission was formed following the death of Daijiro Kato at Suzuka in 2003. In the past the Commission has tested riding under lights at Qatar, requested Donington be resurfaced after the wet race in 2007, and has requested modifications here and there to circuits to improve safety. Having more riders, hopefully actively participating, will see standards of safety in the sport continue to improve.

I’m putting together a calendar of the MotoGP events for 2008 in a Google Calendar, which you can subscribe to from the link in the sidebar on the front page. It is currently a work in progress, but covers all the events up to China at the start of May, including the testing starting at the end of January. Where possible you’ll see a link to a Google Map of the circuit the event is happening at, currently only available for some of the Grands Prix.

You will need a Google account to access the calendar, but can sign up through the link.

Over time I’ll track other events in the calendar as well (125cc and 250cc being the first in the queue to be added).

In comparison to last season, the changes in the regulations are fairly benign. Here’s a summary along with the MotoGPBlog take on them:

Tyres
Each rider will now be allowed 18 front tyres and 22 rear tyres in dry conditions.
Each tyre company can nominate, before the start of the season, a single MotoGP circuit where they may test for a maximum of four days per year. The testing may take place during the season or during the breaks, but not with designated team riders, and not prior to the event which that circuit holds.
The tyre suppliers may request a two day test at a new or substantially resurfaced track, to take place at least four weeks before the scheduled event at the circuit. The test may not include designated riders.
If a tyre is damaged before use, then a replacement may be fitted with the permission of the race Technical Director. This tyre will be included in the rider’s allocation.
MotoGPBlog view: Upping the tyre allowance was sensible, and provides the teams with the opportunity to allow for a wider range of temperatures and conditions, making the selection of rubber and construction much less of a blind gamble. Allowing more testing specifically for tyres may reduce the guesswork a little too, as will the tests at new or resurfaced tracks. A good move overall, but I believe the allowance will be upped again next year if Bridgestone remain dominant.

Start and Race Procedure
MotoGP teams may use a generator to power tyre warmers on the grid, with a maximum output of 2kW.
Spare machines can stay in the pit box (garage) until required in the race but any exchange must be made in the pit lane.
During the race, if the rider enters the pit box, the machine he is riding is deemed retired and may not be used again in the race.
Refuelling is strictly prohibited.
If the winning rider wishes to parade a flag, he must ride to the side of the racing surface to collect the flag and then rejoin the circuit when it is safe to do so. Read the rest of this entry »

What a lovely piece of design the new trophy is. Reminiscent of a furled chequered flag, the column is formed of individual pieces bearing the name of the champion of each year from 1949. As each season is concluded and the champion decided, a new piece will be added to the column, with Casey Stoner’s first piece ready to be added after the Valencia race.

The column is designed to be able to take 75 pieces, with Stoner’s this year being the 59th added to the column. The height of the trophy will therefore continue to grow until the champion of 2024 adds his piece, before a new design is required.

The old trophy, which depicted an orange (supposedly the globe) with arms and legs riding a bike on top of a two-stroke engine, will not be missed.

According to Autosport, the Dorna boss has hinted that he was playing devil’s advocate by suggesting a control tyre for MotoGP was the way forward. His actions have also, apparently, caused the tyre constructors to step forward and improve the situation, and he now states that

The decision that will be taken by the GP Commission next Saturday ahead of the Malaysian race is still uncertain, but at this point it’s more likely that things will stay as they are now.

Perhaps this is the case. Or, perhaps Dorna have realised that in the face of protests from the tyre companies (all of them against the idea), the teams (pretty much all deriding the idea as a knee-jerk response to a few poor races) and the riders (only Pedrosa and Rossi seem to be in favour) they effectively had to back down.

Rossi will know this, and his comments today regarding how he wants Bridgestones have to be aimed at getting a rise out of Michelin. Were he to adopt Bridgestones, he would then be six season’s worth of data behind Ducati and the other adopters of the tyre. Why give yourself this disadvantage when you will be in a Michelin team next year with a satellite team also testing and feeding you data (Tech-3)? For once Valentino, you’re wrong. Dig in and make the Michelins work for you. Perhaps if someone other than Colin Edwards was testing them for you this would help?