With the announcement of the first night MotoGP next year (subject to over-winter testing) in Qatar next year the role of TV and in particular TV scheduling is now becoming paramount in the running of MotoGP. The night race in Qatar allows the race to be shown in its usual slot in European TV schedules.
TV is king because with TV comes exposure, and with exposure come sponsors and with sponsors comes cash. Lots and lots of cash. There was an inkling of just how important MotoGP has become following the Sekiguchi crash at the Czech GP. The 250 session was red flagged for around 20 minutes, but the rest of the schedule was shuffled along into the buffer space between events to ensure that the main attraction - MotoGP - did not shift in timing so as to meet the demands of TV.
Flag to flag racing was also introduced to cater to TV - no more would there be long delays while races are stopped and restarted for rain, and no more confusing aggregate results. Once the lights go out, that’s it, you have 45 minutes to fill in the schedule, no more, no less.
Is it a good thing, this bending to the will of the TV schedulers? It has to be, for the sport needs money and exposure like we need oxygen. Provided the rule changes are restricted to timing issues, like flag to flag racing, and don’t alter the fundamental operation of the racing, there should be no problem.
All Friday afternoon practice session have been cancelled at Misano due to heavy rainfall. And we mean really heavy rainfall. A torrential downpour which started at about noon local time, and which has now stopped, has left some parts of the track up to 1 metre (3 feet) under water, and some of the pitlane garages flooded to a depth of 4 - 5 cm (2 inches).
This means, inconveniently, that the extended practice times for today have been wiped out, and at the time of writing a revised schedule for Saturday practice and qualifying has yet to be announced. Expect additional times for all classes though, and probably a very early start to proceedings tomorrow morning.
The talk recently of the potential loss of Michelin and the unclear road forward for Dunlop in MotoGP has left us here at MotoGPBlog saddened by what may come to pass - a single tyre manufacturer in MotoGP next year.
This would, in our opinion, reduce the value of the series and so here are the reasons we think Michelin and Dunlop need to stay in MotoGP:
Competition. The nature of competition is that it creates a drive to improve and better the previous performance. With a one-tyre series this does not disappear completely, but is very much reduced. After all, where is the reason to innovate and invest in development if the same tyre is used across all bikes? As long as it’s the same for all and does not fall to pieces, it has done it’s job.
Variety. Teams should have the option to play tyre manufacturers off against one another to obtain the best equipment for their bike, and should have the option to forge close links with individual teams to bring about a new level of performance, as we have seen with the Ducati/Bridgestone team and in F1 with the Ferrari/Bridgestone partnership. Bridgestone seem to be particularly good at this strategy.
MotoGP is racing prototypes. It is all about pushing technology to its limits and wringing every last drop of performance out of the machinery. This includes the tyres. Taking away the tyre variable reduces the potential gains of bike development substantially, and also goes against the ethos of MotoGP: to build the best bike (economically) possible.
MotoGP is a technology showcase. It’s where we see Michelin, Bridgestone and Dunlop wares on display, and is a powerful advertising and marketing tool. Michelin and Dunlop will lose a high-profile shop window should they pull out of the premier class. They can expect their market share to suffer as a result of any withdrawal.
Pride. Michelin were ousted from F1 by Bridgestone. Surely their Gallic pride will not want to accept another demolition by the Japanese enemy?
Taro Sekiguchi could be released from hospital as soon as the end of this week, according to sources in the hospital in which he is being cared for in Brno. With all his team also staying on in support, he is making an excellent recovery. He’ll be wise to rest for the remainder of the season though!
In an unexpected spin of the wheel, Randy de Puniet has not waited to find out his fate at Kawasaki, but has jumped ship to LCR Honda. Obviously he wasn’t getting the vibes that he would be the chosen one to partner Hopper, so he’s done the brave thing and reunited himself with his old boss from his 250 days, Cecchinello.
So what of Carlos Checa? Staying in MotoGP or moving on? Given that LCR are unlikely to run two bikes, Motogpblog thinks he’ll move off either to World Supers or AMA, with World Supers much more likely to receive him with open arms (and we hear some of the AMA tracks are, shall we say, a little under-developed compared to European facilities!)
And what of that second Kwak seat? Ant West has to be favourite now Randy’s moving on, and will be an economically sound move for the team, given the fair chunk of change they will be paying Hopper for his services. Some are also mentioning Nakano, but much as we are fans of Shinja, we can’t quite see it. At least not next year. Kawasaki could be looking to the 250cc class for a young gun, but given they picked one up unexpectedly this year, why take the risk. No, for us, all Ant West has to do is keep his head down and sign the piece of paper when it is put in front of him.
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Tech 3 have a number of issues to get sorted. One of them, riders, seems to be done: Edwards and Toseland. There are some great advantages for this pairing. Former team-mates in World Supers, Edwards can also help Toseland adapt to the bike, and perhaps something more difficult, the three-ring-circus that MotoGP is. It’s rather more anal and up itself than the more laid-back World Supers.
Next to sort out for Tech 3 is tyres. Rumours continue to circulate that they could be on Bridgestones next year. Nonsense. Michelins it will be, to help the development of the Yamaha bike for the factory team. Next year they will have twice as much data as this year, and Michelin will be working flat out to close the gap. Expect a Ducati/Bridgestone type relationship with Yamaha/Michelin and Honda/Michelin.
Switching the Tech 3 tyres will allow the team capitalise on Edwards’ relationship with Michelin and his willingness to test tyres endlessley. Expect a tyre announcement soon, as I am sure Michelin want to quash the rumours of a switch quickly.
MCN are carrying a Matthew Birt exclusive that Edwards has verbally agreed to sign for Yamaha. So far, nothing seems to be signed, but Edwards seems to be expecting a factory spec bike, as does Toseland when he arrives.
Here’s where it gets strange, and the ties between satellite teams and manufacturers are revealed.
Herve Poncharal, team boss of Tech 3 is quoted at the end of the article, saying:
…we [Edwards and Poncharal] spoke briefly in Laguna Seca and we exchanged a few text messages during the summer. I’m pretty sure Yamaha offered him a seat in our team but I have to wait until I’m told. Once we will know Yamaha is willing to do that I have to know what Colin thinks and then see how it can be done.
Pretty sure Yamaha offered him a set on your team? I think you need to make some calls Herve, and find out who you’ll be working with next year. Don’t wait to be told! There is no doubt as to who is in charge of the relationship between the two teams - Yamaha. They are in control of the bikes and the riders - MCN even intimate that Yamaha will be paying Edwards’ salary, not Tech 3.
With this sort of move, Yamaha are showing the kind of strong leadership required to succeed. That includes using your satellite teams to good effect and taking control of them - complete control in the case of Yamaha and Tech 3 next year. It looks like Poncharal has little or no say in his riders and was unable to keep his favourite Guintoli. It’s no secret that MotoGPBlog would like to see him riding next year, even if Hoffman wouldn’t.
Taro Sekiguchi’s awful accident in the 250cc warm-up on Sunday morning left the rider with a broken pelvis and ribs, and he was immediately airlifted to hospital in Brno. Conscious before he left the track, Taro is now stable in hospital and we wish him well.
The accident was caused by Simoncelli falling off a few seconds before. Simoncelli slid harmlessly onto the grass verge, while his bike slid down the track on the racing line. This left a cloud of dust hanging in the air, giving Taro very little time to react. When he does see the bike he appears to hit the brakes, hard. He had no chance to stop.
Alex Hoffman suffered a horrible injury at Laguna, but looks to be making an astonishingly quick recovery. Whether he will be back from injury in time for Misano at the start of September is dubious to say the least, especially when you consider the damage to his hand; pictures are up in the news section of his website.
His hand looks like it has been opened up by something sharp on the palm-side, something he confirmed in a TV interview recently - a piece of metal supporting a control on the handlebars is though to be to blame. Dr. Ting has then tackled the injury from the other side of the hand to allow repairs to be made. Considering the degree of the injury and the complexity of the muscle, bone and nerves in the hand, it is amazing the Hoff is considering returning to bikes at all this year. I think we might see him back in Japan.
Alex Hoffman suffered a horrible injury at Laguna, but looks to be making an astonishingly quick recovery. Whether he will be back from injury in time for Misano at the start of September is dubious to say the least, especially when you consider the damage to his hand; pictures are up in the 
