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Meeting At Brno To Discuss Spec ECU And Other Ways To Slow MotoGP Down

By Kropotkin | Wed, 30/07/2008 - 09:05

If the acuity of a political operator can be measured by the skill with which they manage to find alternative ways to achieve their goals, then the people at Dorna are truly masterful. After Carmelo Ezpeleta's previous attempts to introduce a spec ECU into MotoGP was met with widespread disapproval, the wily Spaniard has found another approach.

This time, according to Spanish sports daily AS.com, Dorna will be pushing for introduction of a spec ECU on the grounds of safety at a meeting to be held at the Czech Grand Prix in Brno. After the reduction in capacity from 990 to 800 cc failed so spectacularly to slow the MotoGP bikes down - with lap records falling during the very first season of the reduced capacity - Dorna is looking around for another way to reduce speeds. The reduced top speed has led to dramatically increased corner speeds, meaning that crashes are now happening at higher speeds, and that the smaller bikes are arguably more dangerous than the old fire-breathing 990s.

The idea is that a spec ECU could be used to artificially reduce performance, meaning that the bikes could be made slower. However, even the most cursory examination of this argument reveals how deeply flawed it is, as it is essentially a rehash of the capacity reduction. If you reduce performance, you simply increase the importance of corner speed, and make crashes happen at even higher speeds, as riders struggle to maintain as much momentum as possible through the corners.

 

What's more, of the four crashes which have caused riders to miss races, it is hard to point to a single one that would have been less serious if the bikes had been limited by top speed. Dani Pedrosa simply outbraked himself in extremely difficult conditions at the Sachsenring, and Loris Capirossi sustained an arm injury in a typical racing crash, when he collided with Toni Elias. Jorge Lorenzo's big highsides were caused by cold tires, though the crashes which caused both Lorenzo and John Hopkins to miss races were arguably as a result of losing the front at very high speed through difficult corners. However, traction control had no effect on any of these crashes whatsoever.

The more interesting proposal is one to examine ways of reducing tire performance. Part of the problem has been that tires have improved so dramatically over the last few years that corner speeds are getting higher more quickly. Alan Cathcart, in an interview with Dean Adams for the Soupkast podcast said that he expected MotoGP to go to grooved tires at some point (mp3), in an attempt to reduce speeds. Now, that prediction, made last year, is starting to look spookily accurate.

The problem is, of course, that motorcycle racing at all levels is fundamentally dangerous. Riders whose prime motivation to beat the other guy will always push as hard as possible, and well over the limit from time to time, with sometimes painful consequences. But with only 18 riders on the grid, injuries tend to be extremely prominent. Perhaps if Dorna concentrated on finding a way to make the racing more affordable - such as leaving the rules alone for long enough for teams to justify their investment, and for the performance of the machines to reach a natural plateau - then we could see a return to fuller grids, and a more consistent show.

http://www.as.com/motor/articulo/centralita-unica-podria-llegar-motogp/…

http://www.gazzetta.it/Motori/Motomondiale/MotoGP/Primo_Piano/2008/07_L…

Brno, Czech Republic
Dorna
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Comments

Jimmy

14 years 6 months ago

Permalink

corner speeds

Only one way to reduce corner speeds, and that's with tyres. Surely it would have to be a one tyre rule. Even F1 are going back to slicks after finally admitting that grooved tyres are idiotic.

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Profile picture for user Rusty Bucket USA

Rusty Bucket USA

14 years 6 months ago

Permalink

In reply to corner speeds by Jimmy

Mass & Power

Not true.

The bikes could weigh more, as they did in the 990cc era.  They could also increase horsepower, which would change the way riders attack a corner.  With more power, you try to get the bike stood up earlier, which has a signficant effect on corner speed, and offers a lot more variety in racing lines. 

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Jimmy

14 years 6 months ago

Permalink

In reply to Mass & Power by Rusty Bucket USA

Good points

But you'd need pretty large increases in mass and power to have the same effect as reducing tyre grip. My suggestion is to use a larger engine with increased gyroscopic effects, limiting corner speeds. A 990cc engine would be just about right.

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niw_uk1964

14 years 6 months ago

Permalink

In reply to corner speeds by Jimmy

WHy don't they simply:   1.

WHy don't they simply:

 

1. Cap power.

2. Cap maximum speeds

3. Make them ride on recycled Macadam 100's

4. Put them on Honda C90

blah...blah..blah...

 

And they will still get hurt.

It's racing and as we all know the object of the exercise iso to go as fast as possible - faster than the other guys. Bike racing is dangerous and people get hurt. That will never change. Dorna need to get a grip and wake up.

 

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