MotoGP – The new rules in MotoGP –

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The new MotoGP regulations

MotoGP - The new rules in MotoGP -

With less than a fortnight before the start of the 2005 season, Moto-Net takes stock of the main changes to MotoGP regulations: new schedules, 22-liter tanks and no interruption in the event of rain..

Place your bets ! With less than a fortnight before the start of the 2005 season, Moto-Net takes stock of the main changes in MotoGP regulations. Without forgetting the last tests which took place this weekend in Jerez, where the 2005 World Road Racing Championship will open (read).

First, the schedules have been changed as follows:

Friday Free practice Qualifying practice
125 cc 9:00 am – 9:45 am 1:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
MotoGP 10:00 am – 11:00 am –
2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. –
250 cc 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. 3:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Saturday Free practice Qualifying practice
125 cc 9:00 am – 9:45 am 1:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.
MotoGP 10:00 am – 11:00 am 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
250 cc 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. 3:15 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sunday Warm up Races
125 cc 08:45 – 09:05 11:00
250 cc 09:15 – 09:35 12:15
MotoGP 09:45 – 10:05 2:00 p.m.

The Friday afternoon test session in MotoGP is therefore located in the free practice column: from now on, only the Saturday afternoon test session will be counted for the construction of the starting line (in MotoGP only ).

A change that will in practice have little impact, since the best qualifying times were overwhelmingly achieved during the Saturday session. Still, Friday afternoon will no doubt be more focused on configuring the bike for the race, and not on finding the ultimate time on qualifying rubber. Hopefully that will increase the pace and the Sunday brawl even further !

22 liter tanks. The second notable change is that of the capacity of the gasoline tanks in MotoGP, since they drop from 24 liters to 22. The problem is delicate, and it is by breaking it down that we realize it better.

Horse racing is the main pursuit of builders, although some speeches suggest a new philosophy. So Hayden recently stated that "rather than getting more horses, it’s better to know how to use them !"(read). However the horses are in high revs, and the more you go up in the towers, the more gasoline is consumed. Suddenly, a limitation of more than 8% of the quantity of on-board gasoline risks to have repercussions: already, several observers evoke the drop in top speeds. Thus, while Capirossi reached 345 km / h in the 2004 IRTA tests, Tamada "tops out" this year at 330 km / h.

No interruption in case of rain. Main innovation: the MotoGP race will no longer be interrupted for climatic reasons! Thus, riders who want to change tires and make adjustments in the event of a downpour will have to enter the pits while the race continues. They will even be able to change their motorcycle, something previously prohibited by the regulations..

You should know that before the start, the race marshals agree to declare the race "wet" (wet track) or "dry" (dry track). This already had a relatively significant impact, since if the race was declared "wet", it was up to the pilots and their teams to consider, before the start, whether the track was going to remain wet – they would then start on rain gums – or if it was just damp and would gradually dry out – and then they would go off as intermediate gums. You could change tires at any time during the race, but it was forbidden to touch the other settings, as well as to change your mount. But the inability to change motorcycle made the permission to change tires during the race untapped, because too long and complicated.

When the race was declared "dry", on the other hand, the race director could stop it as soon as he considered the track to be too wet, and therefore slippery with the slick tires. So the race was completely stopped, the pilots returned to all the pits, changed tires, settings and we made a new start..

But this type of action led to an interruption of at least 20 minutes … which the media, spectators, sponsors and some drivers did not see very well … Suddenly, the FIM decided to change the whole procedure. Now, the fact that the race is "wet" or "dry" will have very different consequences:

"If the race has been declared" wet "(art. 1.20), switch from a machine fitted with wet tires to a machine fitted with intermediate or slick tires, switch from a machine fitted with intermediate tires to a machine fitted with tires rain or slicks, and switching from a machine fitted with slick tires to a machine fitted with intermediate or rain tires is authorized at any time during the race. In other words, if they go through the pits, the drivers are allowed to change their mount (for engine and chassis settings) and are obliged to change their type of tires. The track, wet at the start, can easily dry out during the 45 minutes of the race. However, the rain tires (as well as the intermediate ones) offer performance and endurance well below slicks on dry tracks … Hence a "difficult" problem for our dear pilots … They can change motorcycle, even if it means lose time in the pits but gain some at the end of the race. Or continue as is, save a passage in the pits by considering that the tires will hold the distance and will allow to advance quickly enough to get ahead of the smart ones who will have stopped or those who have better control over worn or even rinsed tires … what not Sete? (read).

"If the race has not been declared ‘wet’ (art. 1.20), the same changes of machines as described above are allowed only after the white flags have been displayed around the track." This decision is pretty damn tough, especially if the rain is timid or if it only occurs at the end of the race! The pilots then have the choice: either change tires and settings – and therefore lose time in the pits but gain time later on the track – or stay on slick but risk falling….

This innovation is the most important this year and the debate continues to rage among MotoGP fans. On the one hand, finished the Grand Prix of France or Italy in two parts, finished the "greatest" equality of chances in the face of capricious weather. On the other hand, it is a new function that the pilot takes on: it is up to him to understand this new factor and to take advantage of it. So for or against, that is not the question. Because the real question is who will be the best at this little game !

In any event, the television channels are rubbing their hands: programming is greatly facilitated by the fact that now, a MotoGP race with presentation / baston / champagne due 1:15, period, whatever the weather! If only this formatting could encourage one of our national channels to broadcast the Grands Prix, if possible not interspersed with advertisements like on Eurosport, a maximum of spectators could benefit in good conditions from the formidable show including Rossi, Giberneau, Biaggi, Barros , Checa and other Nakano have the secret…

But on this subject, are they really the only ones who know how to animate the premier category and ignite the crowds? The protagonists of the memorable battles of recent years are beset by young wolves with long and sharp teeth. To realize this, just look at the latest IRTA tests! (read)

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