MotoGP 2014 Technical Preview for Dummies

"Menebrio" (menebrio) 02/14/2014 at 10:50 • Filed to: MotoGP, Two wheels good, two wheels bad

7

13

Change is coming and there are always detractors and supporters. As in F1, many are voicing their opinions for the changes in MotoGP, the premier racing class for two wheels. For the past years, most changes dealt with engine size, going from 1000cc down to 800, and coming back up, but this year it is different. In what seems like a major overhaul, the championship will be experimenting with a two tier system a la LeMans, which in time could become the norm for all.

MotoGP will be running a Factory and Open Class in 2014, both differing in regulations.

In an odd and probably cost increasing move, the "Open Class" will be able to use more fuel, a total of 12 engines (which are unfrozen), and softer tires. By contrast "Factory teams" will be able to use 20 liters of fuel per bike (compared against 24 for the Open Class) and a total of 5 engines per season which are frozen from the start of the season. If the new class is supposed to help the independent teams, allowing more unfrozen engines seems to do quite the opposite.

Picture of the Standarized ECU by McLaren Electronics which is mandatory for all F1 teams. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and/or !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Interestingly, the ECU for the Open Class will be a standard Magneti Marelli unit. This sounds like a similar move to that of F1 back in 2008, in order to better control driver aids, but in MotoGP these are permitted. This has caused the Japanese to go up in arms. Honda has threatened to quit if the standard ECU unit becomes norm under Open Class regulations. For this season, all teams must use the Magneti Marelli unit, but only Factory teams may re-write and make changes to the code as the season progresses. If Honda where to quit, in my opinion, the importance of the class could be diminished.

"If MotoGP was all Open class machines? This is !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! idea. Honda's position is clear. Honda is here [because] we are interested to develop the machine. If we cannot develop the machine here, we lose our opportunity to continue racing.

-HRC vice president Shuhei Nakamoto-

Honda, is of the belief that the ECU is one of the major elements that has kept MotoGP road relevant. In their view, the engine freeze has forced them to test new materials and new ways to build more reliable engines. The drop from 21 to 20 liters per race this year will force them to program the bikes to be more efficient while attempting to retain its power. All this can eventually trickle down to their consumer bikes. The Open class rules seem to instigate an unnecessary arms race once again. Engineers will be able to test all kinds of ideas throughout the season, not necessarily a bad thing, but it goes against the recent trend of cost consciousness most other divisions are attempting to establish to ensure a more viable future. Furthermore, according to Honda, their in house unit last year was "smaller, cheaper, more capacity! The Magneti Marelli hardware is 50 percent more expensive than Honda's one," to which one has to add the cost of the data analysis software.

"If you fix the engine [position] you fix mostly the chassis. To change the stiffness of the chassis you need to change around the mounting of the engine. "The bike for sure has some problems, but not only one. I have to fix maybe 20 problems. You cannot solve one problem and find one or two seconds. It is impossible! You gain a tenth here, 0.05s there, put it all together and make a step,"

- Ducati Corse general manager Gigi Dall'Igna-

Although Ducati used to be the smaller team in MotoGP, it was bought up by AUDI (which is owned by the VW group) last season. This was a move to rival BMW's Motorrad division. This means DucAudi (props to McNewbie on the nickname) can no longer afford to be losing against the "cheaper" Japanese bikes. For over a decade, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , an accomplishment which could probably be more attributed to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! than machine. Reason for which Ducati has expressed a keen interest on switching its entire factory effort (at the time of writing only Ducati-Pramac will test the new class bikes) to the new open class as it would allow them to further develop their inferior engine. Although the Desmosedici engines are incredible powerful, these have not been as light and responsive as their Japanese counterparts, which have usually offered a wider power band and torque curve.

"To be clear, until last year we had been testing with a Mitsubishi ECU and Mitsubishi software…So we knew how to control the traction, the braking etc with Mitsubishi but you have to replicate, remake, everything in Magneti-Marelli…There are some pieces missing. It is work in progress."

- Suzuki team manager Davide Brivio-

To further aggravate the situation for Ducati, Suzuki has decided to return to MotoGP in 2015. They are running a Factory Spec machine, but will also be evaluating the Open Class option as the season goes on. They will only be testing in 2014, but might decide to enter as a wild card at one or two events late in the season. I could only imagine the German-Italian anger if the "new-comer" where to beat them in the upcoming (2015) season.

"Also more fuel and less electronic is a good idea for sure, for everybody!"

-Yamaha [Factory] rider, Valentino Rossi-

As with every change, riders are also paying extra close attention to what happens in the Open Class. Until now, most have remained silent, except of course for Valentino Rossi. He is impressed by the speed and race pace of fellow Yamaha (Open Class) rider Aleix Espargaro who was 4 th fastest overall in the first test this year at Sepang. Although some riders claimed not to be going flat out, I am sure more than one [factory] rider in the Big three are worried about how things could change as the season progresses. Obviously as any pro-rider or driver, Rossi has been vociferous about rider aids, and unlike his fellow and competing engineers, he believes that they should be toned down given that even with the 1,000cc bikes there is virtually no wheel spin under acceleration. If you watched the 2013 season, you might remember the incident at Aragon GP, in which just a simple touch my Marquez broke off Pedrosas ECU-wheel sensor wire, which caused him to lose control in spectacular fashion as he opened the throttle out of the curve.

And just to add the cherry on top, every single factory rider (except for Andrea Dovisiozo in Ducati) will be out of a contract at the end of the season. Rumors have it that if Valentino does not return to winning ways he might finally retire, and as sad as that might be the current crop of riders has plenty of talent to replace him, after all he is the oldest rider on the grid. Jorge Lorenzo, his team mate at Yamaha has already been seen in talks with Ducati and Honda, though some speculate this are to mostly destabilize the synergy between him and the team which have been consistently the biggest threat to any championship contender since their pairing began. So we will probably be treated to several rounds of musical bikes until line-ups are confirmed.

This 2014 certainly will be as exciting to watch and follow its development as F1.

For this and other ramblings you may follow me on Twitter !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

(Top image translated and courtesy of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , Quotes and images courtesy of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! )

PardonMyFlemish16 > Menebrio 02/13/2014 at 21:21

0

Honda leaving wouldn't hurt the sport, if Suzuki comes back and Ducati gets their stuff together. Honda is and has been a bully through MSMA.

Menebrio > PardonMyFlemish16 02/13/2014 at 21:24

0

Suzuki has called it quits before. Plus on numbers alone, Honda sells and has a massive fan base. It with Yamaha are almost like a Ferari in F1. they have been competing for ages.

DollaMoneyAve > Menebrio 02/13/2014 at 21:27

1

Good shit man. Oppo needs more stuff like this.

DeltawingGothamDeserves > Menebrio 02/13/2014 at 21:29

0

Go Pedrosa, win it for Repsol.

PardonMyFlemish16 > Menebrio 02/13/2014 at 21:37

0

Honda does have fans, but the main draw is the action and the racers. Contracts would be up again in 2017 and I'm sure Marquez + Pedrosa would have no trouble finding seats elsewhere. Plus if Honda left they'd have a hell of a time playing catch up with the new ECU. Who knows where the sport will be in a few years?

Honda is a huge factor in MotoGP and I'm sure their presence will be missed. But with Ducati finally getting their stuff together and Suzuki due to come back in 2015 their departure won't be as devastating as if they left in say, 2004. Dorna should call Honda on its bluff. The spec ECU is a good look for the sport.

Plus I don't see Honda throwing away decades of branding and efforts over a rule change. I don't think even they are that petty. They get a lot from their racing efforts.

desertdog5051 > Menebrio 02/13/2014 at 21:55

0

Fantastic article. Thank you.

Menebrio > PardonMyFlemish16 02/13/2014 at 22:06

0

I'm with Vale on this one. Less electronics more rider style! And I guess the Standard ECU is the only way to go for that. But also the Open Class rules allow for a budget war, which you know when things don't go the loser's way and they are spending just as much, Honda and Toyota in F1 just pop into my mind.

I wouldn't say DucAudi got their act together, but the cash injection will certainly help. Suzuki, we'll see how they go, because when they left they were way behind. I'd also like to see Aprilia (who is quite interested, maybe 2016)Kawasaki, MV-Agusta, or maybe even BMW join the field.

Menebrio > DollaMoneyAve 02/13/2014 at 22:09

0

Thanks a lot. I had a massive writer block and had been putting this one off for weeks. Two wheels sometimes doesn't get the coverage it deserve around this parts. And it's racing is as good as it gets. Push to pass DRS?! And I'm an F1 fan.

I've also done a few on F1 in the past ( Time Wars and ¿In defense of Senna? ) . But it is also so widely covered here and on Jalop that it pisses me when someone hits publish on a similar article. So I mostly reserve myself for some commentary. But such is life, as in racing it is difficult to always be the first.

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Menebrio > DeltawingGothamDeserves 02/13/2014 at 22:19

0

I have to say Dani has been probably one of the most unfortunate riders. I can't imagine how frustrating it must be to be that close to the title twice.

DeltawingGothamDeserves > Menebrio 02/14/2014 at 10:51

0

Oh, yea. I know it made me mad. Can't even imagine how awful it would have been. Kinda like Felipe Massa in F1.

Menebrio > DeltawingGothamDeserves 02/14/2014 at 10:59

1

I think Felipe's was worst, he technically was champion for a minute. I remember he was told on the radio and the team & family where already celebrating. Really heartbreaking stuff at the podium.

Jeff-God-of-Biscuits > Menebrio 02/14/2014 at 11:21

0

"he drags his elbows, how cute."

Jeff-God-of-Biscuits > Jeff-God-of-Biscuits 02/14/2014 at 11:22

0

Good read, btw.