Aerodynamics has assumed a very important role in MotoGP. To stand out and win in the championship, it is now necessary to have massive spoilers to increase the bike’s grip on the ground, but several riders have also underlined the negative effects, such as the increase in front tire temperature or especially the bike’s reactions in duels . When a rider is on the heels of an opponent, the behavior of his bike can become very difficult to predict, making overtaking more difficult.
Honda is naturally trying to follow this philosophy to get out of the crisis, and at Silverstone the RC213V had large wings reminiscent of those already used by Ducati and KTM, but Marc Marquez would prefer to take a step back. Often opposed to the technological evolutions of recent years, the eight-time world champion is hoping for a reaction from MotoGP managers before the next regulatory cycle, scheduled for the 2027 season, comes into force.
“I said it two, three or four years ago. But there are those who are against aerodynamics and those who are in favor. And if you say something, they tell you that you can’t adapt to these aerodynamics. In the end, it can be done. but in today’s world championship it depends much more on the bike you have available,” the rider from Cervera recently said.
“If you don’t have the aerodynamics, if you don’t have the traction…there are many things in the technical aspect and they depend much more on this. And it’s increasingly difficult to attack and overtake the drivers. It’s becoming like Formula 1, which however now it’s going in the opposite direction, with less load. We’re doing the opposite, we’re getting bigger and bigger. Apparently things will change in 2027, but it’s too late: three years like this!”.
Jack Miller, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Pol Espargaró is also in favor of changing the regulations as soon as possible, but he is aware that it will be difficult to find the necessary unanimity among the different parties interested in the premier class: “The problem is always the same: let’s go to the MSMA [l’associazione dei costruttori]we ask that spoilers be removed and there should be unanimous agreement to proceed,” explains the Tech3 driver.
It is likely that the most aerodynamically advanced brands will refuse to give up this advantage, even if the safety issue comes into play: “You clash with the brands. And then it’s complicated, because they invest effort and money in this sport “So we’re also penalizing the technological strength or the success of other manufacturers, and I think it’s not fair. Sure, when we race we face different problems, but the riders also have to find solutions on the bike to change their ways or improve the situation.
Aerodynamics have forced riders to readjust in recent years. The more riders ahead of him, the more difficult it is for “Polyccio” to control his bike due to the dirty air generated by the other bikes. “It’s one of the things I felt at Silverstone,” he said. “I was quite behind in the group and in the fast first chicane, in the first sector, I was struggling to turn the bike. There is a lot of turbulence caused by the spoilers and I have to say it’s quite dangerous. When you’re leading the race or in the top five or six, you don’t feel it much, but if you’re behind, the turbulence you feel is incredible.
This phenomenon seems to be the reason for Marco Bezzecchi’s retirement due to an accident at the British Grand Prix, after being “sucked up” by Pecco Bagnaia, who preceded him. Marc Marquez has warned that this phenomenon has worsened in recent years: “I’ve ridden this bike with and without spoilers, and it’s true that it’s much more critical with spoilers. But this is MotoGP and you have to adapt. Even before, the bike was wobbly but less”.
His former teammate experiences the same suction phenomenon, which forces him to approach duels on the track differently, both to attack and to defend himself: “Normally it happens when you brake,” explains Espargaró. “It happened to me last year in Qatar, when Bastianini overtook me and ran away from me: it’s as if someone pushed you from behind, you stop braking and go wide”.
![Pol Espargaro, Tech3 GASGAS Factory Racing](https://cdn-6.motorsport.com/images/mgl/68ygvg80/s1000/pol-espargaro-tech3-gasgas-fac-1.jpg)
Pol Espargaro, Tech3 GASGAS Factory Racing
Photo by: GasGas Factory Racing
“That’s why in MotoGP, especially today, it’s important to overtake and brake laterally. You have to leave clean air for those behind you. Because it seems that if you block the line, obviously they won’t overtake you, but then when you move away from the opponent, they see the Their speeds increase quite quickly. So it’s possible to crash from behind. I think it’s a gentlemen’s agreement to have because if you cut the road off the rider you’re overtaking, maybe he can hit you. Now, with aerodynamics, it’s important to always have air clean.
“It’s a technological problem. In fact, it was one of the things I complained about a few years ago, when Ducati started using these flaps and this turbulence began to be noticed. I come from an era where there was no “it was the spoilers. In the past they weren’t on Yamahas, so I started to feel the turbulence and I thought it was a bit strange and dangerous. It has gone a long way … but it is difficult to stop the technological evolution These things happen and things will happen that we don’t expect, but we have to adapt to,” added issue 44.
According to Marc Marquez, the adaptation required of the rider in track battles is not the same depending on the bike. “If you have a bike, you can overtake one way, while if you have another, you have to pass places you wouldn’t normally expect. You have to find a way,” commented the number 93.
Iker Lecuona, who replaced Alex Rins in the LCR team due to an injury, has always raced in MotoGP only with wings, but since 2022 he has moved to the Superbike World Championship, where the bikes are simpler and offer greater riding freedom. The Valencian believes that the predominance of aerodynamics comes at the expense of riding enjoyment.
“To me MotoGP is fun today, but at the same time it’s more boring, because with so much aerodynamics there are more limits. Before, even in 2021, when I was already there and there was less aerodynamics, it was more fun because the bike it moved more. Now, if you look at the bikes, they look like a train. The difference in Superbike is that you can play a lot with the bike, so it’s a lot of fun compared to MotoGP,” he said.
#MotoGP #Marquez #reduce #aerodynamics