The World Championship has yet to start and the MotoGP teams are already at loggerheads. At the center of the controversy are the lowering devices that Ducati introduced in 2019, first on the rear and then on the front, which the Borgo Panigale brand now uses not only at the start but also in the race, to gain in terms of acceleration and speed. peak.
The suitability of these devices, which require extra work for pilots, has generated debate in recent months. Some argue that their use could jeopardize safety, and that their legality does not follow the principles of the current course of action, which seeks to minimize the possibility of serious accidents.
In any case, the days of this controversy are numbered, given that the matter has reached the table of the Grand Prix Commission, a body that brings together all the interested parties of the championship (manufacturers, teams, FIM and Dorna).
Five of the six manufacturers voted Thursday in favor of eliminating these devices as soon as possible. Not surprisingly, Ducati instead said it was against it. According to what Motorsport.com has learned, the lack of unanimity has given rise to another scenario, which posed two alternatives, with the solution expected to be announced shortly.
The first possibility is to immediately ban the use of the front lowering device during the race, but this route is highly unlikely due to the strong opposition from Ducati. In fact, it could only be explored if there was evidence showing, with data and without subjective judgments, that these devices actually compromise the safety of pilots.
The second, much more reasonable option, which will probably be the one that will materialize, would involve the abolition of both height adjusters (front and rear) with the motorcycle in motion, but starting in 2024. On paper, this proposal will force everyone brands to develop their bikes if they don’t want to be left behind when the ban goes into effect.
For Ducati, obviously, neither of the two options is convincing, even if the logic would lead us to believe that the Italian company may be much more inclined to accept the second option. “It is a shame to see that the reaction of other brands to a Ducati innovation is to try to change the regulations to ban it,” said Paolo Ciabatti, Ducati sporting director.
Jack Miller, Ducati Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
This disparity of views was also clearly reflected in the riders’ statements during the press conference for the first race of the season.
“For me, these systems should be phased out in the future. The manufacturers want more and more, but we should all be on the same level. It doesn’t make much sense that we are trying to widen the tracks and that, at the same time, the bikes always go. stronger on the straights, “said Marc Marquez.
The reigning world champion, Fabio Quartararo, was of the same opinion as the Honda rider: “For me the situation is starting to get out of hand, due to everything we riders have to do. In 2019, in my first year, the starting procedure was much simpler. Now you have to be aware of many things, “said the Yamaha rider.
The 2020 champion Joan Mir is also aligned: “I agree with Fabio: it’s too much. On the straight we will soon reach 370 km / h. Probably not the best thing in terms of safety”, commented the Majorcan.
On the opposite side, of course, we find the Ducati. “In my case I just have to push a button, so it doesn’t give me too much work,” he said Pecco Bagnaia. Maverick Viñales, for his part, he went even further, coming to argue that these tools can also contribute to an increase in safety for pilots. “In acceleration, I think it’s good in terms of safety. In certain corners, like the last one in Austin, where you accelerate from zero and the wall is close, it helps you,” said the Aprilia rider.
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