The nature of MotoGP’s power struggle

The motorcycle world championships turn 70 this year, two years older than F1, but as happily immature as a bunch of young motorcyclists can be when trying to ride faster than one another. 

Which makes the continued presence of Valentino Rossi all the more impressive. The nine-times champion turns 39 in February, but his place in Yamaha’s factory team and his continuing competitive pace confirm that although the title would be tough, he is still a threat for race wins. Rossi needs just seven more to equal Giacomo Agostini’s record total of 122. His contract expires at the end of 2018, but bets are that he will probably sign up for at least one more year to reach this goal.

But bike racing, contrary to public perception, is not all about Rossi, or not anymore. And nor is the championship all about pre-season times.

The tests – in Malaysia, Thailand and Qatar in February and March – are indicative, but no more than that. Last year new Yamaha rider Maverick Vinales was quite dominant, but after winning three of the first five races his season went steadily downhill.

The tests are, however, hugely important. Even more so than back in the day when testing was unlimited, and took a big chunk of team budgets. Back then a factory squad or a tyre supplier would book a circuit anywhere from Barcelona to Brazil for three or even more days, and riders would flog round unhindered. And then do it again, if they felt it necessary. 

It is very different now. In common with modern motorsport practice, MotoGP strictly limits testing, among other cost-saving restrictions. The most salient in this regard being the freezing of engine design. Already restricted to four cylinders and 1000cc, no modification is allowed for the rest of the year after the opening laps of practice for the first race. Any flaws or weaknesses in the power units are there for the rest of the season.

It may seem surprising that there should be any. A MotoGP bike has a surplus of horsepower, held in check not only by the rider but also by the electronics. There’s more than enough. Why is more engine development needed anyway?

Because it’s not only about power, but the nature of the power. If it can be made more usable, then the rider can use more of it. That’s why the work goes on.

Honda’s case is illustrative. The world’s leading bike manufacturer is blessed not only with the biggest budget, but also the services of the current era’s best rider: a moto-genius called Marc Marquez. He arrived in 2013 aged 20 and edged it to all sorts of youngest-ever records including only the second-ever rookie championship in history. In 2014 he smashed it: 13 wins and now total superiority.

At this point, Honda decided to change their dominant RC213V. Already faced with the difficult task of adapting from their very sophisticated in-house electronics to the lower-grade standardised hardware and software, they made life even more difficult with a much lighter crankshaft. This had a heavy impact on rideability, with throttle response now so jagged that corner exit suffered. The essentially slower but significantly more refined Yamahas had better results, with Jorge Lorenzo taking the title five points clear of team-mate Rossi. Marquez dropped to third. 

For 2016, another major change. Honda reversed the direction of crankshaft rotation (now again heavier). A motorcycle's crankshaft goes across the frame, parallel with the axles, and as the revs rise or fall there is a torque reaction in the opposite direction from the spin. Decelerating into a corner and accelerating out of it therefore changes the weight distribution front to rear. The bike's attitude and balance is affected

Backward-spinning cranks are popular; Yamaha have always had one. But the effects were new to Honda’s riders and engineers, and it took much work and many chassis changes to give Marquez a bike that could finally return him to the title.

So what did Honda do for 2017? Changed it again. This time it was the firing intervals, making a so-called ‘Big Bang’ engine with uneven pulses, that, to simplify, offers improved traction and balance. Also common practice, but in this form new to Honda.

Again, Marquez and his cohorts struggled in the early part of the season, and he only finally secured his fourth crown from Italian Andrea Dovizioso and the resurgent Ducati team at the final race.

Testing then, engine freeze notwithstanding, is just the start of development.

Photography courtesy of LAT Images