MotoGP’s unusual structure, however, hands decision on technical regulations to the Motorcycle Sports Manufacturers’ Association (MSMA), with a quirky constitution that requires all decisions to be unanimous. So, no matter how much five the members agreed, the sixth, Ducati, retained the power of veto.
Until March 18 – when a specially convened meeting of the GP Commission, comprising rights-holders Dorna, FIM (the sanctioning federation). IRTA (teams’ association) and the MSMA – over-ruled them. The commission operates on majority votes, but in any case, the decision was unanimous: no more mid-race front-end ride height adjustment, starting next year.
Hopes that all such devices might be banned were dashed, and front-fork genuflection will still be permitted at the start line.
Victory for the Luddites? The smashing of the looms all over again? In this isolated instance, not really. The technology was in the right hands worth a slender tenth or two here or there … which is of course vital in a race, but not so much when applied to general street motorcycle technology.
And the racing will stay as close as you like.
Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.