Dorna Sports propose single tyre rule for 2008 Motogp season

[Gerben24]

The beginning of a long discussion I think.

MotoGP commercial rights holder Dorna Sports has proposed a single tyre rule for the 2008 MotoGP World Championship.

http://www.crash.net/news_view~cid~6~id~154758.htm

In WSBK it has played out brilliantly. This season has had some boring races, but was it caused only by a tyre advantage. Looking back, I'm starting to doubt that.

However, I would not mind a single tyre manufacturer.

I hope it will be Dunlop getting the contract .

[jonm2]

i enjoy the variety that moto gp has at the moment, so i dont think it would be a good thing for the sport.

[Schummy]

I have mixed thoughts about this. Mainly I think I prefer a "single manufacturer" (not a single tyre, that is) against the current status.

But perhaps I would like a multi manufacturer situation WITH a stricter regulation about tyres (composition, softness) like engines, or aero in F1. That is, a strict set of rules in order that tyres are not the main performance factor (as it is since many, many years ago, in bike and car racing).

I hate when tyre manufacturers (who are a relatively small part in this business) decide the greater part of the laptimes (it is not exclusive of this season). An obscure engineer in Michelin or Bridgestone possibly is more relevant than Hayden's skill or Honda's chassis design. I don't like it at all.

[jhansen]

I am going to echo Schummy's thoughts. Both options have their merrits. Certainly it is nice to have the competitive aspects of multiple tire manufacturers. It drives the lap times down. The resulting technology is awesome. With that said, when the swing in results is so radical then it's not so great. Small variables like temperature and track surface are the deciding factors. This is no fun for the fans. And as Rossi said, fans don't cheer for Bridgestone or Michelin.

If I could have my cake and eat it to, I would prefer multiple tire manufacturers coupled with competitive racing. Maybe there is a way to write the tire rules in such a way that it will promote close racing. However, I'm not sure how possible this is.

In the end, a control tire is probably best with two or three compounds available per weekend.

[Schummy]

PS: "jhansen" and "Schummy" are my two accounts here. The former for serious posting, the later for the rest.

[bestfit]

I vote an emphatic NO!
I see this as a knee jerk reaction during a transitional year with totally new bikes. There have been some dullish races (I never find them boring), but there has also been some great battles.
MotoGP has always been relatively free of artificial means to close the racing up, it has never needed it, and I don't think it needs it now.
Let the teams develop their bikes (they are getting closer) and let Bridgestone and Michelin develop the tyres (they are getting closer) and the racing will take care of itself.

I completely agree with Paul Dennings recent comment -
"There has been a lot of nonsense spoken in MotoGP this year regarding tyre regulations, engine performance, etc. etc. I believe that the difference at the moment is Casey and we're focusing our best efforts to improve our own performance to beat him and that's what everybody should be doing at this time!"

[FPV GTHO]

I'd prefer to let next years racing give more of an indication before making a decision because Michelin wont win the title this year. I'd edge towards yes though, not for equality but in an effort to reduce the tyre grip and everything related.

[Knowlesy]

I always preferred a tyre war in F1, but in motorcycles I'm not particularly fussed.

So I'm easy either way really.

[BootsOntheSide]

This would be way too late to make such a big change. Formula One put it out to tender for a length of time, so that different manufacturers could aim to produce effective tyres within the specifications. If this season had been even on tyres, nobody would be suggesting this. Bridgestone have done a better job, just as Michelin has for many years. 2008 could be completely different. Dorna are probably trying to deflect blame away from the switch to 800cc engines, whcih has made the bikes easier to ride and resulted in fewer mistakes.

[f1manoz]

No. I concur with a thought above that this a kneejerk reaction because:

1. The Japanese teams have been soundly whalloped by Ducati
2. Michelin are being soundly whalloped by Bridgestone
3. There have been a few snooze races this year

But this was year one of a new category, new regulations and new bikes. Let's remember that the first year of 1000cc MotoGP rules was hardly much excitement with Honda winning everything and no-one else challenged. At least this year we've got a variety of manufacturers at least competing.

IMO this all sounds like the influence of sour grapes from HRC and Michelin.

[mmciau]

Socialised rule making, engineering and manufactured, boring racing is looming if this "one-tyre" rule gets up.

These rule makers have a base set of rules - 800cc, 2 wheels, minimum weight. It's an innovative category so let the innovation prevail.

It's only the TV mob that want all 20 riders in one TV camera at a time!!!!!!!

Mike

[SALEEN S7R]

Personally I would say that a single tyre manufacturer would be a good thing based on this years results. Maybe Michelin will come back stronger next year though and take the fight to Bridgestone and we will have close racing again, if they dont however then I would be in favour of a single tyre manufacturer. If you look at the various motorsport series around the world who have 1 single tyre manufacturer you will usually find that it helps produce close and exciting racing. IMO.

[Pro Racer]

for me i would prefer the tyre war.

[Knowlesy]

Michelin have come back strong already IMO SALEEN. They are starting to look very good again.

It has taken them time to acclimatise to the new regs but they are almost there now.

A tyre war is never a bad thing to me. It is another variable and variables make for good racing, with the risk that you can have a dominant party temporarily. But this can happen in a control tyre format as well.

[jhansen]

I have no problem with a tire war. The problem I have is the relative difference between each brand of tire on a given weekend. When Bridgestone is on then Michelin is off. There seems to be very little middle ground.

[Schummy]

The relative merit of each rider in any circuit or the fine tuning work on a bike is destroyed or highly enhanced by a minor adjustment in the tyres components. When a single part of a bike or a car has too much weight in the final performance it must be regulated or the racing side of the sport will be eroded.

Except some external dimensions (at least in cars), tyres are largely "free of rules". It's about time to do something about it.

BTW, I agree with those who think 800cc/TC is too tame for the bigger category. Firstly get rid of TC, for god's sake. If there are riders who cannot cope with it, fine, let enter riders who can do it.

[jhansen]

Originally Posted by Schummy

BTW, I agree with those who think 800cc/TC is too tame for the bigger category. Firstly get rid of TC, for god's sake. If there are riders who cannot cope with it, fine, let enter riders who can do it.

[Knowlesy]

990cc, no TC. I thank you.

[Schummy]

In sidecars every tyre manufacturer could be happy with control tyres: front tyre by Bridgestone, rear by Michelin and lateral by Dunlop.

I hope FIM is not listening, they could do it

[Gerben24]

Originally Posted by Schummy

It's about time to do something about it.

Yeah, but what?

Personally I think there should not be any qualifying tyres. It doesn't add anything to the racing, they're just really expensive soft pieces of rubber.

Ban dual compound tyres. This will result in an overal tyre that is harder with less grip, which means throttle control will become more important (even with TC).

However, the above will not result in a smaller difference between tyres from different manufacturers.

[Schummy]

Banning qualifying tyres is a good start. It's an absurd concept.

In F1 years ago they banned "exotic" material in engines, I think they have to regulate what chemical compounds are allowed. Perhaps mechanical properties (softness for instance) must be limited. Limiting the freedom of development can reduce the input of tyre technology in the results

It is the same that many years ago happened with pole vault in athletics. Around 1970 the most important factor winning a pole vault competition was the particular brand or compound of pole involved. During those years it was a farce from a athletic point of view. Now we have not any significant problem with it and we can admire genuinely Bubka or Isinbayeva's records.

GP tyres are not relevant to every day use, they are far too soft. Surely endurance racing is more relevant (as in cars).

If they cannot regulate tyres adequately, use the one-manufacturer rule.

[bestfit]

Ban qualifiers! YES YES YES, Absolutely. Give us real grids not contrived grids.

But no to a control tyre! Why pump millions of dollars into developing all facets of a bike to obtain a fraction of a second gain, when the limiting factor becomes a two inch square piece of rubber on the tarmac. Tyre development needs to progress at the same rate as the development of the rest of the bike or the point of a prototype class is lost.

[jhansen]

What constitutes a qualifier though? Could the tire companies just declare a 'soft' race tire? How do you control this? Does the FIM know anything about compound construction and structure? This is an area where I'm not sure how they can proceed. In F1 it was a bit easier. Prior to the control tire we had that season where the tires had to last a race distance. Well, we already do that in Moto GP.

Gerben may have something though. Banning multi-compound tires.

[Hazza]

Well, I mean we've had tyre problems for awhile, remember in 2004 the tyres had so much grip we had really ****ty chatter (or "Chadder") problems, which meant that you had to get your head around that to be competitive, which left it to Rossi, Sete and maybe Biaggi?

I think that it's really one way or the other, you can Ban "overnight tyres" and have Bridgestone produce a better product, or you can not have any restrictions and allow the Blue Boys to fly in a race winner on the Sunday morning.

[jhansen]

There actually is a way around qualifiers now that I've thought about it. Just require them to qualify on their race tire. Quite a few series do that including sportscars and F1. But it would make race tire selection even more crucial.