Have electronics ruined this years MotoGP Championship?

Question

Listening to the Eurosport commentary team and reading stories on Yahoo.Eurosport it seems that Casey Stoner continues to use full traction control while most other riders including other Ducati riders have turned it down. Stoner can be seen cracking the throttle wide open before an apex (e.g. Melbourne Loop, Donnington) and have no wheelspin and Rossi for example can smoke the tyre out of turns (e.g. last corner at Portugal).

Surely the premier class should make an ex club racer like myself wonder how an earth those guys ride a bike so fast, not "i could do that".

Answer 1

No I don't think it has ruined it at all. Casey's achievement this year is nothing short of incredible and he has to ride the bike. If it was such an advantage then you can bet everyone would be using it. Remember Ducati are not the huge concern that Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha are and thus anything they can get is available to the big 4 in droves.

As much as I wanted to Vale to win, I still take my hat off to Casey and admire what he has done.

If anything the tyre rule has had a more detrimental effect in my opinion and they should go back to what they had before - NOT a one tyre regulation as is being talked about.

The whole point of MotoGP bikes are that they are prototypes and as far as I am concerned I want to see them being developed within as loose a set of rules as possible to give the absolute pinnacle of motorcycle racing on the planet.

Answer 2

firstly any technology that improves the safety of any sport is welcomed, especially in motor sports when high speeds are involved and death can occur.

if it improves the safety first and as a bi-product increases speeds and race entertainement, then, sure go for it.

technology wont be stopped, there are advances every day, some good, some bad.

Answer 3

It's called progress,when I raced we didn't have fat tyres,slicks etc, but we still went as fast as we could.

Answer 4

If they restrict development who knows what we are going to miss out on. Not all new ideas are good ideas. but its what makes for good racing. someone has to develop an idea and have the guts to try it under race conditions. they should allow as free a hand as is possible withing the rules. they are always going to try and bend the rules to their own advantage. and I say let them.

Answer 5

I don't think so.

Innovation on the track continues to inspire makers of the cars we drive and bikes we ride on the road.

I remember when F1 banned active suspension all those years ago because Honda were doing so well with it.

No many cars have some form of active suspension.

But we might not have known it but for the innovators out there on the tracks.

Same with traction control in F1, Ferrari etc used it anyway, and then they decided to allow it as an afterthought.

I say bring on the technical developments.

We might even get some new cool toys to play with .....

Answer 6

It has a part in it,but it is debateble as to whether tyre performance is to be brought into the equation really.

Answer 7

Rossi and Yamaha could have the same traction control if they wanted it. Most riders choose not to for there own personal reasons.

" old school" 500cc stroker riders like Rossi, Caparex and even Roberts like to slide the bike where as riders like Casey and "ponce" Max like to keep both wheels in line.

[ yes I know Max was on the 500's at the same time as Vale, but was never out of line]

Lets face it, smoking the rear tyre never did Mick Doohan any harm !!

Keep the electronics, but unlike F1, if the rider / team does not want to use it, then dont.