Repsol Honda Vice President Shuhei Nakamoto mentions concerns about ECU – MotoGP news
After the most recent meeting of MotoGP manufactures with Magneti Marelli, the company which will be supplying a control ECU to manufactures in the MotoGP seasons to come, Repsol Honda Vice
President Shuhei Nakamoto voiced his concerns about ECU.
“Two weeks ago our engineers visited the Magneti Marelli factory. All of the factory members were present. We made many questions, but for us it is not 100 percent clear [how to adapt to
the new system],” Nakamoto said.
According to the new MotoGP rules, ECU will be optional in 2013. However, it will be a compulsion for all MotoGP teams from 2014 onwards but the competing teams will be allowed to use their
own software.
Apart from the current MotoGP manufacturers, Honda, Yamaha and Ducati, Suzuki were also present at the ECU meeting. According to various press reports, Suzuki plan to make a return to MotoGP
next year but Nakamoto’s reply when asked if Suzuki’s presence in the Magnetti Marelli meeting confirmed Suzuki’s MotoGP return or not was quite vague.
“I don't know! Anyway, Suzuki was there. Ask Suzuki If they will participate in 2014 or not. My feeling is that they will,” Nakamoto said.
Having spent 5 consecutive seasons without winning a MotoGP round, Suzuki withdrew from MotoGP after the 2011 season. Financial crisis was deemed as the root cause of Suzuki’s retirement
from MotoGP.
Nakamoto persisted that FIM is not planning to ban the seamless-shift gearbox technology. According to the Repsol Honda VP, cost of the new system will be much less than before. Jorge Lorenzo
and Valentino Rossi are the only two factory riders who do not have the liberty of superior-shifting ability right now, even though they are pressing for the new technology.
“Much, much cheaper, because we have two years' experience. The cost is almost the same as standard,” Nakamoto explained.
Only time will tell how the new control ECU works. With less than two months to go until the 2013 season start, team are gearing up for yet another exciting on-track battle.
Tags: