Testing continues for Moto2 and MotoGP teams at Jerez

[Wolfman]

motogp.com · Testing continues for Moto2 and MotoGP teams at Jerez

Interesting reading for those who like to follow off season testing...

:thumbup:

 

[Red Wazp]

Wow, Edwards on a bike this soon after his crash. What a man!

 

[Wolfman]

Wow, Edwards on a bike this soon after his crash. What a man!

Yep! Even Colin said it himself at Silverstone this year....he's a "Hard Mother******"...LOL!

Referencing this interview!

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdqTMPwjqR8]Colin Edwards on stage at Silverstone 2011 - YouTube[/ame]



I really hope Colin does ok on this CRT bike....

:thumbup:

 

[Disco]

Fair enough the Moto2 bikes have 2 full seasons of race development in them, but their times are almost identical to the 1,000 CRT bikes!

Kinda like returning to a few years ago in 250/500, where the really quick guys on a 250 would have qualified in the front half of a 500 grid.

Can't help but feel the 1,000 CRT bikes are going to just be 'Super' Superbikes.

 

[Wolfman]

Fair enough the Moto2 bikes have 2 full seasons of race development in them, but their times are almost identical to the 1,000 CRT bikes!

Kinda like returning to a few years ago in 250/500, where the really quick guys on a 250 would have qualified in the front half of a 500 grid.

Can't help but feel the 1,000 CRT bikes are going to just be 'Super' Superbikes.

I think there is a very large group of people who are looking at CRT bikes as a bit of a joke....

It was originally put in place to help fill up the grids, but i think they have gone the wrong way about doing it.

I think the manufacturers need to make their previous season factory bikes available to other teams, at a reasonable price, with spares support, like used to be common place in the 80's, and 90's...The buy in price for Moto GP is obviously too high at the moment for a full GP spec bike.

The Factories only have themselves to blame in a lot of respects, they have not made it easy to run a GP team, on anything other than a Factory supported, or heavily semi supported "private" team, cause the buy in price is ridiculous.

And without cigarrette advertising money, like in the old days, less people have been able to go Moto GP racing, in fact, without cigarrette sponsorship, even the Factories have either scaled back their commitment (Suzuki), severed ties completely (Kawasaki), gone elsewhere (Aprillia), or had to find money elsewhere...

Add in the GFC, and the Japan Earthquake...and it looks pretty gloomy.

These CRT bikes will get quicker, but will they catch up anything on Factory bikes that have been, and are constant high level of development, i think that is impossible....Cause if it was, it would mean you would have the same sort of budget as a Factory, and as such, could go racing on full Gp spec bikes anyway...

I think the new 1000 Moto GP bikes will just get quicker faster, cause of more development, in a shorter space of time, and with electronics being such a big part of racing in this age, which are also very expensive to set up, run, develop, and require their own staff to run at each race...the CRT guys have no chance...

It's a bit of a mess...

 

[zmeiaspas]

On the topic of off-season testing, here're a few words by Carmelo Ezpeleta on the new direction that the series is headed in:

Didn’t your heart sink at seeing only 14 riders on the grid in Australia?

Personally, the number of riders on the grid doesn’t matter to me and I’ve told you that many times. What I don’t like is the direction the situation seems to be taking. I don’t like today’s MotoGP bikes at all. With MotoGP we’ve created a class in which the Hondas are going like crazy, the others a little worse, the others a little more … everything is going that way and there isn’t a category, or a fight, or anything. I don’t like it and it won’t continue being this way. It’s clear to me that with the economic situation, the model for fabricating these bikes isn’t worth it.

Your arguments are convincing

I don’t have to keep going. These bikes aren’t worth it. Expending transmissions of 650,000E and all of this just to win isn’t worth it. Also, since there won’t be money to lease those bikes next year, in the end there will only be two of those Hondas in 2013. That year, I don’t plan on helping any team lease a MotoGP bike and I’m going to help everyone else the other way, to have CRT bikes. If only six want to race with those bikes, that’s fine, they’ll be the world champions and I’ll focus on the other 16 that complete the grid. We have to go where Formula 1 and everyone else has gone, towards economic regulation, more simplicity, that will permit more people getting interested and that there be more battle. It’s ironic that Moto2, which was so criticized, is providing more entertaining racing with riders who are, in theory, worse than those in MotoGP. And they, who are the best in the world, can’t do it because we have a class of bikes that is ****. That is finished. They can do or say what they want. We will change it.



When did you reach this conclusion?

At the moment when it turns out that the price of a leased bike is greater every time and what happened with Aspar, who can’t do it, and so and so on. I’m not going to do like governments and shrug my shoulders. I’m going to take steps now.

Stefan Bradl is one of those that couldn’t advance because of lack of money


It’s ridiculous that a rider like Bradl have two and a half million from his sponsor Viessmann and not be able to rise because he needs five. What the hell is that when you need five big ones to be in MotoGP? That is finished. This is, basically, entertainment, not a technology race. Right now there is no place for a technology race but there is for entertainment.

This is a declaration of war against the factories. What do the big makes say?


I don’t care what they say. I’m not declaring war. It has to be explained to them and I also don’t think the factories are overflowing with money. It’s taking responsibility. You have to do this in all aspects of life. They should sit down together and figure out how to feed their own instead of wondering where they’ll go on a holiday. The first thing is to eat. There’s no discussion. I’m not going to fight with anyone.


How much will a CRT cost?


Around one million euros to race all year, with the advantage that the bike will be the team’s property. Right now a factory bike costs three million and has to be returned so that they can then give you another one, which isn’t much better, for another three million. That’s a scam and it’s over. They’ve been squeezing and squeezing until the end. This coming year I have a series of promises and I’m going to fulfill them, but after that everything I’m spending now will be spent on all those racing with CRTs. It will be more profitable for everyone and we’ll see more entertaining races. I’ll convince the factories because I won’t support anything unreasonable.



It’s what happened with Aprilia in 250cc, after wringing the goose that laid the golden eggs, from which came Moto2.


Exactly. Aspar isn’t dropping having two Ducatis just because he feels like it. It’s because of money and he’ll be happy to have two CRTs. The coming year will have ten factory and nine or ten CRT bikes, which will increase in the future.


Is it clear which they are?

More or less. Two from BQR with Kawasaki engines or Inmotec and FTR chassis; Aspar with Suter chassis and looking at either an Aprilia or BMW engine; Sacchi makes another; Forward Racing, Suter-BMW with rider Edwards; Paul Bird will arrive, a British team with an British rider; Laglisse also will be new. And Gresini, which will have a Honda.


Won’t the CRTs be rolling chicanes next year?


I don’t care what level they’re at. What I want is that they be competitive. Obviously, they won’t be at the factory level, but neither are the satellites of today.



Will the difference be greater or less than the difference right now between factory and satellites?


It could be greater, but the difference will also be from four million to one million. (Laughs). Paying three million more for a difference of a second. I don’t care if they’re two or three seconds behind.



Will there be different classifications?


We’ll have an award for the season’s best CRT.



Why the name CRT, Claiming Rules Teams?


The name will be changed. They were originally called this, but it’ll be changed without looking for a super name, because I expect that in two years the whole grid will be on these bikes, the CRTs.



Define the basics of these bikes.


A CRT is a bike that is not made by a factory but by the teams, that can use parts from production engines, each one with a preferred chassis, with 24 liters of fuel instead of 21, they can use 12 engines instead of 6, and those engines can be claimed by other teams for 20,000 euros, but no one will buy engines.



How is all this affected by the venture capital firm Bridgepoint, the majority shareholder of Dorna/MotoGP, that has also bought the firm that runs World Superbike?


Not at all. They are different championships that now have the same majority shareholder, but Superbike and MotoGP are two different companies. MotoGP bikes will continue to be prototypes, same as the prototypes in Moto2 in relation to Supersport. One has nothing to do with the other though they share engines. The foundation of racing vehicles is the chassis, not the engine. Between the formulas, the difference is in the chassis used. That will happen with MotoGP, with Moto2 and with Moto3.



Will there be a rider-bike limit?


No, not in any case. That is stupid. It exists in 125cc because I don’t want anorexics forced by their parents or managers not to eat, but Moto2 is for older people who can decide. Let’s not mix apples and oranges and the person who most backed that was world champion against one who was a head taller and another who was a head and a half. There it is. That day he didn’t remember that advantage. The one who thinks you have to penalize the short ones was very short and beat Garriga y Cornu, who were taller by a head and a head and a half. (In reference to Sito Pons).
In Moto2 there are those obesessed with food.
But they’re old enough to decide.

Will Moto3 also have the same sucess as Moto2?


It’s being well received. Less will race than the 125s, but it’s the same to me, and it’ll be entertaining. We’ll be on top of it so it won’t cost a lot. A Moto3 will cost around 150,000 euros, but with more competitiveness.

Your view of the season?

Stoner has been the best, without question. In Moto2 I don’t know what will happen and in 125, Zarco could have had a handle on Terol by not being dumb.

And Rossi?


His situation makes me angry. Valentino is very good and and I can’t understand why they’re not capable of finding the form for him to go fast. I’m convinced he will return to being competitive with the Ducati or whichever else. Valentino will not leave here losing. What I’d like most is that he find a Ducati that allows him to go well, but it seems complicated. Even so, he continues to be an exceptional guy.

 

[Wolfman]

^^^^^^

He says this no place for a technical race....i thought that was what Moto GP was all about...being at the pinnacle of 2 wheeled development...

But he is right about the costs....

But Superbikes with Mods...C'mon!

 

[zmeiaspas]

^^ Totally agree. MotoGP has always been about prototype racing. That's the whole point of the series. I don't like this new direction that he's taking but on the other hand, considering the financial state of the world and the possibility of a new EU meltdown, reducing the costs and allowing more teams to take part may be a good thing after all ... at least for a few years. I just hope they manage to find some sort of a balance and don't get rid of the prototyping element all together. If they do, there's a good chance MotoGP will lose some of its best riders. I know Stoner has already said that he would not be willing to participate in a non-prototype racing and Rossi + the guys at Ducati don't see the point in that either. Time will show I guess.

On the bright side, it's definitely cool to see a Kawi, Aprilia and a BMW on the grid as well. Although I seriously doubt any of them will get a top 10 position this season (unless we get to witness another giant cluster **** where 50% of the riders go down before the checkered flag).

 

[Humperdinkel]

I bought Aussie Roadrider on the way to work this morning & it has a similar article from what I can gather & some strong comments from the riders , cant wait to get home & read what its all about :thumbup:

 

[zmeiaspas]

^^ please give us the cliffs after you do!

 

[Wolfman]

I bought Aussie Roadrider on the way to work this morning & it has a similar article from what I can gather & some strong comments from the riders , cant wait to get home & read what its all about :thumbup:

Rossi and Stoner have had a bit to say as well, aint read exactly what yet, but there are headlines on this weeks AMCN that say that they are not happy about changes, and that they dont wanna be a part of a dumbed down Moto GP championship....i aint read it yet, but i am with them 100% of the way....if i want to watch Superbikes i watch the SBK!

 

[Jugro]

The transcript explains why we are stuck with the CRT name...
Kill of MotoGP proper in 2013 and end up with Moto1, Moto2 and Moto3. Then MotoGP can be the overall name for the series.

I wonder how much the chassis developers are paying him

But why is he comparing it too F1 and saying it will make a more even field. There you have Red Bull, Mclaren and Ferrari, and then all the rest.

 

[zmeiaspas]

Soup :: Rossi Looking For Fast Progress :: 11-29-2011

Patience is a precious commodity for seven-time MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi as he awaits Ducati's sea change in development of the 1000cc GP12 that he will race in 2012.

Ducati is ditching its concept of using its Desmosedici engine as a stressed member, bolted to carbon-fiber frame pieces, opting instead to bolt the engine into a traditional aluminum frame. And Rossi indicated last weekend at the Monza Rally Show that Ducati must show quick progress with the new concept, as he's coming off the first winless season of his 16-year Grand Prix career.

"It's probably been, actually it's definitely been, the worst season of my career," Rossi said. "What would I like Father Christmas to bring me? A competitive GP12.

"We have a very different bike. I'd like to see the progress as early as February. Hopefully we'll be faster and more competitive. It's right that there are no longer any limits on tests, and that helps us."

Rossi and ace crew chief Jeremy Burgess didn't mess around when overhauling the dodgy Yamaha after moving to that team in 2004. He and Burgess know the blueprint for a quick turnaround, and they're trying to steer Ducati in the right direction - now.