MotoGP Era 3: 1000cc
“When I tested the Honda 1000 it was a real package. It was great. I love the power: the more power the better, I love it.
There’s not a massive difference between the old 990s and the 1000s, just a general progression of chassis, tyres, electronics and engine. The 1000s definitely make more power, but it feels tamer and smoother throughout the rev rage because they can control each aspect with the engine management and electronics.
Compared to the 800s, the 1000s are a little jump: again you’ve got more torque so you can pull off a corner from lower revs and find a bit more grip. They’re also a bit heavier in the change of direction, so it’s just the usual things you’d expect going from an 800cc to a 1000cc engine.
The way MotoGP is now I’d say the riding is more one-line than it was. In the 800 era all the bikes had different characters – some had more power at the bottom, some had more power at the top.
Now we’re back to 1000s with a fantastic amount of grunt, but the electronics are still too good, in my opinion. Back in the 990 days, the only way they really helped us was with engine braking: you’d still be loose, you’d still be backing it in, but the electronics stopped you from completely locking up and sliding.
With the 990s, the electronics were also there when things got really bad, so if you completely destroyed a tyre they’d get you home, things like that. But in general they didn’t get involved too much and I didn’t want them to because I didn’t like the feeling of them. I’d spent my whole life riding without electronics, so I don’t know why all of a sudden they thought that the new age of riders wanted to ride with them.
Now the electronics are very refined and progressive, so they come in a lot more smoothly. Even this year’s [Dorna] package is very, very good. The teams may not have as many options to fine tune things and do corner-by-corner tuning, but it’s still a very impressive package. Unfortunately, it’s not at all basic.
I’d like to see a lot less electronics. I think it needs to drop back to where they were in 2006 or 2007. I think the Dorna package is just Dorna trying to reduce costs and stop the electronics from progressing any more, but they’re certainly not putting the racing back in the hands of the riders.
I enjoyed trying different things with my riding, like stopping the thing from doing wheelies. Wheelie control is another thing I don’t like. I like being able to float the front wheel and get that perfect amount of drive out of the corner. That’s the kind of thing that makes riding a bike into an art, rather than just opening it up and having the electronics do it all for you. All those elements that have disappeared now. I don’t like that because I still don’t think electronics are as good as the human hand.
The Michelin tyres are quite a change too. Back in 2007 the Bridgestones had a lot less rear grip than the Michelins had in 2006, which is exactly what the riders are saying now. The Michelin rear is very, very good, it always has been. But Michelin have still got the same problem they had in the past: the rear doesn’t seem to match the front, it overpowers the front, for whatever reason.
It doesn’t feel like it’s pushing the front, it just feels like the circumference and profile doesn’t fit front to rear. As you go into a corner the bike goes through this little moment where it feels like there’s no contact on the front and then it comes back and then the rear does something a bit funny. I know why people are crashing, but it’s not an easy thing to fix. It’s not something where you can go, okay, I’ve just got to go a bit gentler here. It’s the main part of the corner where you need to make the bike turn, that’s the point where everyone’s struggling.
The tyres will suit some people’s styles better than others, but I think this year’s championship may come down to whoever is going to be more patient and maybe push that little less when they’re not feeling totally happy with the front. Over the full championship season I think it may come down to being happy to settle for that third or fifth position on the weekend when it’s not right, then going for it when everything is right.