No more private testing now that Rossi is on winning bike

With Valentino Rossi back on a competitive mount, the rules that were created

to make him and Ducati more competitive can be rescinded.




 


The current spin is that the Yamaha and Honda factory teams gained a

significant advantage on their competition by participating in a private test

recently at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, which will host a MotoGP race

for the first time April 21. But that edge may be prevented in the future as

IRTA representatives will continue discussions of a ban of private testing

during the season-opening Grand Prix of Qatar on April 5-7. Talks about blocking

private tests started this week during the final official preseason test, at

Jerez.




 


The reason that the opportunity to test at COTA existed was because Dorna

thought that their cash cow--Valentino Rossi--could gain a competitive edge if

he and Ducati were allowed to test more. So the rules on testing were relaxed to

allow testing outside of the official tests.




 


"Nobody did anything wrong with the Texas test and it wasn't against the

rules, but this is not the way to go and we had a meeting in Jerez where

everybody, including those that went to Austin, agreed that this is something we

shall block and in the future we will stick to the three official tests," said

Herve Poncharal, Tech 3 Yamaha man and IRTA house organ. "There was unanimous

support that we should stick to what we have done in the past."




 


Poncharal is correct in stating no one did anything wrong in testing at COTA.

Simply put, the rules were modified for Rossi and Ducati, and Honda and Yamaha

also took advantage of this completely legal by the rulebook test. Going forward

there will be three official tests that MotoGP riders can take part in but no

"unofficial tests".

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...I was under the impression the test where ran to give Marc more seat time.    Clearly he dosen't need it anymore, and Ducati can't let Yamaha, Rossi, and HRC get to far ahead.

People complaining about private testing: Ducati (because they couldn't afford to go to Austin), and Tech 3 (because Poncharal is a cheapskate, but also IRTA boss).

Private testing need not be expensive. Honda spent a lot of money to go there, but will easily earn enough to cover their costs, because of the footage they recorded there. At Dorna-organized events, only Dorna can do the filming, and the teams have to pay rights to use the footage. At Austin, Honda produced masses and masses and masses of footage that will be used throughout the year in a number of formats (including for regional distributors' media campaigns). The marketing value gained is equal to the costs of testing at Austin, even with a lot of people there.

I'd like to seize the opportunity to make a comment about you mr. Emmet and MotoMatters, I favorited your site, like it a lot to read your thoughts and round ups, however, I'm noticing you avoid as much as possible to write about Ducati, while you have spent tons of words and phrases to talk about the rest. I then thought you are giving more focus on the four alien, obvious, but following them you keep skipping Ducati and their riders to write about CRTs. This is turning to be the pattern of your thoughts since a while now. 


 


I don't know if you have something against the italian manufacturer or is just bothered about them, I respect your approach but I'd like to say this is not so cool, sorry but I need to give you this feedback.


 


thanks.

gui22a

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I'd like to seize the opportunity to make a comment about you mr. Emmet and MotoMatters, I favorited your site, like it a lot to read your thoughts and round ups, however, I'm noticing you avoid as much as possible to write about Ducati, while you have spent tons of words and phrases to talk about the rest. I then thought you are giving more focus on the four alien, obvious, but following them you keep skipping Ducati and their riders to write about CRTs. This is turning to be the pattern of your thoughts since a while now. 
 
I don't know if you have something against the italian manufacturer or is just bothered about them, I respect your approach but I'd like to say this is not so cool, sorry but I need to give you this feedback.
 
thanks.

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There are 24 hours in a day. It would be nice to use some of them to sleep....

I try to write about what I can, but obviously, I keep missing stuff. I try to be balanced, but it is frankly impossible, due to there only being 24 hours in a day.

So far, I have not written so much about Ducati, but I have to say, I found what was going on at Ducati at Jerez to be one of the most interesting pieces of news. I'll try to write a little more about it before the season starts.

So, thanks for your criticism, as it has actually given me an idea for an article. And also, .... you! ;-)

Traverser

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...I was under the impression the test where ran to give Marc more seat time.    Clearly he dosen't need it anymore, and Ducati can't let Yamaha, Rossi, and HRC get to far ahead.

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The tests that were just run in Austin were a result of Dorna changing the testing rules a couple of years ago to help Rossi and Ducati. They were illegal before Rossi went to Ducati, and it appears now that he doesnt need them any longer, they will become illegal again. Doesnt matter that Ducati needs them just as much today as they did the last 2 years, all that matters is a certain rider is no longer on the bike, so no need to try and help Ducati any longer

povol

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The tests that were just run in Austin were a result of Dorna changing the testing rules a couple of years ago to help Rossi and Ducati. They were illegal before Rossi went to Ducati, and it appears now that he doesnt need them any longer, they will become illegal again. Doesnt matter that Ducati needs them just as much today as they did the last 2 years, all that matters is a certain rider is no longer on the bike, so no need to try and help Ducati any longer

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Ironic, then, that Ducati are pushing for the ban on private testing.

Edited to add: though obviously, that destroys the implied narrative.

Krops, if VR was employed by Ducati, in ur estimation, would they have joined HRC & Yamaha factories to test in Austin?

Btw, if not, i can only imagine the 2nd act of the father & son Italian satirical musical: 'Les Miserossies part II. A return of such memorable tunes as 'Lets throw Ducati under the bus' and my favorite, 'Ducati doesn't listen to me.'

Rossi sells, its no secret, so I have no doubt in my mind that the testing ban issued now is because rossi isn't at ducati (they clearly wanted him to be competitive).  They would have gone to austin IMO if rossi was still on the duc.  They were willing to spend the money.  

Kropotkin

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Ironic, then, that Ducati are pushing for the ban on private testing.


Edited to add: though obviously, that destroys the implied narrative.

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I would say Ducati has accepted their fate, and are looking for ways to cut costs. But like Jum and NGads said, there is no doubt they would have been there if Rossi were still on the team

povol

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I would say Ducati has accepted their fate, and are looking for ways to cut costs. But like Jum and NGads said, there is no doubt they would have been there if Rossi were still on the team

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That's pretty much correct. Ducati also didn't go to make a political point.

Jumkie

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Krops, if VR was employed by Ducati, in ur estimation, would they have joined HRC & Yamaha factories to test in Austin? Btw, if not, i can only imagine the 2nd act of the father & son Italian satirical musical: 'Les Miserossies part II. A return of such memorable tunes as 'Lets throw Ducati under the bus' and my favorite, 'Ducati doesn't listen to me.'

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If Rossi was at Ducati, they would have been at Austin.

Kropotkin

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That's pretty much correct. Ducati also didn't go to make a political point.

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Which was what?. That they were all for private testing until it became painfully obvious that Yamaha and Honda benefit more from private testing than they do. I guess what they were angling for was, we need private testing, but ban Honda and Yamaha from it.  That actually sounds  like something Ducati would propose once you think about it.

Kropotkin

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There are 24 hours in a day. It would be nice to use some of them to sleep....


I try to write about what I can, but obviously, I keep missing stuff. I try to be balanced, but it is frankly impossible, due to there only being 24 hours in a day.


So far, I have not written so much about Ducati, but I have to say, I found what was going on at Ducati at Jerez to be one of the most interesting pieces of news. I'll try to write a little more about it before the season starts.


So, thanks for your criticism, as it has actually given me an idea for an article. And also, .... you! ;-)

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:lol:


 


Don't get me wrong, I like your articles so much, but reading tons of words about CRT's instead of Ducati is painful. Who cares for CRT? .... that .....


 


BTW, I'm eagerly awaiting the article about Ducati.


 


Thanks.

povol

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Which was what?. That they were all for private testing until it became painfully obvious that Yamaha and Honda benefit more from private testing than they do. I guess what they were angling for was, we need private testing, but ban Honda and Yamaha from it.  That actually sounds  like something Ducati would propose once you think about it.

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There's an interview with Gobmeier on Speedweek about this, from a couple of weeks ago. Basically, it was that in an era of cost-cutting, organizing tests in far-away locations was a bad idea (Sepang is subsidized by Dorna). He also said "if we were in with a chance of the championship, we would have gone".

gui22a

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Who cares for CRT? .... that .....

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I do. As you may have surmised from reading the site....

Kropotkin

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He also said "if we were in with a chance of the championship, we would have gone".

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Ouch.  Sorry Nicky & Dovi, Ducati stopped trying to win November circa 2012.  

Even if Rossi was still at Ducati, they wouldn't have gone to Austin because (as Gobmeier said) when  you do not have a chance for the title, why waste money. And even with Rossi, they would be exactly where they are now with Dovi. They are stil carrying out the leftovers of the 2012 development plan laid out by Preziosi, basically.

Jumkie

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Ouch.  Sorry Nicky & Dovi, Ducati stopped trying to win November circa 2012.

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Needs more tinfoil hat.