One of the concepts making its way through the press and the MSMA is the notion of rider control. It's interesting because we discuss it regularly, but the MSMA have only recently pledged support to allowing the sportsmen control the race results. Perhaps aero tie-ups with F1 teams to skirt the F1 limitations are less likely now that Liberty is purchasing Dorna?
Will the MSMA actually restrict electronics and eliminate ride height to put the riders back in control?
I'm voting slightly true. Hopefully, the MSMA will actually curb aerodynamics and eliminate ride height devices; however, I suspect they will begin eroding rider control the moment the 2027 regulations are ratified. Loopholes in the current regulations ultimately allowed aero and ride height to conquer the sport. I don't think the MSMA can seal all of the trap doors and secret passages that engineers and lawyers can use to game the system. We'll see.
Great topic for discussion lex.
I've been thinking about this before you posted this thread and put into words better than what I could.
I think Liberty are going to exert pressure on the MSMA to lose the shapeshifters, aero appendages, and so forth. I certainly think Honda and Yamaha will be pushing heavily to get all of stuff out of the sport since it's more than obvious it does not play to any of their strengths. I think they can still build race winning motorcycles, but as I said elsewhere,
motorcycles, as they aren't cut out for this aerodynamic war that Ducati and Aprilia are hellbent on maintaining. I also think KTM would prefer it all to be gone as well.
I think the electronics are here to stay for better or worse. It's a matter of how much emphasis there is on them. I also think that's beneficial for costs as if you suddenly dial it down drastically, it's going to become even more expensive to build a GP bike that is fast but isn't going to kill the rider when opening the throttle like in the 500cc days. But maybe the argument I would make is that the current ECU might still be too advanced for GP, and what I mean by that is they are still capable of taming now 300BHP GP bikes as good as ever. We see far less in the way of high-sides than probably at any point in GP history.
I think to put the skill back in the hand of the rider and so forth, there needs to be considerations made with regards to the ECU and how much influence it has on everything engine related. I will say, allowing guys to go WOT in corners because the ECU is controlling all of the power output based on other variables might be over and done with if you reduce ECU capabilities. Plus the other thought that popped into my head was the fact that the bikes have the GPS/location technology so every single corner can be programmed into the ECU for power output, maybe eliminate all of that and make it about true throttle control like in the old days?
But as far as it happening?
I'm going to be hopeful that maybe something like this truly does happen. There's no ABS or traction control in Formula 1. They seem to manage just fine without it.
The other thing is, I feel it also depends on what Liberty's idea of the sport is. They're an American company, so are they looking to see stuff like this from the 500cc World Championship?
We're going to find out one way or another though what the future holds. Only a couple of years to go.
