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MOTOGP: ‘Give Me Your Tired…’
Written by: Dennis Noyes   
07/17/2008
Brno, Czech Republic
 
(Photo: Ducati Corse) ยป More Photos

MotoGP still is the greatest show on two wheels, and fans who have never seen this new generation of 800cc prototypes will not want to miss the two US stops on the USGP world tour, but there are some emerging problems in the world's premier expression of two-wheeled motorsport.

The MotoGP teams won’t sail past the Statue of Liberty on their way to Laguna Seca, but, if they did, some championship officials, and, indeed, the promoter, might be offended by the line of the Emma Lazarus sonnet engraved on the pedestal that reads, “Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” and a few of the battered riders might find solace in the words, “Give us your tired…”

The USGP will be the sixth Grand Prix in the last eight weeks for the bedraggled MotoGP field that has varied between 16 and 18 starters over this brutal June to mid-July run. The grid should be back to full strength at Laguna when Jamie Hacking takes over injured John Hopkins' Kawasaki and Ben Spies makes his second start on the factory Suzuki -- this time not as a replacement but as a wild card.

However, Dani Pedrosa, who lost the points lead with a horrific 150 mph crash at the end of the Sachsenring home straight when leading in a downpour by 7.4 seconds after only five laps, is among the walking wounded (though he will start if physically possible in order to pick up some points). Also recovering from injury are Australian Kawasaki rider Anthony West (two chipped vertebra) and Suzuki’s Loris Capirossi (the Italian is back in action after sitting out Donington with hand injuries and then missing his start at Assen after crashing and re-injuring himself on the first day of practice).

Reigning World 250 champ and rookie sensation Jorge Lorenzo is also back, sort of. The 21-year old from the Balearic Islands began the season in great form, second in his first race and then third before winning the Portuguese Grand Prix in only his third start in the premier MotoGP class. But his monumental, closed-throttle, highsider (on the transition at the downhill chicane) during practice in China left him with him two broken ankles. Nevertheless, he amazed the paddock by finishing fourth and then came back in France to take a brave second… needing a chair on the podium.

But, he was on the ragged edge, crashing out of the Italian GP early and then missing his home Grand Prix in Catalunya after a huge crash in practice, his seventh crash since he first climbed on the Yamaha M1 in preseason, though not his biggest.

After notching up his eighth crash since the preseason during last weekend's German GP, Jorge said, “I don’t understand why I was able
to go so fast at the start of the season and why I can’t do that now.”

After a trip to intensive care in Barcelona and three days in the hospital, Jorge has come back with more conservative riding and is rebuilding confidence and trust in his Yamaha M1.

Why all the crashes? There are several theories. The facts are that, in spite of claims by Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta that these little 800cc prototypes with their intrusive electronics would be safer due to efficient traction control, the bikes are hitting the deck with regularity and, in the case of Pedrosa´s Honda, nearly flying over the high catch fences.

The purpose of the move from 990cc to 800cc, a measure that was backed by the four Japanese manufacturers and opposed by Ducati, was intended to improve safety. The argument was that the 990s were too fast, too powerful. In fact, it has even been suggested that the move from 990s to 800s was prompted by Daijiro Kato's fatal crash on lap three of the Japanese Grand Prix, the opening race of the 2003 season. (No satisfactory reason for the Kato crash came from the Honda investigation.)

But, from the very beginning, the 800s, almost 20% smaller in capacity and, presumably, also down from the 240+ horsepower that the 990s produced, were almost immediately breaking the records set by the bigger bikes. A combination of improved traction control and incredible side grip from both Bridgestone and Michelin has increased corner speed. The latest traction control combined with astounding edge grip gives so much corner speed with the bike on its side that now the fronts are being pushed away and we are seeing high-speed lowsiders taking place at very high mid-corner speeds.

And, as riders try to find a way to pass in the short braking areas (due to the powerful carbon brakes that are prohibited in all other world championship motorcycle racing classes) we are also seeing frequent crashes on the brakes and a domino-effect -- multiple-bike crashes as a rider loses it up the inside and takes out the man in front.

With such a small field, it only takes a couple of injuries to reduce the starting grid to embarrassingly low numbers. Unlike World Superbike, where the numbers can easily be made-up by local wild card riders on production-derived and readily obtainable roadbikes, MotoGP wild cards are few and far between since the only MotoGP bikes in existence are as rare as hen’s teeth and can only be sourced from the factories. Ben Spies' two wild card rides programmed for Laguna Seca and Indianapolis are exceptions as the Suzuki factory wants to take a long look at the AMA Superbike star prior to completing their 2009 line-up.
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