MotoGP: New Tech Era

This season features MotoGP’s biggest shake-up since 2002. So how are the factories reacting to new tyres and electronics? Let’s find out

THIS YEAR’S MOTOGP BIKES MAY look pretty much identical to how they looked last year but they are very different motorcycles if you delve deep enough. For 2016 Dorna introduced the biggest technical shake-up since MotoGP four-strokes arrived 15 years ago, making pit-lane a busier place than it’s been in years.

The two main changes — tyres and electronics — have required engineers to adapt chassis setup and riders to adjust riding technique.

Most importantly, Bridgestone tyres have been replaced by Michelins. Initially, Michelin’s front slick offered less grip, while its rear slick gave more. That required crucial changes to chassis stiffness and setup, which now changes race by race as Michelin gets its front tyre up to speed.

It’s the same story with the electronics. Race by race, data engineers unlock the secrets of the same-for-all rider-aid programmes written by Magneti Marelli. The software is slower and less sophisticated that the factories’ tailor-made kit, so the riders are working a lot harder than they’ve done in years.

In other words, the paint-jobs may not have changed but everything else has.