Pit Shadow

Another month, another few things getting my back right up! I’ve spoken about this before, but I’ll happily harp on about it again – the one bike rule in WSB (and other top series for that matter) is beyond fucking stupid and needs to be binned. Here’s how stupid it is – inWSB they have a second bike nearly built at the back of the garage. However, if you want to use it, you must then settle on that bike for the remainder of the weekend.

Now, no second bike, no matter how identical, will ever feel quite the same and given the daft one bike rule, all the work is put into that one bike and you’d be very lucky to get that second machine anywhere near as good as the first. Take what’s happened to Chaz Davies (and others), when a mechanical error means they miss an entire session on Friday. With a race the following day, it means losing vital setup time and the chances of them being as competitive as normal plummet. Who loses out here the most? The fans and viewers, that’s who, plus anyone watching practice or qualifying is a rider or three short.

It was supposed to save costs, especially for smaller teams, but as they already have a (basically) completely built bike as back-up – what’s the bloody point?! Just give them both bikes back, while one is crocked they can get the second somewhere near right (if the other is terminal) or work on tyre wear. Jerez had been resurfaced, for example, and setup time was critical but Chaz couldn’t do any so was on the back foot all weekend.

I’m not exactly sure how this works over in BSB, I think they have a spare bike in parts, but I have seen it happen where a team cannot get a bike either rebuilt, or a new bike built, in between races. I’m loathe to ever criticise what Higgs and Co do in BSB, they’ve worked wonders, but surely having the option of getting another rider back on the grid for their fans (and sponsors, and team supporters, guests etc.) is more important than sticking to one bike only?

If privateers can’t afford a second bike, then they can’t afford one in parts either, full stop, while the top teams can and will, so again I’m not sure what difference it makes if the money is being spent anyway? I’m not saying I have the answers, the MSVR bunch get so much right, perhaps I’m just being a bit sensitive!

Speaking of which, the race at Phillip Island had us all jumping in the press room with all the bashing going on. You can always rely on that track to provide amazing racing, no matter the class. But there were plenty of raised eyebrows when Rossi, post race, said of the bumps and scrapes that if this is how racing is now, one must also race the same. Er, think you’re forgetting a plethora of your own bashing you did over the years, Vale! Just proves that the more things ‘change’ the more they actually stay the same – just with more racers willing to get involved nowadays – perfect!