Help coming for BMW and Honda
‘Super Concessions’ are set to be written into the WSB regulations as early as before the next round in Portimao. The concept involves helping struggling manufacturers, with the overall objective of getting more bikes and riders into the mix.
“I don’t like how only three riders challenge for victory,” Toprak Razgatlioglu said recently. Very soon, he may find himself fighting with many more people than just Alvaro Bautista and Jonathan Rea. The rules already have elements which are designed to help anybody who is struggling. Concession Parts can be granted both pre-season and after Round three, depending on manufacturers’ number of podium finishes, while an algorithm based on results and performances (plus the intuition of Scott Smart, FIM Technical Director) can see manufacturers granted increases or decreases of 250rpm (sometimes 500) after Rounds three, six and nine. Round nine is Portimao next weekend.
Recent months have seen meetings between manufacturers, commercial rights holder Dorna Sports and governing body the FIM regarding ‘Super Concessions’. This essentially means significant changes can be made to certain bikes.
MCN has learned that all manufacturers and Dorna are in agreement but are waiting on the FIM for final confirmation. The current set of circumstances would see
‘I don’t like how only three riders can challenge’ TOPRAK RAZGATLIOGLU
improvements coming the way of BMW and Honda, who will be allowed significant chassis updates. In Honda’s case, it’s possible the team will run a completely new frame. They tested this in Barcelona back in August but both Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge were frustrated as they aren’t allowed to race in that configuration until the Super Concessions have been passed.