2016 MotoGP Preview Part Three: New Rules, Spec Tires and Spec ECU

The new year of MotoGP brings some uncertainty. Even though it has been known for quite some time that the series will be switching to a new spec tire, Michelins, and a spec-ECU, now that that time is here, no one is sure how it will play out.

That's because the traditional factory team dynasty of Repsol Honda and Movistar Yamaha has not looked entirely comfortable with the changes for 2016 in pre-season testing. In fact, the traditionally strong Repsol Hondas looked like a fish out of water. Yamaha didn't look exactly comfortable at first either, but they found their stride in time for the first test of 2016 in Sepang.

Reigning champ Jorge Lorenzo dominated. In fact he put up strong times in all three tests – Sepang, Phillip Island and Qatar – all very different tracks, all very different conditions. In spite of doing well, Lorenzo has pointed out some of the uncertainties – the new tires, the new electronics. The reality is that it is really anyone's guess at this point, that is until race time.

New Rubber
Perhaps one of the top-10 thankless jobs (or roles) is being a top-race series spec-tire supplier. Bridgestone learned that. The fact is that professional racers (especially at the top level) are striving for perfection. They want perfect bikes, perfect tires and perfect track conditions to help them achieve perfect results. As such, you will hear about the imperfections.

Sometimes you don’t have to hear it, you can see it. In the form of multiple front-end crashes that plagued the first pre-season test at Valencia following the 2015 season finale. By the time 2016 rolled around, Michelin stepped up to the plate with a better front tire (there were no complaints with the rear), and riders were able to lay down times close to the Bridgestone days.

However, Loris Baz’ rear-tire blowout on the front-straight of the Sepang International Circuit didn’t bring about a warm fuzzy feeling amongst the riders. The offending soft-tire compound was removed from the allocation and mandatory-tire-pressure sensors were added to the rules nearly as fast.

There were more complaints with the soft-front compound at Qatar once the surface started gaining grip. But Michelin has taken these concerns into consideration and will bring an intermediate to the race instead. They are making the effort, but no one really knows what will happen at races where there hasn’t been testing before hand. How will the Michelins hold up in their rookie year as a spec-tire supplier? Everyone is waiting to find out, and waiting to find out who will rise to the occasion in that uncertainty.

Leveling The Playing Field
The spec-ECU was designed to cut costs, and therefore make it a little easier for those teams with less money to close the gap. Will that happen? History has shown that the cream does always rise to the top, or at least near the top if on lesser machinery.

The pre-season tests haven’t shed much light on this. Yes, there were some standouts outside of the aliens – Jorge Lorenzo, Marc Marquez, Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa – but it is just testing, and testing doesn’t reveal everything. Same as statistics. Real results are seen on the race track.

But the close times and good results from b-team Ducati riders like Danilo Petrucci, Scott Redding and Hector Barbera are impressive. Even more impressive was Maverick Vinales and his Suzuki in their sophomore season.

Many expect great things from Vinales. The others, no one is quite sure. But then again, even though the reigning champ looks pretty tough to beat, everyone is going into 2016 not quite sure of anything.

We’re about to find out. The season kicks off at the Losail Circuit in Doha, Qatar on March 18. The anticipation is high and we don't have to wait much longer to find out.