Last week was the last of the last end-of-year racing tests, the traditional combined MotoGp WSBK hit-out at Spain’s Jerez circuit and, as always, it produced some interesting results. As usual with testing there are a few caveats, the most important being (as I have often said) it’s only testing and it really has no real bearing on real-life racing. Pundits who have chosen to draw long-term conclusions from testing times have, inevitably, ended up with egg on their faces.
Why? Well, mainly because there are just too many variable factors in testing that are not apparent to the outside, even expert, observer. At a race meeting it’s pretty clear what’s happening. 4 practice sessions, 2 qualifying sessions and that’s it. Everyone knows what needs to be done and the template of how to get that job done successfully is abundantly clear. There is rarely any room OR time for sandbagging, chicanery or the use of “special bits”, it’s all too serious by the time the weekend arrives.
Yes, I know the Moto3 children try it on during their sessions but Mike Webb is cracking down on them pretty hard now as well. Ambling around waiting for a “tow” from a fast rider then tacking on behind and getting a “bolter” isn’t going to avail you much if he scrubs your time at the end of the session and relegates you down grid 10 places. 10 places is an eternity and, unless you’re a miracle man (see Joan Mir’s performance at Valencia), you’re doomed come race day.
In terms of last week’s tests another caveat is that not all of the teams tested. It was pretty much a battle of the small fry in MotoGp with Honda and Yamaha not attending the test. LCR did as well as Marc VDS but they were the only Hondas. Ducati tested with all teams testing and the smaller teams all used the days well with Andrea Iannone and Andrea Dovizioso both setting very impressive times in the early going.
The number and variation of parts and the way in which these parts are combined can also greatly influence times. With teams already testing 2018 gear and using the test to compare it to 2017 gear also makes drawing conclusions a bit of a lottery. Throw in the Japanese factories’ propensity for producing a great bike one year and a stinker the next and, well, you know the story.
So, testing times are always interesting but they are never definitive. And it’s a good thing, too because the times were all over the place, most notably those of WSBK champion, Jonathan Rae topping the time sheet for the first three days on a WSBK bike. In fact, by the end of the test there were 3 WSBK bikes in the top 10.
But how can that be, you might ask, how can a production-derived WSBK bike beat a pukka MotoGp prototype? That question was asked at this time last year as well when the same scenario played out. Yep, the MotoGp bike is much more powerful (probably 50bhp to the good) but power is no good if you can’t get it to the ground. And it seems to be that, on this track at least, the Pirelli tyre on the less powerful machine, has the edge over the Michelin tyre on the MotoGp machine.
Michelin’s struggle to develop a reliable and predictable front tyre has been one of this year’s big stories. At the beginning of the season, the newbie, Maverick Vinales looked like carrying all before him, but Michelin changed the front tyre specifications after the first 4 races and he never won (or even looked like winning) for the rest of the season. It’s all swings and roundabouts, of course and the new tyre that hurt Yamaha so much helped promote the previously unfancied Ducati to the front of the pack, go figure. It doesn’t matter how fast a rider you are, if you can’t trust your front tyre, you may as well go home and play in the sand pit.
So….don’t read too much into the testing times, they basically mean whatever you want them to mean!
Now, on to another couple of topics. You all know that I am an unabashed Ralph Hudson fan. The quiet Californian was again in receipt of a reward that he wasn’t even seeking last weekend when he was invited to Andorra, in Spain, to be honoured at the annual FIM World Championships Awards. It seems that the FIM (who administer and sanction motorcycle land speed records) regarded Ralphie’s 284mph record in Bolivia earlier this year as a World Championship so he was invited. He notes that it was a great honour and that it was great fun mixing with the rich and famous but that, despite the fact that he is neither, nobody receiving an award on the weekend has gone as fast as he has on a motorcycle!! Gotta love him.
Here’s a photo that will go straight to the pool room!
Here’s a video from a Californian news report. Apart from anything else it illustrates beautifully just how laid back and laconic he is.
Glendale racer sets new world record.
Now, to another hot topic. You’d have to have been living under a rock not to have encountered the perpetual whining and bitching that goes on about the Spanish and MotoGp racing. All totally unjustified, of course and representing petty jealousy at the best and xenophobia at the worst. Well, you know that my blog is for ORIGINAL content only, right? I NEVER copy or even use parts of other people’s material and when I have to quote someone I always seek their permission first. But I feel that it is necessary in this case to address the constant Spain-bashing that is blighting our sport and I am going to use the words of a hugely respected journalist who deals with the situation far better than I can do.
Mat Oxley is a former racer and one of the world’s most respected motorcycle racing journalists. A published author (“Stealing Speed”) and columnist for some of the most respected journals, Mat is ALWAYS “on the money” and this week he published an excellent blog about the decline of British motorcycle road racing. Along the way he also notes how the fortunes of Australian riders have declined over the decades and he deals with the “Spanish” issue comprehensively and brilliantly. I do recommend that you read it, it is an excellent piece of journalism. And thank you, Mat.
The truth behind MotoGp, Britain and WSBK.
That’s all for today. Speedway this Saturday night and, wouldn’t you know it, they’re predicting rain for the weekend…grrrr