Here’s some interesting figures for you to ponder. Everyone is wondering what will be the effect of upping the capacity limit in MotoGp to 1000cc. Given that both Honda and Yamaha have now said that they won’t be doing this straight away but sticking with the 800’s for at least one more season, I wonder what the other manufacturers will do? Given their resources and the fact that all of them, Japanese AND European, have 4 cylinder 1000’s that would meet the requirements ALREADY, why wouldn’t you go with the bigger motor?
Well, perhaps it is because, at present, the MotoGp bikes with 800cc are significantly faster than the WSBK bikes with 1000cc. Now I know that the motors will be housed in a prototype frame without the constraints that the WSBK teams have, but, even allowing for that, the figures below indicate just how big a gulf the bigger engines will have to bridge in order to be competitive.
Philip Island
WSB – Corser 1m 31.8s
MGP – Hayden 1m 30.0s
MGP wins by 1.8 seconds
Losail
WSB – Spies 1m 59.0s
MGP – Stoner 1m 55.1s
MGP wins by 3.9s
Assen
WSB – Haga 1m 38.7s
MGP – Rossi 1m 36.5s
MGP wins by 2.2 s
Misano
WSB – Haga 1m 37.1s
MGP – Rossi 1m 34.8s
MGP wins by 2.3s
Donington
WSB – Spies 1m 30.6s
MGP – Pedrosa 1m 28.2s
MGP wins by 2.4s
Brno
WSB – Biaggi 1m 59.9s
MGP – Lorenzo 1m 56.7s
MGP wins by 3.2s
Give the teams time, say one season, that’s usually how long it takes, and the 1000’s will be matching those times, it’s inevitable. But, given the present disparity, it’s not surprising that some teams are thinking about sticking with what seems to be a winning formula for at least one more season. Sure, the racing may be boring and the riders mightn’t like it, but the bean-counters at HQ don’t care about either of those factors. They just want to WIN.
Oh, and in case you’re in need of a laugh, here’s an old-school computer game reference that my son sent me. Enjoy.
sanoptic says
I wonder how Rossi & Lorenzo & other top Gp men would go on the current World superbikes.I think the times would be a lot closer to the GP bikes.
lets face it Corser,Haga, Biaggi are all past their prime now [ i know Biaggi had a double last weekend against the young guys]
Comparing MotoGp bikes with Super bikes is like F1 vs V8 supercars but i get your point.
cheers