Last night’s announcement of new technical regulations for MotoGp come 2014 makes it clear that this has been a complete and total knockout by DORNA. All the talk of compromise has gone completely out of the window with DORNA announcing that the factories CAN use their own ECU’s/software if they wish to but they will be penalised by having fuel capacity limited and by having the number of engines that they can use drastically restricted also. In other words, do it our way, or get out. Follow the link below to David Emmett’s summary of the regulations that DORNA hope will save the sport but which I believe will drive the few remaining manufacturers out of the sport in the near future.
Technical regulations for 2014. From motomatters.com
MMSA, the manufacturers’ peak body, still have to ratify the new regulations but, given that DORNA now holds all the trump cards, they will have no choice but to accept the fait accompli and either do what DORNA says or get out.
DORNA’s increasingly autocratic stance is a by-product of the fact that they now control MotoGp AND WSBK and the fact that the manufacturers have painted themselves into a corner by assuming that things will continue as they always have been with their wishes being the controlling factor in the sport. For example, DORNA has also sneaked in another little time bomb regarding Suzuki. The Hammamatsu concern has expressed a desire to run their 1000cc bike in selected events in 2014 with a view to returning to the grid in 2015 if the tests are successful. DORNA, however, has slammed the door on that saying that Suzuki has to either commit to a full season in 2014 or not run any rounds at all. Given that Suzuki has already run 1000’s of testing laps in private with the new bike, their concerns about whether it is race ready must be still there. DORNA’s refusal to let them determine this in the real world will probably see them shelve the whole project. After all, it isn’t as if they need to go Grand Prix racing.
Now the apologists for DORNA will probably say, “Well, it’s about time the people who run the sport got to determine how it is run, the factories have run it into the ground and now it needs to be rescued.” And, they have a point. However, like any situation where power is invested wholly in one person or body, we inevitably see that body or person make decision that suits THEM best rather than the organsation/sport/country that they are running.
DORNA have shown their hand in last night’s announcement. From now on it’s going to be, “Our way or the highway.” Unfortunately, in opting for this high-handed approach, DORNA run the risk of killing the goose that lays the golden egg. We have yet to see the manufacturers’ reaction to the announcement. Mark my words, if even ONE of them decide that they do not want to be dictated to like this and even THREATENS to pull out of the sport, Grand Prix racing as we know it would be in grave danger of complete collapse. Like it or lump it, DORNA NEEDS the manufacturers and Caramello Koala obviously hasn’t heard the old proverb that you catch more bees with honey than with vinegar. I fear that his brand of vinegar may be totally unattractive to the bees that he MUST have in order to promote his business.
