Future GP spec

[derby]

Bigger motors, with limits on displacement, weight and rpm to promote 3-cylinder and 2-cylinder configurations.
Oh wait, that's WSB in a nutshell.
Crap.

motogp, also...

http://www.motogp.com/en/MotoGP+Basics/bikes

The following are the minimum weights permitted:
MotoGP (bikes must have 4-stroke engines)
2 cylinders or less 133 kg
3 cylinders 140.5 kg
4 cylinders 148 kg
5 cylinders 155.5 kg
6 cylinders or more 163 kg

[Jester]

Aprilia needs to bring back the cube and sign Pedro to ride it.  Talk about some weight savings.

[Spidey]

Aprilia needs to bring back the cube and sign Pedro to ride it.  Talk about some weight savings.

Man, I'd pay good money to see Pedrobot on fire.   

[gm2]

Man, I'd pay good money to see Pedrobot on fire.   

....i thought that's what he was implying, too  =)

[caperix]

I hate to see top level motorsports become a spec class, though I think Moto 2 with the spec engine may bring some interesting new suspension and chasis delopment.  Following Formula 1's lead will be a bad idea as there devolopment restrictions and rules are driving many teams and manufacturers away.

[EvilSteve]

Not to mention driving fans away too.

[Buckethead]

Racing's not about the fans, silly.

[EvilSteve]

Oh sorry, my bad. I thought that the DMG was an anachronism, apparently their complete lack of concern for fans is the wave of the future.

[Buckethead]

Let us sincerely hope not.

[Adam in TX]

Spec racing is great for entry level kids stuff, but sucks when it's supposed to be the top rung.

I say allow the big bore and all the techno goodies, but instead of a "push to pass" or some other thing like that, have the rider push a button to eliminate all the techno gimmicks on any opponents bike within 10m for 10 seconds.

I think that sounds like a great idea, but lets put it in a revised Group B class, and instead of a button to eliminate techno gizmo's... it's a freakin' laser beam!

[ducatiz]

Valentino's ride in 2012:


That's a spec set of rims you know

well, when you and your pillion rider weigh >600 lbs that's what you ride.

[ducatiz]

i want to see a "run what you brung" rule as well with weight leveling to equalize bikes.

well, what might also be cool is a per-race tire spec.  everyone gets a different tire for each race, but everyone gets the same tires for that race.

that's about it..

[Adam in TX]

I'm very much of the mind that top tier racing (or at least one itteration of it) in both the car and motorcycle worlds (and also in the sailbot, motorboat, dogsled, whatever) has to be a very very open class. F1 proved that the team with the biggest budget doesn't always win (talking about Toyota here), but by adding new levels of restrictions and regulations every year to "even the field" they cheapen the series and wind up with a bunch of disenfranchised and underserved fans.

Be safe, but what's wrong with promoting innovation in whatever manner the teams can come up with. One team may decide that their budget is best spent on electronic gizmos and aerodynamics, while another may decide that power regeneration, a more efficient motor, and a more expensive driver makes more sense. A japanese team may decide that the best way to manage their racing budget is to throw it put it all in a blender, and use it to fill the coolant system... who am I to judge?

I do think that limiting test time makes sense, but why in the world would you go to a one-tyre spec? Allow teams to develop deep relationships with all of their suppliers in order for them to come up with what they believe is the best overall racing kit. Sure, you may have the same factory teams leading the field, but you're always going to still have competitive privateers that remain competitive and put on a great show.

By the way - Bernie Ecclestone can go bone himself.

[sbrguy]

let them only put a restriction on the size of the engine and have it naturally apirated.. other than that you can have some simple rules as is like normal seating position and maybe some geometry position and 2 wheels sort of thing but that's it.

engine limit numbers for season is good as is fuel restrictions and tire restrictions on number of them but that's it.

let them run engines with  unlimited upper limit rpm if they want. they have to develop the tech to make it durable for a season or at least a few races. newer suspension parts and such should be encouraged as that's innovation.

just don't let it become like iroc that didnt' work out at all. and we dont' really want nascar style things, afterall that is basically ama already.

[EvilSteve]

@Adam in MO - +1

I've been saying this stuff for ages (much to the irritation of people around me ), let's have some general rules and encourage innovation not prescriptive NASCAR style rules where you need ridiculous amounts of cash to get .001 of a second because everyone's got the same car.

The other alternative is a budget cap with very few restrictions.