Single Tyre Manufacturer in Racing - Good or Bad

[Biker Biggles]

Thats true about developement,and a single tyre rule would stifle it,but we need to do something to create closer racing.I know there was a great spat at Laguna,but you only have to watch WSB to see what I mean.Every round is close and hard fought.
I thought we could let in as many tyre brands as wanted in,but use just one make at each round,swapping them from year to year to see who was improving lap times.
That would keep R&D in the sport,but stop anyone having a huge advantage in any one race.
Just a thought.

There is always close racing ... it is just that sometimes you have to look a bit further down the field to find it!! ... if the camera crew were allowed to concentrate on 'action', regardless of position then there is still plenty of action ... but bearing in mind it is advertising that drives it all, that is not how it can ever be is it

I understand the argument for tyre development, competition breeds innovation etc etc, but this is motorcycle racing. Moto GP is about prototype motorcycles and world-class riders operating them. Both of which can be rendered redundant because of the little black hoops that nobody really cares about anyway. How many fans of motorcycle racing would be genuinely saddened if it went to a single tyre manufacturer?

It's arguably one of the best things that has happened to F1 in some time, WRC also. Superbike racing does not suffer for it, why would moto GP? People buy their tickets to see the best bikes in the world, to see the best riders in the world, and to see them, above all, competing. If the tyres were dead level nobody would give a hoot which tyre a bike is fitted with. It's only when the system knackers the whole bloody thing with a significant advantage one way or the other that there's even a discussion. Who wants to see a manufacturer or rider win primarily because they're on a certain tyre? Who wants to see riders and manufacturers' work shot to pieces because they're saddled with rubbish tyres? Not me.

They should just all be made by the same people but come with different stickers and be delivered by different lorries.

Originally Posted by sinbad

I understand the argument for tyre development, competition breeds innovation etc etc, but this is motorcycle racing. Moto GP is about prototype motorcycles and world-class riders operating them. Both of which can be rendered redundant because of the little black hoops that nobody really cares about anyway. How many fans of motorcycle racing would be genuinely saddened if it went to a single tyre manufacturer?

It's arguably one of the best things that has happened to F1 in some time, WRC also. Superbike racing does not suffer for it, why would moto GP? People buy their tickets to see the best bikes in the world, to see the best riders in the world, and to see them, above all, competing. If the tyres were dead level nobody would give a hoot which tyre a bike is fitted with. It's only when the system knackers the whole bloody thing with a significant advantage one way or the other that there's even a discussion. Who wants to see a manufacturer or rider win primarily because they're on a certain tyre? Who wants to see riders and manufacturers' work shot to pieces because they're saddled with rubbish tyres? Not me.

They should just all be made by the same people but come with different stickers and be delivered by different lorries.

I hear what you are saying, but take the tyres out of it and then it is down to who has the most horsepower .. so make all the engines the same ... then it is down to who has the best suspension ... so make all the suspension the same ... the it is down to . . . . . . . you see where I am going

We have the R6 cup etc for that sort of thing, then superstock for a bit more variety/some differences .. then we have ... etc etc moving up the scale ... finally the last bastion of freedom is MotoGP ... lets keep the top level to keep pushing the boundaries hey!?!?

Originally Posted by Blue_SV650S

I hear what you are saying, but take the tyres out of it and then it is down to who has the most horsepower .. so make all the engines the same ... then it is down to who has the best suspension ... so make all the suspension the same ... the it is down to . . . . . . . you see where I am going

Not quite, because these differences are swings and roundabouts. One bike may have more horsepower, but slower turn-in, or worse brakes; but these differences manifest themselves at different parts of the circuit, and are fairly minimal in time terms.

Tyres can make a huge difference in time terms, it's just whether you want to see the best bike, or best bike/tyre combination. Do the tyres make the bike?

Originally Posted by Blue_SV650S

I hear what you are saying, but take the tyres out of it and then it is down to who has the most horsepower .. so make all the engines the same ... then it is down to who has the best suspension ... so make all the suspension the same ... the it is down to . . . . . . . you see where I am going

We have the R6 cup etc for that sort of thing, then superstock for a bit more variety/some differences .. then we have ... etc etc moving up the scale ... finally the last bastion of freedom is MotoGP ... lets keep the top level to keep pushing the boundaries hey!?!?

I hear what you are saying also, but I think there is a distinct difference. If a team develops a great engine they deserve to reap the rewards. If a team develops a fantastic handling package they deserve to reap the rewards. If a team isn't so good in these areas then they deserve to struggle. This is motorcycle-racing
.
Success or failure based largely (not entirely, obviously) on the contract you signed and the tyre you use is not motorcycle-racing, your team does not deserve to be successful just because your tyre is better. It devalues your efforts enormously. Ducati's bike may have been brilliant last year, as was Stoner, but in the end Bridgestone took a massive slice of the credit. Yamaha+Rossi may have been better still, or not, who knows -the tyre ruins our opportunity to compare the things we actually care about.

Imagine for a moment that there were various fuel options. Let's say Ducati are the only one contracted to Shell in 2008, all the others to BP. Shell develop a fantastic new fuel which is more efficient in every way and still meets every technical regulation. Riders and manufacturers championship decided right there. Ducati's work seems meaningless because of the news of this superfuel, the other teams fight for scraps and are all but forgotten, the season is just a constant debate about whether there should be a "control fuel", nobody gets the credit they deserve and nobody's happy. Except Shell who say the fuel war is "good for development". (Completely fictional scenario, obviously it could never happen like that but the parallel is there.)

Trust me I do not want a one-make series like the R6 cup. Although if tyre manufacturers really want to do battle, an R6 cup would be a much better place!! Preferably with robot riders.

I just want to see competition between bike/rider packages. A single tyre would give a much better indication of which packages are best, and reward teams that do well, without that tyre issue hanging over their heads. If anything it could encourage development further still, since any improvement will be rewarded and recognised, and will not rely on a tyre also being good- but not so good your efforts become virtually meaningless anyway.

I really do not get the slightest bit of joy from seeing someone win or lose because their tyre is better or worse than the others around them, do you? I'd simply like the debate to go away too, it's just not good for the sport to cast doubt over whether the winners deserve to be winners.

Maybe there actually are people who get all kitted out in Bridgestone merchandise and cheer when a bridgestone equipped bike wins (whoever it may be)? "Go Bridgestone! In your face you fat white ****er!"

[ogden]

Originally Posted by simesb

Not quite, because these differences are swings and roundabouts. One bike may have more horsepower, but slower turn-in, or worse brakes; but these differences manifest themselves at different parts of the circuit, and are fairly minimal in time terms.

Tyres can make a huge difference in time terms, it's just whether you want to see the best bike, or best bike/tyre combination. Do the tyres make the bike?

I want to see the best combination of bike, rider, tyres, fuel, team and all the other variables that go into making a race *team*.

Every variable counts. Rossi and Stoner are currently the best riders. Or maybe it's raining, in which case Vermeulen gets to have his day. Ducati have the best engine - see the early 800cc race in Qatar. Bridgestone have the best tyres - see last weekend. Yamaha arguably have the best chassis - see the way it handles when they get into the twisty stuff. Jerry Burgess is possibly the best chief spannawanka in the GP paddock. But these all go together to make the best combination on the day.

So it's not about one variable, it's about all of them. If you want a control tyre, as I said up there, go all the way and have a one-make series. Where do you stop? Identical tyres? Identical bikes? One team of mechanics? Clone the riders?

Not exactly going to be the highest echelons of racing, is it? Booooooriiiiing.