MotoGP: FIM boss concerned over withdrawals

It seems a tad to late ! how about the idiotic replacement for 250's ? Where have they gone for these years that now when it's way past the so called privateer days to the monster teams of Millions and millions of dollars and or Euros ?  Hope we don't see a crash in our beloved sport!  where does motogp go ? World superbike has the production road racers sewn up !

Posted: 13/01/2009 at 05:34

All the privateers disappeared from gp's when the four-strokes were introduced, because of spiralling costs. The same will happen with the 250s. Despite attempts to keep costs down, they will shoot through the roof as they have done in motogp.

I can't wait to find out what plans they have for the 125s. Scooter racing?

Posted: 13/01/2009 at 06:05

in fairness they tried to introduce the 600 class to keep costs down and get the japs interested. the budget for aprilla in 250's was spiralling out of control and nobody seemed interested in competing with them

but the 600 class will become a mini moto gp and that is where all the moto gp satellite teams will end up. a bit like the superbike /supersport scenario.

as private fraser said in dads army i think it's all "doomed"

Posted: 13/01/2009 at 07:34

Serves the greedy bastards right, and also honda for bulldozing the four stroke agenda through.

According to the BBC, Kawasaki were spending £28.8 million a year on their MotoGP project.

Bring back the 500's, bring back the 250's infact bring back two stroke racing full stop.

All they had to do with the 250 class as to ban works specials, sell only production 250 two stroke production racers, imagine the intrest in the 250 class if you could buy the same level of bike as everyone else, surely this would come down to team and rider skill, rather than who has the biggest budget.

A 600cc motgp class will do nothing but escalate an already tight budget, people want to see good close racing, i don't think it matters what they are riding or what noise it makes and i think it is miniscule the effect racing two stokes have on the enviroment anyway.

 Look at the sucess of the 125 class, a full grid of bikes and good bloody racing, the 250's were a natural stepping stone.

To me MOTOGP is now in serious decline, WSB has the right approach, accomodating teams and  the teams buy the bikes they want to race.

I think it is so obvious on how world championships should be run i think even i could do it, cos them fuckers have got no idea, and where the hell are the FIM whilst all this shit is going on, shouldn't they be stepping in to stop this degredation of our sport, all involved should be ashamed of what they have done to the top class of racing, if it wasn't for Rossi, the sport woud be fucked, only his appeal is keeping the MotoGP thing going!

And if Rossi himself fancied a couple of swansong years in WSB, MotoGP may as well do a Woolies!

Posted: 13/01/2009 at 11:20

Mr. Ippolito is "concerned" is he?  He should be sacked.  The FIM let the horse (MotoGP) out of the barn and watched as the bandit (Ezpeleta of Dorna) rode it away to be abused. Whilst MotoGP was groomed to be raped the World Superbike organisers have been somewhat more thoughtfully nurturing in their series development.  

Posted: 13/01/2009 at 13:02

WE all hit IT right on the head ! I couldn't have cried it out any louder than all of us have ! damn shame the AMA is even worse ! it's fully in the hands of super control make it a nascar show people ! and I gotta tell you nascar aint cheap! hot damn for World Superbike  and whatever will remain of MotoGP  this year I'm going to both of them ! Danny Coup'e

Posted: 13/01/2009 at 13:14

GP racing, especially motogp, is being killed off by the rule book, nothing more. There are so many rules to adhere to as far as producing a racing bike is concerned, that an enormous amount of work has to go into gaining a miniscule improvement out of each and every component. To gain maybe a tenth of a second a lap.

If the rules were relaxed it would allow for much greater innovation, which comes from the head rather than the cheque book.

What do we need? Two wheels, a maximum capacity, minimum weight, a maximum number of gears. Maybe a few other safety related rules.

Engine type/configuration should be left to the engineers, frame design should be a free-for-all, as should aerodynamics.

Grand Prix racing should be all about innovation, and the last thing I want to see is a standardisation of the bikes, as is proposed in the new 600 class. And innovation brings in the mavericks, the characters of the paddock. And pushes forward new designs that may eventually make it onto the road. That's what I want to see.

Posted: 13/01/2009 at 15:11

+1

Gotta agree with that.

Assuming that there are only going to be a few teams with manufacturer resources and very deep pockets then the solution is to make it such that teams with little money stand a chance of competing, or at the very least, getting a little coverage for their effort.

I would even go as far as to say that there should be no limit on engine capacity.  Engines should be restricted by maximum fuel consumption, emissions, and the volume of airflow.  Arguably fuel should be controlled, also.

the obsession with prototypes doesn't help.  Whilst it should remain prototype racing.  It should not be the case that teams are prevented from using production parts.  If someone like WCM can develop an engine from a production basis and make it effective then why not?   

Posted: 13/01/2009 at 16:11

Should be open class, really, anything goes. If some dude wants to race a supercharged wankel in an omega chassis with a dustbin fairing, then let him. As long as he qualifies in a reasonable time compared to the front runners, there should be no reason why not.

Ditto the guy who starts with a modified R1 and tunes the tits off it.

But the FIM have strangled the teams to such an extent we will never see another Walter Kaaden or Kim Newcombe, another John Britten will never be given the chance to compete. And that's sad.

Posted: 13/01/2009 at 17:41