Single tyre rule??

[jonny hurlock]

keep the tyre rules as the same, I do not want to see a control tyre like every other series thats (f1, gp2, wrc,), if its not broken, DON'T FIX IT

[AndyRAC]

Single tyre, oh no please. Single tyres should really only be for the junior formula. The reason F1 and WRC are is a political decision, the ruling body doesn't like Michelin. Anyway, the current tyre rules are fair, what is fair about Michelin flying in a specific tyre for a circuit when Bridgestone can't. Leave he rules as they are and let Michelin catch up. If we have one tyre why not have one engine or one bike. This is Moto GP, not WSBK or WSS, the championship for prototypes, that means eveything, tyres as well.

[Corny]

the reason that the new tyre rule came, was for reducing the costs, right? Will it get cheaper when one tyre rule?

[ChrisS]

@Corny, yes one tyre supplier is going to be cheaper, competition always drives the cost up, its inevitable. But the reason Dorna asked for one tyre wasnt to reduce costs

[ChrisS]

some of the background and politics of the tyre situation from what I gathered.

HRC asked Bridgestone to supply them with tyres from 2008. Bridgestone turned them down. Michelin said they would leave if they lost their factory teams. Bridgestone knows that and wants to keep Michelin in MotoGP. Its better for them to beat HRC on Michelins than to win with HRC against other Bridgestone teams.

Another thing I heard is that part of the contract between Ducati and Bridgestone is that they don't supply the factory Honda or the factory Yamaha. Why would Bridgestone sign such a contract I dont know but maybe they did.

Dorna is trying to stay in control, past mistakes made Dorna the manufacturers' bitch, they don't want to become the tyre suppliers' bitch too

[The Phantom]

A control tyre will take some of the magic away.

Lose traction control, increase the number of available tyres from 31 per round to 50 per round (still vastly less than what it used to be!), and change the points system so that each rider can dump his worst point-scoring round. That'll do it.

[MrJan]

The reason F1 and WRC are is a political decision, the ruling body doesn't like Michelin.

BF Goodrich is a subsidary of Michelin so the WRC argument doesn't hold up. While I enjoy the competition of two manufacturers surely you can all agree that it's a shame to see good riders being disadvantaged by poor rubber. Last season we'd watch the Suzooks get great starts but fade towards the end, same with Ducati and it was a shame. Not saying we need to switch but you can see why some people want to.

I'm sure that if we have a reverse next year and the 'stones are poor then Casey will be doing exactly the same as Rossi is now.

[AndyRAC]

BF Goodrich is a subsidary of Michelin so the WRC argument doesn't hold up. While I enjoy the competition of two manufacturers surely you can all agree that it's a shame to see good riders being disadvantaged by poor rubber. Last season we'd watch the Suzooks get great starts but fade towards the end, same with Ducati and it was a shame. Not saying we need to switch but you can see why some people want to.

I'm sure that if we have a reverse next year and the 'stones are poor then Casey will be doing exactly the same as Rossi is now.

Sorry, but I disagree about BF Goodrich, yes they are owned by Michelin, and the F1A haven't forgiven Michelin for Indy 2005. Michelin/BF Goodrich tyres are superior to Pirelli, yet Pirelli got the contract.It doesn't take a genius to work out why Pirelli got the contract.

[ChrisS]

BF Goodrich is a subsidary of Michelin so the WRC argument doesn't hold up. While I enjoy the competition of two manufacturers surely you can all agree that it's a shame to see good riders being disadvantaged by poor rubber. Last season we'd watch the Suzooks get great starts but fade towards the end, same with Ducati and it was a shame. Not saying we need to switch but you can see why some people want to.

I'm sure that if we have a reverse next year and the 'stones are poor then Casey will be doing exactly the same as Rossi is now.

The reason WRC teams are on BF Goodrich this season isn't because its a control tyre its because no-one wanted to be on Pirelli. Even so FIA choose Pirelli as the control tyre supplier for 2008 onwards.

[ArmchairBikeFan]

I wasn't happy with the Michelin dominance over Bridgestone last year and I'm not happy now it's the other way round. I hate it when races are dominated by one tyre company because the rider can't make the difference. As fatman said, one of the great strengths of MotoGP is that the man makes more difference than the bike, hence Rossi's world title on the inferior Yamaha.
Yeah, in an ideal world there would be a lovely tyre war where the companies were pretty equal. Unfortunately we live on planet earth. One tyre company is generally going to have a big advantage. It ruins the racing. I believe that racing should come first. Keeping a lopsided tyre war that spoils races because it's theoretically pure racing is just cutting off your nose to spite your face.
MotoGP is in a sponsorship crisis. You don't increase TV ratings and attract sponsors by having one-sided championships that leave casual fans switching off. The racing had better be outstanding when Rossi has retired, or millions will switch off and it will damage the sport.