Getting to Know MotoGP

overview

MotoGP is the premier motorcycle racing world championship; an eighteen-race series visiting fourteen countries, four continents and with pan-global television coverage. Seven nationalities of the world’s most skilled riders line a grid armed with cutting-edge motorcycle technology with prototype machinery fielded by four manufacturers; Ducati, Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki.

Established as a world championship by the FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme) in 1949, MotoGP is now into its 62nd year. It is the oldest motorsports championship in the world and the premier class of three racing classes that take to the track on a typical Grand Prix weekend. Formerly labelled ‘500cc’, the championship underwent a change in 2002 with new technical regulations permitting the introduction of four-stroke machinery and increasing the engine capacity to 990cc, thus becoming MotoGP. From 2007 the rules were again altered, limiting engine capacity to 800cc. MotoGP has been administrated by commercial rights owners Dorna Sports under the supervision of the FIM since 1992.

MotoGP has a rich history with Grand Prix events having taken place in every corner of the world throughout the last 61 years. More than 2.2 million people came through the gates of the circuits to watch MotoGP in 2009. Italy, Great Britain, Spain, the USA and Australia are just some of the nationalities that have all totalled high numbers in terms of race victories and world titles, the details of which can be found in the Results & Statistics section.

As well as the premier class there are also two ultra-competitive World Championship Grand Prix categories which form part of ‘MotoGP’. The 125cc and Moto2 (formerly 250cc) World Championships have their own races at each Grand Prix, meaning that by the end of the season three new champions are crowned.

RACE WEEKENDS

On a Grand Prix weekend there is a race in each of MotoGP’s three categories:

• 125cc – Is the first step for young riders into world championship competition. Maximum engine displacement is 125cc (single-cylinder units). The maximum age for riders is 28 years (25 for wild-card riders or those newly contracted and competing in a 125cc GP for the first time) and the minimum age is 15 years.
• Moto2 – This new 4-stroke class was announced in December 2008 and replaces the 250cc category from 2010. Moto2 is aimed as being a prestigious yet cost-effective accompaniment to the premier class of MotoGP. Honda is the sole engine supplier, and Dunlop provide the tyres. The bikes are powered by a 600cc 4-stroke engine, producing around 140hp, and the Moto2 class will continue the 250cc series’ pursuit of developmental excellence with the running of a prototype chassis which is free from limitation. The design and construction of the chassis is free within the constraints of the FIM Grand Prix Technical Regulations. The main frame, swingarm, fuel tank, seat and fairing/bodywork from a non-prototype (ie. series production road-homologated) motorcycle may not be used. The minimum age for riders is 16.
• MotoGP – The ultimate test for the finest talents in motorcycle racing, in which the maximum engine capacity is the aforementioned 800cc (4-stroke engines) and the minimum age for riders is 18. Motorcycles competing in the MotoGP class must be prototypes.

At selected events the race timetable is augmented further by the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup – an initiative designed to unearth future MotoGP stars from across the world.

A Grand Prix event takes place over three days, with the first two of those for practice and qualification for each class. The third day is race-day. There are free practice sessions on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, then in the afternoon on Saturday a single qualification practice determines grid order for Sunday's race, with the fastest riders taking the front slots. In MotoGP the three fastest riders take positions on the first row of the grid, with the rest lining up in rows of three behind. In 125cc and Moto2 it is four riders per row.

After warm-up sessions for each category on race-day, traditionally the 125cc contest begins the programme, with the Moto2 class following and then finally the blue riband MotoGP event. This can be subject to change however. Races vary in length between 95-130km and normally last between 40-45 minutes, conforming to a set number of laps which differs at each track. Pit-stops are rare but permitted, and are especially applicable in changeable weather conditions when riders can enter the pit-lane and switch machines to one fitted with different spec tyres (only MotoGP).

RIDERS

The current MotoGP World Champion is Italian Fiat Yamaha rider Valentino Rossi, who in 2009 claimed his magnificent seventh premier class title. The championship saw Rossi’s team-mate Jorge Lorenzo finish runner-up behind him after some fantastic battles along the way.

Meanwhile, the likes of Ducati Marlboro rider Casey Stoner (2007 MotoGP World Champion) and Repsol Honda pair Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso are also stars of the show, with riders such as Colin Edwards, Nicky Hayden and Loris Capirossi all challenging for top-five finishes. In 2010 they will be joined by a host of new riders – known as Rookies – who will ensure that the level of competition and racing ability remains at an exceptionally high level.

The list of participants in each Grand Prix is composed of the permanent riders, contracted and nominated by their teams for the whole season, and wildcard entries – who are often local riders. Approximately 19 participants enter each MotoGP race, about 40 take part in each Moto2 race and the 125cc races usually involve around 30 riders.

Riders from around the globe take part in the World Championships including the following countries: Australia, Austria, Colombia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, Russia, San Marino, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, UK, USA and Venezuela.

For profiles of every rider from all three Grand Prix categories visit our dedicated Riders & Teams section.

MotoGP also has close links with the Riders for Health charity, which helps health workers in Africa have access to reliable transportation so they can reach the most isolated people with regular and predictable health care.

Bikes

The motorcycles used in MotoGP are purpose-built, purebred racing bikes - ‘prototypes’ - which are not available for purchase by the general public and cannot be legally ridden on public roads.

The technical regulations to which Grand Prix teams must adhere when they build their bikes for MotoGP competition provide a simple guide to the type of machinery the riders use.

The engine sizes of the bikes permitted in each class are as follows:

MotoGP - As of the 2007 season, the maximum engine size capacity permitted is 800cc - 2-stroke engines are not allowed. For the 2010 season a maximum of 6 engines may be used by each permanent contracted rider for all the scheduled races of the season. Penalty for infringement of this means the rider will start from the pit lane 20’’ after the start of the race.

Moto2 - Moto2 Official Engine, currently supplied by Honda. This is a 600cc 4-stroke engine.

125- Over 80cc up to 125cc - maximum one cylinder.

Apart from the displacement and number of cylinders for each class, engine type is restricted to reciprocating piston engines with no super or turbo charging, while the bike may have no more than six gears.

The following are the minimum weights permitted:

MotoGP 2 cylinders or less motorcycle 135 kg

3 cylinders motorcycle 142,5 kg

4 cylinders motorcycle 150 kg

5 cylinders motorcycle 157,5 kg

6 cylinders or more motorcycle 165 kg

Moto2 motorcycle 135 kg

125cc motorcycle + rider 136 kg

The teams may add ballast to their bikes to achieve the minimum weights and the weight may be checked at the initial technical control, but the main control of weight is made at the end of practice sessions or at the end of the race. For the 125cc class the weight checked is the total of the rider with full protective clothing plus the weight of the motorcycle.

In normal circumstances each team has two bikes prepared for racing for each rider, so that there is no delay should a problematic bike need to be replaced before a race or before or during a practice or qualifying session. The 2006 season saw the first instance of ‘flag-to-flag’ racing at the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, during which the MotoGP riders changed machinery mid-race to use bikes with wet tyres.

SHOWCASE DESIGN

Grand Prix bikes are produced to win races and to showcase the design and technological capabilities of their manufacturers. The machines are therefore constructed from expensive, hardwearing and extremely light materials such as titanium and reinforced carbon fibre and benefit from the sort of advanced technology (carbon disk brakes, engine management systems, traction control) which does not feature on regular road bikes.

With millions of fans watching each round of the World Championship, when the bikes are on track they are also showcases for the numerous big brands involved in sponsoring MotoGP teams. Each bike displays a race number at the front and back, and usually features the colours and logos of the respective teams’ main sponsor as well as numerous other logos displaying the names of teams’ sub-sponsors.

For more information on the specifications of the bikes and the different technical aspects involved in their construction, see the various sections listed on the right side of the page.

engines

There is plenty of technical language used to describe the engines which power the racing prototypes on which the riders participate in the MotoGP World Championship, but most of it is fairly easy to understand if taken piece by piece and explained simply, even if the machinery itself is technologically advanced and complex in structure.

DEFINITIONS

2-stroke and 4-stroke – 2-stroke engines were predominant in the World Championship until the switch to the 990cc 4-stroke class in 2002, reflecting production trends, as 2-stroke bikes became increasingly popular from the 1960s through to the 1990s.

If 2-stroke engines proved more powerful than 4-strokes with similar engine capacities and similar rev counts, 4-strokes engines are more energy efficient and greener. This is because 4-strokes have a dedicated lubrication system, while 2-stroke engines burn a mixture of oil and gas.

As most manufacturers shifted their production towards bigger 4-stroke powered machines, the move to a 4-stroke prototype formula only seemed natural.

The key difference between the two types of engine lies in the combustion process: the four ‘strokes’ refer to the intake, compression, combustion and exhaust movements which occur during two crankshaft rotations per working cycle.

The 2-stroke internal combustion engine differs from the 4-stroke engine in that it completes the same four processes in only two strokes of the piston.

Single cylinder, two cylinder, four cylinder and six cylinder engines – While technical rules restrict the 125cc World Championship to single cylinder engines and Moto2 to the Official Engine, MotoGP bikes can have from one cylinder to six cylinders or more.

According to the FIM rulebook, the number of cylinders from one to six, or more, dictate what the minimum accepted weight of the bike will be, as ballast may be added to achieve it. Due to unit cylinder performance and power-to-weight ratio, all the MotoGP manufacturers now use four cylinder engines.

However, those engines come in different forms, as some factories, such as Ducati, Honda and Suzuki currently opt for V4 architecture, while Yamaha and Kawasaki have developed ‘inline four’ engines.

With V4’s the cylinders and pistons are aligned separately to each other, so that they take on a ‘V-shape’ from an angle looking along the crankshaft axis. This configuration decreases the total height, length and weight of the engine, in comparison with straight engine inline equivalents.

The choice of engine architecture has as much to do with design philosophy and the manufacturer’s heritage as with weight transfer and goals in terms of bike ‘rideability’.

Meanwhile, the terms 125cc, 600cc (Moto2), 800cc (MotoGP) used to describe the three current categories in the World Championship simply refer to the ‘engine displacement’ or ‘cubic capacity’ of the respective machinery.

DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE AGES

The biggest change in the premier class over the years has been the switch from 4-stroke, to 2-stroke engines, and back to 4-stroke in 2002, reflecting the need for technical progression and innovation in the sport - in keeping with the development of production bikes.

In the early days of the World Championship the premier class was dominated by 4-stroke machinery from mostly European manufacturers. The early 4-stroke engines were cumbersome, heavy, required a lot of maintenance and were never the most reliable of units.

Through the 1960s Japanese manufacturers such as Suzuki and Yamaha started to make their presence felt in the smaller cylinder classes with 2-stroke machinery. The lighter 2-stroke presented more possibilities for tuning and was seen as the future of the sport.

Although the 1970s and even 1980s saw a period of technical change that permitted even private ‘built in the garage’ motorcycles to go Grand Prix racing it was the might of the Japanese engineering and initiative that would soon provide the most competitive racing tools.

THE EMERGENCE OF 2-STROKE

As the Japanese slowly forged ahead with 2-stroke technology, the 4-strokes would fade out in a matter of seasons as the 500cc four cylinder 2-stroke became available on a production scale from Japan.

With the 2-strokes becoming more reliable and more powerful the engines actually threw more emphasis onto the rest of the motorcycle and evolution began at a rapid rate through the 1980s. Tyres, suspension, aerodynamics and even chassis design all saw a wealth of development.

In the early 1990s speeds had reached a peak in MotoGP. The 500cc bikes were harder and faster to ride than ever as an all-Japanese premier class sought to push the performances of the machines to the limit and new heights. By 1992 a breakthrough emerged when Honda started to experiment with a revised firing order on their all-conquering NS500.

BIG BANG & THE SCREAMER

Dubbed ‘Big Bang’ the revised crankshaft mechanism placed an emphasis more on acceleration than outright top speed and Mick Doohan went on to dominate the class on the new bike. Honda also produced a V-twin version of their four cylinder motorcycle which helped privateers remain competitive against the factory bikes and for the first time technical emphasis leaned more towards corner speed than outright horse-power; a trait that remains present to a certain degree in MotoGP today.

By the late 1990s Doohan had reverted back to the ‘harsher’ engine order in his quest for more speed. Nicknamed the ‘Screamer’, this and the ‘Big Bang’ version of the NS500 won World Championships from 1994 to 1999.

In 2000 Suzuki enjoyed a last hoorah on the RGV 500 2-stroke; a motorcycle which developed from predecessors that had originally dominated the class back in the late 1970s and early 80s.

4-STROKE 990cc

With 2-stroke technology reaching a plateau improved 4-stroke engines marked the way forward. The MotoGP landscape changed in 2002 and the last six seasons have again seen a massive acceleration in the technical possibilities with variable cylinder structures and quantities, telemetry, data collection and manually adjustable engine mapping switches now standard.

MotoGP is now a highly evolved and scientific competition with traction control and electronics playing an important role in the delivery of the power and adjusting the balance of the motorcycle to make the best use of the engine’s performance.

The MotoGP category saw the engine size reduced from 990cc to 800cc in 2007, with an aim to reduce speed. So far the speeds have remained the same but the size and dynamics of the new motors have placed more focus on the corner speed of the machinery, as opposed to the brute power of the 990s.

In line with cost reduction policies, engine restrictions have been enforced since 2009 and for the first time in 2010, each rider will only have 6 engines at their disposal for the whole season. Limiting the number of engines means the manufacturers will have to produce more reliable powerplants, which induces reducing their power output and revs, hence slowing down the overall increase in performance of the bikes.

A move to a 1000cc formula is planned for 2012, accompanied with further restrictions than during the 990cc era. The number of cylinders will be limited to 4 and the maximum cylinder bore will be 81mm, for bikes with a minimum weight of 153kg. Under the 2012 technical rules, 800cc bikes will also be allowed with a minimum weight of 150kg.

MOTO2

The Moto2 class, a new 4-stroke 600cc category, was announced in December 2008 and from the start of the 2010 season replaced the 250cc category.

Moto2 is aimed as a prestigious yet cost-effective accompaniment to MotoGP, allowing riders to continue their development on the way to the premier class. The bikes are powered by a 600c 4-stroke Honda engine which produces around 140bhp, with a prototype chassis which is free from limitation and the design and construction of which is free within the constraints of the FIM Grand Prix Technical Regulations.

SMALLER CLASSES

The 125 and the former 250cc classes have remained hosts to 2-stroke engines, being the original homes of the 2-stoke. Firms such as Derbi, Kreidler and Bultaco were 50cc, 80cc and 125cc competitors with 2-strokes in the 1960s and 2-strokes littered the 350cc division.

Outside the premier class 2-strokes permitted the most cost-effective means of racing and being competitive. The 2-stroke prospered with carburetion, tuning and set-up becoming a specialised skill that saw a host of names in the Grand Prix paddock making their names through the late 1970s, 80s and into the 90s.

In modern times the accepted wisdom is that the limits of 2-stroke technology have been largely reached. Honda’s announcement that they will cease development on their quarter-litre bikes perhaps provides proof that there is no further ground for significant progress.

brakes

Motorcycles must have a minimum of one brake on each wheel that is independently operated. In the 125cc and Moto2 classes, only brake discs of ferrous materials are allowed. In the MotoGP class, carbon brake discs may be a maximum diameter of 320mm.

A reliable set of brakes comes in handy when you are trying to win a race on a bike which can travel at speeds in excess of 340 km/h.

While tyres change from session to session, brakes can be replaced if they are damaged or become wet - though they are more permanent elements of a riders armoury and are just as important in allowing him to take corners at the optimum speed and angle.

Braking patterns, in equal measure to pure acceleration, dictate how races are won and lost as a rider’s skill and the reliability of his brakes allow him to run the fastest ‘race line’ and outmanoeuvre his opponents.

CORNER SPEEDS

Evermore so in the new era of 800cc machinery, corner speeds are crucial to success in MotoGP. If a rider can apply his brakes later and at a higher speed than his fellow competitors he can overtake those in front of him and lap quicker than the rest of the grid.

The front end brakes do most of the ‘stopping’ work, with riders controlling their cornering mainly through the leading tyre and as much as 90% of the bike’s weight transferred through the front wheel as its brakes are applied. Therefore it is not uncommon to see the back wheel leave the ground (fish-tailing) and the rear wheel and brakes do much less to guide the bike while the front brake is being used.

CARBON OR STEEL

MotoGP teams use disc brakes on their racebikes, technology which first emerged in the 1970s and has been in development ever since. Early versions of these discs were steel only and did not work very well in rainy conditions, but were later developed to produce progressive braking in both the wet and the dry.

Now, conversely, steel disc brakes are used by MotoGP teams only in the wet as they have a more modern and efficient solution to be used on dry tracks – carbon brakes.

The benefit of carbon discs are that they weigh 750g to 800g for the same diameter as their 1,200g to 1,600g steel discs counterparts. These figures may seem trivial but where cutting edge racing technology is concerned the half kilos soon add up.

Disc brakes consist of a disc which is mounted on the wheel and calipers which are fork mounted and carry the pads. The pads make contact with the discs and slow the rotation of the wheel when the rider applies the brakes. The rider operates the brakes via a standard handlebar mounted lever, but foot or left thumb controlled rear brakes are also used.

WEIGHT SAVING

With carbon brakes, the discs, calipers and pads are all lighter and twin disc systems, with a disc on each side of the wheel, are common – so in total carbon discs can save more than two kilos overall.

Less weight means less inertia, which reduces the ‘gyroscopic’ effect that can counteract the rider's efforts to get the bike to change direction. This essentially means carbon discs make it easier to change direction as the wheel, particularly the front wheel, is lighter when it has carbon brakes fitted.

Carbon discs can also offer a slight improvement in braking performance and consistency compared to steel systems. Once they reach optimum braking temperature carbon system should feel the same to the rider on lap 25 as it does on lap 2, but with steel discs the feeling the rider has changes over the course of a race.

Although the lighter carbon discs are therefore preferable to their steel alternatives when they are working correctly, they are far more temperature sensitive. Their functionality is virtually nonexistent until the discs and pads are heated to their premium operating temperature, and while they heat up quickly, rider caution is required during sighting and warm-up laps, and even the first couple of corners in a race.

WEATHER

If the weather is dry and cold, or if the bike is being used on a faster tracks, where the brakes are not applied regularly, the discs can be cooled considerably by airflow so heat shrouds can be fitted to help them maintain heat levels.

But with water involved it is a different story, as carbon discs will not reach their operating temperature and will therefore cease to function correctly in wet conditions.

The solution in this instance is to resort to steel discs and this also requires different calipers and pads which means more weight - and alterations to the bike have to made in a time pressured period so the parts have to be easily detachable.

Carbon brakes are not cheap, mainly because they take from three to six months to make as they have to be ‘cooked’ and constructed slowly - which combined with their limitations in the rain means they are rarely used on production road bikes.

FRICTION

The only way to achieve maximum braking and turning efficiency is to couple the work of the discs with friction. Upon applying the brakes, the tyre is pressed against the track, effectively increasing the area in contact with the asphalt and in turn increasing the amount of friction or stopping force which is being applied. If the rider can do this late in the corner, as close to the apex as possible, he spends less time slowing down and reaches the point where he can accelerate out of the corner more quickly than his opponents.

MANUFACTURERS

The brakes used in MotoGP are produced by two companies, Brembo and Nissin, and each set of disc brakes costs several thousand euros. Fortunately for MotoGP teams a bike may only require six to eight carbon discs per season.

fuel

Fuel is of course essential to every bike on the MotoGP grid in equal measure so the MotoGP teams work closely with their fuel suppliers to ensure that they carry exactly the right type of fuel and of course, exactly the right amount. All motorcycles must be fuelled with unleaded petrol.

Firms such as Elf, Shell and Repsol supply the teams with fuel and their eternal quest is the highest possible performance at the lowest rates of weight and consumption.

NEW ERA

The new generation of 800cc bikes (as of 2007) are restricted by regulations to use a maximum of 21 litres of fuel during races, one litre less than in the 990cc era, and their tanks are designed to carry just that amount. All motorcycles must be fuelled with unleaded petrol.

Races vary in length from circuit to circuit, whilst the demands of a certain track may mean that it results in higher fuel consumption for the bikes than other tracks of similar length. Therefore teams can measure how much fuel they are using during qualifying and free practice sessions to ensure that just the right amount is in the tank when the race starts – as of course carrying unnecessary fuel could mean the fraction of a second which loses a race.

In qualifying meanwhile, the fastest times are often set right at the end of the session when the rider is fully warmed-up, his qualifying tyres are giving him maximum grip and - having emptied most of the tank - a lighter fuel load allows him to lap as quick as possible.

Fuel is specially produced by the various fuel companies and is very precisely adapted for racing. The final product is only slightly different to the sort of fuel used by the general public, but must be approved for use by the FIM.

The components are 99% the same as road fuel, but suppliers can alter the levels the hundreds of various components which fuel comprises to ensure they are using exactly the right blend of anti-oxidants, detergents, friction modifiers and so on to improve efficiency.

LUBRICANT

In addition to fuel, lubricant suppliers provide the teams with race modified engine oil, to lubricate and therefore reduce friction, which produces better fuel economy. This in turn means the bike can carry a minimum amount of fuel.

MotoGP lubricants are based on a standard product, as is the fuel, though the racing product varies more with lubricants than with fuel. The oil has to lubricate the engine’s rotating parts, the gearbox’s constantly moving components and of course the clutch itself, which inevitably all get extremely hot on track. The more efficient the lubricant is the less fuel consumed and the better the bike performs, giving its rider a greater chance of victory.

tyres

One of the most remarkable things about World Championship motorcycle racing is the way in which the transfer of the phenomenal power of the MotoGP bikes takes place through tyre-contact patches not much bigger than the size of a credit card.

In comparison with racing cars, motorcycling’s four-wheeled counterparts benefit from having roughly ten times as much tyre-contact surface - so it is an understatement to say that with 240 horsepower at their disposal tyre selection is critical for MotoGP riders. The power delivery to contact surface ratio is much greater than in any form of car racing.

There are two tyre manufacturers working in the World Championship, Japanese company Bridgestone in MotoGP and Dunlop from the United Kingdom in the 250cc and 125cc classes.

New tyre regulations brought in for 2009 saw the MotoGP class move to a single tyre supplier, for cost and safety reasons, with Bridgestone selected for the job.

The introduction of a single-tyre rule for MotoGP brought with it the need for measures to ensure parity, and new regulations for the system were announced at the end of 2008. The document in full can be seen at the FIM Official website.

Bridgestone are in charge of the production of the tyres used at each Grand Prix, but their allocation to each of the MotoGP riders is down to Technical Director Mike Webb and his staff, who hand out the rubber on a random basis uninfluenced by Bridgestone, teams and riders. The allocation process will take place the day before the start of practice (Thursday in the vast majority of cases) and cannot be changed after 5pm.

Also, off-season testing has been reduced compared to previous seasons thanks to the new single tyre supplier rule, as the teams have less requirement for experimentation with their new provision of Bridgestone rubber. This development in MotoGP has helped to significantly reduce costs for the teams and allowed them to concentrate fully on their 800cc machinery itself.

In Moto2, Dunlop are the sole tyre suppliers to the entire class.

TYRE MANUFACTURE

The compounds used in MotoGP are combinations of synthetic material and naturally sourced rubber which is vulcanised and transformed into latex. A typical race tyre comprises rubber, high tech plastic fibres, resins and minerals, combined to produce the highest level of performance.

TYRE CHOICE

The choice of exactly which compound to use during a race is undertaken by the teams following consultation of the data collected previously at the track by themselves and the tyre supplier. Furthermore, conversations with their riders based on knowledge of the circuit, weather conditions and the 'feel' of the bike on test days, free practice, qualifying and the pre-race warm-up sessions also affects which tyres are selected.

On test days and during practice sessions riders often undertake `race simulations´ where they ride with the sort of tyre they would expect to use during the race at whichever track they are practicing at, undertaking the number of laps a race entails at the respective venue. These exercises are crucial for their team and manufacturers in terms of the data they yield and the feedback they produce.

For races a critical balance has to be found between grip and the endurance of the tyre - with all available data being used to make the decision on whether to opt for a soft ‘gripping’ tyre which will permit quicker speeds and faster lap times but wear out quickly, a harder, less ‘sticky’ tyre which will be more durable but will not assist the rider as much in achieving maximum velocity, or a tyre somewhere in between the two extremes.

In 2009 the new Bridgestone tyres in MotoGP had a wider operating window in terms of track temperature and were thus suitable for more varied conditions, brought about by the fact that the number of tyres and compounds available to each rider at each Grand Prix is now more restricted.

Race tyres are designed to perform at optimum level for a race distance of around 120km.

Normal race tyres are slicks, which differ from the tyres used on everyday vehicles in that they are far more adhesive to the ground but far less durable. Race tyres can vary tremendously and are chosen according to the expected temperature, the type of asphalt, the demands of the bike and the riding style of riders.

To complicate matters still further, the requirements for front and rear tyres can vary massively from a technical perspective and getting the choice right at both ends is critical to success on the track.

WET RACES

For wet conditions, special wet tyres with full treads can be used, but they deteriorate quickly if the track dries out

Races are categorised as either wet or dry before they start, but a white flag being waved at the flag marshal post during the race indicates that the Race Direction have decided to declare a wet race after it was originally declared dry.

Thus far having been introduced in 2005 the white flag rule has only been enforced three times and the first instance at the GP of Portugal in 2005 took place so late in the race that the riders stayed on their dry bikes. However, at Phillip Island in 2006 and Le Mans in 2007 the rain fell early and heavily enough to warrant a change of bikes, which led to the dramatic spectacle of the entire MotoGP grid entering the pit lane mid-race to swap machinery.

The rules also dictate that once a race is declared wet from the start, a rider can come into the pits to change bikes whenever he decides as long as the type of tyres to be used is different.