MotoGP riders furious over tyre pressure rule, will make it “more risky, boring”
The new real-time measuring system is set to gauge tyre pressures with bikes out on circuit, with penalties also set to be introduced if pressures fail to reach the minimum requirement.
The minimum tyre requirements are 1.9 bar on the front and 1.7 on the rear, but with pressures constantly fluctuating, a general level of tolerance will be given.
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However, when the new rule comes into force, penalties will be handed out in the form of cancelled lap times or disqualification from the race should these pressures be broken for over 50% of a fast lap in practice/qualifying or 50% of a race.
Mugello has been confirmed as the next expected introduction date of the new rule, but several MotoGP riders don’t want to see it implemented at all.
"I would like that the rule does not come into the championship," said current championship leader Marco Bezzecchi. "Sometimes it is too dangerous. We can have some problems with the pressure at this temperature."
Bezzecchi’s concerns were backed up by fellow VR46 Academy member and Ducati rider, Francesco Bagnaia.
The world champion added: "We speak a lot about tyre pressure. In conditions like this track, where the braking is a lot, where you force the front end and the temperature is like today? It’s impossible to ride starting at the limit that they’ve [set].
"Because the bike starts moving a lot. You risk a lot more than having the normal pressure. It becomes more risky and more boring.
"If you see my race in Argentina, my front pressure was so high. Aleix Espargaro too - he crashed, I was there and it was impossible to overtake someone.
"For sure, this rule is not a correct thing for safety or for the people watching."
Despite winning last time out at COTA, Alex Rins says his tyre pressures were ‘on the red’, meaning on the limit of what the tyre could withstand and this is why others crashed out.
"I agree with what Pecco and Bezzecchi say," said the LCR Honda rider. "It’s difficult to find a balance. If you saw the last race, in Texas, everybody was out of the race because every rider was on red, on the tyre pressure.
"Theoretically this is the first track to find this rule? I don’t know why they delayed until Mugello."
Not only has the delaying of the rule caused confusion, but so has the rule itself as tyre pressures are very rarely the same throughout a full race, let alone shorter distances.
Vinales said: "It is difficult to control. If you start in front, which pressure do you use? If you start at the back, which pressure do you use? It’s so hard. It’s hard for the teams to control.
"If you’re close to someone, or alone, it can change [to up 0.5]. In Austin I reached really high pressure.
"In the next race, a totally different pressure. This rule is very complicated for every team."
The already high minimum pressure tends to go up when following other riders closely, meaning the front tyre can surpass 2 bar.
This is why difficulties overtaking and riders crashing are two things that have dominated the early part of the season.
In fact, Marini went on to add another element to this discussion which is safety: "We are not talking about performance, this is a matter of safety. When the pressure is too high, it’s too easy to crash. It is dangerous.
"You cannot start too low because you can’t control it. It’s difficult now, without the rule. With the rule it will be more difficult. I don’t know why the rule makes you go so high.
"Lower is no problem - the bike works well, just more safety. Past 2.0 or 2.1 it’s too easy to crash. You are not faster, if you go lower with the pressure."
