Surtees: MotoGP machines are <I>too</I> powerful.

John Surtees, the only man to win both the Formula One and premier 500cc motorcycle world championships, has questioned the amount of horsepower produced by the current generation of MotoGP racers - suggesting the engine capacity should be reduced by a third.

"I think that MotoGP has a tremendous future, but I'd like to see their capacity reduced to 650cc because, at the moment, the 990cc machines are producing near 300bhp through the rear wheel, compared to the 900bhp [controlled by] four wheels on a three-litre Formula One car," he explained.

With virtually no downforce on a MotoGP bike, the front wheel is effectively doing nothing when on the power, as it is barely touching the ground. That pushes Surtees' estimated 300bhp through only one wheel, whereas the 900bhp F1 car has four wheels almost permanently on the ground due to judicious amounts of downforce provided by its wings and bodywork. In scientific terms, the relative power to weight ratios work out as follows:

F1: (three-litre V10 - 600kgs) = 1.5bhp/kg (1500bhp/tonne)MotoGP: (four or five cylinder four-stroke - 145kg) = 2.07bhp/kg (2070bhp/kg)

Although it is questionable whether any MotoGP machine is hitting 300bhp just yet - they are probably closer to 250, which would be 1.72bhp/kg or 1720bhp/tonne - Surtees reckons that the continual search for speed could spell trouble.

"It's producing problems for the circuits," he insisted, "and for the riders, who are having to adapt their riding style."

Surtees certainly had to adjust his own style 40 years ago. He won 38 motorcycle grands prix in 250, 350 and 500cc world championships before the famous switch to Formula One, where he was victorious six times - and beat Graham Hill to the 1964 world championship in a Ferrari.

The British legend will be honoured for his two-wheel achievements by being inducted into the MotoGP Hall of Fame at Donington Park today (Thursday).