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Do you know how many engines the teams will have in the 2016 season? #MotoGP
Since 2014, the Grand Prix Commission has been working on updates that were deemed appropriate for the MotoGP class in the 2016 World Championship. A large part of these changes were confirmed after the Valencia GP last November.
Below we outline a few of the most important aspects of these new regulations. With them in mind, the Repsol Honda Team has worked since last year to take on an updated World Championship which will start very soon.
Concessions
From 2016 on, the Open class will no longer exist. The number of engines per season for all teams will be seven. this is where the concession system comes into play. In 2015 this system was applied to Ducati.
Under this system, from one Grand Prix to the next each manufacturer receives points as follows:
- First place: three points
- Second place: two points
- Third place: one point
When a manufacturer accumulates six points, they will no longer have the option to conduct unlimited tests and use official riders for them. They will have five days to test and only can use test riders. They will also not be able to make changes to the engine from that point on, which will be homologated as is for the following season.
It should be noted that we’re talking about private tests in this case. The Repsol Honda Team far exceeded the six-point limit and, as such, in 2016 it will not have any concession.
Specific concessions
Teams that do not reach the six-point concession limit will have a maximum of nine engines a year. Additionally, they will be allowed to make changes to the engine throughout the season.
Manufacturers that are not allowed to make upgrades to engines will be able to homologate several versions depending on the number of satellite teams they have.
- Factory team and up to two satellite teams: three engines
- Factory team and three satellite teams: four engines
- Factory team and four satellite teams: five engines
Factory team riders must use the same engine, but riders from satellite teams can use different models. However, the engine must be chosen before the first World Championship race and it will be the engine used throughout the season.
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More changes
There are several other technical changes included in the new regulations:
The ECU and the engine and chassis control software must be the same for all participants. Any change in software must be approved unanimously by Honda, Yamaha, Ducati, and the organizer. The sole exception to this rule is for correcting errors and maintenance.
The maximum litres of fuel is now 22 litres. For the Repsol Honda Team, as well as for all factory teams that won races in 2014, the limit in 2015 was 20 litres.
The minimum weight for motorcycles is 157 kg. In 2015 it was 160 kg.
Wheels will now have a diameter of 17″, compared with the 16.5″ from last year.
A new type of intermediate tyre has been introduced for rainy conditions. In 2016, the official supplier will be Michelin. One thing to keep in mind is that they are the owners, for all intents and purposes, of the tyres that teams receive. This means that all of them are required to return them at the end of each Grand Prix.
Aerodynamic changes have been made to the fairing, stipulating that all edges must have a minimum radius of 2.5 mm. This rule, which might sound excessively technical to most fans, is for winglets with edges that should be somewhat thicker. This improves the safety of the riders.
Sporting regulations
This year, when riders leave the pit lane, the Grand Prix officials will be in charge of watching the riders’ start positions. This is only one of the changes which will have an impact on the start of each race.
Other changes affect race start procedures in the rain, and have been made to increase safety. For instance, if it rains during the reconnaissance lap or while riders are on the grid, the start will be delayed and they will be able to change tyres or motorcycles in the pit lane.
The possibility for more sighting laps has also been included, though the pit lane must always be passed through. Another option included is to extend the opening time of the pit lane if all the sessions prior to the race have been dry.
To conclude, we would like to highlight an interesting fact. Starting this year, riders who win a race will not be able to stop immediately after passing the finish line to celebrate the victory or to grab a flag to celebrate it with. Instead, they must do it in a safe area of the circuit and enter the circuit again when it is not dangerous to do so.
