MotoGP.....The races are too long.

[Whip]

 It is all about preserving rubber instead of racing. I think the races would be much more entertaining if they were 25% shorter. 

 

@chrisolson

[chrisolson]

They went through the same issue in F1racing ....  preserve the tires instead of racing.  New compounds for this season but they still need to manage them to last a session.  Don't know that there is a perfect tire as the rider/driver has the ultimate choice to use or abuse the amount of grip as required.

[Skywagon]

an opposing view.....I wish they were much longer such that they had to come in for fuel and tires once.  Marquez's crash was right in front of our seats this year....

[Whip]

I don’t want it to turn into NASCAR where pit stops and luck are more important than who is the fastest.

 

I want the faster rider to win.

[eddd]

Shortening the race would seem to set up everyone just running stickier/shorter-life tires.  You'd need some type of regulation that mandates the tires everyone would need to use, but the different bikes use up the tires/available traction at differing rates.  With designated tires you've taken away from the bikes that don't use up the tires as quickly.  At the top level I think you need to let the teams come up with the combination that is best for them.  

[Antimatter]

Well, WSBK is running a 10-lap sprint race as part of a three-race weekend.  Or you could watch the race on fast-forward.

[Jerry Duke]

On 4/15/2019 at 1:38 PM, Skywagon said:

an opposing view.....I wish they were much longer such that they had to come in for fuel and tires once.  Marquez's crash was right in front of our seats this year....

I would like to see a mandatory pit. Change tires and refuel. Still keep the length to 20 - 25 laps.

[Bill_Walker]

Whether on two wheels or four, strategy has always been a part of road racing, and managing your engine, tires and fuel is part of that strategy.  Many (most?) spectators/viewers appreciate and understand it.  Doing it well is part of what makes a good racer.

 

Kevin Cameron had a good take on this: https://www.cycleworld.com/is-motogp-just-tire-racing?cmpid=ene20190324&utm_source=internal&utm_medium=email&cid=53624&mid=473024990

 

Michelin is the sole supplier for MotoGP.  Regulations could easily require tires that would go the distance without degradation.  Why don't they?  Because the tires would be very hard, with much lower grip, and the riders would complain about them endlessly, which isn't good for the tire maker's image.  And they might actually be more dangerous due to lower grip.

 

Further, race length is partially determined by TV coverage.  30 minutes isn't enough, so a race has to fill 60 or 90 minutes.  And the local spectators, given what tickets cost, would howl if the races were shorter.

[lkchris]

On 4/15/2019 at 3:05 AM, Whip said:

 It is all about preserving rubber instead of racing. I think the races would be much more entertaining if they were 25% shorter. 

 

@chrisolson

Yet the front guys ... preserving rubber ... are way ahead of the rest of the guys.  And most often the "rest of the guys" includes teammates on the same bike as their front guy teammate.  It's racing and imho the most interesting and exciting motor racing on the planet just as it is.

[TestPilot]

Bernie Ecclestone once commented that he wanted shorter F1 races because Americans' attention spans were too short.

 

[Bill_Walker]

Here's another good article by Cameron on riding style vs. bike design, and how to spot who's doing what, and why: https://www.cycleworld.com/making-sense-what-motorcycle-roadracers-do-on-track?cmpid=ene20190423&utm_source=internal&utm_medium=email&cid=56639&mid=504280413#page-3