IN
THE
WIND
P40
Ducati's Magic Starter
T
he Ducati drag links to the
rear brake caliper seen at
various tests were conspicu-
ously absent on all the bikes at
the Qatar MotoGP opener, but
the so-called holeshot device
was definitely there—as on-bike
footage of Dovi's post-session
practice start clearly revealed.
Dovi gave the control three or
four twists, and then one twist
back before pulling up at the
controlled-start position for his
practice start.
The Italian team chiefs com-
plained to Dorna about the
positioning of the on-bike cam-
era. The next day the aim was
revised to show only the rider's
head, but Dorna cheekily filmed
instead trackside at the practice-
start area. They didn't spot him
twiddling the control this time,
but they did reveal how the bike
was held in a squatting position,
with the rear suspension held
compressed.
Details of the system remained
obscure, with doubt over whether
it acts only on the rear suspension,
reducing squat or at both ends.
By pre-compressing the rear
suspension, it not only holds it
low and stable off the line, but
also saves any torque lost or time
wasted (no matter how small) in
compressing the suspension on
take off.
Hitting the brakes releases the
suspension—a sudden transition
that Jack Miller revealed is some-
thing you have to get used to.
But, he told the press, it works
well at keeping the bike more
level as it accelerates from rest.
Miller also revealed, in an
interview with Dorna, that he had
been using the system since the
Japanese GP last year, although
Dovizioso apparently had not
used it until this race.
It is still not clear whether the
system acts on the front suspen-
sion. Earlier track systems de-
veloped by Showa, like systems
used in motocross, held the front
forks compressed to lower the
overall CG, but this doesn't ap-
pear to be the case here.
Michael Scott
The Ducatis of
Dovizioso and Miller
were quick away
from the start thanks
to the much-lauded
holeshot device, seen
here with the dial
on the triple-clamp.
PHOTO: GOLD & GOOSE
