VOLUME ISSUE JULY , P119
independent teams, while the
tech limitations attracted new
factories, notably Aprilia and
KTM, although not Kawasaki.
Most importantly, the new junior
recruits were allowed to side-
step the worst of the restrictions
because of the formal conces
-
sion system.
This gave them the chance to
catch up with Honda and Yama-
ha. But now it is the beleaguered
giants who need help, to recover
ground that was snatched away.
The concessions had sev
-
eral elements. On the sporting
side, while factory teams and
especially factory riders had to
adhere to a very limited number
of permitted tests, concession
teams had absolute freedom.
Technical concessions were
of even more value. Most impor-
tantly, engine development was
free. While the big boys were
stuck with any design errors
they may have made over the
winter, concession teams could
play around as much as they
liked. They were also allowed
more engines per rider through
the season.
Concession status was main
-
tained until a certain level of
success was achieved—points
being accrued by dry-weather
podiums and wins.
All three European marques,
Ducati, Aprilia and KTM benefit
-
ed from these extra freedoms.
So also did Suzuki, who were
allowed to return to concession
status after losing their way on
the technical side.
Honda's unhappiness has
been coming steadily ever since
Marc Marquez got hurt in 2020.
In fact, it had already started be
-
fore that. This thanks to a rider
whose vaulting skills covered up
misdirected development, and
even encouraged a level of com
-
placency that has come back to
bite them. And also to bite the
rider whose drive to win remains
undiminished, but whose only
asset is ultra-risky hard braking,
which has led him into a series
of crashes.
Yamaha's decline has been
more stealthy, thanks to their
own genius-level rider Quartara
-
ro, able to exploit an otherwise
increasingly outclassed bike's
high corner speed to take the
title in 2021. But the signs were
already there. Other Yamaha
riders struggled to match his re-
sults, while the rival bikes have
improved steadily. And now Fa-
bio—like Marquez—is forced to
over-ride only to under-perform.
If Honda's weakness was
obvious, it would be fixable, but
one problem and perhaps the
root cause is thought to be an
unfriendly response at initial
throttle opening, which unsettles
the bike. This could probably be
cured by changing crankshaft
inertia, which also has a signifi
-
cant effect on various aspects
of handling.
In other words, if allowed to
experiment with engine develop
-
ment, HRC would at worst be
able to eliminate one potential
problem area, and at best sort
their problem out, saving the
badly battered Marc from fur
-
ther injury.
Yamaha suffers a basic short-
age of torque and horsepower.
And with design frozen, their
hapless riders (just two since
the factory was dumped in favor
of Aprilia by their satellite team)
are likewise struggling.
For each, the chance to
change their engines could
make a huge difference.
Let's hope so. If Honda—the
winningest make in 75 years of
the championship—were to walk
away, it would not be for the first
time, while GP racing without
Yamaha has been unthinkable
since the 1960s.
CN
