Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1505613
VOLUME ISSUE AUGUST , P131 not by green paint but in some cases by walls or trees, which imposed very definite penalties for transgressors. From now on, "an infraction on the last lap that has affected a race result must indicate that the rider in question was disadvantaged by exceeding track limits. If the stewards deem there is no clear disadvantage, the rider will be penalized." This was the seed that made last-lap infringements so costly. At least back then the stew - ards were able to show some judgement. Also known as "common sense." That ended with the introduction of elec - tronic track-limit sensors. Where once there might be room for a little human error from rider or, indeed, stewards, not anymore. Even a micron onto the green paint triggered automatic pun - ishment. And led to a series of unfair absurdities that continue all too frequently. Worse is coming, with the new decision to enforce minimum tire- pressure regulations—front 1.88 bar, rear 1.7 (it is the front that matters). From the British GP, a new regime was to have started: tire-pressure sensors monitor all bikes in real time, and a complex system of sanctions will come into play, if pressures are too low for more than a certain percent - age of the race. A sliding scale of penalties runs from a first- offense warning through increas- ing time penalties up to potential disqualification. This has the potential to inter- fere with race results in a major way. But there are also safety concerns. Front-tire pressures, with the current Michelin tire, are very volatile, and performance of the tire likewise. Out front in cool air, pressures remain lower. Follow - ing another bike, the tempera- ture, and thence pressure, soars rapidly. Too high, and you lose grip and crash. Too low, and you're punished. Furthermore, pre-race pres - sure has to be decided before the event. You have to guess whether you will be leading or following. "Washing" the air (two valves allow warm air in a pre-warmed tire to be flushed out with cool air) gives a little wriggle room, but only a little. Pressure choice becomes a strategic imponderable. The planned Silverstone in - troduction was abortive, for un- known reasons; but the system is coming. And until Michelin makes a front tire that is less sensitive to pressure changes (or until Bridgestone comes back!) it imposes another barrier to simple first-past-the-post race results. CN At least back then the stewards were able to show some judgement. Also known as "common sense." Worse is coming, with the new decision to enforce minimum tire-pressure regulations… Boscoscuro) took a maiden pole, and it looked as though he'd done enough to take a maiden win to boot. If only nar - rowly. Almost all race he'd been under attack from the more ex- perienced Augusto Fernandez, whose Kalex had gotten ahead now and then. They'd swapped to and fro at the start of the final lap. The cru - cial moment came into the very fast turn 11, where the Spanish Kalex rider strayed wide onto the green stuff. It gave him a better exit, and through the next corners he lined himself up for a brutal but decisive block pass. He won; Di Giannantonio was less than two-tenths behind. It looked totally cynical; the stewards sat in judgement, but believed Fernandez's explanation: he'd been forced wide at turn 11 to avoid colliding with Diggia's rear tire. The victory stood. Speed Up team owner Luca Boscoscuro protested. Other riders had been sanctioned at the same event. Why not Fer - nandez? But the protest was over-ruled, and race direction issued a long-winded state- ment, pointing out that in the past, track limits were marked