VOL. 55 ISSUE 10 MARCH 13, 2018 P47
and techniques, Honda had to learn
from scratch. It proved complicated.
Another dimension came from the
freeze in engine changes. In 2015,
Honda installed a low-inertia crank-
shaft, giving very jagged throttle re-
sponse and spoiling acceleration. The
next year, they reversed crankshaft
rotation, and the revised torque reaction
upset everything they knew about chas-
sis behavior. And in 2017, another major
change—different firing intervals with a
more Big Bang effect.
In all cases, they were stuck with
it, giving riders a whole new set of
parameters to master.
In 2015, a flummoxed Marquez
was third overall to the Yamahas,
but over the next two years, his
skill and determination prevailed.
Hugely helped by a willingness to
have many crashes—17 in 2016 and
(Above) Will Valentino Rossi and the
factory Yamaha be a threat once again
in 2018? (Left) Andrea Dovizioso has
more power and a better chassis for
2018. Can he topple the charging
Marquez?
Aleix Espargaro
has a new bike
and teammate
at Aprilia and
will be looking to
grab that elusive
podium for the
Noale team.
