The Essence of Racing

Tire management has been the key aspect of racing in the past few years, especially MotoGP.
Do you think that it ruins the sport? By that I mean it takes away from seeing which riders can go 100% throughout the whole race without worrying about tire wear? Or do you feel that managing your tires is an aspect of racing you much prefer to have in the sport.

If tire manufacturers can develop tires that will give you the same grip levels over 30 laps around a GP track wouldn't that make for better racing? Instead of seeing talented riders fading away because their tires are giving out?

 

If grip is going away, doesn’t seem the tires are the best of the best. Isn’t that what GP is all about?

 

If you're so against tire management being a part of racing, make all the races 5-lap sprints.

 

The WSBK sprint race on Sunday mornings seems to go against this thought. Short race or long race hasn't made much of a difference...so far.

 

Yeah because I'm sure every racing fan would much prefer 5 lap MotoGP races.

 

Pit stops

 

I'm sure Bridichelop could build tires to last the entire race in motogp and offer the same grip but who would want to race on those tires? They'd be bowling ball hard and most likely offer the same grip as a block of concrete.

Tire management is just a part of life.

 

Tire management...
when you drop a truckload of take-offs at the dump.

 

I hoard mine for use as flaming tire barriers in the upcoming “civil unrest”.

Of course since they are MC tires I could only block off a few sidewalks or bike lanes.

 

It wasn't too long ago that people were complaining that the B-Stones were lasting all race, taking tire management off of the table. Now the riders are forced to manage the tires, which has brought the racing closer, and people are complaining.

Unified electronics + tire management = closest racing in modern history.

How is that bad for the sport?

 

Why not sell them to a track day guy so he can win his trackday, a dude going for the record at the wang of the dragon or at least a street squid?

Street squid: "Yo yo yo, check out ma' tires, yo! Ain't no chicken strips on them, yo yo yo!"

Shit, the squid might even buy your used knee pucks and toe sliders. You know, to prove how he really freakin' fast and shit. Dollah dollah dollah bills, yo!

 

So true. Then everybody would be bitching that lap times have dropped, no new lap records are being set and the racing looks more like a parade because everyone is going the same speed.

It challenges teams to come up with the best compromise of setup and tire choice. Frankly I like it. Otherwise it would be dumbed down boring racing.

 

So, you been hanging with @Steeltoe in the Starshmucks parking lot lately?

 

Tire management is driving innovation (see Ducati swingarm fairing for tire cooling). With spec tires, everyone has the same chance, but it's about management and strategy. Do you burn them up breaking away and hope for an insurmountable cushion, or do you stalk the leaders and pounce at the end of the race?

Dovi pulled away at halfway (or so) to see who would come with him at Qatar. He then backed off and the last four laps were effectively a sprint. Who can keep up at the end is the big test. You burned 90% of your fuel, but how much tire is left? I like it, with the shuffling mid-pack and drama further back as tire choices come into play.

I seem to have better memories of last-lap/last sector/last-corner attacks than breakaway races. To me the excitement builds if it's obvious that someone (or three) is holding back, just to figure out how, when, and where to pounce.

 

Call me Flava Dave, yo. 'cause I'm full of flava and ma' name is Dave, yo.

 

It's not drag racing, it's like 5000m running. It's not a sprint, but it's not a full on endurance race. Push the pace at the front and try and break people off the lead group, but keep some in the tank for that sprint at the end. Peak too early, and you have nothing at the end. It's like a dance on the end of a needle. I think it's just another facet of racing, and personally like it.

 

You gotta change the squid juice you're on.

How can everyone be going the same speed when you have different engines, chassis, setups, rider ability(endurance/stamina/focus) etc?

 

Physics

 

They should go back to tires you can use from FP1 through the end of the race. Hard shit. No management needed. 100% at all times. And lower cost.

Also, they should find a way to keep the fuel level constant throughout the race so the handling doesn't change between the start and the final lap. This way, guys like Viñales can run with guys like Lorenzo straight from the start.