MotoGP tyre rule breaking and getting away with it

[FourWheelDrift]

"some teams are gaining a vital performance advantage by running illegal tyre pressures. This has been going on for a while. Finally at Jerez (where the winner's front was under pressure throughout) the data was leaked"

https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/articles/motorc...

[NITO]

Sounds like the rules need changing to me!

[Zarco]

NITO said:

Sounds like the rules need changing to me!

Yes. Mad that it's been like this to start with.

[dibblecorse]

So basically its a written rule that the MSMA has applied an unwritten rule to and some are whinging about ? Sounds like the norm is to run whatever pressures you want, I suspect those complaining have bigger problems ...

[gareth_r]

"there is a so-called gentlemen’s agreement between the MSMA (the manufacturers association) and Michelin to not disclose any breach of this regulation or sanction any breaches."

If Michelin aren't worried, bearing in mind the PR disaster that a tyre failure and consequent injury or worse would be, why is there a fixed lower limit in the first place? Would it just be too much hassle to take the tyre manufacturer's advice at each round?

[FredericRobinson]

No-one will be following rules they don’t have to, unless they’ve found that they’re slower running illegally

[doogalman]

Rules that are not enforced with harsh penalties or exclusion will always be flouted. I’m surprised other teams sticking to the rules haven’t gone crazy.

[LukeBrown66]

I would also advocate another tyre maker coming in, yes it increases the competition for the tyre people but it can also lead to more interesting races and potential bike development, if say Pirelli came and and went with say Aprilia, they already have a good bike, they could become dominant a la Ducati and Bridgestone in 2007. I think this is surely better long term than one tyre and the eventual bikes that come from it as they all have to be the same to exploit the tyre. They are so important now, it literally leads development in some areas.

And we all know this stuff has been going on in F1, BTCC for years and can lead to disastrous tyre failures that when you think of it could have very serious consequences if it is found in an investigation that the team went beyond what say Pirelli said were safe working temps, angles etc etc.

Personally I feel in any motorsport, if any team is found to be ignoring a suppliers advice, especially on tyres, huge fines or more need to be dumped on them, as the potential consequences of a fatal accident or say a bike hitting spectators could have immense consequences long term.