During his visit to the Austrian Grand Prix, Casey Stoner did not mince his words when discussing the current state of the MotoGPAsked about the growing influence of electronics and the technical changes introduced in recent years, the double world champion delivered a harsh assessment, calling for a return to more demanding machines for riders.
Present at the Red Bull Ring as part of his participation in a parade organized on Sunday, the two-time Australian world champion gave a press conference where he was asked for his opinion on the new stability control system, introduced this weekend in MotoGP. For Stoner, the accumulation of electronic aids is not a good thing. Over time, they have even transformed the DNA of the discipline.
“It’s always a touchy subject, because riders want things one way, and engineers and manufacturers another. But since we’re not making road bikes out of them, I don’t think we need to develop the electronics to that extent. And especially this weekend, they’ve taken it to the next level. From what the riders tell me, you can literally twist the throttle with almost 300 horsepower and… nothing happens. The best riders in the world ride the easiest bikes in the world to ride.”, laments the Australian.
He regrets that a number of control elements have caused an essential part of the competence to disappear: "You no longer have to control the wheelspin, and sometimes you're even forbidden from using the clutch when entering corners because it disrupts the system. Now you just brake hard, put the bike in a corner and, as they all say, turn the handlebar or press a button... There's too much assistance.".
A negative impact on security, according to Stoner
Contrary to official discourse, Stoner believes that these developments have not actually made MotoGP safer. "We're told these bikes are less dangerous, but I don't agree. By making the rear of the bike "too" safe, we force riders to attack more on the front, and when we lose the front, the bike often comes back on track. We've seen serious accidents in these situations. Wheelie control isn't a question of safety, it's about comfort. We have to keep a percentage of slide manageable by the rider and leave some part to the steering, otherwise we create champion engineers, not riders.".
He also points out the reduced margin of error when braking, a consequence of high top speeds and increasingly shorter braking points. This is also the best way to make a difference, given all the acceleration aids available: "That's why we see so many bikes ending up in the barriers at the end of the straights.".
The new regulation? Not the solution
Asked about the upcoming technical reform in 2027, Stoner is equally skeptical. "We'll lose a bit of top speed without the height adjustment device, but we'll keep the wings and we might even have more cornering speed, with turbulent air on lighter bikes. We'll still have the stability and tire temperature issues. I don't understand why people don't see that every step in this direction makes things worse.", He considers.
The Australian also regrets the standardization of machines: “Before, Yamaha shone in grip and passing speed, Ducati in top speed, Honda was balanced, Suzuki strong in braking… We had a mix that created interesting races depending on the circuit. Today, everyone fits into the same mold. And we no longer see these incredible images of slides, of riders fighting to keep the front wheel on the ground… Everything is done for them.”.
