Adam Wheeler, for the site The Telegraph, carried out a very interesting interview with Cal Crutchlow's chief technician, Christophe Bourguignon, affectionately called “Beefy” by the entire paddock.
The main topic was the cost that a fall in MotoGP can cost. The numbers are impressive…
The Belgian technician starts from the initial price of 2 million euros for 2 motorcycles, specifying “We rent these motorcycles, but in this price you also pay for the development and engineers of HRC. We have HRC staff with us on every race and this is an integral part of the fee. It’s a global package. You might say "wow, that's a lot of money", but a lot of it is HR related. »
“A crash can be between €15 and €000”, believes Christophe Bourguignon “A drop to €2 does not exist in MotoGP. If we're lucky, we just have to change a few things and we draw from our stocks in the race truck. One big fall, or several in a row, can suddenly put you in trouble because we don't have five spare fuel tanks, for example. »
“It’s the same with exhausts and radiators; We have versions for testing and for racing. You may have one or two big crashes in a weekend, but you're getting closer to having a problem. If I order parts from HRC, I have to factor in the time from build to delivery and that could be five or six weeks. »
“Motorcycles are heavy and go fast, and there isn't really a 'small' drop"he says. “If you lose the front end, you always end up with broken or damaged fairings, side panels, handlebars and many parts that are made of carbon fiber. Most things can be repaired and then they are patched and repainted. It's expensive when you have a big crash like we saw in Qatar this year, where we bent the chassis and the swingarm; There is no price for that. It depends on each manufacturer. »
“A set of carbon brakes costs around 10 euros and most of the time when the bike ends up in the gravel there are gravel chips on the disc, and it is too dangerous to reuse them if they are damaged. You don't want to send your rider at 000 km/h with something that can explode, because carbon fiber is quite fragile. »
Christophe Bourguignon continues: “We are running magnesium wheels whose price is around €4. The Michelins are a little smaller than the Bridgestones and, in the event of a fall, the rim is not as protected as usual. Even if we hit a curb both wheels will be damaged and, like the brakes, this is something where you don't want to take risks. After most big falls we change the wheels. »
“As soon as the bike hits the ground, things like footpegs, levers and handlebars go into the scrap drawer. “On these bikes you can see the radiator is quite large and in most crashes, although not all the time, it will be twisted. This part, depending on the specification and manufacturer, can fetch around €10. We also have little sliders on the side of the bike to try to protect this part as well as others, like small electrical components, if the bike slides sideways. »
“On the electrical side, you can see the switches and the temperature and pressure sensors as well as the 2D dashboard, which alone costs around €2. The main harness is between €500 and €10, plus all the sensors: the bike is full of sensors. There is not a single electronic part cheaper than €000. »
“The fuel tank can be easily damaged. If it has a little dent, we can adjust it but we have to be really precise because we are limited by capacity, and most of the time a crushed fuel tank won't be reused... Maybe just for the testing or a winter test but never for a race. »
“The swingarm is quite fragile actually. It looks monstrous and is stiff, but it's not that sturdy and can get damaged pretty quickly. »
“The strongest piece? The brake caliper! This is something we rarely change, and I have to say so does the engine. Knock on wood because we are limited on the amount of engines we can use, but I don't have too many memories of damaging an engine in a crash. It is quite well protected. Even after a big crash like in Qatar, the engine will be OK, but we will have to change 90% of the bike. »
“You try to have two motorcycles plus three or four 'spares'. Lucky for us, we are close to HRC, and if we have a big problem and need a replacement swingarm, they are there to help us until we get our parts paid for and we send the material back to them . »
Photo credit : Lubor Horak
