Following the latest MotoGP tests, the observation is clear: today, aerodynamic appendages are at the same time as voluminous, more resistant and more sophisticated than the simple fins banned since 2017.
Consequently, the said ban would no longer be necessary, unless there is a desire to further regulate this promising technical field, which Dorna is visibly preparing to do, according to comments reported by GPone de Conrad Cecchinelli, the MotoGP technology director.
The organizers of the Grands Prix therefore intend to tighten their current policy based on two elements: the approval of each fairing by Danny Aldridge and the possibility of introducing two developments each year.
Conrad Cecchinelli: “The technical director must judge and decide on the final design, and check the safety aspect. The problem is the weight of the subjective nature of this judgment. There are no mathematical criteria or written numbers. The forms are now less dangerous than in the past, but in our opinion, not safe enough. Therefore, the safety measure was found to be weak, as it is subject to a subjective final judgment. The measure relating to cost control is also weak: the possibility of removing materials from the fairing was interpreted by the manufacturers as a freedom, with the consequence of constructing the fairing in several parts. Basically, they produced several different interchangeable parts to be able to change the configuration according to the needs of the moment.
The 2019 proposal should reinforce both themes.
For the question of safety, there will be elements which will prohibit certain shapes and which will introduce numbers in terms of angles authorized as possible sources of danger. We are going to write some numbers that describe well-defined shapes.
For the question of costs, we will also introduce a paragraph which requires, even with fairings made up of several parts, only one change per year. I should add that we are not against aerodynamic studies aimed at obtaining greater downforce on the motorcycle, but as long as manufacturers continue to make fairings that improve aerodynamics and safety, while maintaining costs reasonable. »
What Danny Aldridge answers on the official website MotoGP.com: “The most important thing for us is obviously safety. So this fits the criteria that the edges are rounded, they meet the regulations of a 600mm wide fairing, and we also have strict rules on the sizes in that they cannot be d-shaped. wings. A lot of debate is happening on this issue right now, but the most important thing is that we classify them as pontoons. You'll notice that they have an upper part, a side part and a lower part, so they are technically closed, and much safer than Ducati's from a few years ago. »
As a reminder, current aerodynamic appendages provide between 50 and 70% of the support of prohibited ailerons, but only progress as they become more sophisticated.
Comprising at least two support bases on each side of the fairing (hence the new concept of pontoons), they are more solid than the old, rather fragile fins (front, the fins could detach or break after a slight impact), just as prominent and barely less blunt...
Wouldn't real safety have been to not legislate on the fins, except to impose maximum dimensions and a material flexible enough not to cause injury in the event of an impact?
