We looked for them (in vain) well hidden under the saddles of the official Ducatis, but they were there, before our eyes, and we couldn't see them...
“They” are the Mass Dampers, that is to say suspended masses serving as shock absorbers, the aim of which is to reduce the negative effects of chatting (see our chattering file here). Technology from F1.
And while all eyes were focused on trying to find one in the famous “salad box” of the Ducati GP17, there were two, clearly visible, hanging at each end of the swingarm of the SAG team's Kalex.
It made you laugh Eduardo Perales, owner of the SAG team and author of this previously unpublished montage in Moto2, who spoke to the site speedweek : “I can’t explain it to you in detail. The name of this component is ISSR. This technique should reduce chattering in front and behind. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I spent a lot of money perfecting this technique. I make this component myself, and only a few people know what's inside besides me. I also use parts made by six different companies. That's why I can't reveal any details.
We have already received confirmation from IRTA and Dorna that we are authorized to use this component. We already put it on track in eight races in 2017, but no one noticed it. People always focus on the drivers at the top. We are not Ducati or Yamaha, but we also have ideas. »
The principle of the Mass Damper is a sliding mass whose movement is opposed by springs, oil or compressed gas. It is a purely mechanical system, independent from the rest of the motorcycle and not including any electronics. Therefore, it is not prohibited by the regulations.
Note that to make it more discreet from the competition, at the beginning, the SAG team still painted it black...
