Panel boards, or pit boards in Shakespeare's language, have always had an important role to play in motorcycle racing. The most reliable means of communication between teams and riders, signage has evolved little in MotoGP, even if it is starting to become digital. Its use nonetheless requires strategy and dexterity.
All MotoGP teams have one, as well as the best Moto2 and Moto3 teams. The paneling station now occupies a relatively important place in motorcycle racing. Originally, the aim was to inform the driver as quickly as possible of the time he had just set in the previous lap. Valuable information which can now be transmitted on the dashboard of motorcycles, which was not the case until 2017.
As technological and inventive as the war MotoGP teams are waging has become, some aspects of the competition continue old traditions. The art of paneling is one of them. For decades, the decor of the pit wall seems not to have evolved.
Each race, it's the same story: a forest of signs brandished by mechanics who wait for their driver to transmit them valuable information: lap time, position, gap with the previous driver and the one chasing him, map changes engines, number of revolutions covered or to be covered…
The art of paneling
The goal of the panelist is to inform his pilot about the situation as it is. You have to know how to elbow, but also extend your arm, so that the pilot is clearly informed. However, the information is different during the weekend. During qualifying sessions, information is based on: time remaining, current position and best session time. During a race, the information depends on the following elements: remaining laps, position, number of other riders in the group (especially in Moto3 & Moto2, to take the slipstream) and time gaps between the rider and the group of chasers.
In the case of a flag to flag race (in MotoGP only), the team also provides two other pieces of information: assurance that the second bike is ready via the “PIT OK” message, and if there is a technical problem , the message “IN” to inform the driver of the need to return to the pits.
In some other situations, such as when another driver is close behind, the panelist indicates a smaller time difference than the real one, for example by marking +0 instead of +0.8. Davide Brivio, Team Manager of Team Suzuki Ecstar, adds that there are many factors to consider: “If you get to the end of the season and you have a rider fighting for the title, his panel has to hold him completely informed about what its main rivals are doing. » He adds “We work closely with the rider to define strategies not only for the races but also for practice and qualifying. »
During qualifying, it can also happen that the panel is used to mislead a competitor, although this is quite rarely used. In racing, there are also certain codes that reflect team orders to their riders, such as those used by Ducati towards Jorge Lorenzo to allow Andrea Dovizioso to win the race in Valencia in 2017.
The driver normally has a clear view of the information, but there are circuits where the panel position is located relatively close to the driver's braking cue. For this reason, the sign must be placed where the driver will have sufficient time to read the information and manage his braking. During the race, there may be several panels deployed which may hinder the driver from being able to read the information.
When motorcycles are grouped together, it can be difficult to read the sign. The mechanics must use their ingenuity to extend their arm!
So how does it work ? Brivio explains: “It all depends on the team. In our case, the race engineer is the person who takes care of the driver. They are like a football or basketball coach in that they are the person closest to the pilot, and give orders, discuss and change tactics and much more. In exceptional cases, however, the Team Manager will intervene if the driver ignores the message or if it is sufficiently important. »
At KTM, the race engineer issues the orders, and it is the “data guy”, or the “strategy manager” who is responsible for writing and transmitting the orders to the rider.
The panel station also accommodates a weather station. The information it provides is sent directly to the box in order to make the most appropriate choice of tires for the track conditions. Furthermore, the heart of the cockpit is equipped with several screens allowing you to follow the race and in front of which the team managers are usually positioned, who do not have a particular role to play in the box at that precise moment.
The HRC panel station
For example, in the event of rain, and a Flag-to-Flag race (which only concerns MotoGP), the team can be more reactive. But by the time the driver actually enters the pits, it may be a lap or two too late. He must pass through the stand view to see the information on the panel then complete his turn before being able to enter. This can add a round or two that can be the difference between winning or losing.
An evolution: the “virtual dashboard”
However, MotoGP bikes are equipped with a “virtual dashboard”. Drivers thus have real-time information transmitted to their dashboard by race management (since 2015), but also by their team (authorized since 2017).
The race director can then use this means of communication in addition to the track marshals to order a competitor to stop, particularly in the event of danger, or stipulate a penalty for non-compliance with the regulations, or even disqualification from the race. .
The team has a series of predefined messages to inform its driver. Messages that were until then only accessible to him via the sign brandished over the pit wall. The “virtual dashboard” allows you to be more responsive than using the classic panel. The driver has his times in real time, and if he is asked to enter the box during a practice session he can do so immediately without losing a lap after reading the message on his panel. The information transmitted is limited and monitored by the race management, but can also be used by the director for live TV.
Teams can now send messages to their drivers via the dashboard
It's different from Formula 1 for example, where the drivers follow the orders given to them. In MotoGP, teams can only provide information to the rider. For example, it is possible to report that an opponent is riding harder. But, on a drying track, if there is a portion on the other side of the circuit that is still wet and the driver is not confident enough to use the slicks, the choice is his. On two wheels, while the rider can obtain information via the panel, it is up to him to interpret that information and make his own choice.
The reason radios are not used in motorcycle riding is not only due to cost, but also because it would be a dangerous distraction for the rider. Unlike a Formula 1 driver, a MotoGP driver moves around the bike constantly and in an extremely physical way. Any distraction of any kind can be very dangerous.
