F1-style radio getting closer; no to a single-bike rule: MotoGP caught between innovation and vetoes

Radio like in F1 is getting closer and closer, the risk of a single bike has been avoided: the state of MotoGP between present and future.

A World Championship is always in constant ferment, especially behind the scenes, where decisions are made that will lead to future steps. We told you about the hypothetical new market rules in MotoGP, but there’s more on the technical side too. The single bike for an entire weekend has long been discussed, and now comes the news that the idea has been rejected. Not only that, testing is underway on a communication system between rider and pit wall, F1-style, via a radio system with continually updated earpieces. In the last two GPs, Pedro Acosta carried out tests on the latest developments, also sharing his opinion with the media.

It’s been talked about for some time and behind-the-scenes tests are ongoing, with one rider or another, to gather as much information as possible. The first on-track trials took place last year during the Valencia tests: riders were split between those who rejected the innovation, those who preferred a more neutral stance, and those who viewed the novelty favorably. Everyone in turn has tried the developments to make this potential innovation increasingly comfortable for a MotoGP rider. For the moment, these are pre-recorded messages sent from Race Direction to the rider to flag safety notes and track conditions, with no possibility of a response from the latter.

The first future objective will be to enable an initial two-way exchange, and then finally reach open team radio as we have in F1. At Silverstone, and even earlier at the Sachsenring, Acosta tested the latest step (so far) of the radio communication earpieces: an updated version of the integrated earbuds. The KTM rider especially praised their comfort, appreciating the new design. Testing is proceeding nonstop and without a precise date for the introduction of the entire system, which is still under development.

According to the Spanish outlet El Periodico, KTM has prevented the final approval of this measure. What is particularly puzzling is learning that the riders, the protagonists of the MotoGP World Championship and thus the ones called upon to take the machines on track, were never consulted on the matter. Meanwhile, Ducati and Aprilia were clearly in favor, Yamaha was watching from the sidelines, and Honda seemed neutral on the subject (as reported by the Spanish daily, at least until Alberto Puig’s intervention). KTM changed its mind along the way, breaking unanimity and preventing the move to the single-bike formula. An idea that from the outset raised doubts due to all the consequences in case of technical problems, crashes, flag-to-flag situations... Perhaps saving MotoGP?