GP and Spec Series, Equal Machinery but Goodbye Creativity: Is This Really the Future?

Is this really the right path for the future of competitions? A comment on the "dark side" of one-make championships, between talent and limitations.

What do you think about the many one-make championships present at every level? The near future of Moto3 under Yamaha’s banner invites reflection. But are we really sure this is the best future for racing? It certainly levels performance and creates a fair fight, but it kills technical creativity... That’s not the case in MotoGP, but something similar was happening in Moto2 as well: at the beginning it was rich in diversity, then it was almost reduced to a KALEX one-make, with the ever-present exception of Speed Up/Boscoscuro, and from 2024, Forward. But let’s also think of the now-defunct MotoE, first a one-make with Energica and then Ducati, or the current Bagger World Cup... Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of this situation.

Let’s start with what, in my opinion (and I don’t think I’m the only one who thinks so), is the biggest problem. Everything is locked to a single manufacturer; design creativity, and therefore healthy competition among manufacturers, is completely wiped out. The machinery is the same for everyone, with the same components, and engineers have no opportunity to devise solutions or special parts. The regulations are rigid, so much for mechanical imagination and the curiosity it used to spark. Looking at the riders, a one-make series could also limit young riders’ growth: lightning-fast on one brand, but in case of changes, how many can adapt right away? And let’s also lightly touch on the issue of potential sponsors’ interest when all the bikes are identical...

Let’s take a look at the positive sides of a one-make championship. Having a single, identical machine for everyone, which cannot be tweaked or modified in the slightest, can lead to cost reductions, opening doors to many more riders who might otherwise be held back by budget, a sore point especially these days. Everyone has the same weapons, so victory depends solely on the rider in the saddle and the team members nailing the setup. As a result, the on-track battle heats up: once any mechanical difference is removed, only the riders’ talent stands out, allowing them to deliver races rich in battles and overtakes.

As with everything, there are pros and cons: which side are you on?

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