In the past few years MotoGP has seen a drastic decline in the one characteristic that used to set it apart from other forms of racing: overtaking. Despite their sport being somewhat less popular, MotoGP fans used to take comfort in the knowledge that it was far more exciting than any four-wheeled motorsport in the world. Now that this superiority is coming under threat, many fans are pointing the finger at tires and electronics as the cause.
Speaking about the latter recently to Superbike Planet, former world champion Kevin Schwantz had some interesting things to say about the emergence of this technology.
"Traction control, there's no doubt that it's made careers last longer; it's made these machines much more forgiving to ride - the American said - From that perspective, I think it's great. From the competition side, what I want to see is these guys hung off the side of these things with the back tires smoking."
"Whether one or the other is right or correct, or is the right direction for the sport, I'd love to see them without any electronics whatsoever. But I think from a safety perspective, a 250-plus horsepower motorcycle, in a class that we call MotoGP, should have all the latest, greatest technology on it. As far as that goes, everything's going electronic."
"Ten years ago, a car didn't have ABS on it - Schwantz continued - Now, 90 percent of what we drive has ABS on it. I think we have to continue to let the manufacturers develop things."
"I'd like to see it, and I don't think there's an in-between. I don't think there's a little bit of electronics. It's either electronics flat out, or none at all, and I don't know how to come up with a happy medium that pleases everybody. But I think traction control, especially spin control, should be in your right hand."
