Buckmaster calls for testing ban
Added on Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009 by Carole Nash Editor
Buckmaster calls for testing ban
In a surprise outburst, Parkalgar Honda team manager Simon Buckmaster has called for a complete ban on testing in World Supersport and has accused the sport of making “politically correct” token gestures towards cost cutting.
In a sensational attack on the sport’s current format, Buckmaster believes that the policy of “free testing”, which allows teams to test their bikes outside of the official test windows, is having an adverse affect on the smaller, privateer teams who cannot afford the additional track time.
“We have all seen the credit crunch hit hard this year and in MotoGP and WSB we have all had cutbacks to try and reduce costs which I support 100%”, the Parkalgar boss claimed in a statement released today. “The only problem is that while the cuts go in the right direction in some cases the outcome is in fact more costs for teams unless the organisers take the very necessary next step rather than simply making a political gesture.
“In World Supersport we have seen the loss of Friday morning’s first free session but in my opinion the new format is better. Some teams object but I think this is only because we are all apprehensive of change.
“The problem starts when the testing rule for Supersport and indeed Superstock is now completely free, this means with less event track time teams with more budget will be tempted to do more separate testing to give them an advantage. I suggest a total test ban once the season has started with only an agreed amount of official tests allowed on tracks holding rounds.”
Buckmaster suggested that if any team did want to do their own testing, then they should have the opportunity to do it at a local, non championship track – an idea that flies in the face of a number of sponsorship arrangements.
“If any of us need to test something we would have to do so at a non championship track” he added. “This would be the biggest cost reduction and would not change the results.
“The most expensive thing in racing is testing; as an example in a three-day test even in Supersport you are looking at around a £10,000 tyre bill alone.
“When I mentioned this I was told we can’t do this as [Matthieu] Lagrive and [Barry] Venemen have contracts to do the Bol’Dor’ at Magny Cours. I say ‘so-what’, let’s give them a dispensation as they have already signed for 2009 and are riding 1000cc bikes, we can look at it again for 2010. My view is make your decision as a rider – do you want to ride World Endurance or World Supersport for future years.
“Then I am told the Italian teams need to do their home rounds for sponsorship reasons. In principle I have no problem with a team doing their home National race. The problem starts when there are three rounds of our Championship in Italy. For me this is wrong; two are enough in any country and three is just wrong as it is supposed to be a World Championship.
“The same applies in MotoGP having three rounds in Spain, it is not right.”
Buckmaster also pointed to the recently rearranged Qatar Grand Prix as an example of where cost cutting strategies are being undermined and questioned the wisdom of running a night race.
“MotoGP went to Qatar for a night race knowing that if it rained they were not going to race,” he added. “In this case then don’t have a night race. If this does not work for Qatar then don’t go there, we had a day race there in WSB no problem. In MotoGP what we ended up with was a four lap 125 race, only 13 laps of 250 and a big increase in costs for the MotoGP teams having to stay an extra day to hold the race on Monday.
“Let’s all look to actually reduce costs not just make a token gesture so we are politically correct.”
