Burgess slams single tyre rule
Added on Tuesday, September 30th, 2008 by Carole Nash Editor
Burgess believes that a single supplier will take much of the interest out of Grand Prix racing.
Valentino Rossi’s chief engineer Jerry Burgess has hit out at the decision to turn the 2009 MotoGP championship into a single-tyre competition.
The Yamaha boss claims that the decision by Dorna to go with a single tyre supplier next season will devalue the competition and turn it into a “pseudo superbikes” championship.
Burgess, whose Yamaha team itself handles both Michelin and Bridgestone tyres, also claims that the battle between the two manufacturers has provided much of the excitement in this year’s championship.
“I’m against it, this is a prototype championship and you need as many prototype factors in it, driving it forward, as possible,” he said.
“If it’s dumbed down, we could very easily end up as a pseudo Superbike championship.”
The decision to go to a single-tyre competition, following the lead of World Superbikes and the MotoGP’s 125cc and 250cc class, came after fierce criticism of Michelin at earlier rounds in Laguna Seca and Brno.
“We’ve essentially been one brand before,” he added. “During the mid to late 90s when Michelin were the de-facto supplier, but there were tyres then that Mick Doohan was riding that not many others could ride. What we need is a one brand rule with choices.”
Burgess also doubts that a single supplier will make the competition more competitive.
“The cream will always ride to the top,” he added. “We’ve seen this in Formula One, and indeed in 250cc with Dunlop. The racing will be entirely predictable in that the same four riders will be at the top, Valentino (Rossi), Casey (Stoner), (Dani) Pedrosa, and Jorge (Lorenzo).
“What I really want to know is the reason this has come about. Surely the most exciting racing at Motegi was the battle between Lorenzo and Pedrosa on two different brands?”
Bridgestone have previously raised their own concerns over a single tyre championship, claiming that becoming a sole supplier would go against their original reasons for entering Grand Prix racing.
Earlier in the year, Bridgestone motorsport chief Hiroshi Yamada said: “We came to racing in 2002 for two reasons - to improve our brand image and to develop tyre technology through competition. If there is a single tyre rule, there will be no need to develop technology.
“At the moment, the competition with Michelin is a very good promotion for us.”
