Marc Marquez slams the Formula 1 nature of the current MotoGP technical

Modified Aug 21, 2023 00:25 IST

Marc Marquez has criticized the current MotoGP regulations that have transformed the sport in the last few years. The new technical regulations have led to the advent and introduction of aerodynamic winglets and other devices on the bike. These devices have turned the focus of bike development into a completely uncharted territory.

Due to a more streamlined and aerodynamically efficient design, the bikes are producing turbulence for the chasing pack which makes it difficult to follow and overtake. This has led to a massive drop in the number of races where MotoGP would have a battle for the win on the last lap. That has become a rarity as bikes are difficult to follow and hence pulling off overtakes becomes increasingly tough.

After another dull race where there wasn’t much action, Marc Marquez criticized the current regulations and lamented that it was more about the bike than the rider now.

As quoted by The Race, Marquez said that MotoGP was becoming more and more like Formula 1:

“I already said two-three-four years ago [that the racing was starting to suffer] – but the people then say, ‘no, some people are against the aerodynamic things, the other people are in favour’, and then if you say something then the people say, ‘no [it’s] because you cannot adapt to these aerodynamics’.”

He added:

“You can adapt in the end. But the actual MotoGP, you [your results now] depend much more about your bike. Because if you don’t have the aerodynamics, if you don’t have the traction, but especially many, many things about the technical side, then you depend much more from that. And then to attack, to overtake riders, becomes more and more difficult, and it’s easy: it becomes like Formula 1.”

Formula 1 is going towards less downforce: Marc Marquez

The 30-year-old Spaniard further emphasized how Formula 1, on the other hand, was going towards less downforce. The Honda Rider was alluding to the racing series changing design philosophies of the cars to make them easier to follow.

Marc Marquez said (via The Race):

“And Formula 1 [is] going the opposite way, looks like less downforce and less effect about the aero. We are going in the opposite way – every time bigger, bigger, bigger. Looks like in 2027 we change, but it’s too late.”

The unfortunate part about Marc Marquez’s complaints is that they are bound not to have much impact. Unlike Japanese…