Change is coming to GP thick and fast

Anyone ever heard the phrase "act in haste, repent at leisure"? It seems there is no Spanish translation.

Well, here's my effort:

"si actuas o haces algo muy de prisa, tendras bastante mas tiempo para lamentarlo"

The MotoGP tabloid press is reporting that when testing starts in Sepang next week the management will be meeting behind the scenes to rush through a radical set of proposals to limit costs over the next two years.

There's nothing new in the leaked proposals - all have been discussed on this and other blogs before. What is upsetting, but not surprising, is the speed of these changes - big mistakes are going to be made. And whilst all these changes are intended to cut costs, arguably the biggest factor in escalating costs is the modern tendency for the rules to change year in year out. Adapting to new rules in a competitive way is always going to add costs.

The list of changes to be signed off in Sepang can be found here.

For non-Italian speakers Kropotkin translated them here.

The more I think about it, the more it's clear WSB is where it's at this year. Can't believe I'm saying that.

We are not alone...

This blog is not the only one to recognise the pointed nature of Denning's remarks.

Autosport led with the major change quote.

See here.

Denning hints at lack of strategic vision in MotoGP

It could be considered a landmark moment. A factory team boss pointing the finger back at Dorna, FIM and IRTA telling them to wake up and think bigger.

Ironically (or pointedly) this was in an interview for MotoGP.com:

"Some of the short term measures that have already been suggested are not going to be very effective, but they may be a minor help.

"The key point is that with the manufacturers, Dorna, IRTA, looking at things from a promoter´s perspective, an organisational perspective, a private team perspective and so on, all factors have to be considered in terms of priority and that big changes are needed, rather than small tweaks."

Funnily enough MotoGP.com didn't lead it's story with the issue, chosing to focus on Suzuki's need to be competative.

Denning might not be the most highly respected team boss in MotoGP circles, but he has come a long way from being a privateer backmarker in British championship racing.

This blog is very pleased to hear someone in his position not only talking about cutting costs - but challenging Dorna to get out there and promote the sport. Make it grow. And think things through from a teams perspective.

IRTA's mention is also interesting. Listening to the factories recently you'd think IRTA ceased to exist.

Maybe Mr Denning is a fan of Out With The Big Boys...welcome sir. And sorry about the backmarker comment.

Dorna shuffling more deckchairs

The latest evidence of Dorna's backwards thinking was revealed today after it pulled down a video they had published themselves after only 24 hours.

After limiting it's own YouTube channel to anodyne clips and the briefest of highlights, Dorna published one full length race on YouTube, complete with the online stream commentary as provided live by Nick Harris.

Only to pull it down again 24 hours later.

Some people have commented that this must surely therefore have been a test - but I'd bet my hat that someone in the commercial department became afraid of the impact on TV broadcasters - or in fact that one complained.

What will it take for them to wake up and smell the roses??

It's not as if MotoGP is a huge commercial success on TV with networks bidding against each other for more and more money to win the rights. If this was the case, nervousness would be understandable.

No, in most countries Dorna has to practically give away the rights and plead with broadcasters to show them.

So why not use the web to tackle some of the demand side problem that are (in reality) killing progress in the sport.

Give it away online. More than that - push it online. Pay a small team of youngsters to sit online seeding the coverage on Facebook, MySpace, bebo, et al.

Then give it away again, and again. Let people edit clips. Make their own soundtracks. Mix clips into movies. Post them on blogs and social networks.

Then it might just catch on. And if it does, I'll eat my hat (and anyone else's for that matter) if people who can watch it on TV watch it online instead.

And while you're at it - give teams video clips for free to use in marketing, building their own fan base.

But of course I'm wrong. A worldwide trebling of the fan base and a sudden influx of major sponsors would do nothing to solve the current cost crisis and dwindling grids.

So says George W Ezpeleta.

TfL Motorbikes in bus lanes and the rise of militancy of cyclists

Finally after years of procrastincation, subtefuge and general buggering around Motorbikes can now use bus lanes. Though it's only the ones that TfL control (so look for it being in a Red Route).

But a small but vocal group of cycle lobby groups are trying to stir up some resistance. Please if you get 5 minutes TfL are asking for 'user views' so set your browser here

https://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/roadusers/finesandregulations/motorcycleinbuslanes/default.aspx

and fill out the form.

The thing that frustrates me about the cyclist lobby is that they refuse to be inclusive and collectively look after all two wheeled vehicles; bikes and cyclists both being vulnerable from cars and the "sorry didn't see you gov".

If I was riding my motorbike in a cycle lane then I'm fair game, but this is the road and being invited (as they were) into using the bus lanes. What I find galling is

• They don't pay road tax
• They aren't insured (3rd party insurance, the minimum legal requirement for powered vehicles is for the protection and cover of other peopel not yourself)
• Helmet and protective clothing is in a minority (lycra doesn't count)
• If they would actually obey the highway code and not intrepret a red light to mean "everyone stop but me"

WSB Portugal Test Photos

Just 8 bikes line up for the first 250cc IRTA test!

well, erm, need I say anymore.