As highly expected Dorna has announced today that next season they will make availabe a standard ECU unit in MotoGP supplied by Magneti Marelli.
The system which will include “an engine and chassis control unit with inboard datalogger, as well as the relevant tuning and data analysis tools, dashboard, handlebar toggle switch and inertial platform” and it will be supplied free of charge, but it won’t be obligatory, yet.
While the still evolving CRTs teams will benefit from the control unit, and not only save money, as electronics are big part in the cost of racing teams, it supposedly it will also help tighten the still rather large gap that exists between CRTs and the very expensive prototype machines.
This is Dorna’s flexing their new found muscles and taking control, while trying numb down the expensive cost of racing, as their next move will be making the spec ECU obligatory for everyone, besides trying to get a rev limit introduced in 2014 or 2015.
The problem is that the factories are per se against any changes that will limit their R&D.
Some may seem to be more willing to accept some sort of trade-off, that is except for Honda, who has officially gone on the record threatening to leave, saying that if they have to use a standard ECU they will turn towards World Superbikes, where there are almost no restrictions, neither in the number of engines used in a season or electronic packages.
Press release after the jump.
Magneti Marelli ECU available to all MotoGP™ teams from 2013Magneti Marelli will give all competitors in the MotoGP™ premier-class the option to utilise the Italian company’s Electronic Control System on their racing machines from 2013.
This landmark four-year agreement will give all teams access to Magneti Marelli’s electronic control system, which includes an engine and chassis control unit with inboard datalogger, as well as the relevant tuning and data analysis tools, dashboard, handlebar toggle switch and inertial platform.
This system, representing the highest technological option in Magneti Marelli’s portfolio, will be backed up by a permanent presence of its technicians on track, as well as continual development and evolution at its MotoGP-specific R&D centre as its Bologna headquarters, which will be set up specifically in light of this agreement.
Carmelo Ezpeleta, Dorna CEO, is thrilled with this latest cooperation: “I cannot hide the fact that I am very happy with this new cooperation with Magneti Marelli.
The agreement reached we have reached with the Italian company merely validates MotoGP as a competition that incorporates and encourages the latest and most innovative technology.
The experience of this company, which has spent many years at the highest level of competition in motor sport, represents a major step in the premier-class of two-wheel racing.
”Roberto Dalla, Magneti Marelli Motorsport Managing Director, added: “We are very glad to share our know-how and experience in the motorsport field with MotoGP, in order to jointly achieve new objectives in terms of performance and technology development.
The main aim is to provide top technology at affordable costs, which is Magneti Marelli’s mission firstly in racing and also in the field of series production.
Magneti Marelli has been developing solutions in the electronics and electro-mechanics area for MotoGP teams for the last decade: this new initiative with Dorna represents a further strategic opportunity to enhance the development of our technology.
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