Repsol Honda's Dani Pedrosa (Photo: Honda Pro Images) ยป More Photos
By the beginning of 2007 the tide had really turned, and, although Michelin believed the superiority of the Stoner-Ducati combo was not a result of a Bridgestone advantage, Valentino Rossi and Dani Pedrosa were already asking for Bridgestones for 2008.
Rossi, unquestionably the most popular motorcycle racer in the world, demanded Bridgestone tires and, through direct intervention by Dorna, got them. Pedrosa, however, was forced by Honda to put his faith in Michelin.
Now only an end-of-the-season reversal of form can prevent Honda from switching to Bridgestone in 2009.
According to some reports from Brno, Carmelo Ezpeleta was told by the majority of riders at a closed 'safety' meeting that they approved on a single tire system for 2009, but several Bridgestone riders have denied this, among them Casey Stoner and Chris Vermeulen.
Rossi, however, in spite of enjoying the advantage of being a Bridgestone rider, said that he believed it was time to go to a single tire system. Rossi also favors controlling ECU's and either eliminating or neutralizing traction control.
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The discussion of electronics will be a long and heated one, with the MSMA (manufacturers) firmly opposed to any ban of traction control and FIM President Vito Ippolito outspokenly in favor of such a ban.
But, one thing at a time… This weekend at Misano only a return to form by once-dominant Michelin will prevent -- if it is not too late already -- a move by Honda to Bridgestone and, perhaps, a proposal by Dorna to impose a single-tire rule in 2009.
Dorna is facing a difficult situation. TV audience figures always drop during the summer, but the perception is that MotoGP racing is not as exciting as it was during the 990cc era. In fact one thing that the vast majority of MotoGP riders agree on is that it was a mistake to go from 990cc to 800cc bikes.
Rossi believes that the best formula would be to go back to 990cc and ban traction control. Dorna has the power to impose a control tire system, a 'commercial' matter, but all matters of 'technical' concerns must be agreed upon by the MSMA, and a return to 990cc and a ban on traction control would not be approved by the current MSMA members.
