GpOne:
The current MotoGP engine situation
Sunday, 18 July 2010 14:29 by Alice Margaria
At the 8th (of 18) race of the season, here is a recap of the current engine situation in MotoGP. We remind readers that each rider has a total of six engines available for the entire season, which works out to an average of three races per engine.
The morning before the German GP at the Sachsenring, Dorna released the list of engines sealed by each rider in the category. An examination reveals the varying approaches taken by each team and manufacturer.
Jorge Lorenzo, after suffering a spectacular and fiery engine failure during yesterday's qualifying session (it was his #2 engine which broke), is now using his 4th engine.
Dani Pedrosa has thus far used 3 motors. His #1 engine was used for 4 races, and his #2 and #3 have been used for two races each till now.
His teammate Andrea Dovizioso has also used three engines, his #1 and #2 being used for three races each.
Ducati rider Casey Stoner began using his 4th engine at Sachsenring. The problems with his #2 engine at Le Mans have caused issues for the rider and the team. His #1 engine lasted only one race, because of his crash in Qatar, and so the other two units have had to run 3 races each.
Valentino Rossi missed four races because of his injury: Mugello, Silverstone, Assen and Catalunya. His bike was still used for the last round though, the Catalan GP, by test rider Yoshikawa. The Japanese was using Valentino's #2 engine in the race. Rossi is now making use of his #3 engine for Sachsenring.
Three engines have also been used by Yamaha rider Ben Spies. The American's first two engines did two races each, and with the Sachsenring his #3 engine will have done four consecutive races.
Marco Simoncelli's engne use has been very consistent: he has thus far stayed on the three races per engine schedule, and so Sachsenring (race
will be run with his #3 sealed engine.
His Gresini teammate Marco Melandri is also on his third motor. His #1 engine did three races, his #2 engine two (as he skipped Assen with an injury), and the German GP will be the second race on his #3 engine.
The situation at Suzuki is quite critical. Loris Capirsossi was forced to begin using his #4 engine already at the fifth race, at Silverstone. His #2 engine had failed at Mugello, and his #1 engine failed in Barcellona, after having been used in only one race.
This brief analysis underscores the very real possibility of engine life playing a part in the World Championship.
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