Rossi: Electronics are back to 2008 levels!

Valentino Rossi said that the change of electronics for 2016 have been a massive step backwards for MotoGP machines. The factories have now had to revert back to the software that had been previously used by the Open machines and suddenly the riders have seen a huge downgrade in their performance.

“I tried the new electronic for next year and it will be a big problem,” said Rossi. “I mean it is like we make a jump in the past and it’s like the software from 2008 or 2009. For me the bike wasn’t more fun to ride with less electronics because in the end the higher the level of the bike then the better it is for my enjoyment.

“So [with electronics] like this is clear step back. At the beginning you are also a little bit angry on the bike because you think ‘f**k! It don’t work’ But on the other side, it can be good for the racing. Because it will be a lot more difficult to always make the same lap time. Because the bike is more difficult to ride. So can be better for the battle during the race, can be more fun about this.”

With new electronics and the switch to Michelin tyres for this year the teams and riders had plenty of work on their plates for the opening test of 2016. Rossi, like many, tried to change one variable at a time and started with the same bike that he finished the Valencia Grand Prix with before gradually changing to incorporate the new electronics.

“We started on the 2015 bike, then the 2015 bike fitted with the new software. That is where we spent the most time and still we must spend a lot of time, because looks like we did like one step back [in time] because it will be difficult to arrive at the same level as before. But we are working there, especially on the acceleration side, traction control, torque delivery is where we must improve more. The connection with the gas. Then in the last runs we tried the new [2016] engine but honestly it was difficult to give the right feedback because still we must fix the electronic software.”