Tech 3 bosses urges caution on rule changes

James Toseland’s Tech 3 Yamaha boss Herve Poncharal believes it will be hard for MotoGP to radically revamp technical rules to counter the impact of the credit crisis.

Several suggestions have been put forward to help MotoGP cut costs in the wake of Kawasaki’s exit from the series.

They include a rev limit, a freeze on engine development and banning carbon brakes following a crisis summit of the Motorcycle Sport Manufacturers Association in Japan this week.

But Poncharal believes there will be limits on what engineers can change because of the production-based World Superbike series.

In Formula One recently, the FIA unveiled plans to introduce standard engines and gearboxes in 2010 to limit costs, but Poncharal believes replicating such bold steps is impossible for MotoGP.

He told MCN: “Formula One can do this because it is the stand alone leader in car racing. But it is hard to implement such changes in MotoGP because of World Superbikes.

“An M1 and R1 in black carbon look the same, and if we want to cut technical costs then we face a big problem because WSB is sport production and we are prototype.

“If we want to reduce the costs then you’ll end up closing in on the spec of a World Superbike. It is creating a problem for us to reduce the technical costs but it is something that has got to be looked at given the current situation.”