2023-05-02 18:49:10
Dorna took advantage of the last test in Jerez to continue working on a direct communication system with the pilot, a technology that has already existed in the Formula 1 World Championship for years and that could now reach MotoGP in the short term, although not before 2024.
Those responsible for the championship already tested a direct connection via radio in September 2020 for Race Direction to be able to send pre-recorded messages to a pilot through an earpiece attached to his ear, placing the receiver on the monkey’s hump.
Stefan Bradl was responsible for fine-tuning this technology in that Misano test held almost three years ago, and this time, in Jerez, there have been up to three MotoGP riders who have tested different variations of a communication system that aims to improve pilot safety warning them of dangerous situations through voice messages sent by Race Direction, without the possibility of talking to his box as it happens in Formula 1.
Carlos Ezpeleta, Dorna’s Sports Director, spoke in Jerez about this technology that we will soon see working in the premier class of the championship. As explained by the son of Carmelo Ezpeleta, “in 2020, the drivers complained about the visibility of the flags to know what was happening on the track, so we did a test in Misano in 2020. But the drivers were not very happy with the first system, they felt uncomfortable with it and with the noise level.
The next step in this ambitious plan established by Dorna to anticipate any unforeseen event that happens on the track outside the facility. “of the LED panels, and making them mandatory at all circuits since last year, which has been very successful. The drivers are very happy and I think we have made great progress and progress when it comes to the yellow flags, as the flags in general, and to get the information to the pilots during the races and the sessions. So we’re very happy with the LED panels, which are now all over the calendar.“.
Despite this substantial improvement in the visual warning systems, Dorna’s sports manager acknowledges that “It was important for us to continue to help and communicate with the riders when they’re on the bikes, and the next phase for us was to re-engage with the radio and audio communication project. It’s a challenge for us because, unlike Cars, motorcycle helmets are tight, especially on the face, and motorcycles are much noisier. There’s a lot more movement: the riders have to have freedom to move on the bike, so it’s a lot more difficult. There also has to be communication with the rider himself, not with the bike, from ‘race control’. So there are things we have to work on, but we are very happy.”
As detailed by Carlos Ezpeleta in Jerez, the organization was tested “of the systems” different ones, one for pilots who use earplugs and another for those who do not: “As everyone knows, pilots wear earplugs because of the noise, so the system fits there. Some pilots have already tried it and feel comfortable with it, so during the test we sent pre-recorded radio messages. The idea is that in the future the system will be marked by GPS, so that if you approach an area with a yellow flag, rain or a slippery surface, it warns the drivers before on the straight leading to that sector. It should be quite advanced in terms of information and when to communicate the information to the pilots. The other system is directly through the ears, but we think the other system is better.”
The first version of the MotoGP radio will only use “safety related messages, pre-recorded from ‘race control'”although Ezpeleta sees a significant margin for improvement: “I think a lot can be developed in the coming years. D.e moment is a one-way system, and all the pilots agree that in principle it is positive. At a later stage, if the teams agree, and once they feel more comfortable with the system, in terms of two-way radio communication from drivers to race control or teams to drivers, I think it’s something that will probably happen in the future. The riders already work a lot on the bikes with the ‘Ride Height Devices’ etc., so we’ll see what happens with the technical regulations. But, without a doubt, there will be many innovations in the coming seasons.”
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Audio communication between Race Direction and pilots “it will not be before 2024 in Qatar”, and Ezpeleta points out that “It will also be when the pilots agree that it is safe to listen to radio messages. There is a lot of development on the software side, so if they only want to receive messages in predetermined places, it will be more difficult for us to prepare those messages and sectors.”.
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