Photo: motogp.com
The FIA has recently announced that a new super-license will be enforced for 2016, and the future regulations will prevent riders under the age of 18 from accessing the first road-racing car competition of the world. These new rules have been adopted after Dutch-Belgian driver Max Verstappen, 17, and son of former F1 racer Jos Verstappen was signed as a contracted driver and will debut this March in Australia, becoming the youngest Formula 1 driver ever.
Now, ditching two wheels and retuning to our favorite premier-class world, the “rookie rule” was abandoned several seasons ago, and we now see another fast tracking rider, in the person of Aussie Jack Miller skipping Moto2 and ready to race with the top guys in MotoGP.
So far no signs from the FIM indicate that the rookie rule is envisaged, but things can definitely be questioned. Some guys with solid experience in the sport claim that jumping straight from the Moto3 feeder class to the MotoGP one is too much of a jump, but whether the FIM shares their opinion we’ll find out later. Maybe.
Bike dimensions, weight and the riding style are completely different, according to pretty much any rookie. Plus, the top speed a MotoGP machine reaches during a race and the bigger effort needed to control the machine may put the (too) young riders under too much strain.
As for the possibility that Moto2 becomes less relevant in case Miller has a great career in MotoGP, Larvis says nothing bad can befall the intermediate class. If Miller rides well in MotoGP after jumping in straight from Moto3, this only means that he was capable to do so. But this doesn’t mean that everyone can replicate the performance.
The Yamaha official concludes that he believes that despite the strong attraction the premier class exerts on Moto3 riders, they youngsters and their advisors will never forget that making such a move too soon and subsequently failing to live up to certain expectations (which are common sense in MotoGP) turns a potential bright career into a premature failure from which recovering would be very hard.
Do we get the rookie rule back? Mid-season might bring and answer.
So far no signs from the FIM indicate that the rookie rule is envisaged, but things can definitely be questioned. Some guys with solid experience in the sport claim that jumping straight from the Moto3 feeder class to the MotoGP one is too much of a jump, but whether the FIM shares their opinion we’ll find out later. Maybe.
From 55hp to 270 hp
The first reason for those who are skeptical about skipping the Moto2 experience is the huge differences between the MotoGP and the Moto3 bikes. While the machines ridden in the entry class produce around 55 horsepower, a MotoGP prototype will put around 270 horsies at the mercy of the rider.Bike dimensions, weight and the riding style are completely different, according to pretty much any rookie. Plus, the top speed a MotoGP machine reaches during a race and the bigger effort needed to control the machine may put the (too) young riders under too much strain.
Yamaha boss Lin Jarvis is curious to see how Miller will ride
Yamaha Racing boss Lin Jarvis tells MCN that watching LCR Honda’s Jack Miller aboard a MotoGP bike will be very interesting, but refrains from saying whether this move is right or wrong. “It is going to be very interesting. Is it right or wrong? If you ask the people who are a little older in the sport then they are not convinced it is the way to go. But maybe Verstappen can do great things in F1 and Miller will do the same in MotoGP and this will be a game changer. I don't know but I am very curious to see what happens with these two young guys,” he adds.As for the possibility that Moto2 becomes less relevant in case Miller has a great career in MotoGP, Larvis says nothing bad can befall the intermediate class. If Miller rides well in MotoGP after jumping in straight from Moto3, this only means that he was capable to do so. But this doesn’t mean that everyone can replicate the performance.
The Yamaha official concludes that he believes that despite the strong attraction the premier class exerts on Moto3 riders, they youngsters and their advisors will never forget that making such a move too soon and subsequently failing to live up to certain expectations (which are common sense in MotoGP) turns a potential bright career into a premature failure from which recovering would be very hard.
Do we get the rookie rule back? Mid-season might bring and answer.
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