MotoGP – Honda “wins” and will be able to use the famous rear tire spoiler

Bruno Gomes

March 30, 2019

Jorge Lorenzo | Photo credits: Box Repsol

As we predicted when the FIM Court of Appeal decided that Ducati’s rear tire spoiler is legal, we’re now watching all other factories trying to use that same component on their MotoGP prototypes, and the spoiler controversy is still going to be the main point of interest in MotoGP for a long time.

Aprilia Racing, through their technical director Romano Albesiano, has already confirmed they will be using the spoiler starting on the GP of the Americas, in Texas, but Honda Racing Corporation was a bit faster to react and decided to use it at this weekend Argentina GP after the FIM Court of Appeal said it was legal.

According to Motorsport.com website, Honda Racing Corporation arrived at the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit on Thursday with a rear tire spoiler for their RC213V bikes of Marc Marquez and Jorge Lorenzo.

On Thursday afternoon, they presented the spoiler to MotoGP technical director Danny Aldridge, responsible for accepting any changes on MotoGP bikes, and the person responsible for letting Ducati use the spoiler in Qatar.

But unlike in Ducati’s case, Danny Aldridge didn’t accept the Honda spoiler. After hearing what Honda engineers had to say, and analyzing the design and functionality of the Honda spoiler, Danny refused to homologate the component. Though there’s no official explanation for that decision, rumors point to the fact that Danny Aldridge said “No” to Honda because their spoiler affects the aerodynamics of the bike, unlike what Ducati always said, that their spoiler is only to cool down the rear tire.

Honda, unaffected by this decision, went back to MotoGP technical director, on Friday, but now with a twist in their arguments.

Andrea Dovizioso | Photo credits: Tribunnews

Honda Racing Corporation had no intention to ask the FIM Court of Appeal for another decision on this subject, so what the Japanese team did, according to Italian website GPOne, was to create internal conflict in MotoGP, a conflict that calls into question the technical rule regarding the rear tire spoiler.

They presented on Friday to the Technical Director the exact same spoiler he didn’t homologate for race use the day before but now stating that the spoiler is only intended to cool down the rear tire.

This change in an argument meant that Danny Aldridge had no other option but to homologate Honda Racing Corporation rear tire spoiler, and as of Saturday practice sessions and qualifying, the Repsol Honda RC213V will feature the famous spoiler in front of their rear tire.

This is a major win for Honda outside the track!

This way Honda will be using a spoiler that will cause an aerodynamic effect on their bikes, improving stability – even if the argument used to homologate the component is completely different -, and at the same time Honda Racing Corporation sends a message to MotoGP organizers that changes must be made to technical rules, to stop situations like this from happening in the future.