Marc Marquez: MotoGP must choose between the show or ‘perfect’ bikes

Marc Marquez has kept the pressure up on MotoGP to give the riders more influence over the performance of their machinery in the future rules.

Nothing is yet official, although negotiations are advancing for the next five-year cycle for technical rules, starting in 2027.

The main changes are expected to involve a reduction in engine size (from 1,000 to 850cc) and aerodynamics, while ride-height devices could be banned and stricter fuel limits imposed.

• Why MotoGP’s future 850cc era won’t repeat mistakes of the past

Six-time MotoGP champion Marquez made clear he wants to see more control in the hands of the riders, to produce a better racing show.

“It depends if you want to have a MotoGP category [for] the show, the spectators or the perfect bike. I prefer to go for the show,” said Marquez, who has switched from Honda to Ducati this season to try and end a two-year win drought.

“If you take out some aerodynamics, if you take out some [ride-height] devices, all these things, I believe that for the show it will be better. Because now it's much more difficult to overtake than in the past.

“A ‘perfect bike’ means going with more aerodynamics, which means the lap times will be faster. But the people at home don't realise if we are one second faster or slower from the TV.

“So I would go this way: Less aerodynamics, everything more manual and for the show it will be better.”

Jack Miller: Some manufacturers would like a fresh start!

KTM’s Jack Miller doesn’t care what the future engine size is: “We ride the best bikes in the world. If they’re 850cc or 1200cc we’re going to ride them.”

But the Australian conceded record-breaking speeds are making the racetracks ‘smaller and smaller’, while hinting that a change of engine size could also help the likes of Honda and Yamaha catch-up to the European brands.

“We’re going pretty fast now. Even with my fat arse on the bike we’re able to do 360km/h in Qatar!” Miller said. “We keep getting this issue, the tracks are getting smaller and smaller [because] the speed is getting higher. 360 isn’t ideal but this is the pinnacle of motorcycle racing.

“They’ve been [800cc] before. They ended up coming back [to 1,000cc]. But change is good because it allows some manufacturers to start fresh… And I can think of a few that would like a fresh start!”

The previous 800cc era ran from 2007-2011 meaning that, of the current full-time grid, only Aleix Espargaro raced the smaller engine prototypes.

“I'm not a technician! I never rode [an 800cc] in the past… and 2027 is too far!” said factory Aprilia rider Maverick Vinales of the future rules.

“Maybe they can [even] find more power, I don’t know.  But of course if they take out aero, you cannot put the same amount of power going out of the corners, so probably you cannot reach the same top speeds.”

“So if the purpose is for safety, [maybe] the bikes will be with less top speed.  But I don't know if it's going to be more fun [for the rider] because it's always a different challenge.”