MotoGP: discipline wants to do without fossil fuels

The MotoGPit is the ultimate in speed, noise and fuel combustion on two-wheelers. In addition, Or at least it was until about a year ago. For example, when the organizers of this world championship launched the “Racing for motogp: discipline wants do without the Future” program.

Under this name is the desire to modernize the regulations governing the races of the different categories. Nevertheless, in order to lower the price of the entry ticket for the various teams and manufacturers, but also to make competition more sustainable.

This involves creating a new category. Moreover, the Motoewhere machines moved by the power of the electrons and with batteries as an energy tank clash. Similarly, The novelty arrived in 2019, in a world cup where all competitors receive the same prototypes. Consequently, The Cup became a real world championship in 2022. Consequently, and, in 2023, the Italian manufacturer Ducati took over from the first supplier, the small Italian company Energica.

The motorcycle is disputed the same weekends as MotoGP, and on the same circuits. Therefore, The motogp: discipline wants do without races are however much shorter … However, The autonomy of motorcycles being less. Furthermore, Their maximum speed is a little less impressive, flirting with the 280 km/h.

The undersigned was able to try. For example, on the Czech circuit of Brno, aboard a just transformed motorcycle to accommodate a passenger. Similarly, Acceleration and braking are still breathtaking, as is bend maneuverability. Nevertheless, These electric machines replaced the MotoGP prototypes which were until recently for these circuit towers. Furthermore, by reservation and after medical visit. For example, You can have this experience even in places where no motorcycle race is on the program.

The organizers of the World Championship. its four race categories provide everything you need, equipment, medical visit and pilot included. Examination by a doctor, explanations and motorcycles are in a truck of hospitality parked in the paddock, and which belongs … to Philip Morris International (PMI)!

The truck has no cigarest logo or promotes any of its products. PMI is one of motogp: discipline wants do without the oldest partners. sponsors of the Motorcycle Grand Prix, but its presence was much more discreet, for various reasons (read below).

Motogp: discipline wants do without

“Sustainable” fuels in MotoGP

The fact remains that. on the more sustainable motorcycle sport, electric traction represents more an alternative sector than a background movement. It rather goes through the means of so-called fuel sustainable (sustainable, in French). All MotoGP. Moto2 and Moto3 machines must already, since last year, have used 40% of this type of petrol in their tanks. By 2027, it will be 100%!

“MotoGP is a powerful vector of change showing innovative paths to move more sustainable on a daily basis around the world. ” explains Carlos Ezpeleta, Chief Sporting Officer de la Dorna, the organizing company. But it is not realistic. overall, to think of using motogp: discipline wants do without short -term electric motorcycles for these trips, it simply lacks infrastructure, and autonomy is not yet sufficient, among others. This is why we introduce lasting fuels. which require very few technical changes, but can make a big difference in terms of sustainability. ”

In Moto2 and Moto3, the sole supplier of these new fuels is the Malaysian giant of hydrocarbons, Petronas. In the queen category (MotoGP), each team has its own supplier, but the rules are identical. The two existing Yamaha teams signed with the total French multinationalgia.

She explains by the voice of her spokesperson. Pol-Rémy Barjavel, that the origin of the fuel supplied is “advanced” biomass, in other words who does not compete with cultures for human food. “Sources may vary: Marcs and Vin Lie, waste from the paperwork or sugar industry, used cooking oils motogp: discipline wants do without …”

Not the eco -tuel found at the pump

However, it is not the organic petrol found in certain service stations. “MotoGP engines have special needs. for example their very high rotation diets, to be taken into account when designing fuel,” adds Pol-Rémy Barjavel. The octane of petrol supplied is, for example, is clearly higher than the usual 95%. Totalnergies has benefited here from the experience in automotive endurance.

Contacted within the framework of this article. neither Ducati, nor his supplier Shell provided an answer going further than basic information: 40% now, 100% in 2027. The secret of competition is, it is true, still very present in the discipline.

Now. should we believe Carlos Ezpeleta when he says MotoGP has a pioneering role and is able to trigger changes in society by showing the example? “It is less obvious today. we can no longer say as before, we win on Sunday and we sell on Monday,” says Jean-Claude Schertenleib, Swiss motogp: discipline wants do without sports journalist who has long commented on the Grands Prix. But there is always the innovative aspect, with technologies that we often end up finding on motorcycles sold in trade. And MotoGP still has a very, very strong media and advertising presence around the world. In this, he can initiate changes, encourage them, by his simple image. ”

Philip Morris continues to use MotoGP to do his com

The partnership between the Cigaretier Phillip Morris (PMI). motorized sports dates from several decades. But it has become much more discreet from the moment when advertisements for tobacco products were prohibited in certain countries. in certain championships. There is no longer the name of the company. the slightest advertisement for its products in the public premises of the Motorcycle Grand Prix.

You have to go to motogp: discipline wants do without the VIP village. privatized and not given, to come across an “lounge Iqos”, named after the new product with tobacco, nicotine, but smokeless. Today. the operated turn is radical, the company from cigarettes to new products that heat tobacco without burning it, much less harmful according to the manufacturer. But they always fall under advertising prohibition.

“There are about 1 billion smokers worldwide. for just over 22 million consumers who have gone to smoke-free products,” said Yann Marois, vice-president of PMI in charge of world sales, met at the Grand Prix of the Czech Republic. It will therefore be difficult in the short term to make them all do without cigarettes. but we can greatly reduce the harmful effects if we manage to convince them that there is an alternative. ”

“The IQOS is not a harmless product, motogp: discipline wants do without against Julie Martin, expert in prevention of smoking in unisance. First of all, there is still nicotine, a substance with very high addictive potential. And then. the heated tobacco smoke exposes to the same toxic substances as conventional cigarettes (tar, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, carcinogenic compounds, etc.). And we cannot trust studies funded by the tobacco industry. ”

Phillip Morris specifies through a spokesperson that “the number of independent studies devoted to heated tobacco products. in particular products without combustion, has experienced a significant increase over time”, and that these studies “often come to corroborate the main conclusions of our own research work, which demonstrate that our heated tobacco product, even if it is not without risk, reduced to 95% compared to cigarettes. “

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