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Repsol Honda makes engine decision |
Repsol Honda riders Dani Pedrosa and Nicky Hayden will not try Honda's pneumatic-valve engine during this weekend's Catalan Grand Prix.
Four time 500cc race winner Tady Okada gave the pneumatic-valve engine - for which the 2008 spec RC212V was originally designed - its MotoGP debut last weekend at Mugello, where the wild-card qualified in 15th position and finished in 14th.
More significantly, Okada was tenth fastest through the speed trap with a top speed of 325.2 km/h set in qualifying.
Of the six regular Honda riders, all using the conventional spring-valve design, only the streamlined Dani Pedrosa was quicker (326.4km/h) whilst Ducati continued to lead the field courtesy of Marco Melandri's 330.8km/h during the race. Yamaha's world championship leader Valentino Rossi was fourth fastest with 327.6km/h in morning warm-up.
Speaking after the race, Okada confirmed that the pneumatic-valve engine was superior to the standard engine in terms of ultimate performance, but warned that power delivery needed to be improved.
"We still have some issues with edge grip and this is the next step to improve the engine - the bike was sliding today so I couldn't fully use its power," he said. "The engine's strong point is its higher rev ceiling which gives an advantage on the straights, but we still need to improve driveability."
It is thus unsurprising that Pedrosa, now 12 points behind Rossi, won't risk running the new unit during his second home grand prix of the year. However, it was thought that Hayden, who has struggled to match Pedrosa for much of the season and is known to prefer how the RCV handles when powered by the pneumatic engine, might be prepared to take a gamble.
Nevertheless, both will now stick with the spring-valve design for this weekend's seventh round of the world championship - then get their first taste of the pneumatic engine since winter testing when they return to Catalunya on Monday and Tuesday of next week.
"During the Monday test will be a better opportunity [to try the new engine]; more time and more clear," said Pedrosa. "I think it will be more intelligent to test it on Monday."
If that test proves a success, one or both riders could use the new engine at the following British Grand Prix on June 22.
Pedrosa is the only Honda rider in the top six of the current world championship standings.
