With the power that engines produce, it has become increasingly important to create a stable front end for MotoGP riders. In the 2015 season, Ducati began equipping the Desmosedici with cross wings that broke new ground in the field of aerodynamics.
These so-called ‘ winglets ‘ or ailerons make the prototype behave in a more stable way, ensuring that the front tire stays on the ground so that the pilots can control the prototype as best as possible.
The rest of the factories did not hesitate to imitate this idea, and the pilots did not take long to change their driving style accordingly. However, some of them are not fans of this aerodynamic element.
“When I got to MotoGP, there were no wings,” Marc Marquez said a few months ago. “And the show was better then. It was easier to overtake another driver. The slipstream had a bigger effect.”
“Now it can happen that the bike swings in a strange way when you follow another rider”, compared the rider from Cervera. “Without the wings, it was perhaps more difficult to ride the bike. It was easier to make a mistake, but overtaking was also easier.”
“Now the bikes are easier to ride. You don’t make mistakes so easily anymore. You always have to drive precisely and smoothly. But it has become more difficult to overtake and ride close to your rival,” explains the factory Honda rider.
Other riders, for example Andrea Dovizioso, place these wings as the greatest invention of MotoGP. “If it’s the thing that had the biggest impact, I can say it was the wings,” said Dovizioso, who admits: “At first I didn’t like them at all and I still don’t like them very much. But the positives outweigh the negatives.” , said ‘Dovi’ about the advantage that these wings bring.
Lastly, winglets are also being used more and more in the Superbike World Championship, and riders like Iker Lecuona speak out about their arrival.
“In MotoGP, manufacturers develop special winglets to avoid wheelies. With these winglets you can convert more power into speed. They can help in the World Superbike Championship, but I think it’s mainly an optical issue. I certainly don’t feel them as much as in MotoGP,” Lecuona replies to a question from Motorsport.com .
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