Regarding the "Quartararo case", we also wanted to hear Paolo Ciabatti, one of the most competent sporting directors in the MotoGP and, moreover, one who's accustomed to talking about regulatory issues, given his long stay in the Superbike championship at the time of Maurizio Flammini.
“Being that we are not the party in question," Ciabatti immediately wanted to specify, so as to avoid the controversy, "I agree that a FIM release must contain names and precise indications, to prevent speculation. In a case like this, a private notification to the teams would have been more appropriate and adequate, in order to give them the opportunity to reply."
Having said that, and we fully agree with Paolo Ciabatti, what is actually prohibited? What does the rule in section 11.5.1 ci) ii) of the regulation say?
"Basically, they want to prevent a MotoGP rider from testing with a real Superbike," was his answer.
What's the difference between a "real" Superbike and a modified derivative?
“Practically, the engine should not be as elaborate as that of a Superbike, nor should it have a Superbike's electronics that, of course, are very different from that of the standard bike. That's why our riders use a standard Panigale, or rather, a Panigale V4S, which has a 1100 displacement."
So it seems as if Fabio may have used the electronics of the R1 Superbike... interesting: they'd have to go back and see the type by examining the dashboard, obviously, because when it comes to the internal components of the engine, without the possibility of having examined and taken it apart, it's a moot point.
"Of course! The fact is that with the diffusion of social networks, it's the riders themselves who plug what they're doing. I seem to have read, for example, that Nakagami said he used Alvaro Bautista's Honda CBR 1000 RR-R for his training."
That's true, he did, but besides the similarity between standard bikes and, let's say "racing bikes", he cleverly wrote that the one used was, precisely, a production one!