The elimination of the holeshot device won't change the way riders pull away from the grid, but this will also force engineers to rewrite a significant portion of the MotoGP’s electronics. Dani Pedrosa explained this during a live broadcast on DAZN, noting that the technicians are still searching for the ideal compromise to prevent bikes from lifting up excessively at the start.
In fact, with only the rear holeshot device available, the front wheel will tend to lift more easily. This is why manufacturers are focusing primarily on engine maps, reducing the power available in the first gears.
“Now, since we’re not using the front device, the wheel will lift more easily. They’ll have to reduce the power a bit in first gear and maybe even in second,” Pedrosa explained.
According to the KTM test rider, however, the work is still very much in progress. Friday’s tests at Assen were precisely intended to gather data, with engineers comparing various electronic strategies before settling on the final one.
“They’re probably still using the same power output to see how far they can go. Maybe they have one or two versions where they reduce the power until they find the optimal point,” he added.
Once the correct balance is found, Pedrosa is convinced that the starts will return to being very similar to what we’ve seen so far, at least in terms of traction. The real difference, if anything, will come at the first braking point, where riders will no longer have to deactivate the front device and will be able to approach the first corner with greater confidence.