Winglets Banned From 2017 Season on All Three MotoGP Class Bikes
Sameer Contractor
1 min read
Jun 26, 2016, 11:21 PM
Key Highlights
- Winglets have been completely banned in all 3 MotoGP classes
- Ducati introduced winglets on its bikes late last year
- Bikes with winglets will continue to race for the remainder of the season
Clearing the long standing debate, the Grand Prix Commission has confirmed that Winglets will be banned in all three MotoGP classes from the 2017 season. The commission met at Assen, Netherlands and decided to impose an outright ban on the use of the aerodynamics wings located just below the front fairing. The ban was sought after the manufacturer's association MSMA failed to reach an agreement among all manufacturers with respect to a joint proposal.
Safety has been one of the major reasons for the ban of winglets on MotoGP bikes with concerns over the effect in case of an impact during a crash. With the introduction of common ECU software for all teams, a decision on winglets was impending. The aerodynamic wings are instrumental in reducing the amount of wheelie that a MotoGP bike had, and over time, teams especially Ducati managed to gain more experience with the same as the winglets grew larger.
Management and organisers comprising of FIM, Dorna and team's association IRTA presented MSMA manufacturers an ultimatum to produce a common proposal to jointly regulate and restrict the size of winglets. If a conclusion wasn't sought, winglets would be banned. With factory teams split over the use of winglets, a joint proposal could not be made to the commission and the latter had to issue a ban. That said, the commission did confirm that winglets which comply with the current technical regulations may continue to be used for the remainder of the 2016 season.
The winglets concept was introduced by Ducati late last year, but have been subject to a lot of criticism by other team riders. Dani Pedrosa has been one of the more vocal voices against winglets asking them to be banned, after his collision with Andrea Dovizioso earlier this year, whereas Bradley Smith also mentioned about brake problems caused by winglet turbulence. With winglets out of the picture, the 2017 season will see some major changes to fairing of MotoGP bikes.
Safety has been one of the major reasons for the ban of winglets on MotoGP bikes with concerns over the effect in case of an impact during a crash. With the introduction of common ECU software for all teams, a decision on winglets was impending. The aerodynamic wings are instrumental in reducing the amount of wheelie that a MotoGP bike had, and over time, teams especially Ducati managed to gain more experience with the same as the winglets grew larger.
Management and organisers comprising of FIM, Dorna and team's association IRTA presented MSMA manufacturers an ultimatum to produce a common proposal to jointly regulate and restrict the size of winglets. If a conclusion wasn't sought, winglets would be banned. With factory teams split over the use of winglets, a joint proposal could not be made to the commission and the latter had to issue a ban. That said, the commission did confirm that winglets which comply with the current technical regulations may continue to be used for the remainder of the 2016 season.
The winglets concept was introduced by Ducati late last year, but have been subject to a lot of criticism by other team riders. Dani Pedrosa has been one of the more vocal voices against winglets asking them to be banned, after his collision with Andrea Dovizioso earlier this year, whereas Bradley Smith also mentioned about brake problems caused by winglet turbulence. With winglets out of the picture, the 2017 season will see some major changes to fairing of MotoGP bikes.
Related News
Latest Cars
Upcoming Cars
Latest News
Jaiveer Mehra | Apr 3, 2026Volkswagen Taigun Facelift Teased Ahead Of DebutUpdated compact SUV is set to make its public debut on April 9, 2026.1 min read
Jaiveer Mehra | Apr 3, 20262026 Ferrari Amalfi First Look: Rs 5.59 Crore GT Picks Up Where The Roma Left OffFerrari says that clients will need to wait between 6 and 8 months before their specced vehicle is delivered.6 mins read
Jaiveer Mehra | Apr 3, 2026New Suzuki Burgman Street: In PicturesCosmetic changes aside, Suzuki says that the new Burgman Street gets changes under the skin, including revisions to the chassis and engine1 min read
Jaiveer Mehra | Apr 2, 2026New Suzuki Burgman Street Launched At Rs 1.02 lakhNew Burgman Street looks to draw some styling inspiration from its larger displacement siblings while also getting updates to the engine and features.2 mins read
car&bike Team | Apr 2, 20262026 Suzuki Burgman Street Launch Highlights: Images, Price, SpecificationsSuzuki will launch the 2026 Burgman Street today. Watch this space to know all about it.0 mins read
car&bike Team | Apr 2, 2026Honda CBR650R, CB650R And X-ADV Delisted From India WebsiteHonda has removed the CBR650R, CB650R and X-ADV from its India website, likely after selling out allocated units.2 mins read
Janak Sorap | Mar 31, 20262026 Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 Apex – First Ride Review: The Update That Changes EverythingAfter riding the updated 2026 Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 for a round trip of over 140 km from Guwahati to Shillong, the new Apex variant feels like the version of the Guerrilla 450 that should have existed from day one.6 mins read
Janak Sorap | Mar 25, 2026Ducati Desmo450 MX Review: In PicturesDucati’s first-ever motocross motorcycle, the Ducati Desmo450 MX, promises extreme performance and race-focused engineering, and we recently experienced it at BigRock Dirt Park to find out what it’s really like to ride.1 min read
Bilal Firfiray | Mar 24, 2026Nissan Gravite Review: Sub-Rs 10 Lakh Seven-Seater That’s PracticalNissan has introduced the Gravite as a practical seven-seater that’s affordable, that’s easy to live with, and value for money. But should you buy it?1 min read
Janak Sorap | Mar 23, 2026Ducati Desmo450 MX Review: No Road, Only DirtDucati’s first-ever motocross motorcycle promises extreme performance, advanced technology and race-focused engineering, and we got a chance to experience it at BigRock Dirt Park to see what it’s really like.7 mins read
Seshan Vijayraghvan | Mar 21, 20262026 Renault Duster Review: The Hero Returns, But Does He Deliver?2026 Renault Duster - new design, new platform, modern tech, and most notably, the segment’s most powerful turbo-petrol engine.8 mins read