MAT OXLEY

YOU DON’T NEED TO BE A GENIUS to understand why it’s easier to overtake in MotoGP than in Formula 1. But as MotoGP machines become more closely matched – due to improving technology and tighter technical regulations – the act of executing a passing manoeuvre grows more complex.

That’s why qualifying and the start are now so crucial in MotoGP. Inevitably this has led to a new technology race, with so-called holeshot devices.

The best way to make a MotoGP bike accelerate away from the grid isn’t by adding horsepower or improving traction, it’s