motogp: practical limitations on trac-control influence?

[wama...@email.com]

the OEMs seem to be very much in favour of traction control in
motogp. the point being that street-going motorcycles have and will
continue to benefit from TC that's developed in the top class. fine,
i'll concede that as being a valid argument in support of TC.

still, in the name of sport, and trying to put more control back in
the racer's hands (literally) how might we limit TC while not
eliminating it entirely?

here's my thought: how about a ban on GPS data from the TC systems?
pretty safe to assume that GPS will never be a viable part of the road-
going GPS logic, so why bother having it on the track? i say:
continue allow GPS on the bikes, but BAN IT from the TC systems!

i was thinking a similar ban on lean-angle from TC logic, but that
actually has a place on the road.

that's about all i can think of at the moment.

any other ideas?

[Alexey]

A ban on GPS data may not change anything. In fact, it's quite likely
that the Magno Mirelli system on Ducatis is not using GPS. With good
enough software, it's possible to make the computer "learn" what a lap
looks like in terms of various data channels. There are already
systems like this on the consumer market that rely on as little as
engine speed, wheel speed, and I think accelerometers/gyroscopes to
gauge direction of travel and lean angle. Once the computer is aware
of what the lap is supposed to look like in terms of events on those
data channels, it can keep track of what's happening on subsequent
laps, with the exception of extraordinary situations that break the
pattern -- running off track, missing a gear, a drastic line change,
etc.