About MotoGP

Fuel is of course the essential to every bike on the MotoGP grid in equal measure so the MotoGP teams work closely with their fuel suppliers to ensure that they carry exactly the right type of fuel and of course, exactly the right amount.

Firms such as Elf, Shell and Repsol supply the teams with fuel and their eternal quest is the highest possible performance at the lowest rates of weight and consumption.

New Era

The new generation of 800cc bikes (as of 2007) are restricted by regulations to use a maximum of 21 litres of fuel during races, one litre less than in the 990cc era, and their tanks are designed to carry just that amount.

Races can vary in length from circuit to circuit, whilst the demands of a certain track may mean that it results in higher fuel consumption for the bikes than other tracks of similar length. Therefore teams can measure how much fuel they are using during qualifying and free practice sessions to ensure that just the right amount is in the tank when the race starts – as of course carrying unnecessary fuel could mean the fraction of a second which loses a race.

In qualifying meanwhile, the fastest times are often set right at the end of the session when the rider is fully warmed-up, his qualifying tyres are giving him maximum grip and - having emptied most of the tank - a lighter fuel load allows him to lap as quick as possible.

Fuel is specially produced by the various fuel companies and is very precisely adapted for racing. The final product is only slightly different to the sort of fuel used by the general public, but must be approved for use by the FIM.

The components are 99% the same as road fuel, but suppliers can alter the levels the hundreds of various components which fuel comprises to ensure they are using exactly the right blend of anti-oxidants, detergents, friction modifiers and so on to improve efficiency.

Lubricant

In addition to fuel, lubricant suppliers provide the teams with race modified engine oil, to lubricate and therefore reduce friction, which produces better fuel economy. This in turn means the bike can carry a minimum amount of fuel.

MotoGP lubricants are based on a standard product, as is the fuel, though the racing product varies more with lubricants than with fuel. The oil has to lubricate the engine's rotating parts, the gearbox's constantly moving components and of course the clutch itself, which inevitably all get extremely hot on track. The more efficient the lubricant is the less fuel consumed and the better the bike performs, giving its rider a greater chance of victory.