If Ducat🧸i can transfer their Factory MotoGP software to the standard Open system it would remove one of the few disadvantages of joining the new category.

But is it possible?

The short answe⛦r appears to be yes - providing Ducati are willing to share their software secrets and show that any changes will benefit all Open class riders. But it would not simply be a case of 'drag and drop'.

Instead the requested f⛄eatures of the Factory Ducati software would need to be woven into the existing Open software. While Factory software serves the specific needs of each manufacturer, Open is being shared by six different types of machine.

Ducati, without a victory since 2010, has joined the Open category to avoid inꦿcreasing restrictions on bike devel🅠opment, leaving a disgruntled Honda and Yamaha in the Factory class.

The only technical mo✤dification to change from Factory to Open is use of the standard ECU software, which then allows advantages i🦹n areas such as race fuel, engine changes, engine development and testing.

Meanwhile the Open drawbacks are limited to:
1) Performance of the standard ECU software.
2) Re🎀ar slick tyres one step softer than the Factory class.

The softer tyre is sure to be an adꦬvantage in qualifying and - since the harder Open tyre is usually the same as the softer Factory tyre🧜 - there will be no difference at circuits where that option performs best in the race. However Ducati will face a disadvantage if the hard Factory option, out of reach to the Open class, is superior over a grand prix distance.

But the biggest debate is over software. New rules for this year mean all MotoGP entries must use the same Dorna-supplied Magneti Marelli ECU hardware. The Fa🍷ctory class will continue to programme their own bespoke software, while Open riders must run standard Dorna software, being developed by a separate team at Magneti Marelli.

Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Dovizioso have confirmඣed that the existing Open system lags🤪 behind the Factory Ducati electronics. But if Ducati's Factory software could be transferred to the Open ECU, they would be at no relative disadvantage.

Many, including Honda, have been quick to point out the timing of a 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:major new software upgrade🗹 toಌ the Open ECU, just days before Ducati's Open announcement.

mahbx.com spoke exclusively to MotoGP director of technology Corrado Cecchinelli shortly before Ducati's Open move was made official, and began by asking about the differences 🥂between the various Magneti Marelli ECU systems recently used in MotoGP.

Prior t🌃o this year, Magneti Marelli was already working with Ducati and Yamaha on their Factory MotoGP electronics. Honda's ECU was entirely in-house.

"Before this season they [Ducati and Yamaha] already had Magneti Marelli ECU hardware, but this was not the same as the hardware being used by everyone in MotoGP this year," Cecchinelli conf𝓀irmed.

"Although Marelli was the supplier and manufacturer of their ECUs before this year, Marelli made those ECUs based on the individual🐷 designs they were given by Ducati and Yamaha. Each covereꦰd by a confidentiality agreement.

"So last year's Ducꦿati ECU was different to the Yamaha ECU and also different to the ECU being used by everyone under the new rules for ꦓ2014.

"This year, everyone has the same hardware but the manufacturers are still mak🐓ing their own software. They are involved with Marelli, with separate deals that have noth🌜ing to do with our [Open] deal with Marelli.

"If some of them, seemingly Ducati, will now choose to enter their riders as Open, they will have to leave their Factory software and use ours. Of course☂ our software will be more or less close to theirs, depending on what they ask us to introduce.

"All the manufacturers involved in the Open class are already as൩king us for things."

Regarding the potential migration of Ducati software from Factory to Open, a specific example was put to Cecchinelli: What if Ducati asks for its Factory wheelie control 🦋system to be incorporated in the Open ECU?

"In that scenario what they should do is tell us the logic of their [wheelie control] strategy and if we think it isඣ better than ours, we - meaning the Marelli software engineers - will write the code lines so that everyܫone has it within the common [Open] software," replied Cecchinelli.

"So it would be like any other perfor𝄹mance request w♊e receive."

Ducati Corse general 🌃manager Gigi Dall'Igna gave little away in terms of how much of the Factory software Ducati hopes to transfer to the Open system.

"We will ask Dorna for some things, because I think we have to develop the software, but this is🦄 normal," he said. "So I will ask and if it is reasonable I think that Magneti Marelli and Dorna will follow us in this direction."

Having the complete focus of a MotoGP manufacturer will doubtless accelerate Open ECU development and Ducati were keen to point o🤡ut that any of its 'Factory' input would be avail👍able to all Open class riders.

Cecchinelli was also eager to stress the shared nature of the Open ꦇsoftware and how it will put previously unobtainable ECU technology in the hands of even the smallest MotoGP team.

But wi﷽th six different engine/chassis combinations present in the Open class, prioritising software updates could be a contentious issue.

"I will be happy if everybody understands that we are more than willing to [accept] any contribution that anyone can give," Cecchinelli said of ECU development. "I hope every team or manufacturer will understa𒐪nd that asking or suggesting things for the Open software will be an advantage for them in the first instance.

"Of course 🐼you are also giving the same advantage to your [Open class] competitors, but you should assume that it will be a bit better for you, because it is something you have asked for and that you are more famꦫiliar with than the rest.

"So, on the one hand, please ask. On the other han🔯d I don't want to hear anybody complaining that we are doing something because someone else has asked for it - because everyone is given the same possibility to give us inputs."

Asked to explain the🐎 ECU development process, Cecchinelli added: "Last season we made enquires at the end of each event to our final custom🎉ers, if you like, which were the Claiming Rule Teams.

"Now it is bigger because we are dealing with manufacturers. So it a more or less a random process where they let us have their requirements, we put them in our 'to do' list and give each ♒requirement a🐓 priority order.

"It is in our hands which one we want to make or not and which order. We try of coꦅurse to prioritise things that are in the interest of all.

"To give an example, we are doing nothing at the moment about seamless gearbox managಌement because the teams at the moment don't have it - probably tomorrow [when Ducati's Open class decision was to be made] we will have to do something!

"But for instance we did do something 🌞for pneumatic-valve timin🐬g systems because Yamaha and Kawasaki [Avintia] were doing something.

"I will be really happy if we all understand that the Open software is constantly 'moving' upon the customer requests. It is just a matter of resources and 𝓰the time it takes to make things - but we will make things. It is not something that will remain steady.

"We are in the process of making it the best ECU possible with th𓄧e available resources."

The current ECU rules are set to💞 stay until the start oꩲf 2017, when the aim is for all MotoGP entries to use the full Open ECU. However Honda is vehemently opposed to such a move.

Cecchinelli indicated that if the Open ECU cꦫan be shown to be a close rival for the Factory systems, it will help smooth the path to an agreement on the issue.

"Magneti Marelli are making a big eff🦂ort with our ECU. Still our idea is, hopefully, to make [software] the same for everybody in MotoGP. So we are interested in making our ECU better so it is accepted more easily."

As well as the Ducatis, Forward Yamahaꦜ's Aleix Espargaro is tipped to be a thorn in the side of the Factory class riders, having set a front-running pace in pre-season testing.

The first🔯 race for the new Open class will be the 2014 Qatar season-opener on Marc📖h 23.