Most motorsport development deals with the search for a competitive advantage. Teams find ways to make their race machines faster, optimising them to reduce lap time to win races.

However, this isn’t necessarily the only development strategy in racing and, in some cases, rather than seeking a competitive advantage for themselves, teams look to competitively disadvantage their rivals. An example of this is the aerodynamic design concept adopted by MV Agusta in their 2020 campaigning Moto2 machine.

MV Agusta Moto2 in CFD showing pressure areas on the side of the bike. Credit: Airshaper

‘In a spec class where the powertrain, tyres and electronics are standard, aerodynamics can make the difference,’ says Brian Gillen, R&D Director at MV Agusta. ‘Often, motorcycle aerodynamicists look to reduce the coefficient of drag as much as possible because they’re focused on top speed. However, the amount of time that you run on a racetrack at top speed, wide-open throttle and full rpm percentage-wise on a lap in Moto2 is minimal. Additionally, the gain in lap time as a function of top speed is limited as the bikes are so evenly matched.’
MV Agusta Moto2 in CFD showing an iteration of the frontal design. Credit: Airshaper

The inline 3-cylinder Triumph 765 engine is the primary dictator of the Moto2 bike’s frontal area. The wheelbase and the weight balance must be in a particular position to get the tyres to work inside their window, whic...