Teams split on new tyre rule

Riders are now limited to 14 front tyres and 17 rear tyres for a weekend, which is one of several new rules for 2007 along with 800cc engines, and smaller fuel tanks.

Teams now have to make their tyre choices the night before the first day of the meeting, and while recent pre-season tests should make the selection easy at Qatar and Jerez, it is expected to be more difficult in Turkey for round three.

World champion Nicky Hayden said: "I like the idea of MotoGP, the premier class in the world with the best bikes and things being completely unlimited.

"Where you put a tyre rule in, that's kind of what they do in club racing back home in the US."

The new rule was introduced because Michelin were able to bring completely new tyres to circuits each morning at the European races, and Bridgestone felt that they were at a disadvantage.

Unlike Hayden, Valentino Rossi is pleased with the new rule. He said: "I am very happy about the regulation with the tyres. The situation is more clear and there is less confusion."

Rossi's crew chief Jeremy Burgess reflected his rider's sentiments. He said that the 2007 regulations will mean the works Yamaha team will have their allocation to concentrate on and nothing else to cloud decision-making come the race.

Burgess was referring to situations when new tyres arrived on the morning of the race, without having been tested prior to the event.

Other problems may surface in other garages such as Suzuki where John Hopkins did not ride at Jerez test two weeks ago due to injury.

This will leave Hopkins' choice of 31 tyres is made through the data and feedback from team mate Chris Vermuelen as the tyres are a different generation to those used by Hopkins when he last rode at Jerez in November.