Former Rizla Suzuki team manager Simon Buckmaster has branded a call from British Superbike team managers to change the technical rules as laughable and thinks the teams need to look at how hard they are working the engines.
Buckmaster, who is now masterminding Craig Jones' assault on the World Supersport Championship with Parkalgar Honda, says there is no problem with the motors' reliablity - just the fact they are being pushed too hard.
His comments come after Tom Sykes' Rizla Suzuki blew up in spectacular fashion in the second race at Brands Hatch, which prompted some people in the paddock to call for a change in the engine specs which were the subject of mch controversy over the winter.
He said: "At Brands the Suzuki of Sykes had a speed advantage on the straights and I have heard they have more power than at the end of 07 – but the engine failed in race two quite spectacularly. The answer isn’t a change in rules needed to stop the bikes from blowing up - it seems simple to me - just don’t rev the bikes so hard. "If the Suzuki team had tested for race mileage in the pre-season then they know what the bike will stand. They have the quickest bike so it seems obvious they have gone too far with the engine tune. When a failure like Tom’s at Brands Hatch happens then it’s not the fault of the organiser it’s the team at fault for running engines too near the limit.
"I read a quote from Jack Valentine dramatising the situation saying how many more blow ups do we have to see before the rules are changed. I say how many more engine blow ups do we have to see before the teams in question get their houses in order as Ducati has done with GSE. It makes me laugh.
"It is also said Rob Mac wants a rule change too, but he was one of the original people who pushed these rules in the first place! As for HM Plant Honda, I have not heard of any engine problems for them related to standard rods. Indeed the full factory bikes had them at different times in previous years.
"GSE had to get Ducati to make engines for them with standard rods and pistons when all the other teams (including myself at the time as manager of Suzuki) insisted that there would be no dispensation for Ducati. They have just got on with the job and it is clear to see they don’t have the top speed of the Suzuki or Honda. Shakey and Leon Camier are just adjusting their riding to get the most out of the Ducati working with their team. All the teams should adopt the same approach. "I hope the organisers stand firm and that the teams tune their bikes accordingly for maximum power whilst still retaining reliability."