MotoGP Glossary

26 MotoGP terms

This is a glossary about MotoGP, which is a sport involving motorcycles.

Apex

Noun

The innermost point of the line of a curve. The apex is usually the point at which the rider must start accelerating to lift the bike as fast as possible. Taking the correct line through the apex is known as “hitting the apex”, while failing to find this point would be “missing the apex”.

Example: On turn 5, Aleix Espargaro missed the apex.

fr: Apex ou point de corde

Backing it in

phrase

When a rider uses the back brake on their motorcycle whilst entering a corner, sliding the rear tyre in doing so.

Example: Backing it in looks cool until it bites like that!

fr: Freiner avec le frein arrière

Bar

Noun

It is a unit of pressure. The word originates from the Greek báros, which means weight. A bar is equivalent to 14.5 Psi, 0.98 atm, 1.02 Kg/cm2, or 750.06mmHg. The tyre pressure of a MotoGP bike is supervised by Michelin technicians.

Example: These ensure the pressure is maintained within the limits permitted (typically, 2 bars for the front and 1.8 bars for the rear tyre).

fr: Bar

Behind the bubble

Phrase

Sometimes people will describe a rider being behind the bubble when they’re simply tucked in. You’ll see this every time the rider is on a straight.

Example: MotoGP pilots get behind the bubble while speeding up.

fr: Derrière la vitre

Biting the screen

Phrase

A rider is said to be biting the screen when they're visibly trying extremely hard and appear to be pushing to the absolute limit.

Example: In the last race, Marc Marquez bit the screen to finish in third position.

fr: Repousser ses limites, tout donner

Box

Noun

An instruction from team to rider via either pitboard or dashboard message telling the rider to enter pitlane and the garage at the next possible chance.

Example: After a failed start due to a technical problem, Aleix Espargaro's team instructed him to return to the box.

fr: Box

Brake caliper

Noun

A caliper is part of the disc brake system, the type most cars have in their front brakes.

fr: Étrier de frein

ECU (Electronic Control Unit)

Phrase

Every MotoGP bike uses the same Electronic Control Unit – this is the brain of the bike. Teams are allowed to change various settings through this like traction control, wheelie control, engine braking and more.

Example: Marelli continues to supply the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) to MotoGP and this year, together with Dorna, introduces a new unit - the Electronic Control Unit BAZ-340 ECU.

fr: ECU (Unité de Contrôle Électronique)

Flag-to-flag

Phrase

This is used to describe a race that starts dry and becomes wet – or vice versa. It will see riders come into pitlane and swap to their second bike that has different tyres and settings better suited to the track conditions.

Example: Polesitter Buddy Kofoid led flag-to-flag to win the World of Outlaws’ first visit to Talladega Short Track in over a decade Friday night (March 24), holding off persistent mid-race pressure from Brad Sweet before driving away.

fr: Flag-to-flag

Grid

Noun

Where riders line up and start from ahead of the race. The grid is made up of three riders to a row, and the order is decided in qualifying.

Example: Updated grid for Sunday's season-opening MotoGP in Portugal after qualifying on Saturday following the injury-enforced withdrawal of Enea Bastianini

fr: Grille (de départ)

Highside

Noun

This is a crash where the rear wheel slides out, before finding grip and whipping back in the opposite direction. The whipping action, more often than not, sends the rider over the top of the bike and ends in a crash.

Example: The Repsol Honda rider endured one of the worst highsides in MotoGP history at Mandalika earlier this season.

fr: Highside

Kerb

Noun

Mainly painted in two colours and often featuring prominently on or just after corners. The kerbs mark the sides of the track and help guide the riders on corner entry and exit.

Example: When a rider exceeds the kerbs on the track, a signal appears next to his name as a warning. If it happens again, the lap can be canceled, so the time is not included in the stats.

fr: Vibreur

Lowside

Noun

Similar to a highside but instead of the rear tyre finding grip and whipping back, the rear tyre continues to slide before eventually losing grip, causing the rider to crash.

Example: According to Sam Lowes, the lowside he experienced during this race was beyond scary.

fr: Lowside

Parc fermé

Phrase

Literally meaning "closed park" in French, parc fermé is a secure area where bikes are ridden back to at the end of qualifying and races. Previously, all bikes were ridden back to parc fermé at the end of races ahead of technical inspections. Now, parc ferme is the area where the top three in qualifying or the top three in a race gather.

Example: Now, parc ferme is the area where the top three in qualifying or the top three in a race gather.

fr: Parc fermé

Pitlane

Noun

Pitlane is an adjacent area (usually running alongside the start-finish straight) at a racetrack where the competing teams' garages are situated. Riders will leave pitlane to begin their sessions and enter pitlane during sessions to change tyres, refuel, adjust settings, amongst other things. It’s also where the riders come after sessions end.

Example: My favorite part of a MotoGP week-end is to visit the pitlane to see the riders and their motorcycles.

fr: Pitlane

Pole position

Phrase

The first place on a grid is referred to as pole position. The rider fastest in qualifying will start from pole position for the race.

Example: Today, Alex Marquez surprised everyone by taking pole position.

fr: Pôle position

Pulling the pin

Phrase

This saying describes when a rider suddenly begins to try their absolute maximum in an attempt to break clear of other riders. Sometimes this happens at the front of a race where tyre saving, for example, is in play. Then, a rider might pull the pin and go all-out attack.

Example: Jack Miller pulled the pin at the beginning of the race by overtaking Marc Marquez.

fr: Produire son effort

Satellite team/rider

Nouns

Now known as Independent Teams or riders, these setups are one step below and full factory team. These teams lease the bikes from their respective factories for the season. The Independent Teams in MotoGP™ are: Pramac Racing, Gresini Racing MotoGP, VR46 Racing Team, WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team, LCR Honda Castrol/Idemitsu, and Tech3 KTM Factory Racing.

Example: The brand Ducati has two satellite teams in MotoGP.

fr: Satellite

Stoppie

Noun

Stopping the bike in a way where the rear wheel comes off the ground – the opposite of a wheelie.

Example: The best rider at doing stoppies is the Turkish rider Toprak Razgatlıoğlu.

fr: Stoppie

Tank slapper

Phrase

This happens when a rider has a big wobble. The bike is seen to be shaking from side and side, as a result making the rider’s arms and legs slap against the fuel tank/bike.

Example: In the middle of an overtake, Fabio Quartararo's bike has a tank slapper moment and it almost makes him fall.

fr: Guidonnage

TC (Traction Control)

Noun

An acronym for ‘traction control’. This is a form of electronics that regulates how much the rear tyre spins. Too much spin and the system will reduce the power from the engine to stop a rider from crashing. No traction control would lead to a lot more crashes.

Example: If there wasn't a TC on a their motorcycle, there would be a lot more crashes.

fr: Traction control

Tear off

Noun

These are plastic strips that are added to a rider’s visor on their helmet. During a race or practice session, visors can become dirty, so a rider can tear off the strip in order to clear their vision and have a new tear off to use.

Example: During a race, you can see a piece of plastic fly off. It means that the rider's visor was dirty so he removed the tear off.

fr: Tear off

Telemetry

Noun

The collection of data from multiple sensors on the bike. It can then be checked and analysed by members of the team, and used to make whatever changes they and the rider feel are necessary.

Example: The telemetry from Marquez's crash showed that it lasted less than 5 seconds.

fr: Télémétrie

Tucked the front

Phrase

A form of crash when the front tyre gives way – the most common crash. This can occur when a rider is entering or midway through a corner when the front tyre loses grip, folds underneath the rider and – most of the time – causes a crash. Some riders are lucky and skillful enough save themselves from crashing in some situations.

Example: Unfortunately, Raul Fernandez tucked the front and crashed in Miguel Oliveira's bike.

fr: Perdre l'avant

Warm up lap

Noun

The lap right before the start of the race where the riders will look to increase the temperature of their tyres, and get themselves set for the upcoming battle.

Example: Before every race, there is a warm up lap.

fr: Tour de chauffe

Wheelie

Noun

Riding a bike on the rear wheel only while the front wheel is suspended in the air. A wheelie is often seen when a rider is celebrating or showing off to the fans. A wheelie can also refer to when the front wheel comes off the ground during acceleration. This is something that riders and teams don’t want, as it reduces acceleration times.

Example: Every wednesday, the MotoGP official Instagram account posts a picture of a rider doing a wheelie. It even has its own hashtag: #wheeliewednesday.

fr: Wheelie