Hector Barbera factored in the Q2 session at Jerez, showing the potential of the top CRT machines. Image: MotoGP.com.

MotoGP’s Claiming Rule Teams (CRT) are hoping to benefit from the roll-out of a significant software updated to the Magnetti Marelli Electronic Control Unit (ECU) from this week’s Le Mans Grand Prix, onwards.

After each of the first three rounds, CRT teams have had the opportunity to offer feedback and suggestion to further develop the ECU, and last Monday’s test at Jerez was the first opportunity for the Italian company to make the system available.

“We have improved some things following requests from the teams and the MotoGP Director of Technology,” said Marco Venturi, Magnetti Marelli’s head of motorsport. “This will effect wheelie control and the anti-jerk strategy, which relates to re-opening of the throttle after the apexes of corners.”

Venturi explained that the initial rounds were to be used as a starting point for teams to properly understand the system.

“The first step this year was to make sure the system was running properly and being used by everybody in the best way possible, using all of the performance available,” he said.

“The next step is to improve the performance of these bikes. The most important thing to see is whether they have made an improvement in their lap times compared to last year and whether the feelings of the riders and technicians are as we expected.”

NGM Mobile Forward CRT racer Colin Edwards was part of the testing phase at Jerez, and said the updates gave the teams additional parameters to work with.

“You need to be right on the pace so these guys can study the data, looking at front wheel speeds and lean angles to see where they have improved,” explained Edwards.

“It’s just about doing the laps. Step-by-step, hundredth by hundredth and tenth by tenth; not that it’s a whole lot faster, but it’s getting better.

“They have listened to some of the things that we need and we’ve got them on there now, so that’s a good sign.”

The performance gap between the prototype machines and CRT entrants has closed noticeably in 2013, illustrated most recently by Hector Barbera’s qualifying effort at Jerez where he was able to progress to the Q2 session, outpacing satellite Ducati and Yamaha bikes in the process.