The MSA originally wanted the new engine to be 0.5s a lap slower than the Comer. Their original rationale for this was understandable: They knew it would get faster as time went by and everybody learnt about whatever new engine was chosen. They also wanted to slow down the Comer and Honda to the same level so clubs could run Libre grids - That was published by the MSA, and again understandable.
The issue most people have is that whilst the IAME was 0.5s a lap slower when it first came out the learning process has been very quick and they are already on the pace of a Comer and faster than a Honda. The MSA's answer to this is to increase the Comer weight limit and put an inlet restrictor on the Honda.
Increasing the Comer weight limit will have very little effect on speed, indeed it will probably result in the Comer going faster at club level. Think about it: It will allow the experienced 11/12 year olds who are already over the old weight limit to do an extra year. An extra year's experience will more than make up for a few kg.
The Honda's inlet restrictor will make a difference: It will slow them down and make them more difficult to drive. Inlet restrictors reduce power by reducing revs, not by reducing torque. Therefore they will have a reduced rev range, run with a few less teeth and be slower out of slow corners as a result. The top end speed will be very similar.
Whilst all of this is going on the IAME is getting faster and faster.
I understand what the MSA originally wanted to achieve, they just seem to have gone the wrong way about doing it. I also note that during the tests IAME was represented by the importer, Comer by the importer and Honda by the ABKC ie the only party without a vested interest.
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