Michelin’s new MotoGP ™ range for racing debut at Losail
In an intensive program during the winter break, Michelin further improved its tires for the MotoGP ™ World Championship. Despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Michelin Motorsport’s development experts have responded to Dorna Sports’ call for technical stability by building on the range’s existing strengths and focusing on fine-tuning the respective pairings laid of tires and compound of tires. The result is a leaner and more varied range for 2021 and a greater consistency that perfectly matches the promise of the brand “Grip made to last”.
At the official test sessions earlier this month, Michelin completed the basics and preparations for this year’s MotoGP ™ World Championship, which begins with two Grand Prix in the spotlight at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar. With the support of the state government and in compliance with strict hygiene measures, Dorna Sports has succeeded in organizing successive races there, starting with the Barwa Grand Prix of Qatar on March 28th, followed by the Doha Grand Prix on April 4th. In keeping with the tradition that gives the Qatar action its unique flavor, both clashes take place after dark.
Due to its desert location and the frequent presence of wind-blown sand on the track, the Losail International Circuit’s surface is notoriously abrasive and tends to become more slippery as the grip decreases due to the cooler temperatures after sunset. However, the ability of Michelin’s MotoGP tires to take advantage of these properties has actively contributed to setting new records for the fastest race lap, shortest race duration and top speed on the 5.380 kilometer circuit.
Tires available for the two races in Qatar
MICHELIN Power Slick tires: SOFT (white sidewall markings), MEDIUM (no markings) and HARD (yellow markings) front and rear. The SOFT and HARD fronts are symmetrical, while the MEDIUM front and all three rear options are asymmetrical and have a harder connection for the right shoulder compared to just six left-handers due to the 10 right-hand turns of the racetrack. The tire allocation has also been adapted to the characteristics of the track. Each driver can choose a maximum of 6 SOFT, 5 MEDIUM and 4 HARD tires for the front and rear.
In bad weather and subject to approval by Race Control, SOFT (blue sidewall markings) and MEDIUM (no markings) front and rear tires from MICHELIN Power Rain are also available (asymmetrical rear wheels).
Piero Taramasso (two-wheel manager, Michelin Motorsport)
“I am very proud of what the Michelin Motorsport teams have achieved in Clermont-Ferrand and on site. Despite the difficult circumstances they faced and worked within the existing technical framework, they managed to build on the experience we gained in 2020 to rethink our MotoGP offering. With our pre-season testing program, we have met our development goals and the results are extremely encouraging. They mean we can give riders a range that is both sleeker and more versatile, which in turn makes their job of setting up the bike easier. We’ve also improved consistency by switching to slightly harder joints while maximizing grip and overall performance. These wins were praised by our partners at the pre-season test in Qatar, where our tires helped set two new MotoGP records for Losail: the fastest lap on the track – that was the job of Jack Miller of the Ducati team with a time of 1: 53.183 seconds – and the highest speed ever achieved there when Johann Zarco’s Pramac Racing Ducati was driven on the main straight at 357.6 km / h! “