Since the Red Bull Ring places extreme demands on the brakes, Brembo has developed a new system of ventilated carbon discs and pads using the larger 340 mm brake discs, which have been equipped with small holes to create ventilation, which helps to prevent rising temperatures and keep you in the maximum working range of 700-800 degrees.
Brembo’s brake developments come after Vinales had to jump off his Yamaha in the middle of last year’s Styria GP because he ran out of brakes, which resulted in a red flag after his M1 caught fire in the inflatable barriers.
Although Yamaha initially claimed the accident was caused by brake failure, it was later revealed that the Spaniard was not only using Brembo’s recommended brake discs for the Red Bull Ring (Vinales was on the 320mm than on the 340mm), but also the Spaniard on used and worn brake discs if you have not followed the advice of the MotoGP brake supplier.
At the GP Styria, Suzuki’s Joan Mir, who was leading in front of the red flag, also ran with the small brake discs, but had no problems.
Although Brembo is not responsible for the accident, Brembo has developed a new braking system to improve safety on challenging tracks like the Red Bull Ring. The new parts will also be used in the races in Motegi, Thailand and Sepang later this season.
At the MotoGP test in Barcelona on Monday, most of the riders had the opportunity to test them and give feedback to the Brembo engineers.
“We tested the new brakes for Austria, where they are exposed to great stress, and the feeling was good, I liked them and of course I will use them there too,” said Valentino Rossi after the test.
A track engineer from one of the top MotoGP riders told Motorsport.com: “We tested these brakes for the first time this Monday. After last year’s incident, we need a temperature range, they do not provide any performance, they are just to improve safety.
“After testing them, we saw that it gives us a margin of safety before we get to 1000 degrees,” which would be the limit the braking system can work at before the carbon disc begins to vibrate.
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360mm brake discs for 2022
As both speed and braking requirements increase in MotoGP, Brembo aims to produce larger 360mm discs by 2022.
“With the maximum 340 mm disc, MotoGP has reached its limits,” Andrea Pellegrini, Brembo engineer and customer manager for MotoGP, told Motorsport.com.
“We have further developed the ventilation, the mass of the disc and the contact area are larger, with a larger air inlet to cool it down. We also worked on the geometry of the disc and the pads.
“In Austria, very high temperatures are reached in the system and there are very high-energy braking points. We hope to offer the same performance over a lower temperature range with these new discs. “
Brembo had already brought the new brake kits to the pre-season test in Qatar, but given the characteristics of the Losail route and the lower braking requirements, the first representative test for the new brakes took place in Barcelona on Monday.
“Almost all drivers were able to test them on Monday, only two or three did not drive. The general feedback is very good, ”said Pellegrini.
“Nowadays practically all teams use 340 mm discs because MotoGP is increasingly being driven by aerodynamics, so more braking power is needed.
“Looking ahead to next year, we are working on a larger pane, 360 mm, which Dorna and IRTA have to homologate.”
The size of the rims and the current design of the MotoGP front wheel would accommodate a 360mm disc, but this would be the maximum size in the current configuration and improve safety standards.