MotoGP, the future of Michelin tires is decided at Phillip Island

There’s no point in hiding it, Phillip Island is a bogeyman for all tire suppliers. A route that puts the tires to the test, sometimes a painful one. For this reason, the Michelin technicians do not want to underestimate the Australian race weekend, but rather use it to their advantage.

In a rather unique step, MotoGP riders will take part in a short test over the course of the race weekend to evaluate the new rear tire that the French technicians are developing for 2020.

That being said, drivers are once again faced with the unique features of Phillip Island which, with its 7 left handed and 5 right handed, really overheat the tires. But that’s not all: The often cool climate also requires tires that quickly reach their optimal working temperature.

For this reason, the connections will be used this weekend (soft, medium and hard with asymmetrical construction front and rear) were specially developed for the Australian Trac. There is also a risk of rain In this case, drivers can choose between a soft and medium front tire (symmetrical) and a rear tire (asymmetrical).

As always, Michelin manager Piero Taramasso gives an overview: “After three years as a Michelin Grand Prix, it will seem strange without our name going around the Phillip Island circuit, but that doesn’t mean we’re taking the event lightly. This is still a big race for us as our tires are subjected to extreme tests to achieve the grip, durability, consistency and performance that this track demands. We bring a unique range of connections because here they have very specific duties, not only for everything I mentioned, but they also have to deal with the weather that Phillip Island can bring. We are happy to accept this challenge and look forward to what can be achieved.

“We also have the additional responsibility for an additional stand-alone test for the proposed 2020 rear tire. We have received successful feedback so far, but we have to judge it on a track with high demands like here, Sachsenring or Termas. It was not possible to have a full test at any of these locations so we have a short window of time to test this race weekend for which we are grateful to the drivers, Dorna and IRTA for making this possible. It is a very important test as it marks the next evolution for our tires. “