The seventh MotoGP round will take place on the Barcelona circuit, Montmelò will be a tough challenge for Michelin. Aside from the weekend itself, the teams will stay for testing on the Monday after the raceas it has become a tradition in recent years. Last season, Jorge Lorenzo dominated his Ducati and confirmed that he was also able to exploit the Desmosedici’s potential in Mugello.
The tires chosen by Michelin for this weekend are the classic asymmetrical rear wheels in a soft, medium and hard mix. While the soft and medium solutions are symmetrical at the front, the drivers also have an asymmetrical hard tire available, which is harder on the right side, which is more demanding given the eight right-hand bends on the route.
MICHELIN SHEET FOR SPAIN
The route was completely repaved in 2018 and was also subjected to some modifications for safety reasons. This means that all records have been reset and the tire supplier is now facing some kind of challenge with these limits, knowing that he can beat them and set a new series of records this season, as the Michelin manager pointed out Piero Taramasso, who regards the track as an excellent test bench to check the development of bikes and tires.
“This is one of the tracks that gives an overall test for tires and bikes and has therefore firmly established itself as one of the important test locations on the calendar and as one of the best races with a complete mix of curves, a long straight and it’s pretty much on the right side of the tire fierce, which means that we need a tire here that can do everything. “
One of the certainties in the Barcelona GP are high temperatures that can lead to significant problems with tire grip during the race.
“It can also get quite warm, so the surface has to work even at higher track temperatures. Last year it was a brand new surface and from the race weekend and Monday testing we got a huge amount of data that helped choose the best connections for this season. ”
Beating your own records is never easy However, Michelin can count on a wealth of experience.
“This is an event that is fun for drivers and fans, the atmosphere is always good and we look forward to the chance to break our own records from last year, especially since we are now equipped with more information about what to expect from the tarmac . “