Joined Sep 2005
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Lancashire UK
2006 MotoGP World Championship
Round 2: Qatar Grand Prix, Losail
April 6/7/8
Preview
MICHELIN’S RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGE OF QATAR
Michelin riders ruled the first two Qatar GPs, filling the first seven finishing places in 2004 and the first five positions last year. This year’s race is expected to offer a slightly different challenge because the event has been moved from October to April.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <div class='quotemain'>“We hope conditions will be cooler than they were on our last two visits,” says Nicolas Goubert, Michelin’s director of motorcycle racing. “We tested with Yamaha during February and it was less than 30 degrees, much nicer conditions than the extreme heat we had experienced before. Both Valentino Rossi (Camel Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) and Colin Edwards (Camel Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) lapped inside the record because the circuit was cool and clean but will we be able to go as fast this weekend? It all depends on track conditions and temperature.
“We know Losail can hold some surprises. You may have everything under control, and then a sandstorm changes everything. There’s not much you can do if the track is covered in sand. Not only does sand reduce grip it also accelerates tyre wear. From a layout point of view, Losail is a medium-wear circuit for the rear. The front tyre isn’t a major issue, there are no downhill sections or big braking areas.
“We are very happy with our 2006 rear slick, which continues our usual MotoGP concept, creating a larger footprint to give the riders more edge grip and traction. If race-day conditions are at least equal to last year’s conditions we’re pretty confident we can beat the race record. But this is only the second race, so we are still learning. You never quite know where you stand at the first few races, which is quite fun, quite exciting for us! Jerez didn’t offer us any firm conclusions about the performance of our 2006 tyres because the track was much less grippy than last year, that’s why the race was 14 seconds slower.”
LOSAIL DATA:
Lap record: Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin), 1m 57.903s, 164.270kmh/102.073mph (2005)
Pole position 2005: Loris Capirossi (Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici), 1m 56.917s
Recent winners of the Qatar GP
2005 Valentino Rossi (Gauloises Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin), 43m 33.759s
2004 Sete Gibernau (Telefonica Movistar Honda RC211V-Michelin), 44m 01.741s (first race at track)
MICHELIN MotoGP RIDERS 2006
Colin Edwards, Valentino Rossi (Camel Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin)
Toni Elias, Marco Melandri (Fortuna Honda RC211V-Michelin)
Nicky Hayden, Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin)
Kenny Roberts (Team Roberts KR211V-Michelin)
Casey Stoner (Honda LCR RC211V-Michelin)
Makoto Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda RC211V-Michelin)
MotoGP numbers you need to know
5 kg
The approximate weight of a front MotoGP tyre.
7 kg
The approximate weight of a rear MotoGP tyre.
60°
The maximum lean angle achieved by riders on a dry track.
350 kph
Until the end of the 2001 season motorcycle racing's premier World Championship featured four-cylinder 131kg 500cc two-strokes which delivered 190 horsepower. Since 2002 MotoGP bikes are 990cc four-strokes, weighing 145 kg (four and five-cylinder machines). Power output has increased from around 220bhp in 2002 to more than 250bhp in 2006. Today's bikes reach top speeds of about 350 kph.
More than 45°
The maximum lean angle achieved by riders on a wet track.
8 %
The smallest gap between dry-track lap time and a wet-track lap time. When it rains at Assen, MotoGP bikes are capable of running lap times on a par with those of a 125 cc bike in the dry!
100 sq. cm
The approximate surface area of two credit cards, also the combined area of the front and rear tyre contact patches.
5 km
The life expectancy of a rear MotoGP qualifying tyre.
20-1000
Michelin’s MotoGP crew numbers around 20 people. During a MotoGP weekend the tyre fitters fit around 500 tyres. Approximately 1000 Michelin tyres are taken to European races in a convoy of four semi-trailers. Tyres for non- European events are transported by airfreight.
100 km
The life expectancy of a MotoGP race tyre.
150 ingredients
There are a huge number of ingredients that go into making a MotoGP tyre. These include both natural and synthetic rubber, styrene butadiene (for grip), polybutadiene (for durability), as well as textile fibres (nylon and polyester), resins, sulphur, wax, oils, etc.
Donington 2002-2005
Lap times have tumbled dramatically since the arrival of MotoGP bikes! A quick look at the fastest qualifying time and race duration at the British Grand Prix over the past four years reveal how the machines and tyres have progressed.
2006 MotoGP World Championship
Round 2: Qatar Grand Prix, Losail
April 6/7/8
------
Some interesting stuff for the techofreaks out there!
ben
Round 2: Qatar Grand Prix, Losail
April 6/7/8
Preview
MICHELIN’S RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGE OF QATAR
Michelin riders ruled the first two Qatar GPs, filling the first seven finishing places in 2004 and the first five positions last year. This year’s race is expected to offer a slightly different challenge because the event has been moved from October to April.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE <div class='quotemain'>“We hope conditions will be cooler than they were on our last two visits,” says Nicolas Goubert, Michelin’s director of motorcycle racing. “We tested with Yamaha during February and it was less than 30 degrees, much nicer conditions than the extreme heat we had experienced before. Both Valentino Rossi (Camel Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) and Colin Edwards (Camel Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin) lapped inside the record because the circuit was cool and clean but will we be able to go as fast this weekend? It all depends on track conditions and temperature.
“We know Losail can hold some surprises. You may have everything under control, and then a sandstorm changes everything. There’s not much you can do if the track is covered in sand. Not only does sand reduce grip it also accelerates tyre wear. From a layout point of view, Losail is a medium-wear circuit for the rear. The front tyre isn’t a major issue, there are no downhill sections or big braking areas.
“We are very happy with our 2006 rear slick, which continues our usual MotoGP concept, creating a larger footprint to give the riders more edge grip and traction. If race-day conditions are at least equal to last year’s conditions we’re pretty confident we can beat the race record. But this is only the second race, so we are still learning. You never quite know where you stand at the first few races, which is quite fun, quite exciting for us! Jerez didn’t offer us any firm conclusions about the performance of our 2006 tyres because the track was much less grippy than last year, that’s why the race was 14 seconds slower.”
LOSAIL DATA:
Lap record: Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin), 1m 57.903s, 164.270kmh/102.073mph (2005)
Pole position 2005: Loris Capirossi (Ducati Marlboro Team Desmosedici), 1m 56.917s
Recent winners of the Qatar GP
2005 Valentino Rossi (Gauloises Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin), 43m 33.759s
2004 Sete Gibernau (Telefonica Movistar Honda RC211V-Michelin), 44m 01.741s (first race at track)
MICHELIN MotoGP RIDERS 2006
Colin Edwards, Valentino Rossi (Camel Yamaha Team YZR-M1-Michelin)
Toni Elias, Marco Melandri (Fortuna Honda RC211V-Michelin)
Nicky Hayden, Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team RC211V-Michelin)
Kenny Roberts (Team Roberts KR211V-Michelin)
Casey Stoner (Honda LCR RC211V-Michelin)
Makoto Tamada (Konica Minolta Honda RC211V-Michelin)
MotoGP numbers you need to know
5 kg
The approximate weight of a front MotoGP tyre.
7 kg
The approximate weight of a rear MotoGP tyre.
60°
The maximum lean angle achieved by riders on a dry track.
350 kph
Until the end of the 2001 season motorcycle racing's premier World Championship featured four-cylinder 131kg 500cc two-strokes which delivered 190 horsepower. Since 2002 MotoGP bikes are 990cc four-strokes, weighing 145 kg (four and five-cylinder machines). Power output has increased from around 220bhp in 2002 to more than 250bhp in 2006. Today's bikes reach top speeds of about 350 kph.
More than 45°
The maximum lean angle achieved by riders on a wet track.
8 %
The smallest gap between dry-track lap time and a wet-track lap time. When it rains at Assen, MotoGP bikes are capable of running lap times on a par with those of a 125 cc bike in the dry!
100 sq. cm
The approximate surface area of two credit cards, also the combined area of the front and rear tyre contact patches.
5 km
The life expectancy of a rear MotoGP qualifying tyre.
20-1000
Michelin’s MotoGP crew numbers around 20 people. During a MotoGP weekend the tyre fitters fit around 500 tyres. Approximately 1000 Michelin tyres are taken to European races in a convoy of four semi-trailers. Tyres for non- European events are transported by airfreight.
100 km
The life expectancy of a MotoGP race tyre.
150 ingredients
There are a huge number of ingredients that go into making a MotoGP tyre. These include both natural and synthetic rubber, styrene butadiene (for grip), polybutadiene (for durability), as well as textile fibres (nylon and polyester), resins, sulphur, wax, oils, etc.
Donington 2002-2005
Lap times have tumbled dramatically since the arrival of MotoGP bikes! A quick look at the fastest qualifying time and race duration at the British Grand Prix over the past four years reveal how the machines and tyres have progressed.
2006 MotoGP World Championship
Round 2: Qatar Grand Prix, Losail
April 6/7/8
------
Some interesting stuff for the techofreaks out there!
ben
