Michelin tires topic

MotoGP News - MotoGP: Smith 'Michelin rear hooks around the corner'

The difference in grip character between MotoGP's new Michelin tyres and the former Bridgestone rubber is also reflected in the racing lines being taken out on track.

While the stand-out feature of the Japanese rubber was its front grip, it is the rear tyre that excels for Michelin. And it's not only bike design and set-up that needs to adapt, the riders are also changing their technique.

“The thing that we're able to do with the Michelins that we weren't able to do with the Bridgestones is carry more lean angle on more throttle,” explained Monster Yamaha Tech 3's Bradley Smith. “You can actually get the bike to hook around the corner from the rear tyre a little bit more.

“Whereas with the Bridgestones, you had to kind of go in and then you sat for a little while, while it spun, and then you had to pick it up and go. But with the Michelin, if you touch the throttle early, it hooks around the corner.

“I think that's why you're seeing a few different lines; it's actually guys have a bit more side grip than we've had here in the past.”

“Bridgestone also brought tyres here to be fully safe, after their drama with the two-part race [in 2013]. What we got in October was the softest compound front tyre that Bridgestone made, and an absolute rock in the rear.”

While riders have long been happy with the Michelin rear, progress was needed for the front, which initially offered a worrying lack of feedback. A significant step came in the form of a bigger profile, first given to the factory riders at Sepang and then available to the likes of Smith at Phillip Island.

“This new front tyre, slightly bigger profile, that's even better again,” Smith declared. “You can feel that bigger contact patch all the way in [to the corner], which is finally what we need. It steers like a truck, but we can force it round the corner, and we can make it work like that.

“It doesn't make it easy to ride, but it means you can carry the corner speed through and that's what finally gives us lap time. There's a few subtle things that we have to change for it. But really it's just bolt it in and go half a second quicker, which is nice.”

But there is clearly more work to be done: After two relatively incident-free days, the last day at Phillip Island saw no less than eleven riders fall - almost all due to losing the front.

The cooler than expected weather, plus trials of some harder front compounds were cited as factors, but with the opening race less than a month away riders will be eager for a less eventful final test in Qatar.

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The riders did not stop complaining at Losail. "Michelin only brought us four of the good front tires, the rest are ones that are not available in the GPs. What is the point of using them? This is a disaster!"

The complaint was repeated along the pit row. If one were to hear only this version of the story, they would wonder if Michelin is making a mess of their return to MotoGP.

Of course, riders often only see their side of the story, and getting to the bottom of the situation requires we get the opposing side’s explanation. So we went to speak directly with Nicola Goubert, chief of Michelin in the GPs. Goubert’s account of the situation clarified why some riders were so upset.

Michelin's Two Wheel Racing boss Nicolas Goubert had some explaining to do regarding the front tire allocation at Qatar that had a lot of riders upset. Unfortunately Michelin is discovering some of the headaches that accompany being the spec tire supplier for MotoGP...

“The number 34 and 36 front tires that were introduced at the test in Sepang were replacing the previous number 1002,” explained Goubert. “The 34 and 36 tires give riders more surface contact at maximum inclination, all the way past the point where riders were falling up to now. The riders loved the new tire and between the two options unanimously chose the 34.”

“Between Sepang and Australia, we had to start manufacturing tires for the first GP, and we did so based on the feedback from the riders. But at Phillip Island, 36 performed the best and suddenly the riders went on to say that the preferred tire was this one and not 34...which was already being manufactured for the first GP and for testing here.

“So we brought both. Each rider will have four number 36 tires and three number 34 tires in the K compound, which is the soft compound. The first day, we gave five riders both versions to test and four of them chose the 36 over the other.”

With the production line manufacturing the number 34 K compound front tires, Michelin has suddenly gotten themselves into a problem, and the riders are protesting. But at least now we know why and it’s a situation we should follow closely. Especially when the tire preferences were ultimately divided. Maverick Viñales, who finished on top of the timesheets on Thursday and ultimately was third quickest in the test, did not want to use the number 34 tire; he only wanted to use the number 36. Lorenzo on the other hand, opted for the number 34. Rossi is undecided, Pedrosa liked the number 36, Marquez is undecided…it’s quite a mess.

So now the question is unavoidable: What will Michelin do? If it builds two different tire constructions in two different compounds, it will cost a good deal more than the regular path of a single construction in two different compounds. It’s clear that there will be riders who will be upset with the situation. What if they ultimately decide something that goes against the interests of say, Suzuki, a brand that is just starting to make their mark on the paddock?

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Cool Blue said:

..... That has such a ring of truth about it that it's quite depressing. [emoji19]

So testing is not only for development... it's real purpose is to figure out who needs to be hobbled by the motor home tyre mafia.

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