Michelin: 366km/h? Our MotoGP tyres could do 400!

Brad Binder’s new all-time MotoGP speed record of 366.1km/h (227.5mph) during last year’s Mugello Sprint race was not a concern for tyre supplier Michelin.

Peter McLaren

11 Jan 2024

Brad Binder, MotoGP, Italian MotoGP, 9 June

“There’s no problem. We carry out extensive testing and our tyres could easily handle speeds of over 400km/h,” said Michelin’s MotoGP boss Piero Taramasso.

Binder revealed that his KTM wasn’t even maxed out when he set the new record, despite being 12.1km/h faster than he had gone during the 2022 event.

“Honestly, I haven't hit the limiter yet, so clearly there's still a couple of ks there for us!” he smiled.

“It's weird. You don't feel 3-4-5 ks extra. Where you really feel it is when you sit up to brake at the same place and you're going 10-15 ks faster,” Binder said.

“It's impressive. In the Sprint race I got some really good slipstreams and my bike was hauling! The guys have done an amazing job and it's quite cool to have that speed record again.”

The following list shows how the MotoGP top speed at Mugello, usually the quickest straight of the season, has evolved since the final year of 500cc in 2001.

With MotoGP bikes now travelling 50km/h faster than in the 500cc days, clamping down on top speeds is one of the main targets for the future technical rules, from 2027...

2023: Brad Binder, KTM, 366.1km/h (227.5mph)

2022: Jorge Martin, Ducati, 363.6km/h (225.9mph)

2021: Brad Binder, KTM, 362.4km/h (225.2mph)

2020: Event cancelled due to Covid.

2019: Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati, 356.7km/h (221.6mph)

2018: Andrea Dovizioso, Ducati, 356.5km/h (221.5mph)

2017: Michele Pirro, Ducati, 354.7km/h (220.4mph)

2016: Andrea Iannone, Ducati, 354.9km/h (220.5mph)

2015: Andrea Iannone, Ducati, 350.8km/h (218.0mph)

2014: Andrea Iannone, Ducati, 349.6km/h (217.0mph)

2013: Andrea Iannone, Ducati, 344.6km/h (214.1mph)

2012: Valentino Rossi, Ducati, 346.9km/h (215.6mph)