Michelin uses Mugello to predict Brno challenge, extra rear tyre
Michelin prepares for the unknown at Brno this weekend by referencing data from Mugello and offering three rear compounds.
As usual for a ‘new’ circuit, Michelin will bring an extra rear tyre option for this weekend’s Czech Republic MotoGP at Brno.
In other words, riders and teams can choose from three different rears (soft, medium and hard), as well as the usual three fronts.
Brno has not featured on the MotoGP calendar since 2020 and has undergone a full resurfacing ahead of this weekend's comeback.
Only Yamaha and Honda have conducted private testing on the new surface.
“We are very happy to return to the Brno circuit,” said Piero Taramasso, Michelin’s Two-Wheel Motorsport Manager.
“Not only is it a beautiful venue, it is also a race weekend where fans come from all over Europe, and the show is always intense.”
The wide, power-hungry layout includes a long uphill climb for the final sector of the lap.
“From a technical standpoint, we see this track as a challenge because it is the most undulating of the season, with impressive elevation changes,” Taramasso said.
“Moreover, since the asphalt has been completely redone, we have very little data on its properties.”
While early test feedback from Yamaha and Honda confirmed a smooth surface and high grip levels, Taramasso warned that tyre performance, particularly thermal behaviour, remains uncertain.
"Two teams have conducted tests there and reported good grip and a smooth surface, but we still lack feedback on the thermal behaviour of the track, whose dark nature should promote heat retention," Taramasso said.
He also revealed that Michelin picked out Mugello as having the most similar characteristics.
“To prepare our tyre package, we also looked at data from a similar profile circuit, such as Mugello in Italy,” he added.
“Between this pre-race analysis and the crucial Friday tests, we believe our partners will find the right combination to perform.”
Dani Pedrosa still holds the official Brno race lap record from the Bridgestone era in 2014, when the Repsol Honda rider's victory also ended team-mate Marc Marquez's ten-race win streak.
In this article
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
