Michelin confirms alternative 'Misano Tyre'

Michelin's San Marino MotoGP tyre allocation will include an alternative medium front, designed specifically for the Misano circuit.

MotoGP's exclusive supplier usually offers a choice of one soft, medium and hard compound for the front and rear.

However the high-temperatures, abrasive surface and increased stresses of the 4,226m Italian circuit mean there will not be any soft tyres this weekend.

Instead, two medium options will be provided (plus one hard), for the front and rear.

One of the front mediums will be the existing design used since Mugello race (the hard will also feature this structure) whilst the other medium will be the commonly referred to ‘Misano Tyre’.

This has been designed to give the riders more stability under braking and cornering at the unusual track and has undergone testing to confirm its suitability. The same structure on a different profile was used in 2016 with great success by most of the field.

All three front tyres will be a symmetrical version.

The rear slicks will all be of an asymmetric design, with a harder right shoulder. Of the two medium rears, one has the ability to warm-up slightly quicker for riders who need to get heat in the tyre as soon as possible.

Rain tyres will be available in a soft and medium compounds, front and rear, with the medium rear an asymmetric.

“Misano is quite a difficult and complicated circuit because it can generate high tyre temperatures as the bikes spend a lot of time at big lean angles," confirmed Piero Taramasso – Michelin Motorsport Two-Wheel Manager.

"With 10-right-hand turns compared to just 6-left-hand turns, Misano is harsher on the right shoulder of the rear tyre. Last season we were very pleased with the performance of all the tyres, we broke some of the existing records – which we would obviously like to do again this year – but the most satisfying thing was the consistency and durability our tyres showed on race-day in very hot and demanding conditions on an abrasive surface.

"We have recently tested at the circuit with many of the top riders, so have some good up-to-date data which will give us a solid starting point for the weekend. With Misano we start the last third of this exciting season and there is no doubt we will see a large crowd this weekend at the one of more spectacular battles for the championship.”

Although Valentino Rossi is set to miss the race through injury, Andrea Dovizioso, Marc Marquez and Maverick Vinales are covered by just 13 points at the top of the standings.