Into the unknown - Extra tyres for resurfaced Termas

MotoGP riders will have an extra front and rear slick to chose from at this weekend's Argentina round.

Part of the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit has been resurfaced since last season and - in the absence of any testing laps - it has been agreed that Michelin will offer four different front slicks and four different rears, instead of the usual three.

Into the unknown - Extra tyres for resurfaced Termas

MotoGP riders will have an extra front and rear slick to chose from at this weekend's Argentina round.

Part of the Termas de Rio Hondo circuit has been resurfaced since last season and - in the absence of any testing laps - it has been agreed that Michelin will offer four different front slicks and four different rears, instead of the usual three.

The four options will be divided into one soft, two medium and one hard compound for both the front and rear. The two front mediums have different compounds, whilst the two rear mediums will have different casings.

All of the front tyres will be different from last year's Termas designs, due to the switch in construction from Mugello 2017.

"Argentina has been a circuit that has certainly given us a number of challenges during the two years we have raced there," said Michelin Motorsport Two-Wheel Manager Piero Taramasso.

"It is a track that can be very hot, have high abrasiveness and then it can rain and the temperature drops quite a lot, so we must be ready for every eventuality.

"This year those uncertainties have been added to with parts of the track being resurfaced, so we are going there with very little knowledge of what exactly to expect, although the track has been very helpful with advanced info, but that is different from having existing data from races or tests on a new surface.

"That is why when Dorna asked us to fix the tyre allocation at the start of the season we had it included that we could take a fourth option front and rear slick to Argentina, so that we can give all the riders the best opportunity to find a balance of tyres that best suits them, their bike and the altered track.

"We believe with the knowledge we have gathered since our return to MotoGP we have the right compounds to take on the Termas track and hope to see some very fast times recorded during the weekend.”

Should wet weather make an appearance this weekend, the Michelin Power Rain tyres will be available in soft and medium compounds for front and rear.

Argentina 2016 was Michelin's toughest event since becoming exclusive tyre supplier, a delamination for Scott Redding in practice forcing major changes.

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