Photo: MotoGP.com
Bridgestone demands that all riders use the harder option for their rear tires in the Sunday race at Phillip Island, in Australia.
Shinji Aoki, Bridgestone Motorsport Tyre Development Department Manager told MotoGP.com that tire specialists have analyzed tire wear after FP1 as a precautionary measure to determine the impact of the new track surface on the usual rubber used for racing.
As the track at Phillip Island received a new surface this year and the Sunday race is the first MotoGP round with the new asphalt, it was only natural that Bridgestone tested the tires.
The first practice day already showed very fast laps which got as close a 3 tenths of a second to the track record, but at a bigger rubber expense, and higher degradation was detected.
Even if Aoki said that riders can still use the softer option through practice and qualifying, they will have to use the harder rear slicks for the race.
The Australian Grand Prix on Sunday sees a massive 27 laps race along 120 km (74.6 miles) and the fast-paced track will surely put a lot of stress in the tires. Pretty much the same thing the new Argentinian MotoGP circuit does to them.
And this also means we might see speed drop a bit, too.
As the track at Phillip Island received a new surface this year and the Sunday race is the first MotoGP round with the new asphalt, it was only natural that Bridgestone tested the tires.
The first practice day already showed very fast laps which got as close a 3 tenths of a second to the track record, but at a bigger rubber expense, and higher degradation was detected.
Even if Aoki said that riders can still use the softer option through practice and qualifying, they will have to use the harder rear slicks for the race.
The Australian Grand Prix on Sunday sees a massive 27 laps race along 120 km (74.6 miles) and the fast-paced track will surely put a lot of stress in the tires. Pretty much the same thing the new Argentinian MotoGP circuit does to them.
And this also means we might see speed drop a bit, too.
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