Photo: Michelin
Michelin invites the MotoGP factory teams for an extra tire test scheduled before Christmas, but only three teams responded favorably. The French tire manufacturer wants to make the best of what's left before the official testing season starts, so the move is only natural.
With Bridgestone having supplied tires to MotoGP for a long time, Michelin needs to catch up quite quickly. Even more, their new tires will not be able to replicate the behavior and feel of the Japanese ones, so allowing the teams more time to understand how they work is essential.
Strangely enough, only three factory teams joined the off-season Michelin test, Honda, Aprilia and Ducati. Maybe saying that the remaining factory teams are not interested is an overstatement, but this test has a certain particularity.
This means that Ducati will have Michele Pirro on the GP-X, while Mike Di Meglio will ride for Aprilia. Honda will be using both its test riders, Hiroshi Aoyama and Takumi Takahashi.
These guys will be testing the front tires in cold conditions, which seem to be one of Michelin's weakest points. During the previous tests, the riders, both contracted and test ones found it very hard to understand the limits of the front tire. On the other hand, the teams will use the data collected in this test to refine the settings of their bikes in such a way that the riders will be able to obtain more consistent feedback from the tire.
Strangely enough, only three factory teams joined the off-season Michelin test, Honda, Aprilia and Ducati. Maybe saying that the remaining factory teams are not interested is an overstatement, but this test has a certain particularity.
Testing the front tire in cold conditions
It will take place outside the official testing season, and the MotoGP regulations forbid the contracted riders from taking part in such events. That is, the factory teams cannot have the riders with a race contract for 2016 astride the bikes at Jerez before Christmas, and they will be asked to use their official test riders.This means that Ducati will have Michele Pirro on the GP-X, while Mike Di Meglio will ride for Aprilia. Honda will be using both its test riders, Hiroshi Aoyama and Takumi Takahashi.
These guys will be testing the front tires in cold conditions, which seem to be one of Michelin's weakest points. During the previous tests, the riders, both contracted and test ones found it very hard to understand the limits of the front tire. On the other hand, the teams will use the data collected in this test to refine the settings of their bikes in such a way that the riders will be able to obtain more consistent feedback from the tire.
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