For the demanding Montmelò circuit where the Catalan Grand Prix will be contested, the drivers will have a greater number of tires at their disposal Pirelli and certain additional solutions and compounds: Moto2, the SC3 hard solution for two wheels, in Moto3™, the C1096 development rear specification.
Le Circuit of Barcelona-Catalonia, which will welcome the Grand Prix of Catalonia next weekend, is a rather demanding circuit for the tires given that, in certain conditions, it can significantly increase wear due to the low levels of grip available and its route which, particularly in the last sector, is very technical and requires measured tire management. For this reason, in addition to the standard 2024 allocation, the Moto2™ class will also be able to count on the SC3 (hard) option both for the front (already allocated during the American and French GPs) and for the rear , while Moto3™ will have at its disposal the development rear with the C1096 (hard) specification, also already present in the two GPs mentioned above and in that of Qatar.
Furthermore, in some cases, the quantity of tires available to drivers for each compound has also been increased, which allows them to use a greater number of them over the weekend.
This allocation will allow teams to have a wide range of solutions capable of dealing with the pitfalls that the Catalan circuit can present.
“We know the Montmelò circuit well having raced there for many years, including in WorldSBK. It is an unpredictable circuit, with little grip, which can change a lot depending on the temperature of the asphalt and which can also be very aggressive for the tires, increasing their wear. This is why, as a precaution, we preferred to make harder solutions available to riders, such as the front and rear SC3 for Moto2, which can prove to be valuable allies. In addition, we have also increased the number of units available to drivers for each compound and, therefore, the number of tires that, according to the regulations, they can use during the weekend. In this way, teams and drivers will have a wide range of choices and will be freer to use the solution they prefer throughout the weekend without worrying about having a sufficient number of tires. Whatever solutions are chosen, it is always a circuit that must be approached intelligently: from a racing point of view, the search for the best configuration and the best tire management is fundamental to success. .
- Dedicated allocation : Compared to the standard 2024 allocation, SC3 (hard) compounds are added as an option front and rear for Moto2™ and development specification C1096 (hard) at the rear for Moto3 ™. The number of tires available for each driver is also increased. In Moto2™, for the front, the quantity of SC2 increases from 6 to 8 while the SC3 is available in 6 pieces per rider, for the rear, the quantity of SC0 increases from 6 to 8 and, as for the Front, there are 6 SC3 compound tires. In Moto3™, for all solutions, the quantity of tires available is increased to 8, in addition to the 6 pieces of the rear C1096.
- Allocation vs. Use : the number of tires that Pirelli makes available to each driver is always greater than those that can legally be used during a race weekend. Typically, each driver in both categories can use a maximum of 17 slick tires, 8 at the front and 9 at the rear. For Barcelona, since there are additional compounds compared to the standard allocation which includes two front and two rear specifications, the number of tires a rider can use is also greater: specifically in Moto2™, the Drivers can use 1 more front tire (9 instead of 8) and 1 more rear tire (10 instead of 9), making a maximum of 19 slicks, given the presence of SC3 specifications for the front and back. In Moto3™, they can use 1 more rear (10 instead of 9) due to the presence of the C1096 rear, making a total of 17 slick tires usable at most.
- Difficult circuit : The Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelò is a circuit that offers low levels of grip, particularly when temperatures are high. Lack of grip can lead to high consumption, which requires good tire resistance, but also optimized motorcycle settings and careful tire management during the race.
- Track Features : the facility was inaugurated before the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, and since then it has hosted the Motorcycling Grand Prix every year. 4 meters long and comprising 657 bends, its route is characterized by a surface that is often irregular and subject to the influence of earth coming from the surrounding countryside and deposited by the wind. It is one of the circuits most appreciated by drivers for its variety between violent braking and wide, fast turns, as well as for the straight line which, with its 16 meters long, is often the scene of new speed records. .
Pirelli Catalonia
