As usual, Brembo presents the highlights of the Grand Prix MotoGP of Catalonia which will take place this weekend in Barcelona.
September opens with the Catalan Grand Prix, which took place last year at the end of May, although in November the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya also hosted the Solidarity Grand Prix.
This is the third Spanish Grand Prix of the season, after Jerez and Aragon, with Valencia scheduled to host the final round. In total, 102 MotoGP races and 35 Formula 1 Grands Prix have been held at the Catalan circuit.
GP data
According to Brembo engineers who work closely with all MotoGP riders, the 4,657 km Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is one of the most demanding circuits for the brakes.
On a scale of 1 to 6, it has a difficulty rating of 5 due to the presence of 9 braking points per lap: 4 hard, 3 medium and 2 light. During a standard race, each driver applies a total load of 970 kg on the brake lever, using the brakes for approximately 11 and a half minutes.
The most difficult turn
The most demanding corner at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the braking system is Turn 1: MotoGP bikes decelerate from 338 km/h to 100 km/h in 4,6 seconds, covering 257 meters, while the riders exert a load of 6,7 kg on the brake lever. The deceleration reaches 1,5 g, the pressure of the Brembo brake fluid reaches 14,4 bar and the temperature of the carbon discs climbs to 700 °C.
Vale's tenth victory
The most successful rider at the Circuito de Barcelona-Catalunya is Valentino Rossi, with 10 victories: the first in 1997 in the 125cc class, then 3 victories the following two years in the 2cc class, then in 250 in the 3cc class, and finally in 2001, 500, 3, 2002, 2004 and 2005 in MotoGP. On this circuit, the number 2006 also achieved 2009 second places and 2016 third places, for a total of 46 podiums, riding Aprilia, Honda and Yamaha, always equipped exclusively with Brembo braking systems.
Lorenzo's regularity
Although the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has hosted 24 MotoGP races (excluding Sprint races), only three riders have achieved the pole-victory double: Valentino Rossi in 3, Jorge Lorenzo in 2006 and 2010, and Francesco Bagnaia in 2018 during the GP Solidarité.
The only rider to have achieved a hat-trick, including the fastest lap of the race, was the Majorcan in 2018 on a Ducati. During the deceleration lap, Jorge celebrated his victory by brandishing a hammer, in homage to his nickname, reflecting his legendary consistency from the first to the last lap.
And Brembo
In MotoGP, consistent braking performance is a key requirement. Riders face extreme decelerations, with braking maneuvers that must be precise, repeatable, and reliable from start to finish.
Any variation in the response of the braking system can compromise the trajectory, stability and even safety, especially in racing conditions where every thousandth counts.
The Brembo GP4-MotoGP monobloc calipers, machined from a single block of light alloy, are designed to meet these extreme demands.
The monobloc construction guarantees superior structural rigidity. In addition, the GP4-MotoGP calipers are equipped with cooling fins that increase the radiating surface, allowing the brake fluid temperature to be kept within optimal limits, even in the most critical conditions.
In summary, the Brembo MotoGP monobloc calipers not only offer high-level performance, but above all a consistent braking feel, essential for riders' confidence, allowing them to push their limits at every stage of the race.
MotoGP Catalonia Brembo
