So far, the Indonesian Grand Prix MotoGP presented us with a very unusual show on the Mandalika circuit, and Michelin tires could well be the key to the upheaval observed...
Indeed, seeing the two official Ducatis in Q1, after having done the double in both the Sprint and the Grand Prix in Japan a week ago, is strange to say the least.
Check Francis Bagnaia finishing last, 13 seconds behind the penultimate, while he had won the Sprint and the Grand Prix at Motegi, is no less so, as is observing Marc Márquez struggle like hell, losing the front repeatedly for a seventh place under the flag.
But it would be too easy to blame the Ducati for a lack of osmosis with the Indonesian track, and the splendid and courageous race of Fermin Aldeguer, just like the record set in 2024 by George Martin are there to attest to this.
Moreover, this oceanfront circuit doesn't have any particular features, and even if it remains very demanding for the rear tires because it includes a series of turns with a lot of acceleration and braking, it is halfway between a very typical "stop and go" circuit and a fluid layout like Silverstone. Two singularities, however, distinguish it from its counterparts: its abrasiveness and the high temperatures that can be found there.
Because of these three elements, Michelin has therefore introduced asymmetric rear tires, reinforced on the right, with stiffer carcasses than usual, as in Thailand.
The development of the bikes, usually quite limited, therefore becomes a crucial element, and in this respect the Reds visibly missed out, while Ducati made the top 5 of the Sprint last year.
This year, Aprilia seems to have a little something extra, which breaks up the usual monotony seen so far. And even if the title is already won, it's always good to take...
Piero Taramasso, Michelin's two-wheel competition manager, gives an initial assessment of this unusual weekend.
“Mandalika, first day 1
This circuit has very aggressive asphalt, and the layout is quite demanding. In addition, the track temperature is always very high: we had 50° in the morning and almost 60° in the afternoon. So this combination is quite difficult for the tires. That's why, for the rear tire specification, we brought a reinforced casing. You know, it's a stronger casing—the same as in Thailand—because the rear tire generates a very, very high temperature. So we needed this casing to be able to last the race distance.
The compounds are the same as last year: the soft and the medium. Up front, we have the same soft as last year, the same hard as well, and we've just tweaked the medium a little, which is slightly harder.
If you start from the front, the front tire performance wasn't bad. We tested all three specifications in the morning session and also in the afternoon. All three feel different, but all three seem usable in the race. You know, they just have different characteristics. For example, with the soft front tire, you have more grip on the lean; with the medium, you have good stability and decent grip on the lean; and with the hard, you have much better support, because the casing is stiffer. So each rider can choose which one they prefer, and we'll see that.
For tomorrow's Sprint, it will probably be the soft front tire, because its grip on the lean is superior and the handling is better.
For the rear, the soft tire works quite well. It heats up in one lap, no more, and then the performance is there. But the grip level is very high, which pushes a lot on the front, so it unbalances the bike: you need a very, very good set-up of the machine.
The medium, with its hard casing and firmer compound, needs four or five turns to heat up. It takes time, but once it's up to temperature, it's very consistent and stable.
But yes, today the problem was that the warm-up phase is quite long, and also that the track, in the morning, was very dirty: very little grip, a lot of sliding.
It was a little better in the afternoon, but even so, we still need more rubber on the track to generate temperature in the tire, to create grip. And anyway, Marco Bezzecchi set a very fast lap, only two tenths off the lap record, and we just hope the conditions will be better tomorrow.
Mandalika, Day 2
Today, the track conditions were better compared to yesterday: the track was cleaner and the temperature was lower, around 50° this afternoon for the Sprint. But the day went well. We worked mainly with the soft front / soft rear tire. This was to prepare for the Sprint, but also for qualifying. Only Pedro and Brad tried something else: Pedro tested the hard front tire, and Brad the medium, and they liked it, so they used it for the Sprint.
For qualifying, there were some very fast lap times, with Marco Bezzecchi setting a 1'28.8, a new lap record, and the feeling was good for all the riders. The feeling was much better than yesterday at the front, and at the rear, they adapted the setup to the new construction of the rear tire. And now, after the Sprint, we received positive feedback: the front was stable, with good grip, the rear too, good warm-up, good initial grip, and also the degradation of the rear tire was not very significant, very regular for a soft tire.
For this reason, we will probably see the soft rear tire in the race tomorrow as well. In addition to that, we will also see some riders with the medium rear tire, because we know it's a good rear tire. We used it last year for the race, it's more consistent. You can lose a little bit of grip and a little bit of lap time during the first two or three laps, but then it becomes very solid.
For the front, probably we will see all three solutions, so If all goes according to plan, we will see all five tire specifications on track tomorrow during the race."
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