The British Grand Prix was marked by an exceptional performance from Moto2 and Moto3 riders. The record times achieved during these races raised many questions. What is the reason for this sudden acceleration? The answer lies in the tires. Indeed, the arrival of Pirelli as official tire supplier for these two categories has changed performance.
During the last Grand Prix on the side of Silverstone, the exceptional performances of the categories Moto2 et Moto3 attracted attention. Throughout the weekend, the times indicated that something had changed this year. On Sunday, this was confirmed: the general times of the two intermediate categories beat the previous year's records in spectacular fashion.
In Moto3, the victory of'Ivan Ortola was marked by an impressive improvement in total race time, reducing it by 53 seconds compared to last year. Each lap saw drivers exceed 2023 times by around 3,5 seconds, which made it possible to gain almost a minute over the entire race.
The Moto2 race saw Jake dixon triumph at home after an intense battle with Aron canet. While his first home win was memorable, what really stood out was the improvement in overall race time. With a reduction of 12,5 seconds compared to 2023, this is equivalent to seven tenths of a second per revolution.
The big question is: what made these bikes so fast this year? Unlike MotoGP, which remains faithful to Michelin , the Moto2 and Moto3 categories have adopted tires Pirelli, thus replacing the tires Dunlop used in previous seasons. This change has visibly transformed the performance of motorcycles.
Compared to the previous Dunlops, the Pirellis are worth seven league boots
The numbers speak for themselves: out of the 40 Moto2 and Moto3 races in 2024, 38 recorded faster race times with Pirelli only with Dunlop. " We always base our judgment on objective and irrefutable figures. Last year's races took place on a dry track in similar conditions to this year ", declared the director of Pirelli.
Tire power Pirelli on world championship motorcycles is undeniable. The Silverstone results clearly show that even a tiny difference in components can have a massive impact on overall performance. These improvements demonstrate the crucial importance of tires in motorsport, once again confirming their decisive role in the quest for speed and records.
The change of tire supplier therefore had a considerable impact on performance in Moto2 and Moto3. Tires Pirelli provide riders with superior grip and durability, helping to set new speed records.
If your dream comes true, you have to CELEBRATE! 🕺@jakedixonracing became the first Brit to win at home since 2015 and the crowd went CRAZY 🥳#BritishGP 🇬🇧 | # MotoGP75 pic.twitter.com/FptjDAk1fW
- MotoGP @ 🏁 (@MotoGP) August 4, 2024