[CP] Direction Austria for Michelin and a double confrontation at Spielberg

Michelin made the short trip between the Czech Republic and Austria where MotoGP™ set up camp for two consecutive races at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, first the myWorld Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich, followed seven days later late by the unprecedented BMW M Grand Prix von Styria.

The 4,318 km circuit is located in the heart of the picturesque mountains and forests of the Styrian region. A relative calm, because it is one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar for tires. Apart from the two real left turns and a very fast left curve, it is the seven right turns which cause a lot of stress and thermal damage to the MICHELIN Power Slicks. To meet these enormous constraints, Michelin offers a specific rear tire construction, designed especially for these conditions. Thus, the new rear tire architecture which has improved grip and performance since the start of the season will not be used at Spielberg. This specific construction is also employed in Buriram, Thailand, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it will only be used in the 2020 Spielberg doubleheader.

For this demanding circuit, the rear MICHELIN Power Slicks – available in soft, medium and hard – feature an asymmetrical design with a harder right side to combat the high temperatures caused by a lap of this unique circuit. The front MICHELIN Power Slicks, also in soft, medium and hard, have a symmetrical design with rubber offering the best grip when braking and cornering to give riders confidence on the fastest track in the MotoGP championship.

Michelin can also expect rain as has often been the case at the Red Bull Ring since the return of MotoGP in 2016. The allocation consists of MICHELIN Power Rain soft and medium. The fronts have a symmetrical design and the rears are asymmetrical with a harder right shoulder like the slicks. For both races, each driver's slick and wet tire packages are identical.

Michelin and the MotoGP stars will take to the track on Friday August 14 for the first two free practice sessions of Spielberg's blockbuster. Other sessions are scheduled for Saturday before qualifying. The start of the myWorld Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich, 28 laps long, will be given on Sunday August 16 at 14 p.m., while the BMW M Grand Prix von Styria (also 00 laps) will start at the same time on Sunday August 28.

Piero Taramasso – Michelin Motorsport Two-Wheel Manager:

« The races are coming one after the other and with this double confrontation, five events will have been run in six weekends since the start of the season. But this will be a little different because we had to change the construction of the rear tire. Spielberg is a very fast and demanding circuit, the tire is subjected to very high temperatures. We therefore use a tire specifically adapted to these constraints and which gives drivers all the control they need at the rear. In recent years, the races have been exciting at Spielberg and we hope that this double showdown will be exciting as well. We offer tires that offer the best grip and performance, we can't wait to see them on the track. »