The range of Michelin MotoGP™ tires was pushed to its maximum performance this weekend during the Monster Energy Grand Prix České republiky, in Brno, on a relatively old circuit offering very little grip, a Grand Prix won by Brad Brinder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing).
With track temperatures of over 50°C, the grip level of the asphalt was very low and drivers in all three categories were looking for grip over the 5,403 km circuit. But Michelin technicians worked tirelessly with their respective MotoGP teams to ensure they could get the most out of the MICHELIN Power Slicks on this slippery surface.
For the race, all the drivers opted for a hard front in order to have maximum stability, while the choice of rear was shared between soft and medium. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) got off to an excellent start to take the lead at the first corner ahead of his teammate Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and the rest of the peloton including pole sitter Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing). Morbidelli retained the advantage until the 13the lap where he was overtaken by Binder who had set the fastest lap in the race as he closed on the leader. The rookie, who was only competing in his third Grand Prix in the premier category, demonstrated all his maturity and used all the grip of his Michelin tires to widen the gap and cross the finish line with more than five seconds ahead of Morbidelli after the 21 laps of the race. He won his first victory in MotoGP, the first for a South African in the premier class and more importantly, he gave KTM the first success since his arrival in MotoGP. It is the fifth manufacturer to win in the dry with Michelin since the French tire manufacturer's return to MotoGP in 2016.
The track temperature was 46°C at the start of the race; a slight breeze and a few clouds had brought the thermometer down a little. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this event was also played behind closed doors, but the spectacle was superb for the millions of viewers and Internet users. Morbidelli's second place allowed him to win the First Independent Rider classification ahead of Zarco, on the final podium despite a penalty and a mandatory "long lap". This part of the circuit, unused except when the drivers are penalized, is very dirty and dusty, but Zarco had full confidence in the grip of the MICHELIN Power Slicks and negotiated this portion hard on the angle to join the race in third place, place he had before his penalty.
There were also multiple exciting battles in the heart of the peloton where the drivers pushed their tires to the limits of performance to find traction on this circuit which was last resurfaced in 2008. Behind the leading trio, Alex Rins (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR ) finished fourth. Thus, the top-4 is made up of four different manufacturers. Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) took fifth place ahead of Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3). Quartararo's seventh place is enough to keep him at the top of the Drivers' Championship. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda) crossed the line in eighth position ahead of Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) and Aleix Espargaró (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini). The six brands therefore finished in the top ten.
Michelin heads directly to Austria, to the Red Bell Ring in Spielberg, where two consecutive Grand Prix are scheduled, myWorld Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich next Sunday, and the BMW M Grand Prix von Styria the following Sunday.
Brad Binder – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing:
« It's fantastic ! The weekend was a bit difficult and we worked very hard on the tires and I am very happy with their performance in the race. I think everyone had to be a little careful at the beginning because we knew the end would be difficult, but we did a good job. Hats off to the men at Michelin who helped us make the right decision yesterday. It worked perfectly for the race, thank you. »
Piero Taramasso – Michelin Motorsport Two-Wheel Manager:
« It was one of the most demanding weekends since Michelin's return to MotoGP. The grip of the asphalt was very poor, the surface is so old and there are so many bumps which confuse the drivers. But the construction of our front tire is made to absorb irregularities as best as possible, so the riders had the confidence to attack. The new rear construction launched this season was tested here in 2019 and the results are positive. But the track has deteriorated so much since then and the temperatures were so high that it didn't allow the tire to perform to its full potential. The technicians did a remarkable job this weekend to find the best solutions for all drivers and manufacturers. It is during weekends like this that we see all the experience of our team and all the collective work carried out to ensure we get the best performance from the tire for each driver. We knew that there would be a drop in performance over the course of the race due to tire slippage due to the low grip of the circuit, and we were able to warn the drivers so that they could manage this phenomenon as best as possible and that would help them. helped in their decision-making. It was a difficult weekend, a weekend from which we learned a lot to move forward. Finally, I would like to congratulate Brad Binder and KTM who achieved their first victory in MotoGP, and with Michelin! »
