Heading to the penultimate event of this MotoGP™ season exciting and the Sepang circuit (Malaysia) for the Shell Malaysia Motorcycle Grand Prix.
The Malaysian round is often unpredictable with extremely high temperatures, torrential rain that can flood the track in an instant, and constant humidity and humidity at this time of year. The tires must therefore perform on this abrasive surface during the hottest hours of the day – on a track which can then exceed 50°C. The MICHELIN Power Slicks will be used to the extreme to give the drivers the performance and longevity necessary for this 20-lap race over the 5,543 km circuit. The choice of rubber will be decisive. The range of tires offered by Michelin consists of soft, medium and hard for the front and rear, the rear tires being asymmetrical with a harder right side to limit wear due to the greater number of curves on this side -there.
The Sepang International Circuit hosted its first MotoGP in 1999 and has featured on the calendar every year since. The facilities are modern and the profile of the circuit offers various challenges to drivers, manufacturers and technical partners. Sepang is used as a test track in winter. Its 15 turns – 5 on the left and 10 on the right – are interspersed by two long straights on either side of huge stands which will undoubtedly be full this weekend. There is a high risk of rain and the MICHELIN Power Rain will certainly be used this weekend. The range consists of a soft and a medium for the front and rear.
Michelin and MotoGP will take to the track on Friday for two free practice sessions. Two more will follow the next day. Qualifying, where the drivers will give everything to secure the best places on the starting grid, is scheduled for Saturday afternoon. The race will start on Sunday October 29 at 15:00 p.m. local time (8:00 a.m. French time).
Piero Taramasso – Two-wheel Manager, Michelin Motorsport:
“Sepang is the penultimate round of the season and the last in a series of three overseas races in a row. This is a test that requires a lot of attention because it can be very, very hot and the surface is very abrasive. You therefore need tires capable of withstanding extreme conditions. The circuit was re-surfaced in 2016. We therefore had the data from the previous edition and that of the winter tests to develop the best possible products for the Malaysian circuit. Our desire is to always design the best tires for each track. Sepang gives us the opportunity to gauge the performance of our tires in extreme conditions, so this race is important for us and our development program. »
