Michelin is heading to the Sachsenring in Germany and the GoPro Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland which marks the mid-2017 MotoGP™ season as well as a new challenge for the French tire manufacturer.
At 3,671 km, the Sachsenring is the shortest circuit of the season, but its 10 left turns make it one of the most difficult tracks in the championship. The circuit was re-surfaced at the start of the year, which adds additional difficulty for Michelin and the teams. And unfortunately, due to noise restrictions, it was not possible to carry out tests with the MotoGP machines there. So the whole paddock arrives at the Sachsenring with very little information on the new surface. The technical profile, with long and fast left turns, requires very specific tires. Michelin offers asymmetrical front and rear tires in soft, medium and hard with a harder left side to withstand the forces experienced on that side, while the rubber on the right side is a little softer for rapid acceleration and giving optimum performance on the three right turns.
Located in Hohenstein-Ernstthal, near Chemnitz in Saxony, the circuit hosted its first race in 1927 on roads open to traffic, including passing through the village of Hohenstein-Ernstthal. In 1937, the circuit took the name Sachsenring. The races continued to take place on public roads – apart from global conflicts and cancellations for safety reasons – until the early 1990s. The Sachsenring is now a permanent circuit which hosted its first motorcycle Grand Prix in 1998. This year, it is the 20e German Grand Prix. More than 200 spectators come to the Sachsenring and even if the record of 000 from 480 has never been beaten, it is one of the most popular races of the season.
Last year, the race started in the rain, but the quickly drying track forced the riders to calculate the right moment to change bikes and switch to slick tires. In case of uncertain weather, the MICHELIN Power Rain tire will be available in soft and medium.
The weekend will begin with two free practice sessions on Friday, followed by two new sessions on Saturday before qualifying. The Grand Prix will start on Sunday at 14:00 p.m. and will mark the halfway point of the 2017 season and an intense period of four races in five weekends.
Piero Taramasso – Two-wheel Manager, Michelin Motorsport:
“The Sachsenring is a demanding circuit due to its atypical profile. And this year, the surface has completely changed. We have no data regarding the new asphalt and it was not possible to test here due to restrictions. We are therefore heading into the unknown, but we are sure to have high-performance tires and rubber for this route. The slick tires are asymmetrical at the front and rear with a harder left side, like last year, adapted to the profile of the circuit. Motorcycles spend a lot of time on the left side and the Sachsenring requires a very specific tire with a right side which heats up quickly to provide good traction throughout the entire lap. The weather can also be unstable in this region, like last year when the start was given in the rain. But the track had dried quickly and we had seen different types of tires used to find the best performance. »
