Michelin is on its way to the Losail International Circuit, near Doha, Qatar, for the Qatar Grand Prix, the first of nineteen races in the 2018 MotoGP™ World Championship.
The Qatari round is the only one in the championship to take place at night. But this year, this meeting is even more complex with free practice sessions scheduled during the day, in the middle of the afternoon, and others, such as qualifying, which will take place in the light of the floodlights. The track, 5,380 km long, with its six left and ten right turns, is a real test, particularly for the tires because of the abrasiveness of the surface due to the sand from the desert which surrounds the circuit. This and in addition to the temperature differences between day and night which can be significant. In fact, the three days of testing carried out this month at Losail by the 24 drivers and Michelin were very valuable.
The information collected by Michelin technicians during pre-season and during the three individual test sessions in Sepang (Malaysia), Buriram (Thailand) – a new circuit entered in MotoGP in 2018 – and Qatar, made it possible to work on the tires and to change Michelin's approach for the coming season by informing Dorna now of all the tires and all the compounds that will be offered for each race of the season. This will allow teams and drivers to know their tire allocations in advance and to plan their meetings more confidently.
For Qatar, Michelin offers the MICHELIN Power Slick in soft, medium and hard for the front and rear. All the rear tires are asymmetrical with a harder right side due to the greater number of right turns which put more stress on that side. These tires are identified by different colors on the sidewalls: white stripe for soft, without stripe for medium and yellow stripe for hard. Following tests carried out in the rain – the circuit was deliberately watered during the tests – MICHELIN Power Rain will be available and used at the discretion of the Race Direction. They are available in soft (blue stripe) and medium (without stripe) version for the front and rear, the latter also being asymmetrical, a characteristic that will be found on all rear MICHELIN Power Rain tires this season.
The 24 MotoGP riders will take to the track on Friday afternoon for the first free practice session, before a session under the spotlights in the evening. On Saturday, other practice sessions are scheduled, including qualifying at night. The inaugural race of the MotoGP season will begin at 19:00 p.m. local time (16:00 p.m. GMT, 17:00 p.m. CET) on Sunday, March 18, as Michelin tires will be put through 22 laps of racing during this unique race.
Piero Taramasso – Two-wheel Manager, Michelin Motorsport:
“We had three very positive days of testing before the first race here in Qatar. In Sepang we tested two new front tires which the drivers appreciate because they give them confidence, they will surely be used this season. The results from Thailand were also convincing. This is the first time we have ridden on this track and the results were very good. This gave us a lot of information about the track, its different characteristics and the conditions. We will be able to work effectively before our return to Buriram in October, even if it is still a long way off..."
“Another important point before the start of the season: we informed Dorna of the allocations of all the tires that we are going to offer for each race of the season, even before the first event. This will offer teams and drivers more stability to plan each race. They will know which tires will be offered and will be able to plan their test sessions in advance. As always, safety and performance are two essential elements for Michelin and in the event of unforeseen circumstances, such as weather conditions or a damaged track, we can always decide on a possible change, after consultation with all parties. »
“As for the first race, the surface of the Losail circuit is very abrasive. So we brought a range of tires accordingly. We learned a lot during the three days of testing here and we know what to expect, including the differences between day and night. We believe we have the right package for every situation. The track will of course offer more grip because Moto2™ and Moto3™ are also there in Qatar. We can't wait to return to competition and we all hope for an excellent start to the season. »
