Michelin heads to Sachsenring, Germany, for the GoPro Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland, a race that marks the halfway point of the 2016 MotoGP™ championship and celebrates a first for the French tire manufacturer in its return to motorcycle Grand Prix racing.
The Sachsenring is a technical circuit with long, fast left-handers, slow right-handers and abrasive asphalt, making this track one of the most demanding in the championship despite measuring just 3,671km – this is the circuit the shortest of the season. As a result, Michelin is offering MICHELIN Power slicks asymmetric front tires for the first time this season. These new tires have been developed specifically for the requirements of the Sachsenring. With these 10 left turns, the left shoulder of the front tire has harder rubber to withstand the high temperatures that the track will generate. Available in soft (white identification) and hard (yellow stripe) versions, these two asymmetric tires are complemented by a symmetrical medium version (without marking) of the front tire in order to offer drivers different options depending on the conditions.
To accompany the front tires, Michelin offers a new rear tire with an asymmetrical design, featuring a reinforced left shoulder, designed for many fast left turns. This tire has a softer right side for rapid revving to provide drivers with good grip on the slow straights at the start of the lap. It is available in medium (without marking) and hard (yellow stripe). The balance between these different centerings is crucial to give the best performance, maximum safety and longevity on this circuit. To complete the range, Michelin also offers its Power Rain tires widely used during the last Grand Prix at Assen, and its Power Inters for mixed conditions.
Located in the east of Germany, about 100 km from Dresden, the Sachsenring was in its time laid out on public roads, such as Assen, Brno or the Isle of Man. But since 1996, it has been a circuit exclusively dedicated to competition, at the gates of Hohenstein-Ernstthal. The Sachsenring has hosted a motorcycle Grand Prix every year since 1998. This region was once a cradle of the automobile industry and manufacturers came to test their machines on these roads. This rich past and the festive atmosphere of the weekend make the Sachsenring an explosive cocktail that motorcycling fans love.
Michelin and its MotoGP partners will take to the track on Friday for two free practice sessions, followed by another session the following morning. Saturday afternoon, qualifying will provide the starting grid for the Grand Prix scheduled for 30 laps. The lights will turn green on Sunday at 14:00 p.m. for a race that will likely be sold out.
Piero Taramasso – Two-wheel manager at Michelin Motorsport:
“After all the upheaval and difficult weather conditions we experienced in Assen, it would be nice to have a slightly more “quiet” weekend! But the Sachsenring isn't really the place for it. It is a very demanding circuit and its layout, with long left turns, generates a lot of heat on the tires. So, we had to design new tires specifically for this track. This is the first time we will have asymmetrical rear tires with a harder left side to handle high temperatures and a softer right side to quickly rev up for slow, tight right turns at the start of the lap, after numerous left turns and the start/finish straight. It is therefore necessary to get up to speed quickly to immediately give a good grip. This is also the first time this season that we have combined an asymmetrical front and rear tire. Weather conditions can be very variable at the Sachsenring, as in Assen. We must therefore be ready to deal with all situations. The German public always comes here in large numbers for one of the biggest festivals of the season. »
