By offering 3 front tires and 3 rear tires on each Grand Prix (even 4 in Germany), Michelin has created the conditions so that each Sunday sees the MotoGP hierarchy challenged by the selection of the right combination.
Thus, the Hondas dominated at Jerez, the Yamahas at Le Mans, the Ducatis at Mugello and Barcelona, etc.
But one of the constants of this inconsistent first half-season is that the Ducati have very often been able to use tires a notch softer than the others, sometimes at the rear but especially at the front, despite a bike renowned for being very physical. to lead and turn, and an engine power also reputed to be superior to the competition.
As a result, the opponents did not hesitate to suggest that the Ducatis were using their Michelin tires particularly well, even going so far as to attribute Borgo Panigale's latest victories to the tires, and only to the tires! Publicly, it remains measured, in the paddock, a little less…
During the same interview where he discussed the possible Ducati/Stoner divorce, Manuel Pecino therefore clearly posed the question to Gigi Dall'Igna...
I suppose you are aware of the rumor circulating about Michelin's special treatment in favor of Ducati...
“Ah, yes, the story of the special tire… It’s quite the opposite! The last time I met the Michelin representative was Monday after the Spanish Grand Prix, when all the manufacturers except Ducati, decided to change the front tire and return to (the stiffer construction of) the 'last year. And the last time I met him, I was extremely upset with him because he made a decision that hurt Ducati. I understand that this is part of the game; I just didn't want his decision to be negative for Ducati. They did what they wanted to do. But you can't say that Michelin makes tires that fit our bike in particular, because others chose the type of tires. »
Okay, but then how is it possible that, on the grid, only the Ducati can use the soft front tire?
“Because last year we invested a lot trying to really understand how to make the tires work. Obviously, before we had a big problem with that. So over the last few years we've worked, very well in my opinion, to understand how to make tires work well. »
I imagine this research involves a lot of testing on the chassis... How long will it take to transform your bike? Because Dovizioso always says the same thing: “our problems have not changed and the bike does not run”.
“In Italian, there is an expression that says “the carpet is short. » If you transform the bike to turn better, obviously it will lose some of its real virtues. As always, there is a compromise to be found between all areas, which affects the performance of the bike on the track. It's probably true that, compared to others, our bike still runs a little worse, and we're working on that. But it is also true that it is superior to others elsewhere. I would say that overall our bike is quietly competitive. »
Which reminds us of the countless tests carried out since last year by Ducati using lasers and other optical sensors...
