Rain tires are like slicks; they require long development sessions in order to choose those that offer the best grip and endurance. To do this, Michelin first uses its Ladoux test track, which can be watered by sprinklers, to choose the best tires for the racing teams to then try.
As it is out of the question to bring entire teams onto the Ladoux tracks for reasons of confidentiality, Michelin often rents the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia to test its rain tires, both car and motorcycle. This track is short and flat, therefore easily watered with tank trucks.
The MotoGP teams were therefore invited today to Valencia by the manufacturer, as they were last week at Le Mans to test the new coating. If there were a few defections in Sarthe (all satellite teams, except LCR), it was an epidemic that day in Valence.
Alongside the Marc VDS team was to be the official KTM team, but a delay in the manufacture of its big bang engines prevented it from participating. Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith had only one example each of the new engine at the Jerez GP on Friday, and two more had to be flown in by private plane so that they would have two each on Saturday and Sunday, as well as for testing on Monday .
Fortunately Jack Miller and Tito Rabat have not canceled their orders, and it is therefore now on their comments that the tires chosen from among the prototypes proposed to enter the production phase will largely depend.
According to Nicolas Goubert “ The drivers ride in ten-minute sessions, the time to evaluate the performance of a tire ". Lots of tours in perspective.
Below, the Ladoux wetland track.
Photos © Michelin
