Dovizioso's tip: a state-of-the-art manual rear brake control

To limit slippage when accelerating, Andrea Dovizioso controls his rear brake with a hand lever which allows him more finesse and precision. We have seen that this has proven useful, particularly on circuits like that of Barcelona where the surface is in poor condition.

And the way in which he went from fifth place on lap thirteen on Sunday at Assen, to 4.6 from the leading group including Rossi, Marquez, Zarco and Petrucci, to 0.1 from Rossi on lap twenty was nothing short of astonishing. Coming up so much ground so quickly was a feat rarely seen, especially against such worthy opponents.

The thumb master cylinder may not have been the sole deciding factor, but it certainly helped optimize performance. It was designed by Brembo engineers to remedy the physical difficulties of Mick Doohan, whose right leg lacked mobility. The solution was a rear brake operated not with the right pedal, but with a hand control located on the left of the handlebars. Dovizioso has already been using it since 2016, Danilo Petrucci started using it this year.

In terms of technical operation, Brembo explains that “ pilots use it to avoid skidding. Practically, the thumb master cylinder is used as a sort of anti-slip system: it is activated in the center of the turn to manage to stay close to the apex, straightening the motorcycle more quickly.

“In addition, compared to the traditional rear brake, the thumb master cylinder also has better ergonomics. Riders who have a large shoe size, over 43, have difficulty using the pedal in the center of the turn, where the lean angle exceeds 60 degrees, because the space for movement is reduced.

“When you operate the lever with your thumb, the control is more sensitive and its management is more precise. Today in MotoGP the Brembo thumb master cylinder is used alongside the pedal master cylinder. The rear brake master cylinder is also replaced by a dual-circuit brake master cylinder which allows the rear brake to be operated with both the traditional pedal and the thumb, depending on the circumstances. »

This technique seems to be working well for Andrea Dovizioso, new leader of the World Championship, as well as the other Desmosedici GP17 driver Danilo Petrucci, recent second at Assen. For the third driver it's a little more difficult. Jorge Lorenzo tested this device during winter testing, but he already had a lot of work to do to get used to the Ducati and he did not insist. Maybe someday…