For its second round of 2023, MotoGP has headed to South America and Argentina. It was the 8th time that the championship visited the Termas de Río Hondo circuit. Inaugurated in 2008 and resurfaced in 2014, the very abrasive route has fourteen turns (five left and nine right) for a length of 4,806 km. Due to the variable attendance rate of the circuit, upon their arrival the drivers found a particularly dirty track, offering precarious grip.
The capricious weather and low temperatures (20°C on the track) made the task even more difficult and the drivers played tightrope walkers throughout the weekend, engaging in great battles on asphalt with very little grip.
Tire strategy at the heart of qualifying
Michelin had brought to Argentina three notches of MICHELIN Power Slick tires for the front (Soft Drinks, Medium et Hard), and had chosen the Medium et Hard for the rear. MICHELIN Power Rain tires for the rain, with rubber Medium et Soft Drinks asymmetrical, were also part of the allocation.
« Between practice, qualifying sessions, the Sprint race and the Grand Prix all specifications were used "Indicates Piero Taramasso, director of the Michelin Two-Wheel competition. “ Friday practice and FP3 took place on a dry track with MICHELIN Power Slick tires, while for Q1, on a wet track, the drivers wore MICHELIN Power Rain Medium and Soft tires. Q2 was very spectacular because, while the rain had stopped and the trajectory was drying, three drivers put on slick tires Soft Drinks at the front and Medium at the back by achieving the best times of the session. »
Thanks to his daring choice and the grip of the Michelin tires, Álex Márquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) achieved the first pole position of his career in MotoGP, ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) who had also chosen to switch to slick before the end of Q2.
A Sprint race on a track with precarious grip
Saturday's Sprint race (12 laps) took place on a track that was still very wet, dirty and cold (25°C maximum), with a very low grip level. The majority of drivers chose the tires Hard for the front, and 100% of the field opted for a Medium in back. Due to the conditions, finding the right tire operating window was a real challenge, masterfully met by Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) who won the Sprint ahead of Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), and his teammate Luca Marini.
Gran Premio Michelin® of the República Argentina on a wet track
Sunday morning the weather is gloomy and the track is wet. The warmup is done in MICHELIN Power Rain. After a short lull, bad weather returned and the race management declared the Grand Prix “Wet Race”. Thus, the drivers take the start at 14:00 p.m. with MICHELIN Power Rain tires Medium both front and rear.
« The MICHELIN Power Rains were in their garden on this wet trackee,” indicates Piero Taramasso. " We could clearly see the tread breaking the water film to allow the bikes to take their trajectory with, despite the conditions, a very good level of grip. Also note the consistency of the times both at the head of the race, with Marco Bezzecchi who gradually escapes, and at the heart of the peloton with Johann Zarco who gains three positions in the last three laps by recovering almost 6 seconds to his opponents. »
The 2023 Gran Premio Michelin de la República Argentina was won by Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), ahead of Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) and Álex Márquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP).
The third round of the FIM MotoGP World Championship will take place from Friday April 14 to Sunday April 16, 2023. The riders will return to the Circuit of the Americas in Austin (Texas) for the Red Bull Grand Prix of The Americas.
Credit rankings: MotoGP.com
