The response was a little late, but it was bound to come. Some in Brno, including Fabio Quartararo, clarified, after Brad Binder's resounding victory on a KTM, that this brand had, as the regulations allow, tested extensively on the Czech track before the Grand Prix. Enough to obtain good information which was shared with Michelin. In fact, KTM knew which tires to take for the race, and these tires brought by Michelin suited the RC16 well. An interpretation which angered the representative of Bibendum in MotoGP Piero Taramasso who clarified things.
The victory of Brad Binder on KTM would it have been facilitated by the work carried out during preliminary tests at Brno and sharing the information collected with Michelin ? An opportunity that would have given RC16 pilots a head start on the competition. The theory was presented by fabio quartararo, very disappointed to have finished seventh in a race which, however, strengthened his position as leader in the championship.
A reading that was not well received at Michelin. The manager of the only manufacturer in MotoGP, Piero Taramasso, declared on Motorsport.com : " testing definitely helps, but I don't like the fact that some riders say that Michelin gave KTM an advantage ". And he recalls a precedent: “ There was the same controversy also in 2017 when Ducati tested at Mugello and Barcelona and then won both races, but we chose the tires first. In any case, the asphalt was more critical than our tires in Brno ».
“Those who better managed wear and temperatures made the difference”
Piero Taramasso continues about this Czech coating: “ the race in Brno was complicated especially for the track conditions. There was very little grip, worse than in 2019. This weekend we immediately realized that there was absolutely no grip. It was almost 50 degrees and for the drivers it was almost like running on smooth concretee ».
The Director Michelin then continued: “ we immediately told the teams that in these conditions it was essential to manage the tire well. The teams that managed to better manage wear and temperatures made the difference. For us, it is positive that 4 different teams reached the first 4 places, showing that everyone found the right solution ". And among this leading quartet, we note a Yamaha Petronas, driven by Franco Morbidelli, in second place.
