Michelin became the sole supplier of tires for the MotoGP category in 2016, and announced the extension of this exclusivity during the last Australian GP until 2023 inclusive. At mid-season, we took stock with Piero Taramasso, Michelin Motorsport's Two-Wheel Manager.
The notion of “hard” or “soft” tires has completely evolved in recent years, and it is increasingly difficult for MotoGP fans to navigate. What are the developments in this area?
“Our engineers and chemists always work on soft, medium and hard mixtures that have very different characteristics. With a soft compound there is more grip, but normally often more rapid wear, and therefore lap times deteriorate more quickly. These are tires that are suitable for riders who do not use them too much, on motorcycles that are well balanced, with good weight distribution and good suspension settings. It works very well when it's cold, but sometimes also when it's hot because it also depends on the track surface and the aggressiveness of the asphalt.
“Hard, on the other hand, is a stiffer mixture that works for slightly higher temperatures, and for more abrasive coatings. It is intended for riders who have a more aggressive style, who are always on the attack and who put a lot of pressure on the front or rear. It has a little less grip than a soft, but on the other hand it is more stable, so the lap times it allows to achieve can be identical from the first to the last lap. We can thus make constant times, but also obtain stability. The motorcycle is better positioned and more stable, whereas it will be more likely to move with a soft tire. The soft mixture heats up a little more and therefore gives movement to the motorcycle. But some pilots hate it. They don't like it at all when the bike moves, even if there is more grip. They prefer to use a hard tire which has less grip, but is more stable. With this increased feeling of stability, they feel better.
“There remains the medium, who is between the two. It doesn't have the grip of a soft, but its grip is better than that of a hard. It is also between the two in terms of stability. It should suit everyone. In fact, we are trying to make a medium tire that everyone can use. Then, those who are not bothered by movements and who have well-tuned motorcycles can use a softer to have more grip. Those who cannot properly adjust their bike with a medium, or whose overly aggressive riding style damages the medium, switch to hard. With this way of doing things, we are sure that everyone can find what they need. This is also why the composition of the podiums is often varied, sometimes with Honda, or Yamaha, Ducati or Suzuki. This is what we have been doing since the beginning and this is what we will continue to do in the future.
“This year, there have been changes which have generated misunderstandings and misunderstandings. During winter testing in Sepang, Buriram and Qatar, new soft compound technology was developed. All drivers chose this soft rear compound for the Qatar GP race. This tire happens to have the extra grip of a soft tire, but it is as consistent as a medium, and sometimes even a hard. It can go the distance of the race without deteriorating lap times and without having excessive wear.
“That’s why sometimes you hear pilots saying “I took the soft one because it is harder than the hard one ". But no, that's actually incorrect. The soft can be as consistent as a hard or medium tire. That's what's happening. We did it to have the same level of grip, but with better durability and less wear. It works really well, so there are now a lot of riders who previously rode hards and now use softs.
“We must also remember that the bikes have evolved, and it is therefore difficult to make comparisons with the previous season. In addition, this year we drove on several circuits with new surfaces, such as Barcelona, Argentina and Jerez, or Austin where they had planed the asphalt, and the new surface at Le Mans dates from last year. On these tracks where there is a lot of grip, the soft works very well because as there is grip, it slips less than a medium or a hard. So in the end it wears out less! Sometimes it’s a little disturbing…”
You bring a large number of tires to each Grand Prix to be able to cope with all situations. In a far away country, like Argentina, for example, what do you do with new, unused tires on Sunday evening?
“We bring 1 tires to each Grand Prix including all specifications. After the race, some of them return to Europe by plane in containers. We can also bring some to the next GP, because this year we used for example the same specifications for Austin, which immediately followed Argentina. »
How did you manage to save the situation in Germany when the track temperature was 46° for the race (compared to 26° for example last year, or 24° in 2016)?
“It’s true that this year was difficult. From the first ride on Friday, we saw that the temperature was very high (editor’s note: 35° for the track in FP2). We had planned a wide choice because we know that at the Sachsenring it can be very cold, but also very hot. In the track configuration, there are a lot of left turns, and so – like at Phillip Island – even if the track is cool, the tire temperature rises enormously. So already, we automatically bring in mixtures that are temperature resistant. Even with 25° on the ground, when you consecutively follow left turns 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, you spend more than 35 continuous seconds on the left angle, and there you take enormous temperatures. So we anticipated that. It should also be noted that the teams worked well on settings such as traction control and that helped a lot. »
Every Sunday Grand Prix afternoon you find yourself with completely new grip conditions because the Moto3 and Moto2 races have left rubber deposits from the other supplier (Dunlop). How do you adapt to this situation?
“There's not much we can do to adapt because we're using the same tires as on Friday and Saturday, which run on Sunday in different conditions. It is true that sometimes we do not have a technical explanation because it is the same temperature, the same tire, the same pressure, the same coating. The only thing that changes is that there were the Moto3 and Moto2 races. At the moment, we don't know what to do to anticipate it, because we don't find this situation everywhere. It is found on some circuits, but not on others.
“The teams that have been there for a long time told us that with the manufacturer that preceded us (editor’s note: Bridgestone) there was the same problem. It was the same thing, and currently we don't have a solution yet, we are analyzing and trying to understand what to do, but at the moment we haven't found it yet. »
Overall, is Michelin satisfied with its return to MotoGP, both technically and marketing-wise?
“Yes, we are happy. Already because MotoGP is very popular, and more and more every season. We are present in countries where our brand visibility is very important, such as South America, Australia and Asia.
“On a technical level, it allowed us to develop a lot of things very quickly. During the first season, we developed a lot of our front tire, profiles and carcasses. We found solutions that work well today. We have our new technology with more grip but less wear. We will then try to transfer this progress to commercially available tires as quickly as possible.
“All the drivers are happy and ask us not to change the tires. They tell us “Now you have reached a good level, we have a good feeling with the front and a good grip with the rear. Don’t change anything because it works well.” For us it is very rewarding. The fact that Dorna wanted to sign with us until 2023 proves that they have confidence in us. So we see that we are working in the right direction and that everyone is happy: the drivers, the teams, the organizers… and us too! »
Photos © Michelin Motorsport
