The return to MotoGP is not easy for the competition's sole manufacturer, Michelin. During the two events on the Red Bull Ring the quality of its products was clearly questioned by drivers who actually had to experience drops in performance in the middle of the race, to the point of having to abandon in the blatant case of Oliveira in Styria. During the last meeting at Silverstone, anger and incomprehension rose a notch with demands for explanations to which Michelin will comply when the analyzes have been completed. And they must come quickly because between a lack of resources that the health crisis would have caused and national favoritism for Fabio Quartararo, the craziest theories are starting to circulate in the paddock...
The examples are multiplying so much that the incidents on the course are less and less exceptional in terms of the quality of the rubbers. Michelin en MotoGP. During the two Austrian meetings, Oliveira, Martin, Bagnaia, Marc Marquez et Valentino Rossi were quite critical of the performance of the Clermont tires.
A Silverstone, the list of dissatisfied people was also long. With, however, more marked annoyance on the part of those disappointed. bagnaia wants explanations, Red felt his rear tire burn out after less than ten laps, a deadline in the competition also regretted by Nakagami which, however, is not the type to arouse the slightest controversy. The other drivers Honda had the same problems, while Jack Miller had experienced a drop in performance during qualifying. As for Joan Mir, it was rather the front tire which handicapped him.
Everyone says that it is not the strategic choice of rubber that caused their misfortune, but rather the drop in quality of their tire. This leads to the debate on preheated tires, the idea that Michelin perhaps no longer has the means to carry out its mission due to the fact that the company would have been economically hard hit by the health crisis or even that as a French brand, it would encourage the march towards the title of the compatriot fabio quartararo.
Michelin ensures that it has all the necessary means to understand
On these last two points, the boss of the competition Piero Taramasso appears firm: Michelin goes well and due to the random choice of tires put in place, it is impossible to benefit or harm anyone. As for the rest, the analyzes are in progress and their results will come. In the case of Silverstone, Taramasso commented that between an asphalt resurfaced before the 2019 edition and which has since evolved, and the cancellation of the event planned for 2020, it had been difficult to anticipate the situation. Sunday's race was the first with the carcass launched last season on this circuit. He adds on Motorsport.com : " we have all the necessary means to understand what causes these sudden changes and regain a good level of competition, without complaints from the drivers ».
We are therefore awaiting the answers after this historic British Grand Prix since never have six different manufacturers found themselves in the first six places in a Grand Prix since 1972. Which gives a vector of analysis to Taramasso who starts from this observation about the problems with his tires: “ it's not related to any particular bike, because six different brands were in the top 6 ». Michelin will therefore take its share of responsibilities on this sensitive subject.
