• The MICHELIN Power Slick 2024 tires, made from innovative rubber compounds, made their racing debut in Qatar.
• George Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) sets the new absolute record in qualifying for the Lusail track in 1'50.789, one second faster than in 2023. 14 drivers were faster than the 2023 record.
• The 11 laps of the Sprint race were completed by Jorge Martin… 11 seconds faster than last year.
• Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) wins a Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar 2024 shortened by one lap, and rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) sets the new race record lap with a time of 1'52.657.
Positioned last year at the end of the season due to renovation work on the circuit (penultimate race on the calendar), the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar returned this year to open the season MotoGP™. After the two Official Test sessions in February (the first took place in Sepang, Malaysia, and the second in Lusail, Qatar), the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar represented the debut of MICHELIN Power Slick 2024 tires in racing . The tires in the new range feature technologically advanced rubber compounds in terms of materials, and produced using a new manufacturing process.
If all the lights were green, the drivers having already approved the developments introduced by Michelin in February, this opening event in Qatar was nevertheless fundamental to draw the first real conclusions in the race. The previous edition of the Grand Prix having taken place just three months ago, the comparison between the 2024 and 2023 data is direct and representative.
Remember that the Emirate of Qatar has hosted MotoGP on the Lusail International Circuit for twenty years, but the structure received a makeover in 2023 and since last year has had new, very abrasive asphalt. Indeed, the stones which constitute the upper layer of the tar (what we call macro-roughness) are particularly large and spaced apart.
To enable drivers to cover the 5 meters and 380 turns of the Lusail International Circuit, including 16 to the right, reaching top speeds above 10 km/h, Michelin has provided them with an allowance consisting of three symmetrical rubber notches for the front (SOFT, MEDIUM and HARD) and two tires for the rear, a SOFT and MEDIUM.
The SOFT was asymmetrical with a reinforced right side. Regarding the MICHELIN Power Rain range, Michelin has brought SOFT and MEDIUM rubber to Qatar for both the front wheel (symmetrical tire) and the rear wheel (asymmetrical tire with reinforced right side). These latter tires were used for the FP2 session, moved to Friday evening instead of the Practice session due to the weather.
Among the different options, the majority of drivers chose the MEDIUM tires for the Sprint race, which was won on Saturday evening by Jorge Martin. The Spanish driver improved his previous records, taking pole position in Q2 with a time of 1'50.789, the absolute best lap of the Lusail International Circuit, one second faster than the 2023 record. By completing the 11 laps of the race Sprinting 11 seconds faster than last year, it confirms that the motorcycle and tire combination is around 1 second per lap on average faster than the previous season.
The Sprint podium is completed by Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing). Note that this trifecta animated the Sprint race with three motorcycles from different brands (Ducati, KTM and Aprilia). This proves the versatility of the new 2024 Michelin tire range.
The start of the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar was slightly delayed due to a technical problem with a competitor. Shortened from 22 to 21 laps, the race was run on MICHELIN Power Slick MEDIUM tires, confirmed by the drivers as their best choice.
« The drivers selected MEDIUM tires for both the Sprint and the race "Indicates Piero Taramasso, manager of Michelin's two-wheel competition. “ The new MICHELIN Power Slick 2024 range demonstrated performance and consistency potential beyond our expectations throughout the weekend. With times improved by one second per lap during qualifying and the Sprint race compared to last November, we can return to France satisfied with the development work accomplished. The Grand Prix was cut by one lap but, for an equivalent duration, we estimate an overall time of around 17 seconds less than in 2023. While managing their tires, the drivers improved the average lap time in the race by 8 tenths! This progression is the result of very consistent times, as is the case for Pecco Bagnaia who maintained a regular pace during the race on the 1'52 high, as well as Jorge Martin, who achieved his best lap in the race in 1 '52.742, two tenths better than the 2023 record, as of 20rd round ! ".
The Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar 2024 was won by Francesco Bagnaia, leading from the first lap, ahead of Brad Binder and Jorge Martin.
The next round of the FIM MotoGP World Championship will take place in Portugal, where the Grande Prémio Tissot de Portugal is organized from March 22 to 24, 2024. Portugal will also host the first race of the Enel MotoE™ World Championship.
