On the waves of Sky Italy, Michelin tyre boss Piero Taramasso responded with the elegance of a conductor to Massimo Rivola's criticism following Jorge Martin's crash. Aprilia's racing boss had pointed an accusing finger at the tyres, but Taramasso deployed his defensive shield.
Tensions are rising between Aprilia et Michelin . Following the multiple falls of its pilots during the tests of Sepang, in particular that of George Martin, Massimo Rivola, the sports director ofAprilia, had pointed the finger at the tires Michelin as a potential cause of the accidents. An accusation that Michelin's motorcycle racing director, Piero Taramasso, rejected.
Taramasso explained that the tire used by Martin at the time of the accident was a tire from last year, never preheated and perfectly adapted to the conditions of the track. We have no problem. The tire was manufactured Last year. He has not never been preheated and had all the qualities for high performance ", did he declare.
Piero Taramasso: “ In the laps before the accident, Jorge was faster than many drivers »
And he adds, as if to send the ball back to Noale's cape: " the tire worked well, and in the laps before the accident, Jorge was faster than many drivers. »
These remarks are intended to counter the insinuations of Rivola, who had suggested that the medium, asymmetric rear tire, could be involved. Taramasso insisted that Michelin has not identified any defects or malfunctions in the tire used by Martin. “ The tire was at the correct temperature and pressure. We have no technical explanation that links the tire to the accident ", he added.
At the same time, Michelin take advantage of the trials of Sepang to test new front tyres, including two models that will be introduced in 2026. A third tyre, based on the current construction (2024/2025), but with a new compound, is also being evaluated. These new tyres were tested by four riders on Wednesday, and initial feedback is positive.
« Riders who have tried these new front tires have given encouraging feedback. ", confirmed Taramasso. " We continue to innovate to meet the needs of teams and drivers, while ensuring safety and performance »
Despite the explanations of Michelin , the controversy surrounding the accident of Martin remains open, especially since the last intervention ofUccio Salucci of the VR46 Ducati. Rivola, who had stressed that neither the rider nor the bike were at fault, continues to seek answers. Aprilia, the stakes are high: understanding what happened to prevent such incidents from happening again, while preparing as best we can for the 2025 season.
Pre-season testing is always a key moment to evaluate the performance of bikes, riders and equipment manufacturers. While Michelin firmly defends the quality of its tires, Aprilia must now focus on recovering Martin and on the optimization of the RS-GP.
One thing is sure: trust between teams and suppliers is essential to ensure security and competitiveness in MotoGPThe next few days of testing, together with in-depth technical analyses, may help to shed light on the exact causes of the accident. Sepang.
