At the end of the test MotoGP in Sepang, Michelin did not issue an official press release but nevertheless informed journalists with the following text.
– During the three days of official testing at Sepang, and after Misano and Valencia 2023, the riders were able to discover the new range of MICHELIN MotoGP 2024 tires, based on the 2023 carcass and new technology compounds (new materials and new process of production).
– The new 2024 compounds in the AVANT range, on average stiffer than the 2023, will be continued in 2025, while introducing a new carcass. At the REAR, 2024 compounds are designed to improve consistency and reduce degradation.
– In Sepang, a new HARD+ tire was also tested. It is specially designed to cope with higher loads at the front of motorcycles.
– The feedback from Sepang is very positive. All riders are satisfied with the MICHELIN MotoGP 2024 tire range and were able to feel the improvements made. Nine drivers set a best lap faster than the circuit record, which was recorded in 2023. They sometimes set their best time after 7 or 8 laps of the track.
In an audio, Piero Taramasso, the manager of Michelin’s two-wheel competition, explains: “At the end of the three days, I will say that it was a very positive test. The standard allowance we give the riders is based on what they used here last season, with different compounds up front and different compounds in the rear. These compounds were validated last season during the Misano test and in Valencia.
For the rear tire, this new compound technology is designed to have better consistency.
The one we designed for the front is intended to take the first step towards 2025 tires. We decided for the front to take a step on compound 24, a second step on the construction of the carcass in 2025. C These were the racing tires, the ones they used during the three days to check the new bike, to do the tests, to test the different solutions.
On top of that we brought a front tire, a new compound called D and we also call it Hard+ because it's a hard compound, a little harder to compensate for the fact that the bikes are more and more aggressive in the front.
The racing tires were therefore very good, because it was with these tires that they made the lap times, all the drivers, and as you can see, the lap times were very, very fast. Today, the last day, 10 drivers were faster than last year's record. Compared to last year's test, they were also a second faster, so the performance is there. We see that this tire model is not yet the limit because they can push more and more.
And then, yes, the consistency, which is what we were looking for, is also there: with the soft rear, they were able to do 20-25 laps. The best lap was sometimes done after 6-7 or even after 8 laps.
At the front, we also proposed the 2025 specification. We had fewer pilots to test it, 5-6 results, so some are encouraging, while for others we need to check the data in more detail when we will come back.
But yes, it was a positive test, with little rain. Now we have to prepare for Qatar. We will have the standard allowance, we will again use the new compound technology for the front and rear. We will test Hard+ again and we will have another new compound to test, but this new compound will be for 2025.”
Michelin therefore actually answered our question: no,
the best times were not made with the larger 2025 front tire !
Thanks to them.
