The Director of the Michelin Competition Service explains the motivations for his company's presence in MotoGP, as well as the manufacturer's philosophy and way of proceeding.
“Motor sports are important for Michelin. The goal for us is to learn, to demonstrate the value of our designs and our technology, to then apply them to the level of products marketed for the road as quickly as possible. It was critical for us to return to MotoGP.
“This first season represented a lot of work and stress for us, but also satisfaction. Nine different winners in a single season is spectacular and unique. When you are the exclusive supplier of a category, you can't hide. When you are in a learning period, you also have to accept that you will encounter difficulties. We talk a lot with the drivers and that's how we learn, how we improve. We were therefore better at the end of the season than at the start. For me, one of the great satisfactions of 2016 was that Michelin reinvented the tire war with a single brand.
“For 2017 we will already have a year of experience, therefore greater stability, for example in construction. But we've had a lot of success in bringing in a variety of solutions, which has allowed teams to have a choice of different tires. We want to keep the design very complex in order to get good performance, but also play with strategy. This is also what the fans want.
“We work in a relationship of honesty with each of the teams. There is a tire technician for each team. He works 50% for Michelin and 50% for the team. Their aim is to offer the best performance to the “magic triangle”, that is to say the motorcycle, the rider and the tires. »
photos: MICHELIN
