In addition to its very moderate grip, the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit is characterized by the fact that it is considered a very technical track (see the words of Guy Coulon) with very brutal braking which puts a strain on the brakes.
The first braking after the finish line, at the end of the long straight, is in particular one of the most demanding throttle cuts in the championship. Added to this is the problem of lack of brake cooling caused by close braking. This results in very high operating temperatures for the discs and pads.
To overcome this, teams can have 340 mm discs, High Mass pads, or even reinforced calipers, as Ducati and Suzuki regularly use. Generally, Honda sticks to 320mm discs, but could well make an exception this weekend.
