The Circuit Of The Americas in Austin is undoubtedly one of the most difficult tracks in the MotoGP world championship to set up motorcycles.
This is mainly due to its very varied route, since it is made up of an alternation of very fluid curves, an endless right turn, the longest straight line of the season (1200 m) and strong braking for very tight ones passed first.
Without even mentioning the difference in height or the new surface, a cat would not find her kittens there, and that is why we found it interesting to report the comments published on the official website MotoGP.com of the various technical managers of each brand, to which we added those of the essential Guy Coulon.
As you will be able to read, everyone sees a little noon at their door and focuses on this or that critical point of the circuit...
Santi Hernandez (Repsol Honda Team, Marc Márquez): “in the last part there is a long corner where you need grip, maximum angle, and also the bike to turn. It’s quite difficult because there are three different parts on the circuit where you have to find the best (compromise).”
Alberto Giribuola (Mission Winnow Ducati, Andrea Dovizioso): “this is one of the most difficult circuits for the driver's body, especially the arms. In the first sector there are a lot of changes of direction, so if the bike is heavy it becomes difficult for the rider to ride until the end of the race in good condition. We therefore have to make a motorcycle that is rather agile in changing direction, that is to say easy and light.”
Silvano Galbussera (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP, Valentino Rossi): “the biggest problem is the temperature because normally it is very hot. The tires are suffering a lot and the engine is a little slow.”
Jose Manuel Cazeaux (Suzuki ECSTAR, Alex Rins): “Austin is a pretty demanding circuit because it has a lot of corners and you find all kinds of corners there. There are fluid parts like in sector 1, then you have a lot of hard braking and you arrive, a long corner, number 16 which is very demanding on the tire. So you have to pay attention to a lot of things.”
Paul Trevathan (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, Pol Espargaro): “there is the longest straight on the calendar, with the longest braking zone. It's very fast, slightly downhill, and leads into a corner in first gear. So this puts stress on the front tire. You put a lot of load on the front axle. For me, this is a place where you need to pay attention to the front tire. We have seen in the past drivers slowing down in races because of front tire wear.”
Antonio Jimenez (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, Alex Espargaró): “For me, the most critical point is where we have to go first. There are 2 or 3 turns that are very tight, and each time you have to go first with the bike, it's complicated to adjust the electronics, and it's complicated to get going again because the bike is a bit more aggressive. This is probably the circuit where it is the most difficult to set up the bike.”
Guy Coulon (Red Bull KTM Tech3, Miguel Oliveira): “Austin is a bit of a special circuit, especially with this very steep climb before turn #1 which can help you slow down to take the hairpin which turns really hard”.
“But the real particularity of the circuit is the sequences from turn #2 to turn #8. There, there is almost no braking. The bike must come in and turn naturally, just when changing attitude, without having to touch the brake too much. It's not easy to obtain. It's important to work a lot on this, because if you're not good at one of these turns, you're bad at all of them. You absolutely have to be good in this part, otherwise, you are dead.”
Is it a question of geometry?
" Not really. It's more a question of center of gravity and suspension settings so that the bike turns quite naturally without needing to rush it or slow it down too much, but that it still fits. Because for the motorcycle to enter a corner, the front must sink, with a sufficiently natural lowering of the center of gravity thanks to the load transfer. It is also necessary that before the next turn, it has had time, thanks to a slight acceleration, to return to its trim position, then, just by cutting the throttle again, that it regains an attitude to turn, and so on. following. And that, for eight turns.
Anyway, if we find the solution for the first two turns, we have it pretty much for the entire length. On the contrary, if we don't find the solution, the pilot is in trouble and it costs him a lot of time.”
So rather a rather high center of gravity and soft suspensions?
“Yes, but it has to remain compatible with the rest of the circuit… Because it clashes with the places where the driver arrives a little quickly and has to brake a little hard. This is one of the circuits that includes antagonistic parts and, once again, our job is to find the most effective compromise.”
