For the seventh consecutive season, Brembo will supply the braking systems for all MotoGP riders and, this year, they will be individually customizable. Brembo also strengthened its position as the leading brake manufacturer in Moto2 and Moto3.
Brembo has created customizable braking systems for the 24 riders who will take part in the 21st MotoGP championship. This follows a series of victories where Brembo brakes have been used on motorcycles that have won 33 World Riders' Championships, 34 World Constructors' Championships and triumphed in over 500 GPs with top teams.
This season, the 12 teams have decided once again to rely on the high performance, reliability and safety of Brembo components. These include brake calipers, carbon discs, pads, brake master cylinders and clutch transceivers. For the 2022 season, Brembo has developed technical solutions that allow each driver to personalize the braking system in order to best adapt it to their driving style, the track and their racing strategy.
GP4 caliper
The majority of riders continue to opt for Brembo's GP4 caliper, launched in 2020. This new one-piece aluminum caliper is machined from a solid piece of aluminum and features a radial attachment as well as four pistons. Since its launch, it has become the caliper of choice for most MotoGP riders, although some still prefer to use the 2019 version.
The GP4 design includes external fins along with other innovative features, which combine to create a caliper with an anti-loss system designed to increase torque during braking. It works by generating a force that complements that created by the hydraulic pressure of the brake fluid on the pistons. This means the rider gets a greater advantage by applying the same pressure to the brake lever. Meanwhile, a spring-loaded anti-loss system device reduces residual torque and prevents pads and discs from coming into contact with each other, causing the motorcycle to slow down.
Twelve carbon brake rotor options
Brembo offers a choice of 12 brake discs: in six different diameters, each available in High Mass or Standard Mass material specifications. The majority of riders should choose 340mm diameter discs, split between High Mass and Standard Mass materials. However, some teams will continue to use both types of 320mm diameter discs. The range also includes a new 355mm diameter ventilated carbon disc, which has been tested at Sepang and Mandalika and will be available for the start of the season. Its main advantage is precisely controlled ventilation which keeps the disc cool by increasing heat exchange. It has been specially designed for motorcycles racing on very difficult circuits for braking systems such as Spielberg, Motegi, Sepang or Buriram.
This carbon composition has three advantages: a reduction in unsprung mass, a consistent coefficient of friction from start to finish and an absence of the residual torque problems that can be associated with steel discs.
A ventilated version of the 340 mm diameter disc is also available, introduced in 2021 in Austria, making it the only disc in the Brembo range now available in standard and ventilated format.
Braking sensation
Brembo peut adapter la “réactivité” de la commande de freinage en fonction de la façon dont chaque conducteur roule, grâce à différents maîtres-cylindres disponibles dans chaque empattement. Chaque moto est également équipée d’un dispositif de réglage à distance, contrôlé par la main gauche du pilote, qui permet de faire varier la position du levier de frein même lorsque la moto est en mouvement.
Brembo finds that more than a third of MotoGP riders regularly use the thumb master cylinder. This feature, introduced in the 1990s for Mick Doohan, allows the rider to activate the rear brake by pressing a lever located on the left handlebar. For the 2022 season there are two variants. The first, and most commonly used, is a closed circuit with a master cylinder and thumb trigger, using a two-piston rear caliper. The second has two separate circuits, each acting on two or four pistons inside the rear caliper. In the first case, one system excludes the other; in the second, they can operate simultaneously. Another variation of the classic thumb master cylinder is the push and pull master cylinder, introduced in 2019 and now optimized for maximum efficiency. It has a dual function and can be operated by both the thumb or index finger. When used with the index finger, it is mounted on the lever at an angle of 180° to that operated by the thumb. This increases its modularity and the grip on the lever when the motorcycle slows down.
Marchesini wheels
For the 2022 season, eight out of twelve teams are using Marchesini forged magnesium wheels. Marchesini wheels have either 5 or 7 Y spokes for the front and 7 spokes for the rear. The wheels of Marchesini, part of the Brembo group, are lighter, which has advantages when accelerating, changing direction and, above all, when entering a corner and braking, when cornering with high angles (up to 60°) and when exiting a corner at full throttle, when the motorcycle is tilted.
Brembo's participation in Moto2 and Moto3 confirmed with its SBS Friction and J.Juan brands
Brembo is confirmed as the main manufacturer of braking systems for the Moto2 and Moto3 World Championships following tests carried out in Jerez and Portimao. The 15 Moto2 teams as well as the 15 Moto3 teams have opted for calipers from the Bergamo company. As for other components, around 50% opted for Brembo steel discs, 80% for Brembo pads, 90% for Brembo master cylinders and just under 50% for Brembo Marchesini wheels.
SBS Friction and J.Juan, both recently acquired by the Brembo Group, also supply some of the Moto2 and Moto3 teams. SBS is a leader in the development, production and distribution of brake pads and friction materials for motorcycles, scooters, ATV/UTVs, cars and industrial applications, while J.Juan is a leader in the development and production of metal braid brake hoses and brake system components for the motorcycle industry.
