Michelin heads to Italy for Round 13 of the 2017 MotoGP™ World Championship as the next thrilling episode of this season’s title-battle heads to the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for the Gran Premio Tribul Mastercard di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini.
The 4,226m circuit has some very particular demands over its 10 right- and 6 left-handed turns and Michelin has taken the decision to offer the riders a different option of tyres rather than the usual soft, medium and hard choices. To cope with the high-temperatures, abrasive surface and increased stresses placed on the tyres, Michelin will offer two medium front specification tyres and one hard, with the same selections available for the rear. This still gives the choice of three front and rear tyres for each rider, but with a slight alteration to the compound availability.
The rear Michelin Power Slicks will all be of an asymmetric design with a harder right shoulder and will feature two medium compound tyres, one of which has the ability to warm-up slightly quicker for riders who need to get heat in the tyre as soon as possible. Michelin’s decision to alter the allocation continues to show its pro-active commitment to supplying the best tyres for each rider at every event and giving a choice to all manufacturers and riding styles.
Misano held its first motorcycle Grand Prix in 1980 and after a short break from the calendar it has been a permanent fixture since 2007. The San Marino GP has found its home on the Adriatic Coast, having previously been staged at Imola and Mugello. Originally constructed in 1972, Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli has had many modifications, including the change of direction from an anti-clockwise to a clockwise layout when MotoGP™ returned in 2007. It was re-named in 2012 to commemorate local hero Marco Simoncelli, who sadly passed away in 2011. Situated close to the seaside towns of Rimini, Riccione and Cattolica, the event is always a fan favourite and sure to be a sell-out, but despite its location, the circuit can be susceptible to wet weather, so the Michelin Power Rain tyres will be available in a soft and medium compound for both the front and rear, with the medium rear having an asymmetric finish.
Michelin’s preparations for Sunday’s 28-lap race will commence with two free practice sessions on Friday, followed by a further two more on the Saturday prior to the qualifying sessions during Saturday afternoon. Round 13 of the Championship will get underway at 14:00 local time (14.00hrs CEST, 13.00hrs BST, 12.00hrs GMT/UST) on Sunday 10th September.
Piero Taramasso – Michelin Motorsport Two-Wheel Manager: “Misano is quite a difficult and complicated circuit because it can generate high tyre temperatures as the bikes spend a lot of time at big lean angles. With 10-right-hand turns compared to just 6-left-hand turns, Misano is harsher on the right shoulder of the rear tyre. Last season we were very pleased with the performance of all the tyres, we broke some of the existing records – which we would obviously like to do again this year – but the most satisfying thing was the consistency and durability our tyres showed on race-day in very hot and demanding conditions on an abrasive surface. We have recently tested at the circuit with many of the top riders, so have some good up-to-date data which will give us a solid starting point for the weekend. With Misano we start the last third of this exciting season and there is no doubt we will see a large crowd this weekend at the one of more spectacular battles for the championship.”