MotoGP | Oliveira proposes: no minimum pressures with the damp track

Since last year’s British Grand Prix, MotoGP has imposed a minimum value for front and rear tire pressure, with the apparent aim of ensuring rider safety.

However, last year the riders criticized this choice, as the minimum pressure of 1.88 bar at the front offered them little margin in the event of overheating, increasing the pressure and increasing the risk of crashes.

Michelin has agreed to lower the minimum front tire pressure to 1.80 bar for 2024, to give riders more leeway.

At the Spanish Grand Prix, however, five drivers were penalized for running below the minimum front pressure for more than 30% of the Sprint. In particular, Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo paid dearly, going from 23rd place on the grid to third taking advantage of the chaos of the crashes, only to be relegated to fifth.

The Jerez Sprint saw 15 riders crash in 12 laps, and most of these crashes were caused by some damp patches still present on the asphalt.

Oliveira believes the tire pressure rule should only apply when the tracks are completely dry, and said after the Spanish GP: “Today (Sunday) was very… I don’t want to say much, but the track was normal and This made our lives a little easier.”

“In any case, the rules on tire pressure when the track is wet, like in the Sprint, should not be in force in my opinion, because it is not this difference of 0.05 bar that will give you the answer to do a good performance “.

“But it’s the rule, it is what it is. But my opinion is that when conditions are stable everyone is able to respect the rules and it’s a little easier.”

Under the current regulations, the tire pressure rule does not apply when the race is completely wet, or if racing in flag to flag conditions.

All five drivers who fell below the required value in the Jerez Sprint were hit with an eight-second penalty, even though the penalty should have been a disqualification as the regulations were originally designed.

On the eve of the 2024 season, the regulations were changed and it was decided to apply penalties of 8 seconds in the Sprint and 16 seconds in the race to those who violated the regulations.