MotoGP | Taramasso: “New front? Good base, but we’ll make some evolutions”

The MotoGP test day that took place in Misano last Monday was particularly important and not only for the teams. It was in fact the last official test of the season before the one that will follow the last race in Valencia, which however will essentially open 2025. It was therefore also for Michelin the last chance to have all the regular riders (therefore also those of the brands that do not enjoy concessions and cannot do private tests) try the new carcass created for the front tyre.

The French company’s intention was to have everyone try it already during the June test at Mugello, but in that case it was the rain that ruined the plans, delaying the schedule a little. To date, therefore, it is not yet possible to say whether this will become the front tyre that will be used next season or not, even if the manager Piero Taramasso has drawn a positive balance for us of this first contact.

“For the test day, a 30-minute slot was planned, between 2:00 PM and 2:30 PM, in which we asked the riders to go on track only with the new front tyre and everyone respected the instructions. This tyre had already been tested by the test drivers in various versions, which allowed us to arrive at the model that we made available to the owners in Misano,” Taramasso told Motorsport.com.

“I can already say that it was a positive test, because the feedback from the riders corresponds to the effects we were looking for with this new construction, both in the positive and potentially negative aspects. Now we are analyzing all the data we have collected to understand what the next step could be, therefore what we need to do to improve its performance and make it suitable for all types of bikes and riding styles”, he added.

At this point, it was inevitable to ask the head of the French company what effects Michelin was looking for with this new construction and what makes it different from the ones that MotoGP riders have available today.

“It’s a new concept, different from the current one. We’ve used new materials and in fact we’re talking about a tyre that weighs one kilo less, which is not a small thing. And it’s something we’ve also done for sustainability reasons. So it’s a new carcass, which also has a different profile, which makes the tyre a little bigger. This helps to have a larger contact surface, therefore to have more grip, which should also make it less sensitive to pressure and temperature variations, which are becoming a crucial aspect of MotoGP races”, explained Taramasso, not hiding the fact that he is satisfied with the fact that the riders’ feedback was exactly in line with expectations.

“These were our intentions and they are all characteristics that we found in the Misano test: the riders already feel that the tyre is different from the standard one and some would have liked to have had more time available to try to adapt the setting. The feeling that this tyre gives is different, however, so we were not surprised that it took some riders a few laps to find the right balance and that others were not able to do so yet. It is true that it behaves differently, but it is good, because it moves a bit more, but it gives good feedback”.

As he had previously hinted, perhaps there are some aspects that still need to be worked on: “Everyone feels that it has more grip, perhaps even too much at the moment, because it makes the bike heavier and less manageable, especially when changing direction. So what they say is logical and it could be that we went a little too far. But this is all valuable information, because there are also those who managed to do their best time of the day with this tyre, so the performance is also positive”.

“The riders have given us the right information and now it’s up to us to transform it into something positive that can work well for everyone. However, once we have analysed everything, we will talk about it with the FIM, Dorna and the teams and decide how to move forward”, he continued, without committing himself however on the possibility of seeing it introduced as early as next season.

Finally, he explained to us why it is never easy to introduce a new solution for the front, adding that it will probably be necessary to make further evolution before arriving at the definitive version that will be brought to the race.

“The process of replacing a front tyre is much longer and more difficult than that of a rear tyre, because it is the one that gives you the feeling to push. We also need a lot of kilometres on different circuits and in different conditions, both hot and cold, but also where you load the front more or less depending on the characteristics of the track. The rear, on the other hand, is a question of grip and performance: basically, you just have to look at the stopwatch to make a decision”.

“On the front, more thought is needed to arrive at a model that works well. In general, however, the comments have been positive for the Ducati riders and for the Honda ones. The Yamaha one yes and one less. Perhaps the Aprilia ones were in a bit more difficulty, but they probably just need to ride a bit more. What I can say with certainty, however, is that the base is good, and that starting from this we will make some evolutions to arrive at the final model”, he concluded.