The Gran Premio MotoGP™ Guru by Gryfyn de España – Round 4 of the 2023 FIM MotoGP World Championship – on Sunday, April 30, at Circuito de Jerez-Ángel Nieto, Spain, was won by Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team).
As track temperatures soared to 42°C in the scorching Andalusian sunshine, the Italian took control late in the race to beat Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Brad Binder and Jack Miller over the line.
Known for its warm springs, Andalusia is in the midst of an exceptionally hot spell this year, with the thermometer climbing well beyond the seasonal norm. As track temperatures rose from 30°C on race morning to 50°C in the afternoon, grip levels evolved significantly over the day, but that didn’t prevent the riders from providing an entertaining grand prix. The big crowd was effectively treated to a close, fast-paced race that produced lap times close to the circuit’s records as the riders pushed their machines to the limit.
But although the weather proved globally hot and dry over the three days, there was a little rain on Saturday morning which affected the teams’ approaches to Q2. Some cautiously opted for rain tyres, while others waited until the end of the session to chance their luck on slicks in the drying, yet tricky late conditions. It was this bolder approach that was rewarded with the prime grid places, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) claiming pole position, ahead of Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing).
Saturday’s Sprint Race, which took place in hot weather, with low grip levels, was red flagged shortly after lights-out due to a collective tumble through Turn 2. A number of riders took advantage of the restart to switch to the Soft rear MICHELIN Power Slick after initially going for the Medium option, while the Medium front was everyone’s preferred choice. The race was won by Binder, ahead of Bagnaia and Miller.
Similarly, it took two attempts to get Sunday’s Gran Premio MotoGP™ Guru by Gryfyn de España under way following a first-lap tangle involving Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) and Miguel Oliveira (CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP™ Team). The second start saw Binder and Miller pull away from their chasers, but Bagnaia tucked in behind the KTM pair before making his move with eight laps to go. As his lap times came down, he first found a way past Miller before easing past the Australian’s team-mate four laps from home and ultimately stealing the win, despite Binder’s best efforts to recover the lead in the dying moments.
All the riders contested the race on Medium MICHELIN Power Slicks front and rear, except for Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) who fit a Hard tyre in the front.
“The pace of today’s race was extremely fast from start to finish,” said Piero Taramasso, the manager of Michelin’s two-wheel racing programmes. “Lap times were marginally slower compared with 2022 as a result of the hot weather and low grip levels, but the fight for victory was splendid. The front-runners produced their personal fastest laps late in the race, which speaks volumes for the MICHELIN Power Slick’s outstanding consistency. The decision to run the Medium option front and rear was a good move.”
The next round of the 2023 FIM MotoGP World Championship will take teams to Le Mans-Bugatti on May 12-14 for the SHARK Grand Prix de France, the thousandth grand prix since the championship’s creation. The weekend will also feature the opening round of this year’s FIM MotoE World Cup starring new all-electric Ducati bikes equipped with Michelin tyres that contain more than 50 percent sustainable materials.
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