MotoGP's SHARK Grand Prix de France will take place from May 12-14 on Le Mans' Bugatti Circuit in the country's Sarthe region. It is the closest race on the calendar to Michelin's base in Clermont-Ferrand and, as such, is regarded as a home' event by the French manufacturer.
Following on from the early-season clashes in Portugal, Argentina, the USA and Spain, the fifth outing of the 2023 series is expected to attract a large crowd. The undulating 4.185km track is narrow in parts, featuring nine right-hand corners and five to the left, with just a single straight – in front of the pits – measuring 674 metres. In order to meet its partners' requirements, Michelin has selected a tyre with a symmetric tread for the front – available in a choice of three compounds – and Soft and Medium asymmetric options for the rear.
"The aim of our selection for the French Grand Prix is not only to provide the riders with a high-performance package but also ensure they feel confident over the three days," says Piero Taramasso, the manager of Michelin's two-wheel programmes. "The track isn't all that abrasive here, but we have chosen to strengthen the right side of the rear tyres because there are almost twice as many right-hand turns at Le Mans-Bugatti as there are left-handers. In keeping with this year's regulations, only two compounds will be available for the rear. There is always a chance of cold weather at Le Mans at this time of the year, so our Soft MICHELIN Power Slick will be ideal for such a scenario because it works well at low temperatures. The Medium alternative is particularly versatile, especially in warmer weather, so that option will cover the other conditions. This is our home race, so we will obviously be under a little more pressure than usual, but I'm convinced that the 1,000th MotoGP grand prix will be a big success. The grandstands are going to be packed and it's going to be a huge weekend for the fans!"
Should it rain, Michelin's partners will be able to choose from asymmetric Soft or Medium MICHELIN Power Rain tyres for both front and rear, with – like their MICHELIN Power Slick counterparts – a harder compound on the right.
The weekend will begin on Friday, May 12, with a pair of practice sessions, from which the ten fastest riders will book their place in the second part of qualifying (Q2) the next day. Following the free practice session on Saturday morning, the top two riders from Q1 will similarly progress to the Q2 pole-position shootout, which will determine the starting grid for both of the weekend's races. The Sprint race begins at 3pm local time on Saturday, with the main event – the grand prix itself – getting underway just under 24 hours later at 2pm on Sunday, May 14.
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