.: Press Release – Motul Grand Prix of Japan 2024

Press Release

MICHELIN Power tyre ranges, active elements at the heart of performance

• Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech 3) takes his first pole position in MotoGP™ with Michelin, setting a new circuit lap record of 1'43.018 in the process.
• Rain was an intermittent feature during the weekend, but the versatility of Michelin tyres made it possible to manage all track conditions.
• The Hard front compound was the favourite of the weekend for all riders, while the rears highlighted the pure performance of the Soft compound for the Tissot Sprint, and the consistency of the Medium compound during the Grand Prix.

For this 16th round of the 2024 FIM MotoGP World Championship, Michelin Motorsport and its partners travelled to the Motegi circuit (Japan). Located in the heart of a region with thick vegetation and largely nourished by humidity, this emblematic motor sport venue is nevertheless located only two hours from Tokyo, the country's capital. With a length of 4.801 km, the circuit has 8 right-hand turns and 6 left-handers, and the longest of its straights is 762 metres.

Alternating between heat, intermittent coolness and humidity, the riders and their machines encountered changing conditions. However, Michelin engineers were alongside the teams to support them in their mission, irrespective of the temperatures and track conditions. The test sessions and qualifying sessions nevertheless took place in good conditions, but the pole position, and with it the new all-time circuit lap record, were achieved on a track that was still damp in places following an earlier rain shower.

“This weekend we offered our partners chameleon tyres, with a broad spectrum of performance", indicates Piero Taramasso, manager of Michelin’s two-wheel competition. "Motegi is a very varied and demanding track, but we know every nook and cranny of it because we also test here in addition to racing the Grands Prix. This helped us understand the behaviour of our tyres, while the changeable weather conditions required adaptation and reactivity. Between the changes in temperature and the humidity, we needed very versatile tyres which were capable of adapting to all situations. The challenge at Motegi is always to put the power to the ground without spinning, but we also have to preserve the front tyre which has to withstand violent braking. This type of circuit, where there are many braking points and changes of pace, is even more difficult to negotiate when humidity is part of the equation. On Saturday for the Tissot Sprint, the Hard compound front and the Soft rear were the perfect combination. During the Grand Prix, the Hard compound remained the best for everyone at the front, but almost all the riders switched to Medium at the rear. It was the best choice in terms of consistent performance for a 24-lap race. In addition, we saw that even with seemingly unfavourable track conditions, several records were broken during the weekend. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Pedro Acosta, the new all-time lap record holder, who joins the long list of riders who have secured their first pole position in MotoGP with Michelin."

For the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, Michelin’s partners had at their disposal three symmetrical front compounds (Soft, Medium and Hard) and two for the rear (Soft and Medium) – the latter being asymmetric, with a reinforced right shoulder. For the rain, the MICHELIN Power Rain ranges in Soft and Medium compounds, also with the rears reinforced on the right side, were part of the game. However, despite the humidity, the riders preferred to use the MICHELIN Power Slick ranges.

On Saturday afternoon it was Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) who won the Tissot Sprint, ahead of his teammate Enea Bastianini, and Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP).

On Sunday, the Grand Prix saw another victory for Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), this time ahead of Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), with Marc Marquez once again taking third place.

Motegi’s new records

Tissot Sprint

The Sprint race lap record has been improved by more than two-tenths of a second, and Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech 3) now holds this record with a lap of 1’43.825.

Grand Prix

In qualifying, Pedro Acosta improved the all-time lap record of the circuit from 1’43.198 (Jorge Martin, in 2023 during qualifying) to 1’43.018.
The record for the best race lap set in 2022 by Jack Miller (1’45.198) has also been beaten, as Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) set a time of 1’44.461.
The reference duration for the Grand Prix (42.21.259) dates back to 2014. Note that in 2023 the race was stopped after 12 laps due to heavy rain. This year, the pace was improved from start to finish and the duration was reduced to 42'09.790, which represents an average improvement of almost 0.5 seconds per lap.

The next round of the MotoGP World Championship, the Qatar Airways Australia Motorcycle Grand Prix, will take place from 18 to 20 October on the Philip Island circuit in Australia.

About Michelin

Michelin is building a world-leading manufacturer of life-changing composites and experiences. Pioneering engineered materials for more than 130 years, Michelin is uniquely positioned to make decisive contributions to human progress and to a more sustainable world. Drawing on its deep know-how in polymer composites, Michelin is constantly innovating to manufacture high-quality tires and components for critical applications in demanding fields as varied as mobility, construction, aeronautics, low-carbon energies, and healthcare. The care placed in its products and deep customer knowledge inspire Michelin to offer the finest experiences. This spans from providing data- and AI-based connected solutions for professional fleets to recommending outstanding restaurants and hotels curated by the MICHELIN Guide. (www.michelin.com)

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