Preview – Motul Grand Prix of Japan 2024 – R16

Press Release The MICHELIN Power Slick and Power Rain tyre ranges: confidence and performance facing Motegi's changeable weather • The 16th round of the 2024 MotoGP™ World Championship will take place this weekend on the Twin Ring Motegi (Japan). • Michelin Motorsport and its partners are taking part in a third race in three weeks, with the same smile and determination. • As is often the case at this time of year in the Japanese archipelago, variable weather could play a decisive role during the race weekend. After consecutive race weekends in Misano (Italy) and Madalika (Indonesia), the MotoGP World Championship continues its momentum, this time on the Twin Ring Motegi, two hours from Tokyo. Located in the heart of the Japanese countryside in a mountainous and wooded area, the 'Twin Ring' Motegi (owned by the car and motorcycle manufacturer Honda) is prone to changeable weather conditions at this time of year. During the 2022 and 2023 Grands Prix, wind, fog and rain were all in attendance at one point or another during the race weekends. Air temperature can vary between 15°C and 30°C, so Michelin Motorsport engineers have integrated these configurations into their calculations when determining the tyre package that will be available to competitors for this race. Despite these variables, the Twin Ring Motegi is a place well known by the MotoGP teams, as well as by the technicians of the French manufacturer. The venue was inaugurated in 1997 and it has hosted motorcycle Grand Prix racing since 2004, and test sessions are frequently held there. “Like the many fans who visit us here in Japan, we are always happy to return to Motegi,” says Piero Taramasso, Michelin’s two-wheel competition manager. “It is a very varied and demanding track. It demands a lot from the rear tyres because there are many acceleration areas where the bikes have to transmit the power to the ground, and also from the front tyres due to the repeated hard braking forces. It is a circuit layout that we call 'stop and go', with numerous changes of pace that put our tyres under a lot of stress. It is also a circuit where the turns closely follow one another and where the constant weight transfer must be handled in a way that gives the riders complete confidence. The structure of our tyres has of course been designed to provide all the necessary stability, and to ensure they do their job both in terms of traction, grip and consistency. The versatility of our tyres, as well as the way they control temperatures – which we worked on when developing the 2024 compounds – should satisfy all of our partners. We have made a selection of tyres relevant to the expected conditions, including in the event of rain, based on the data collected over many years at Motegi, and also according to the increase in the performance of the motorcycles." For the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, Michelin’s partners will have three symmetrical front compounds (Soft, Medium and Hard) at their disposal, while for the rear they will be able to choose between two compounds (Soft and Medium). The latter will be asymmetric, with the right shoulder reinforced to cope with the configuration of the circuit, which has eight right-hand turns and six left-handers over its length of 4.801 km. In the event of rain, Michelin will offer its MICHELIN Power Rain tyres in Soft and Medium compounds for the front and rear, the latter of which will also be reinforced on the right side like the MICHELIN Power slicks.   Records to beat In 2023, in qualifying, Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) took pole position by setting the new all-time circuit lap record in 1’43.198, and in doing so, he improved on Jorge Lorenzo’s 2015 record by six-tenths of a second. The record for the fastest race lap of 1’45.198 is held by Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), and dates back to 2022. 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 very heavy rain. The Motul Grand Prix of Japan will take place from Friday 4 October with a first practice session from 10:45 to 11:30 local time. This will be followed by a second session from 15:00 to 16:00 which will allow the 10 fastest riders to directly access the second phase of qualifying (Q2). After a final free practice session on Saturday morning from 10:10 to 10:40, Q1 will allow the two fastest riders to progress to Q2 in order to determine, at the end of Q2, the starting grid for the weekend. The start of the 12-lap Sprint race will be at 15:00 on Saturday, and the 27-lap Grand Prix is scheduled for Sunday 6 October at 14:00. 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) Preview - PDF Press Information Season 2024 - PDF For further information on Michelin Motorsport please visit:   www.michelinmotorsport.com     Alessandro Barlozzi - alessandro.barlozzi@michelin.com - Phone: +33 6 42 23 55 93 Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. Unsubscribe?