Preview – PT Grand Prix of Thailand 2024 – R18

Press Release Reinforced MICHELIN Power Slick tyres with harder compounds for the circuit of Buriram • The 18th round of the 2024 MotoGP™ World Championship will take place this weekend at the Chang International Circuit, renowned for its challenging characteristics and the harsh weather in the region. • Michelin Motorsport has responded with tyres adapted to the high temperatures generated by the circuit configuration and the resulting constraints. • Almost 200,000 fans are expected during the weekend at this venue, where the championship and Michelin are visiting for the fifth time in six years. At the heart of the Asia-Oceania loop of the MotoGP World Championship, the PT Grand Prix of Thailand takes place between the races at Phillip Island in Australia and Sepang in Malaysia. A very busy Grand Prix period at the end of the season, before the grand finale at Valencia in Spain, which will take place from 15 to 17 November. The 2024 championship, with its mix of very different races, has already allowed Michelin Motorsport to demonstrate the performance of its tyres on circuits with sometimes difficult and opposing characteristics. The Buriram circuit also brings its own share of particularities. Located in the north of the country, around 500 km from the capital Bangkok, the Chang International Circuit is located in a hot and humid region – especially at this time of year. The nature of its track surface, as well as its 4.554km layout with five left turns and seven right handers, along with two straights – the longest of which reaches one kilometre – offer extremely testing conditions for the tyres. Men and machines alike will suffer, but fortunately the tyre allocation proposed by Michelin will be up to the task. To select these tyres, the men from the French manufacturer relied on data from past races, and also on the excellent results achieved at the same circuit in 2023. “The level of performance we saw here just a year ago led us to re-use the same types of tyres, but with some adjustments to the front tyres," says Piero Taramasso, Michelin’s two-wheel competition manager. "Last year, thanks to a particularly well-adapted package, we witnessed an exceptional show with some great battles on the track. Given this performance and the records broken all over the world since the start of the season, we have increased the rigidity of the three front tyre compounds slightly, and also strengthened the internal structure of the Hard compound. The rear tyres were already in this configuration last year, so we are re-using them as is. Whether it's grip, traction, braking stability or wear, we have to provide tyres that will work well in all areas. In the 2023 Tissot Spint, with 45°C track temperatures (30°C air) and 60% humidity, almost all of our partners chose Medium compound MICHELIN Power Slicks for both the front and rear, and they worked very well. On the Sunday, all riders (except Alex Marquez) chose a Hard compound rear, and we witnessed a splendid Grand Prix, with many changes of position and constant attacks. And with our 2024 allocation, we believe that the spectacle will be repeated this year!" For the PT Grand Prix of Thailand, Michelin’s partners will have at their disposal three symmetrical front tyres in Soft, Medium and Hard compounds, while for the rear they will be able to choose between Medium and Hard, both with an asymmetric tread. As mentioned above, the Hard front option and the two rear tyres will benefit from a more rigid internal structure. In case of rain Michelin will offer its MICHELIN Power Rain ranges in Soft and Medium compounds for the front and the rear, the latter of which will also be reinforced on the right side, like the MICHELIN Power slicks.   Records to beat Tissot Sprint (1st edition in 2023) The fastest lap in a Sprint race is held by Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) in 1’30.178. The Sprint race duration time to beat is 19’41.593. Grand Prix In 2023 Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) set the all time circuit lap record of 1'29''287. Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) holds the fastest race lap record of 1'29.896, also set in 2023. The reference time for the Grand Prix is ​​39'36.223, which dates from 2019, when the winner was Marc Marquez. The PT Grand Prix of Thailand will start on Friday 24 October with a first practice session from 10:45 to 11:30. This will be followed by a second session in the afternoon 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 two additional riders to progress to Q2, where the riders will battle it out for the best positions on the starting grid for the weekend. The start of the 13-lap Sprint race will be on Saturday at 15:00, and that of the 27-lap Grand Prix is scheduled for Sunday 6 October, again at 15:00. 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?