Michael Scott | September 10, 2016
Michelin’s first year back in MotoGP has not been without scrutiny.
Rossi and Crutchlow relatively happy with tire performance
Michelin’s first year back in MotoGP came under fresh scrutiny at Misano, as they addressed complaints about the weakness of their front tire with a revised stiffer carcass.
By and large, the scrutiny was favorable, with riders as diverse as Rossi and Crutchlow both reporting how their earlier negative opinions had been modified firstly by the French company’s dedication to progress and improvement, and secondly because the range of possibly choices compared with Bridgestone had added a tactical element and served to improve the variety of the racing.
A variety proved by seven different winners in the last seven races, including four first-timers: Miller, Iannone, Crutchlow and Vinales.
Pre-race, Rossi explained how his opinion of the tires had changed, after his early-season complaints about the queasy front and the switch to harder construction after failures in pre-season testing and (to Redding) in Argentina.
“Sometimes your reaction is different after half the championship. Michelin have worked hard on the front tire, and for a wider range of tires to suit different riders and different bikes.”
The new front tire, said Michelin, was “a small evolution of the current tyre and has been developed from the tests previously held at the Italian circuit,” and was available in both soft and medium alternatives, with a hard-option front unchanged from the previous tires.
The change was a new casing, intended to improve stability for braking and corner entry, both areas that have attracted criticism.
It was generally well-received, but in blazing hot conditions some riders – including hard braker Marc Marquez – elected to use the old-school hard option instead in qualifying.
