Brno Grand Prix Review 20202020-08-10 08:21Michelin’s range of MotoGP™ tyres had to work at the very peak of their performance during this weekend’s Monster Energy Grand Prix České republiky at Brno as low grip from the ageing surface made traction a valuable commodity in today’s race which was won by Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing). This weekend’s temperatures had seen the track rise to over 50°C and meant that grip levels were very low from the asphalt and left riders in all three classes searching for adhesion around the 5,403m circuit, but Michelin’s Technicians worked tirelessly with all their respective MotoGP teams to make sure the MICHELIN Power Slick tyres afforded the best purchase on the slippery surface. As the race began all riders went with a hard front tyre to give them the stability needed, with a split between soft and medium for the rear. Franco Morbidelli (Petronas Yamaha SRT) got a good start and led into the first corner, in-front of team-mate Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) and the rest of the field, including pole-setter Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing). Morbidelli held on to the lead for the first lap and continued to run at the front until lap 13, when he was caught and passed by Binder, who had also set the fastest lap of the race in his pursuit of the lead. The rookie, in only his third race in the premier class, showed an experienced side and used the grip provided by his Michelin tyres to extend his lead at the front, eventually crossing the line over five-seconds ahead of Morbidelli at the end of the 21-lap race. Binder’s win was his first in MotoGP, the first for a South African rider in the top class and more importantly the first victory for KTM since its introduction into MotoGP. The victory for KTM also marks the fifth manufacturer to win in dry condition on Michelin tyres since the French company’s return to MotoGP in 2016. Track temperatures for the race were 46°C, as a slight wind and some cloud cover brought the heat down from the weekend’s previous highs. The protocols again meant no fans were trackside due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the MotoGP field certainly put on an exciting race for the TV audience of millions. Morbidelli’s second-place also gave him the honour of First Independent Rider and he was followed home by Zarco who produced a stunning moment of riding after he was penalised for an on-track infringement and had to do a long-lap penalty. The extra part of the circuit is unused all weekend, except for when riders go through for penalties and it is off-line and dirty, but Zarco put his full trust in the grip of his MICHELIN Power Slicks and rode at full pace and lean angle through the dust and debris to re-join the race in the third position he held before the penalty. There were also plenty of other thrilling battles through the field as the riders pushed their tyres to the performance limit to find the traction on a circuit that was last resurfaced in 2008. Following home the top-three was Alex Rins (Team SUZUKI ECSTAR), meaning the top four positions were taken by a quartet of different manufacturers. Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) took fifth, ahead of Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) in sixth, whilst seventh for Quartararo was enough to see him strengthen his lead at top of the championship standings. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda) crossed the line in eighth, Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) was ninth and tenth for Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) meant that all six marques finished in the top-ten. Michelin will now head directly to Austria as the Red Bull Ring at Spielberg will play host to Grands Prix over successive weekends starting with the myWorld Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich next Sunday and followed seven days later with the first running of the BMW M Grand Prix von Styria. Brad Binder – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing: “Today was fantastic! The whole weekend has been a bit difficult and we have worked really hard on used tyres and I was really happy with the performance from them in the race. I think everybody had to be a bit cautious at the beginning, because the end was going to be a bit difficult, but we were able to do a fantastic job. Hats off to all the guys at Michelin for helping us make such a clear decision yesterday, it worked out for the best today, so thank-you.” Piero Taramasso – Michelin Motorsport Two-Wheel Manager: “This has been one of the most difficult weekends since Michelin returned to MotoGP. The traction afforded by the asphalt was very low, as the surface is so old and there are a lot of bumps to unsettle the riders. The one plus was that our front tyre construction is built to absorb the bumps as much as possible, so the riders still had the confidence to push the front. The new rear construction we introduced this year was tested here in 2019 and the results were very good, but the track has deteriorated so much since then and with the combination of the high temperatures it has not helped the tyre to perform at its highest capacity. The technicians worked incredibly hard this weekend to find the best solutions for all the riders and manufacturers, it is during weekends like this that we see the experience within our team and how we pull together as a group to make sure the best performance from the tyres can be provided to all. We knew that because of the amount of spin that the tyres were being subjected to – because of the lack of traction – that there would be a drop as the race wore on, but we were able to advise the riders in the best way to manage this and this helped them and their teams make some race strategy decisions. It has been a tough weekend, but one we can learn from and move forward. Finally, I would like to pass on congratulations to Brad Binder and KTM, both first time winners in MotoGP and for Michelin!” Source: Michelin Motorsport Click here to visit our forums to discuss this story |
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