Michelin MotoGP™ is set to return to the Alcaniz circuit.
• MotoGP will return to the larger Motorland Aragon complex for the first time from September 2022.
• The circuit has been completely renewed, the data collected so far is outdated, forcing Michelin and its partners to start from scratch.
• Michelin Motorsport brings its new MotoGP tires to Aragón, with not two but three rear options to better understand the characteristics of the new asphalt.
The MotoGP FIM World Championship returns to Cerico de Alcaniz for the first time since 2022, at the heart of the large Motorland Aragon complex. A regular venue for MotoGP, Motorland Aragon even hosted two MotoGP races in 2020 due to the pandemic that disrupted the calendar. In the year In 2023, the 5.077 km anti-clockwise circuit with 10 left turns, 7 right turns and two straights (the longest of which is 968 meters) underwent a major renovation. All the asphalt has been replaced, and now it’s a 100% new track that the Michelin Motorsport teams and their partners will have access to for the first time.
“Clothes and heat control will be the two main challenges of the weekend,” said Piero Taramaso, Michelin’s two-wheel race manager. Given the expected conditions, temperatures here can reach 50°C, we have chosen the strongest rubber compounds from our new range. Two years ago, the race was held on September 18, with slightly more complicated weather conditions and also on a track with a familiar surface. Given the new asphalt, the configuration of the circuit and the significant limitations this track poses for both front and rear tires, we are now starting from scratch with new rubber. We know that a new surface will cause more wear on the rear tires, but also significant temperature differences. However, the specific characteristics depend on the grain size of the new surface. If it is ‘open’, the surface will be very damaged, and if it is closed (soft), we have to deal with a rapid increase in temperature. The first tests will be very important for the organization of the bikes, and the riders will have to deal with many compounds, but we will be there to guide them in their choices. As usual we bring three compounds in the front, but three, instead of the usual two, for the back.
For the Gran Premio GoPro de Aragon, Michelin Motorsport offers its partners balanced soft, medium and hard tire compounds for the front. At the rear, riders can choose between a soft tire compound aimed at firmness, a medium option using the same philosophy, and a hard tire for high temperatures. The rear wheels will be asymmetric with a reinforced left shoulder to respond to the more turns on this side.
In the rain, Michelin offers MICHELIN Power Rain tires with soft and medium compounds for the front and rear. The rears are also asymmetrical, just like their MICHELIN Power slick counterparts.
In the year Enya Bastiani (Gresini Racing) won the 2022 Grand Prix, ahead of Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) by just 0.042 seconds, with Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) third.
This year, the Gran Premio Gopro de Argonne race weekend starts on August 30 with Free Practice 1 from 10:45 to 11:30. A second session will then take place from 15:00 to 16:00, allowing the 10 fastest drivers to directly reach the second qualifying stage (Q2). After the final free practice session on Saturday morning from 10:10 to 10:40, Q1 will allow two more drivers to advance to Q2, at the end of Q2, the starting grid for the weekend. The start of the 11th round of the Sprint Race – the first in Aragon – will take place at 3:00pm on Saturday, while the start of the 23rd round of the Grand Prix is scheduled for 2:00pm on Sunday, September 1.
About Michelin
Michelin is building a world-leading manufacturer of life-changing compositions and experiences. With more than 130 years of pioneering materials, Michelin is in a unique position to make a significant contribution to human progress and a sustainable world.
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