MotoGP | Japanese GP: Taramasso (Michelin), “Aerodynamic changes could affect the tyres”

GP Motegi MotoGP 2022 – The MotoGP returns to Japan, to Motegi to be precise, after no longer going to the land of the Rising Sun due to the pandemic. The last Grand Prix was held in 2019.

Michelin is preparing for the second of three consecutive races in the busiest three weeks of the season. Located between the cities of Mito and Utsunomiya in the northern Kantō region of Haga District within Tochigi Prefecture, Mobility Resort Motegi is a purpose-built motorsports venue for the whole family that includes, in addition to the race circuit, a traffic education center, a go-kart track and the impressive Honda Collection Hall.

The first stage of four races in the Asia Pacific region, the Motegi circuit is a track that features heavy braking and large acceleration zones, all on an above-average abrasive surface. The 4.801m circuit layout has four distinct straights and this means a lot of time is spent on the center of the tyre, but due to a limited number of fast, flowing corners there isn't as much stress on the rear tires compared to other tracks.

The circuit configuration, with its six left and eight right corners, places specific demands on the front tyre, with good braking stability and rapid warm-up being two crucial requirements. Taking these elements into consideration, the allocation was selected to offer optimal performance, durability and consistency for all drivers throughout the 24 laps of the race. The front tires in the Soft, Medium and Hard compounds will all be symmetrical, while all the rears will be asymmetrical, with a harder right shoulder.

The local area is covered in dense woodland and this may mean that the circuit may be subject to fog, mist and wet weather. If these conditions prevail, the Rain tire range will be available. The compounds available will be Soft and Medium for both the front and rear and, like their slick counterparts, the fronts will be symmetrical and the rears will be asymmetrical.

Statements Piero Taramasso, Two-Wheel Director Michelin Motorsport GP Japan Motegi MotoGP 2022

“This is the first of four close races and the second of three consecutive races. Before the pandemic, it was always a challenging time logistically and it will be interesting to see how the track surface has changed since we were last here in 2019 and how the aerodynamic devices that have been introduced since then might affect performance of tires. We know that Motegi is a track that requires high levels of stability from the front due to strong braking forces, especially in corners such as the '90 degree bend', but riders also need grip from the rear tires to get maximum acceleration from these slower curves. Our 2022 lineup features compounds and casings that we know will meet these requirements and give riders the confidence to push themselves and their machines to the limit.”

Due to travel from Spain to Japan, the Motegi schedule has been adjusted to allow the teams more setup time in the paddock. As a result, FP1 will take place on Friday afternoon, with FP2 and FP3 preceding the two qualifying sessions on Saturday – there will be no FP4. On Sunday, the 24-lap MotoGP race will begin at 15pm local time.