MotoGP – Preview Mugello – The technical point of view

With its 5,245 km, the Mugello circuit is one of the longest tracks on the current MotoGP calendar and this is due, in no small part, to the fact that it has maintained its original design and length over time. Nestled on the gentle slopes of the beautiful Tuscan hills, Mugello stands out from most other fast tracks in its frequent changes in altitude and the speed of its chicanes. There is a mix of fast and slower corners but the latter are also very spacious and allow riders to choose between different lines, thus highlighting everyone's talent and the precision of the set-up of the vehicles.

“Mugello is a very technical track” explains Edwards' chief mechanic, the Italian Daniele Romagnoli. “The setup of the chassis is perhaps the most important thing but there is also a need for power because the straight is about 950 meters long to be covered with open throttle. There you need good gearbox setup, with little difference between fourth, fifth and sixth gear, to get the most out of the engine."

“In general it is a very complex track, where the driver can make the difference. There is a very strong braking point entering the first corner, where the drivers go from around 330 to just 85 km/h. Then there is a sequence of "S" where it is important that the bike is agile and turns well. Then there are rapid changes of direction with uphill and downhill curves, so the set up will seek a good compromise to be able to deal with both types well."

Romagnoli is convinced that the new chassis for Edwards could not have come at a better time. “The new frame improves the performance of the front of the bike, particularly in terms of steering ability and stability when entering corners. It also brought improvements regarding the vibration problem we had been experiencing and this will be crucial at Mugello because there are a lot of fast corners and a lot of lateral load on the bike."

Camel Yamaha