Preview – Monster Energy British Grand Prix 2022 R12

2022-08-02 03:45
After a well-earned summer break for the MotoGP™ paddock and the Michelin Motorsport team, the on-track action for the second half of the season will start with a bang at the Monster Energy British Grand Prix, at the iconic Silverstone circuit in the United Kingdom.

A former Royal Air Force base set in the green and picturesque British countryside south of Birmingham between the Northamptonshire towns of Towcester and Brackley, Silverstone was first used for racing in September 1947 when a group of friends held an impromptu race there, and Silverstone’s first motorcycle Grand Prix was held in 1977.

The 5.9km (3.666 miles) circuit is the longest, and one of the fastest on the calendar. Its eight left- and ten right-hand corners, along with its 770m (2,526ft) straight are a tough test for the riders, their machines and, of course, the tyres.

All MotoGP lap records were set by Marc Marquez in 2019, with the race lap record standing at 1’59.936 and the all-time lap record at 1’58.168. However, the top speed record of 339.6km/h was set last year by Jack Miller.

As in 2021, the Michelin tyre allocation for the race will comprise Soft, Medium and Hard compound MICHELIN Power Slicks for both the front and rear. All front options will be symmetric, while the rears will be asymmetric, with a harder right-hand-side to cope with the ten corners that travel in that direction. With eight left turns the layout of the circuit is almost symmetric, but taking into account the high speeds, there is more stress put on the right side of the tyres, so the harder rubber is needed there to give riders the optimum confidence and performance.

As is usually the case with a British summer, wet weather can be expected at any time, so MICHELIN Power Rain tyres will be available during the weekend. The allocation will feature symmetric Soft and Medium front tyres, with asymmetric Soft and Medium rears, which also have a harder right-hand-side like their slick counterparts.

Speaking ahead of the forthcoming British Grand Prix weekend, Piero Taramasso, Michelin Two Wheel Motorsport Manager, said: “Last year the race took place under cloudy skies, which kept track temperatures very low for August. Despite this, the tyres worked very well with most of the riders using our Medium compound tyres front and rear for the race, although Fabio won the race with a Soft front, showing the versatility of the allocation.

“Apart from the weather, technically the circuit is not an easy one for the tyres due to the mix of the high speeds reached on the straights combined with the very fast corners. For these reasons, we will bring an allocation of tyres that can not only resist the heat generated by the high speeds, but at the same time provide the considerable stability, grip and agility needed to give the riders the confidence to attack the fast direction changes on each lap.”

The weekend’s track action will start on Friday 5th August with Free Practice sessions 1 and 2, followed on Saturday by Free Practice sessions 3 and 4, and Qualifying 1 and 2. On Sunday, the riders will take their places on the grid for the start of the 20-lap race at 13:00 UK-time.



About Michelin

Michelin, the leading mobility company, is dedicated to enhancing its clients’ mobility, sustainably; designing and distributing the most suitable tires, services and solutions for its clients’ needs; providing digital services, maps and guides to help enrich trips and travels and make them unique experiences; and developing high-technology materials that serve a variety of industries. Headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France, Michelin is present in 177 countries, has 124,760 employees and operates 68 tire production facilities which together produced around 173 million tires in 2021. (www.michelin.com)

Source: Michelin Motorsport

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