Michelin takes its new compounds to COTA ‘which creates some unknowns’

'We are bring🉐ing our new rubber compounds this year, which creates some unknow൩ns'

Luca Marini, MotoGP race, Grand Prix of the Americas, 16 April
Luca Marini, MotoGP race, Grand Prix of the Americas, 16 April

Michelin’s new 2024 MotoGP compounds will take on the challengeജ of COTA this weekend, where⭕ they will face the usual bumps and grip variations, as well as the latest surface modifications.

The unstable COTA subsoil means there has again been a partial resurfacing ahead of this year’s Grand Prix, with new asphalt reported at turns 2, 9♚-11, 12 and 16-19.

In the past, 'planing operations' have alℱso been carried out, which reduce the magnitude of the bumps but result in a ribbed surface and grip changes.

“We know the COTA circuit very well, but we are bringing our new rubber compounds this year, which cre🃏ates some unknowns,” said Piero Taramasso, manager of Michelin Two-Wheel competition.

“On the other hand, we know that the grip will be low, and that its surface will be uneven in 🌟places.

“Based on our data and taking into account the configuration of the ciꦓrcuit, we selected symmetrical tyres for the front, in three compounds (Soft, Medium, Hard) and two asymmetrical options for the rear, in Soft and Medium.

“The right shoulder of the rear tyres will be harder, but this is not to compensate for the number of turns, but rather for the sequence of the triple right-handers (turns 16, 17 and 18)ꦯ which generates very high stresses on the tyres.

“We intend to provide the perfect technical package to our partners, who broke numerous recཧords on this track last year and who of course intend to try to do better this year, partly thanks to our tyres.”

At 5.513km, COTA is one of the lജongest circuits on the MotoGP calendar and features n𒀰o less than 20-turns as well as a 40m elevation change at Turn 1.

It is also one of the few anti-clockwise tracks, alongside Sachsen🍷ring, Aragon, Ph✃illip Island and Valencia.

The🥃 weather ℱforecast currently predicts a sunny and stable weekend.

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