Michelin has extended its front tyre selection for Argentina to 🍎FOUR different options, after several riders requested an alternative casing, Piero Taramasso, the company's manager of motorsport has confirmed.

In the wake of pre-season testing, it appeared the Fren🔜ch firm had made a definitive decision with regards to front casing for the season ahead. Rider feedback indicated it is somewhat softer than was raced in 2016.

However, comments from certain men at the close of the opening race in Qatar convinced Michelin to bring an alternative front t𝓡yre with a stif🍎fer casing, as used at November's Valencia GP, to ensure 2017 development is going in the right direction.

Riders have three compounds to choose from this✱ weekend: a soft, medium and hard. However, there are two variations of the soft - one that was brought to Qatar (the 2017 tyre, the softer of the two), and one that was raced in Valencia 2016 (the harder).

Both soft tyres will have the same markings.

Valentino Rossi has been the most vocal when detailౠing his difficulty at adapting to the 2017 frܫont, which he says is too soft for his liking.

"I have a lot of movement in the entry [of the corner], and I am not fast to enter, and to carry enough speed," Rossi said in Qatar. "I sai𝔉d this f♚rom the first time [I tried the tyre]."

Taramasso confirmed Andrea Iannone and the Honda trio of Marc Marquez, 𒉰Dan♎i Pedrosa and Cal Crutchlow joined Rossi in requesting that the stiffer casing be brought to Argentina to clarify whether the 2017 decision was the correct one.

"I was more satisfied with what I had last year," Crutchlow said on Thursday, 🧜referencing his feeling with Michelin's '17 front.

Should conditions not permit it's 🌳use this weekend, the two front constructions will also be available at the next race in Austin. A final decision will then be reached, Taramasso said, before the IRTA test❀ at Jerez in early May.

Michelin is keen to come to a definitive decision on front tyre casing as soon as possible, so there is consistency going forward, a feature that wasn't always ev💫ident in '16, which saw the company's MotoGP return after a seven-year absence.

On whetheꩲr he feels the alternative tyre will be of benefit this weekend, Rossi said, "I know that Michel𓂃in brings one front tyre with the older casing, a bit more stiff.

"When I spoke with Michelin at the start of the season about my problem with the front, they s🧔aid that I w🧜as the only one! Maybe if they bring this tyre, some other riders will have my feeling.

"We improved in Qatar, but it will be very🌌 interesting to try this tyre here to understand if the feeling is better or not."

According t🔯o a Michelin spokesman, Rossi was the only member of the 23-rider MotoGP contingent to express preference for the harder casing at th𓆉e close of testing.

On wha💫t may have caused Marquez, Pedrosa, Crutchlow and Iannone to change their opinion after the race, Taramasso suggested the varying track conditions throughout the first round had played a part, as well as riders p꧙ushing harder than in testing.