Michelin confirmed as MotoGP tyre supplier until 2026
Australia may no longer be getting French submarines, but the riders in MotoGP will still be riding on French rubber after Dorna confirmed a contract extension with Michelin to act as sole tyre supplier to the competition through to at least 2026.
Michelin, based in Clermont-Ferrand in France, became the sole tyre supplier to MotoGP in 2016. The premier class of motorcycle Grand Prix racing has since enjoyed some of the closest competition in history, creating a true golden era. Records are routinely broken, with the ten closest top 15 finishes of all-time all set since 2018, four of which are from 2021.
As part of the agreement, the Michelin brand will also continue to be featured trackside at each event and will be the title sponsor of a Grand Prix each season.
Florent Ménégaux, CEO of Michelin
“We are very happy with the results we’ve obtained since Michelin’s return to MotoGP, and today we have, logically, extended our partnership with Dorna Sports. We are particularly proud of the technological progress made with our products, as well as the many records broken together with our partners. This Championship offers fans a captivating spectacle, and it’s accessible via digital platforms unparalleled in motorsport. Being a partner of MotoGP therefore represents a valuable opportunity for Michelin to engage the public and players across the discipline in its vision, brand, tyres and innovation. For Michelin, motorsport is a laboratory that encourages the transfer of its expertise and sustainable solutions for the benefit of everyone.”
Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports
“We’re very proud to continue our partnership with Michelin until at least 2026. Michelin has been a vital partner for MotoGP since it became the tyre supplier to the premier class in 2016, helping us to create one of the greatest eras of competition in motorcycle Grand Prix racing history. I’m delighted that we will reach a decade of collaboration and I hope we can continue building on this incredible foundation together. This agreement is fantastic news for all of us in the Championship.”
Michelin and MotoGP are gearing up for the start of the 2020 World Championship as the season finally gets underway following the disruption caused by the worldwide pandemic.
The start of Grand Prix racing has been on hold since March due to the deadly virus, but now Michelin and the rest of the MotoGP paddock will be able to get back to competitive action as the season kicks-off with a double header at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto in Spain and gives the fans around the world the opportunity to share in some much needed sporting action, firstly with the Gran Premio Red Bull de España, which will be followed a week later with the first running of the Gran Premio Red Bull de Andalucía at the same venue.
Jerez Tyre Range 2020
MICHELIN Power Slick Front Soft (White band) Medium (No band) Hard (Yellow band)
Rear Soft (White band) – Asymmetric, right side harder Medium (No band) – Asymmetric, right side harder Hard (Yellow band) – Asymmetric, right side harder
MICHELIN Power Rain Front Soft (Blue band) Medium (No band) Rear Soft (Blue band) – Asymmetric, right side harder Medium (No band) – Asymmetric, right side harder
Click to open larger version in new window
A new Michelin Power Slick Rear
The first race of 2020 will enable the French company the chance to finally give a debut to its latest evolution of the Michelin Power Slick rear tyre in a racing environment following its introduction into the allocation at the start of the year.
The new rear slick features a different construction that is designed to give increased grip, performance and an extended durability to all riders and manufacturers. Following a thorough test programme in 2019 and early in 2020 – including a unique session during the Australian Grand Prix last year to evaluate the tyre on one of the calendar’s most demanding circuits – all the data was analysed by Michelin’s technicians at Clermont-Ferrand, along with riders’ feedback, and the new construction was added to the allocation for the 2020 season. It should have made its first appearance at the Qatar Grand Prix, but when racing was suspended it was held in readiness for the resumption of activities
The Jerez circuit will be a unique test for the new construction as temperatures at the Spanish track will be considerably higher than the originally scheduled date in May, but during the enforced break from racing the Michelin Technicians have worked hard on past data from the track and with the aid of computer simulations, have been able to select the best compounds to match the new construction and give optimum performance around the 4,423m circuit, which has had both full and partial resurfacing work in recent seasons. The choice for both weekends of racing will feature the same compounds and will be three front and three rear MICHELIN Power Slick tyres. The range will be available in soft, medium and hard compounds, all the front will have a symmetric design, with the rear featuring an asymmetric finish with a harder right-hand-side to cope with the eight right turns which give extra demands to the tyre, compared to just five left corners, through the track’s configuration. With warm weather and high temperatures expected, there might be little chance of rain, but the MICHELIN Power Rain tyres will be in the allocation if such conditions arise. These will be in a soft and medium compound for both the front and rear, with the rears having an asymmetric design with a harder right-hand-side, whilst the fronts will be symmetric.
Michelin and the rest of the paddock will have to adhere to stringent protocols to make sure the racing goes ahead as safe as possible as far at the virus situation is concerned, with all the new rules and regulations in-place MotoGP will take on a very different look and feel for 2020, one of which will be the initial lack of spectators at trackside, although this might change as the season progresses, but even with the new guidelines, Michelin will be determined to add to the spectacle and give tyres that provide exciting and close racing. This season will witness not only the debut of the latest evolution of the Michelin Power Slick rear tyre, but three riders will also make their introduction to MotoGP, as Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Iker Lecuona (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) and reigning Moto2 World Champion Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) – brother of six-time MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) – will join the other nineteen racers in a twenty-two rider strong field that will embark on a shortened, but intense season that so far features thirteen races between July and November – all in Europe – with the possibility to add some fly-away races at the end of the year if the situations allow.
Michelin and the MotoGP field will kick-off track action on Wednesday 15th July as the riders will have a test to reacquaint themselves with the tyres and bikes after such a long lay-off.
Competitive action will then commence on Friday with two Free Practice sessions; this will be followed by two further sessions on the Saturday ahead of the all-important Qualifying in the afternoon.
Sunday’s first Grand Prix of the season will get underway at 1400 local time (2200 AEST) as the latest evolution of the Michelin Power Slick rear tyre gets its competitive debut over the 25-lap race.
“It is an encouraging step-forward that the season can get underway. We had a good start to the year with the tests and finalising the new rear tyre, but then everything was put on hold by the terrible events that unfolded. We now have the chance to go racing and give some much needed relief to the fans after these difficult times.
“With the new calendar some of the races now have different dates than their original ones, and the most noticeable of those is the first one at Jerez. We expect much higher temperatures than we would have had in May, but we have analysed past data and run computer simulations to understand what will be expected and have matched the compounds accordingly.
“The most important thing for us is the debut of the new rear tyre. The construction was verified at the pre-season tests and added to the range for 2020, so this will be the first time we have raced with it. When we returned to MotoGP in 2016 we made sure that we would keep evolving and are determined to push the envelope of performance even further this year. The new rear slick tyre has been designed to work for all riders and machines, and following the last tests in Qatar – where we saw some fast lap-times – we are confident that all manufacturers will have found the best setting to make their respective bikes work to the optimum and give a first-class show for all, with hopefully some new records for Michelin at both the events at Jerez.
“The programme in Jerez is a busy one, as we also have MotoE during the two weekends. This series got off to a good start in 2019 and I’m sure it will continue to progress this season with the contribution of Michelin’s new range of even better tyres. MotoE is a very important competition for our group, which this year is introducing tyres incorporating biomaterials and regenerated materials into the discipline. We are delighted to be the technological partner of a race-series focused on energy efficiency, sustainable mobility and respect for the environment. The 2019 World Cup was marked by some fine sporting battles, which gives us even more motivation at the start of this second season.”
Michelin Power Slick
2020 MotoGP Calendar
July 19 – Jerez
July 26 – Jerez
August 9 – Brno
August 16 – Spielberg
August 23 – Spielberg
September 13 – Misano
September 20 – Misano
September 27 – Catalunya
October 11 – Le Mans
October 18 – Aragon
October 25 – Aragon
November 8 – Valencia
November 15 – Valencia Argentina – TBC before the 31st of July Thailand – TBC before the 31st of July Malaysia – TBC before the 31st of July
Michelin Anakee Adventure tyres have now arrived in Australia with more sizes arriving in May.
The tyres, unveiled at the EICMA Motorcycle Show in Milan in November, are designed for riders who do about 80% tarmac touring and about 20% dirt riding.
Michelin Australia has now announced the sizes and pricing:
Rear:
170/60 R 17 M/C 72V, $299, now available
150/70 R 17 M/C 69V, $279, now
150/70 R 18 M/C 70V, $299, now
130/80 R 17 M/C 65H, $249, May
140/80 R 17 M/C 69H, $259, May
Front:
90/90 – 21 M/C 54V, $179 now
110/80 R 19 M/C 59V, $229, now
120/70 R 19 M/C 60V, $239, now
100/90 – 19 M/C 57V, $179, May
The tyres have also been approved for the new BMW R 1250 GS and the coming Moto Guzzi V85 TT as well as many other big-capacity adventure bikes.
Moto Guzzi V85 TT
Anakee Adventure
The tyre joins their adventure range consisting of the Road 5 Trail for 100% road use and Anakee Wild for 50% road and 50% off-road.
Michelin claims the Anakee Adventure has exceptional grip on wet roads due to its new-generation silica-enhanced compound.
It is also claimed to have dry weather stability and long wear thanks to two Michelin-patented technologies.
Dual Compound 2CT means the front tyre combines different all-silica compounds for the crown and shoulders. This aids grip, especially on wet ground, with no detriment to dry weather performance or tyre life.
Michelin’s 2CT+ technology uses a rubber compound for the tyre’s crown that serves as a rigid ply passing under the edges of the shoulder compound. This makes the tread stiffer in depth for improved stability when leaning.
Anakee Adventure also has a new, open tread pattern for traction on unsealed tracks and trails.
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