After two action packed races in The Americas, the MotoGP paddock return to Europe and Spain’s famous Jerez Circuit for round 4 of the championship this weekend.
After another dominant performance in Austin, Marc Marquez will be looking to take another victory on home soil, although last season Danny Pedrosa spoiled the reigning champion’s party by taking the win in sunny Spain.
Also on the podium in 2017 was Ducati’s Jorge Lorenzo, who still holds the lap, race lap and race duration records at Jerez, which he set with Yamaha in 2015.
With a fast, flowing layout, the 4.4 kilometre long track features a longest straight of just 607m, along with 8 right hand corners and 5 left handers.
Michelin will be supplying a range of symmetric front and asymmetric rear tyres, with a harder compound on one shoulder to deal with the additional number of right-handers. The asymmetric rear design will also be implemented on the manufacturer’s Power Rain, to be used if we have a wet race.
Piero Taramasso, Michelin Motorsport’s 2-Wheel Manager gave his views ahead of this weekend’s race:
“After three very demanding fly-away races and the three pre-season tests, it’s good to be heading back to Europe, but the task ahead is no less difficult.
We are going to another track that has been resurfaced, so we have no real data as to how it will perform during a race weekend, but we have been able to gather information from tests that have been conducted there, so we are able to bring a range of tyres which we believe will be ideally suited to the new surface and give all riders the best opportunity to make the optimum choice to suit their style and bikes.
Jerez is always a great event and this year will have a very added significance, as it will see the 400th victory for Michelin in Grand Prix, this is a fantastic achievement and we are determined to put on a good show, so that this can be commemorated in style.”
Sunday’s 25 lap race promises to be another thriller, so don’t miss it!
