Valencia is traditionally the season-ending Grand Prix, and following a calendar change last year due to Covid-19 when it gave up its usual position to the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, it returns to its place as host of the final round of this season’s MotoGP™ World Championship at the Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana.
Following the race last weekend at Portimao, the MotoGP riders will travel across the border to Spain to face the tricky and unusual layout of Circuit Ricardo Tormo. It’s the only track which is completely enclosed stadium-style, with grandstands surrounding it and providing a great view of the action. This year, following the race last year taking place in front of empty grandstands due to the pandemic, a capacity crowd of 75,000 spectators will be admitted on race day this year to create the incredible atmosphere that usually typifies a Valencian Grand Prix.
The tight and twisty layout of the 4,005m (2.489 miles) anti-clockwise circuit, with its nine left- and five right-hand turns and 876m straight (0.544 miles), means that all options in the Valencia allocation of Michelin Power Slick tyres will be asymmetric.
Valencia enjoys great weather all year round, however, when the MotoGP takes place in November temperatures begin to cool ahead of winter. Average daily highs are around 18°C (64°F) and nightly lows of 8°C (46°F) or less are not uncommon, so it can get cold for the morning sessions on track. Rain is also fairly common in Valencia at this time of year.
Due to the time of year, and the resulting cold conditions during the morning, the Soft, Medium and Hard compound Michelin Power Slick tyres for the front and rear have been selected to meet these temperature demands and also those of the circuit’s configuration. The asymmetric design will have the harder rubber on the left-hand side, to cope with the higher number of corners in that direction and the increased stresses that the tyres will face throughout each lap, whilst the right side will feature a compound designed to heat-up quickly and offer grip in the right-hand corners in these demanding conditions.
Wet weather has been a feature at Valencia in recent seasons and with the possibility of a repeat this weekend, Michelin will have a range of its Michelin Power Rain tyres available to manage such situations and give riders the ultimate grip if any rain falls on the circuit. Available in symmetric Soft and Medium compounds for the front and asymmetric Soft and Medium compounds for the rear – with a harder left-hand side as is the case with the rear slicks.
Speaking about the final race of the season, Piero Taramasso, Michelin Two-Wheel Motorsport Manager, said: “Following the unusual Covid-affected schedule last year, the whole Michelin team is very happy to be returning to Valencia for the traditional end-of-year race. In addition, it will be great to see a capacity crowd on Sunday to cheer-on their favourite riders, and in particular to give Valentino the send-off that he deserves after putting so much into the sport during his time racing for so long at the top of the premier class.
“The particular layout of Circuit Ricardo Tormo and the potential for cold morning conditions and rain will no doubt be a good test for the riders and our tyres, but I’m confident that the allocation we have selected for the weekend will cope with everything thrown at them and provide a thrilling spectacle for the fans, despite the 2021 championship already having been decided in Misano”.
The riders will take to the track on Friday 12 November for the first two Free Practice sessions. Saturday will include two more practice sessions before the all-important Qualifying 1 and 2 sessions, which will decide grid positions for the 27-lap race. The Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana will get underway when the lights go out for the season finale at 14:00 local time on Sunday 14 November.
