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MotoGP, Michelin: asymmetrical rear tyres at Austin

Taramasso: "Very demanding track. Unable to produce the performance hoped for in 2016, but ready now"

MotoGP: Michelin: asymmetrical rear tyres at Austin

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The Austin circuit is another one - after Termas de Rio Hondo - that puts the tyres to a hard test. It was anything but a simple track for Michelin last year, where they left the USA far from fully satisfied.

The French engineers have taken particular care preparing for this round and for Texas - as per regulations - they will bring three different options for both the front and rea in soft, medium and hard compound.

The particularity of the rear tyres is that they are all asymmetrical, with a harder right side in order to adapt better to the layout of the track which, with its 20 corners and 5.532 km, is the longest of the championship.

The weather forecast for the weekend is good, but there will still be soft and medium compound rain tyres available to cover all possibilities.

COTA is another very demanding circuit for the tyres because of the many changes of direction, slow turns, fast bends and a long straight - Michelin Two-wheel Motorsport Group Manager Piero Taramasso explains - There are also hard braking areas and all this together makes for a big challenge for a tyre to cope with. The riders are always demanding the very best and that is always our target- to be able to give the optimum tyre for all riders and bikes to use. We were unable to produce the very good performance that we had hoped for in 2016, but this season we are going there fully prepared – thanks to data we got after last year’s race – and with a range of rubber that will work well around the Texan circuit. With three fly-away tests and then the three long-haul races to start the season, it has certainly been a busy time, but we are all totally focused and will arrive in Austin fresh and ready for the task at hand.”

Translated by Jonathan Blosser
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