The first of three MotoGP events in May takes place at Le Mans for the French Grand Prix. The capital of the Sarthe department has already hosted 38 Grand Prix races, the first of which was in 1969, when Giacomo Agostini lapped all his rivals in the 500cc class. Last year, the French Grand Prix drew 311,797 spectators over the weekend, which was a new record for the World Championship ever since the MotoGP replaced the 500cc class.
According to the engineers at Brembo—who, for the 11th consecutive year are working closely with all MotoGP teams—the 4.185-km Le Mans track falls into the category of circuits that are highly demanding on brakes. On a scale of 1 to 6, it earned a difficulty rating of 4, due to the 10 braking points per lap, totaling 31.5 seconds, accounting for 35% of the race. Two braking points are classified as "high" and, moreover, they're; six are "medium"; the remaining two are "light".
The toughest corner on the Bugatti circuit for the braking system is Turn 8, known as the "Garage Vert", because a garage with a green logo was built nearby in 1955. At that point, the MotoGP bikes go from 263 km/h to 78 km/h in 4.9 seconds, covering 209 meters, while the riders apply 5.8 kg of force to the brake lever. Deceleration is 1.5 g, and the pressure of the Brembo brake fluid reaches as high as 12.4 bar.
Last year, the French GP was one of the most thrilling races of the season, thanks to an intermittent rain. The start was delayed by about ten minutes, and the race was declared wet, but many riders changed bikes several times, thinking they could use slicks. Johann Zarco emerged victorious on the LCR Team's Honda, which was fitted with wet tires and Brembo carbon brakes. The last French rider to win the French GP in the premier class was Pierre Monneret in 1954.
Brembo has been present in the premier class for 50 years and has introduced numerous innovations during this time. However, only in the last decade, thanks to the evolution of carbon fiber, increased motorcycle power, and tire refinements, has it become possible to use Brembo carbon discs even in wet conditions. The combination of these elements has, in fact, increased the load on brakes, allowing them to reach the necessary temperature range more quickly so that the carbon works effectively and safely.
Last year, Johann Zarco’s victory on a Honda at the French GP broke Ducati’s streak of 22 consecutive wins: a run that began at the 2024 Spanish GP. Ducati, therefore, equaled but didn't break Honda’s record that, in the 500cc class, won all 15 GPs in 1997 and the first 7 of 1998, as well. Brembo brakes are the only common element between the bikes behind the two winning streaks, although, over nearly three decades, the evolution of braking systems has been remarkable, particularly in terms of the shape, functionality, rigidity, and lightness of the calipers.