The 2023 MotoGP season is about to start with the first stage in the Algarve and will be full of news, not only for the introduction of the Sprint Races on Saturdays. Under the magnifying glass will be tires and pressure. The sole supplier Michelin has decided to adopt some changes on the compounds and an LDL sensor to monitor the pressure in real time of each driver.
New tires for the MotoGP ’23 season
In the winter tests, Michelin was able to test different tire compounds with excellent results. Improved grip and durability, as demonstrated by the lap times and the circuit record set by Pecco Bagnaia in Portimao. The credit goes not only to the evolution of the MotoGP prototypes, but also to the tires which are increasingly capable of supporting so much power and aerodynamics. The research and development of the Clermont-Ferrand company proceeds hand in hand with the engine manufacturers, so much so that a new front tire designed specifically to optimize the new aerodynamic loads should make its debut next year.
From 2023 there will no longer be three rear tire specifications, but only two: the soft (7 tyres) and the medium (5 tyres). The riders will have more soft tires available for the ‘time attack’ and sprint races. At the front remain the three variants soft, medium and hard. The new front tire was tested in the Portimao tests, already tested for the first time at Misano last year and more recently at Sepang. A tire that offers the grip of a medium tire and the stability of a hard one, which could be fitted on seven to eight circuits, also depending on the asphalt temperatures.
Pay attention to the tire pressure
Maximum attention will be paid to tire pressure, especially on the front. Thanks to the LDL sensors that are the same for all manufacturers, and with the aid of the single Marelli control unit, the minimum limit of 1.88 bar at the front will be controlled. If the pressure drops below this threshold, the lap will be cancelled. However, there is no maximum tire pressure. Also in the race there could be drastic penalties for not respecting the limit, with the cancellation of the final position (equal to 0 points). Everything will revolve around the average tire pressure per lap. No penalties will be applied to MotoGP class riders in the first three Grands Prix and it is not yet clear whether the “punitive” check will begin in Jerez. If the system has not yet been well tested, the sanctions will start from the Le Mans or Mugello GP.
Photo: Michelin Motorsport
