Once the Grand Prix in Assen has been archived, Pirelli moves to Germany, following the riders of the Moto2 and Moto3 classes. In fact, next weekend the German Grand Prix will take place at the Sachsenring. In addition to being, with its 3671 metres, the shortest in the MotoGP, the German circuit is peculiar for the high number of left-hand corners, mostly long and very fast. Add to this the abrasiveness of the asphalt which offers little grip.
The characteristics of the circuit
The Sachsenring is run counterclockwise, has 10 left-handers and 3 right-handers. A disparity that translates into particularly accentuated stress on the left sidewall of the tires and the difficulty of warming up the right shoulder. In this regard, a key point is turn 11, called Waterfall, a downhill right-hander, taken at high speed, that comes after 6 left-handers. When it arrives at this section, the tire may have lost several degrees of temperature on the right shoulder.
Of the three most selective braking points, Turn 1, the first after the approximately 800 meter long starting straight, is the most severe. However, it is the one where drivers appreciate the support of the front tire the most, given that it is the point where many overtaking takes place. This curve leads, downhill, into the twisty part of the track, into a rapid series of six round curves where stability and precision are of primary importance.
Pirelli’s range for Sachsenring
To best respond to the characteristics of this track, Pirelli has decided to integrate the standard allocation planned for 2024 with some compounds that are more protected in the event of severe wear. The Moto2 will also have the SC3 (hard) compound at the front, four tires per rider. At the rear there will be the new development specification D0532 (eight pieces) and, in addition, the SC3 compound (four pieces). By virtue of this richer allocation, Moto2™ riders will be able to use 9 front and 10 rear tires over the weekend instead of the 8 and 9 usually allowed by the regulations.
In Moto3, only one additional specification compared to the classic allocation: the hard development specification C1096, in 4 units per rider. Having an extra specification, riders in this class will be able to use 1 more rear (10 instead of 9) compared to the standard allocation. As always, in case of rain, for both classes there will be the DIABLO Rain wet solution in SCR1 compound for both the front (5 pieces) and the rear (6 pieces).
The comment from Pirelli
“The Sachsenring is a circuit we know little about because we have never raced there, at least never with the Moto2 and Moto3 classes or with other international championships” underlined Giorgio Barbier. “Therefore, we do not have certain data to base ourselves on but only indirect information from those who have competed here in past seasons. This outlines a particularly demanding track for the tires due to its layout with many fast corners on the left, an abrasive asphalt with poor grip and often uncertain weather conditions. This explains why we decided to expand our standard allocation by integrating it with some solutions capable of offering greater protection against wear.”
“This is the case of the new D0532 development rear specification available to Moto2 riders. At the Sachsenring it could be a valid alternative to the standard SC0, which up to now has been the rear most used and appreciated by riders, if the latter shows excessive wear. Compared to the SC0, it has a different structure and compound and was created with the aim of offering very constant behavior over the race distance while ensuring excellent levels of handling. The other additional compounds, the front and rear SC3 in Moto2™ and the rear development C1096 in Moto3™, also go in the direction of offering solutions that are more protected from wear”.
