MotoGP Tyre Pressure Controversy
In an article earlier this week Mat Oxley published a chart showing that many riders have been running front tyre pressures below that specified by Michelin. This indicated that some recent race winners have hardly turned a lap where their front tyres met the minimum recommended pressures dictated for safety by Michelin. While this would lead to disqualification in World Superbike/Pirelli, there is, as yet, no mandatory requirement in MotoGP, however that will change in 2023.
Technical Director statement regarding MotoGP class tyre pressures
Following recent allegations in the media asserting that some MotoGP teams have breached or have been breaching the regulations regarding tyre operating parameters, MotoGP Technical Director Danny Aldridge has made the following statement.
“In cooperation with the MSMA and following a request from the MSMA, the Technical Direction of the Championship is currently in the process of evaluating a new tyre pressure monitoring protocol. This procedure must include the introduction of a unified sensor and receiver system, because it is the only way to have reliable data for scrutineering. In addition, a detailed protocol of how the new regulations will be enforced has been discussed with the MSMA and it has been unanimously agreed that it will not be implemented before the start of the 2023 season.
“This protocol has preliminary been agreed within the MSMA on the condition that it would be evaluated by all manufacturers during the 2022 season. To aid in this evaluation, all manufacturers have unanimously agreed to freely share their riders’ tyre data after each event with all other manufacturers; as this data is supplied voluntarily and the sensors are calibrated individually by each sensor manufacturer, it cannot currently be verified for its accuracy.
“As agreed between Michelin, FIM, IRTA, MSMA and Dorna, the tyre regulations will continue to be enforced as they have been for many years, under the control of the Technical Director and Michelin, until such time that the proposed new procedure is ready to be introduced.”
