Following French tyre manufacturer Michelin’s official tender, Dorna has announced that Michelin is to become the Official Tyre Supplier to MotoGP™ as of the 2016 World Championship season.
At the beginning of May 2014 Dorna, in agreement with the FIM, opened a tender for tyre manufacturers interested in becoming Official Tyre Supplier to MotoGP™ from the 2016 season.
Interested tyre manufacturers were able to request the technical specifications from Dorna’s Managing Director Javier Alonso, with three potential tyre suppliers initially expressing an interest – before Michelin alone made a formal tender before the 22nd May deadline.
The next step in the process will be the drawing out of a commercial agreement between Dorna and Michelin as Official Tyre Supplier, Michelin having already clearly proven its technical abilities to respond to the needs of a demanding Grand Prix racing schedule.
MCNews.com.au met with Christophe Duc (Two Wheel Product Line, Marketing Director for Motorcycle and Scooter Tyres) in Melbourne this week where we discussed Michelin’s MotoGP tender.
Christophe Duc – “Our position on racing and in particular single brand racing, we do feel that a single brand racing environment can still be useful for our technical development process, but only if the rules allow for innovation and the fostering of innovation that we can bring from racing to the road.
“That is, in real life we want to be involved in way that really can export the technology to our road customers.” Concluded Michelin’s Two Wheel Product Line Marketing Director.
Michelin Official Statement
“Our policy of carrying over our technologies from track to street fits perfectly with the new technical regulations which are due to be introduced in 2016 and which will dictate the use of 17-inch wheels. That is why Michelin decided to submit a bid following the tender process instigated by Dorna Sports. We take this opportunity to thank the governing bodies for the confidence they have placed in us today. Their confidence recognises Michelin’s expertise and the 26 Riders’ world titles it has secured”, says Michelin Motorsport’s Director Pascal Couasnon.
The MotoGP World Championship features the discipline’s most technologically sophisticated bikes, the power output of which exceeds 250hp. The level of performance they deliver both mechanically and dynamically is very high. The series also stars the world’s best riders and their efficiency is notably due to the confidence they have in their machines, particularly their tyres. The discipline consequently serves as an exceptional proving ground for the technological innovations of tomorrow.
Thanks to the Michelin Total Performance concept, which consists of constantly and simultaneously pushing the envelope in all the areas that influence tyre performance, Michelin is geared to providing the riders with increasingly higher levels of grip in dry and wet conditions alike.
