Thursday, December 2, 2021

MotoGP, Michelin under pressure: too few tires for the Losail tests

The dates of the Losail shakedown and the subsequent MotoGP tests have been confirmed. First rumors from today’s Dorna, Irta, FIM and MotoGP team meeting.

They discuss whether they should open the dates for the testers’ shakedown, for the designers, with concessions (Aprilia only, today), and from the rookies to the official driversto somehow make up for the three lost days of testing in Sepang.

Obviously, teams with new drivers (Rossi at Petronas-Yamaha, Quartararo at Monster Yamaha, Pol Espargaró at Repsol, Petrucci at Tech3, Zarco at Pramac-Ducati, etc.) pushed the new plan.

The discussion about extending the test days from three to four or even five ended when Michelin made it clear that there weren’t enough tires for everyone.

To reduce costs, the tires will be shipped to the event by sea in containers three months earlier. Each new shipment would incur additional costs.

Negotiations are currently underway with Michelin. The French now have to calculate whether they will be able to deliver enough tires to Doha to allow the official drivers an extra day or two of shakedown training. An additional fourth day of testing is not yet guaranteed.

MOTOGP

Shakedown test in Losail: 5th-7th March
IRTA MotoGP test in Losail: March 10-12

Moto2 and Moto3

Jerez test: 16.-18. March

Moto2 private tests

Jerez: 24.-25. February
Portimão: 2-3. March

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