Michelin MotoGP boss Piero Taramasso has stated the manufacturer is more than ready for this weekend’s Argentine round after last year’s disaster which saw all tyres withdrawn from the allocation and the entire field race on a hard compound taken to the track in case of emergency.

Scott Redding’s rear failed in spectacular style during free practice four last year and the French firm has no intention of anything like that happening again in 2017 - so full focus has been given to the abrasive Termas De Rio Hondo circuit.

“This is one race that everyone at Michelin is very focused on. We learnt many things from the event in Argentina last year and it altered the course of our plans in 2016. The target now is to improve at the tracks where we struggled last season and Termas is one of those, so we will be looking to make big steps there,” said Taramasso.

“The track is not used very often and we expect it to be quite dirty when we first arrive, so the first session will be more of a cleaning exercise, but after that we expect improvements throughout the weekend – conditions permitting. The asphalt is very abrasive with some very fast and long corners, plus very hard braking zones, all of which is  expected to result in one of the highest average speeds of the year.

“These characteristics put big demands on both the front and rear and the weather can also be very unpredictable in that area at this time of the year. This is a race with many variables, but with the knowledge we have gathered, and the evolutions we have made over the last 12 months, we are ready for any eventualities, and the determination from the whole team to do well is as strong as it has ever been.”