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Michelin take asymmetric front and rear slicks to MotoGP Valencia

MotoGP spec-tyre supplier Michelin will take asymmetric front and rear slick to MotoGP Valencia this weekend.

The unusual, tight, stadium layout is one of the reasons that this is one of three tracks during the whole calendar that features this range of rubber on both the front and rear.

Valencia’s 4005m circuit, with nine left and five right-hand turns, has a configuration set out in an anti-clockwise direction and this particular arrangement means the tyres spend a large amount of time on the edge and must be able to combat these demands.

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With these specifics to cope with, the supply of asymmetric soft, medium and hard compounds licks for the front and rear of all motorcycles makes a third appearance of the season following outings at Sachsenring and Phillip Island.

This time the harder rubber will appear on the left-hand side, to counter the extra stresses placed on that part of the tyre and to contend with the higher number of corners that travel in that direction.

“Valencia is a very unique track as it is the only one inside a stadium, and this brings specific challenges from both the layout and also because of the time of year that we come here," said boss Piero Taramasso.

"This part of Spain can have some nice weather which is ideal for racing in November, but it can also be very cold in the mornings.

"To combat this, we need rubber that can warm-up quickly and work when the track heats up, as well as contending with the number of turns in quick succession.

"The left side never has much chance to cool down as the bikes spend a lot of time leant over on that side throughout a lap, so the asymmetry of the tyre has to be perfectly designed to meet those demands."

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