Michelin to break last Bridgestone records in aftermath of Pirelli MotoGP deal?
Bridgestone MotoGP lap records to be broken by Michelin in Argentina this weekend?
Hot on the heels of losing the exclusive MotoGP tyre deal to Pirelli from 2027, this weekend could see Michelin tick off some rare lap records still standing from the previous Bridgestone era.
Following the recent Thai season opener, it was announced that Pirelli has won the future MotoGP tyre contract with an initial five-year deal coinciding with the introduction of the new 850cc machines.
Michelin said that, while keen to continue, it did not want to expand its tyre supply from the present MotoGP and MotoE classes to include Moto2, Moto3, the Asian Talent Cup and Road to MotoGP series:
‘We remain fully committed to our role as the exclusive tire supplier for MotoGP and MotoE for the 2025 and 2026 seasons and are continuing to work closely with all our partners’.
While most Bridgestone lap records fell to Michelin long ago, Phillip Island, Termas de Rio Hondo and Brno proved notable exceptions.
Marc Marquez’s 2013 Phillip Island lap record, set during a pit stop race, was finally beaten by the Spaniard in Australia last October.
Michelin beat the Brno pole record back in 2016 and will target the race lap record when the circuit returns to the calendar, after a four-year absence, later this season.
That leaves Argentina, venue for this weekend’s second round of the 2025 campaign.
The fastest pole position time (by Marc Marquez in 2014) and race lap (Valentino Rossi in 2015) at Termas remain on Bridgestone tyres.
But previewing this weekend’s return to Argentina, after a one-year hiatus, Michelin stated: ‘It is clear that the teams present at Termas de Río Hondo will be eager to break all these [existing track] records.’
Part of the reason the Bridgestone records have stood for so long is extra caution shown by Michelin following a tyre failure for Scott Redding at the circuit in 2016, during their first year as MotoGP’s single tyre supplier.
Meanwhile, wet weather in qualifying and the grand prix limited lap times during the most recent 2023 Argentine event.
However, Marco Bezzecchi, who won the wet grand prix, was already under the official lap record during the dry Saturday Sprint.
Michelin then introduced a revised rear tyre construction for 2024, which set numerous new lap records last year and will debut at Termas this weekend.
“This circuit is a unique place in the season, with an asphalt that is quite aggressive on tyres, yet paradoxically offers low grip due to the infrequent use of the facilities,” said Piero Taramasso, Michelin’s two-wheel motorsport manager.
“Since it has been two years since we last raced here, our partners will have to start from scratch when setting up the bikes, especially considering the significant progress made since our last visit.
“We have relied on our database to determine the most suitable tyre allocation, with compounds similar to those used in 2023 for the front.
“Regarding the rear, we have selected a Soft tyre that closely resembles last year’s compound, along with a Medium option that is slightly softer to meet our partners’ needs.
“Both the front and rear tyres will be symmetrical, regardless of the imbalance in the number of turns (five left and nine right).
“The first day of practice will undoubtedly be crucial for the weekend’s performance, but as always, we will be there to support our partners.”
Opening practice starts on Friday.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
