MotoGP
Bridgestone Catalunya Pre-Race Notes
Circuit de Catalunya
Edited: Jun 3, 2011, 3:02 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Bridgestone slick compounds available
Front: Medium, Hard
Rear (asymmetric): Medium, Hard
The Catalan Grand Prix, held on 5 June, is run at the Circuit de Catalunya which is located 25km north of the Spanish city of Barcelona. Hugely popular with Spanish fans, and with a proliferation of Spanish riders on the grid, the atmosphere is always charged.
It is one of the toughest races of the year for Bridgestone’s rear tyres because of the very high tyre temperature generated by the predominantly right-handed layout of the circuit. With eight right-handers, most of which are fast and flowing, Catalunya is very demanding for the right side of the rear tyres. It is specifically turn three and the last three corners that generate the high rear tyre temperature as they are fast and long and the tyres spend a lot of time leant over on their right side. Turn three is also uphill so riders open the throttle earlier to maximise drive on the incline.
A good exit to the final corner is crucial as it leads onto the kilometre-long main straight, and this also generates high temperature in the right shoulder of the rear tyres as riders accelerate hard from mid-corner to maximise their speed. By contrast, the five left corners are generally slower and so much less severe for the left side of the tyres.
Race action
Photo by: Bridgestone Corporation
Bridgestone’s asymmetric rear slicks will be used at Catalunya to cope with the high temperature in the right shoulders. The rear slicks are available in either Medium or Hard compound rubber, both of which feature Bridgestone’s soft compound in the left shoulders to balance the demands of the Catalunya circuit. Having listened to riders after last year’s race, the rear compounds are one step softer this season.
The circuit is mildly severe for the front tyre, again more so on the right side because of the circuit’s layout, but the load on the centre of the tyre under braking is lower because of Catalunya’s fast and flowing nature. Bridgestone have selected the same Medium and Hard compound front slicks as were last used at Jerez. In case of rain, for the first time this season Bridgestone have selected the hard compound wets.
Jorge Lorenzo, last year’s winner in Catalunya, arrives at his home race at the head of the championship standings, 12 points ahead of Casey Stoner whose win in France jumped him to second overall, five points ahead of the injured Dani Pedrosa who is in a race to regain fitness for what is also his home GP after breaking his collarbone in France.
Hiroshi Yamada – Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department “Catalunya has been the venue of some fantastic battles in recent years, most memorably the 2009 battle between Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo that wasn’t decided until the final corner of the race. This year the date of the race has been changed, one month earlier than last year, as part of the calendar reshuffle in 2011 but with the strength of the field this year the many fans are sure to have a lot to cheer about. In his race back to fitness I wish Dani Pedrosa all the very best and we hope to see him on the grid for his home race.”
Hirohide Hamashima – Assistant to Director, Motorsport Tyre Development Division “Catalunya is a smooth but high speed circuit that generates higher temperature in the right shoulder of the tyres than the left because of its mostly right-handed nature. Turn three and the last section of the lap generates very high rear tyre temperature and makes Catalunya one of the toughest circuits of the year for our rear tyres.
“There are eight right-hand corners, most of which are long and fast, and only five left-handers, most of which are much slower so there is a significant imbalance between rear tyre temperatures in the right and left shoulders, so for this reason we have selected asymmetric rear slicks to balance these demands. This is one of the key roles of our tyres – we must carefully choose the compound combinations in our asymmetric tyres to equalize imbalances posed by each circuit to provide consistent rider feeling throughout a lap. We listened to rider calls from last year’s race here that the extra hard rear was not necessary from the point of view of grip and consistency. We carefully analysed last year’s race data and tyre choices and as a result we have chosen rear options one step softer this year.”
-source: bridgestone
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Ducati Looks Forward To Catalunya GP
Next article Pramac Racing Gearing Up For Catalunya GP
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Dani Pedrosa
Why Dani Pedrosa won't replace Maverick Vinales at Le Mans, despite his form
MotoGP
MotoGP
French GP
Why Dani Pedrosa won't replace Maverick Vinales at Le Mans, despite his form
Dani Pedrosa reveals the ‘crazy’ training that helped him master wet MotoGP races
MotoGP
MotoGP
Brazil GP
Dani Pedrosa reveals the ‘crazy’ training that helped him master wet MotoGP races
Dani Pedrosa reflects on ‘Fantastic Five’: ‘In Stoner I saw things I simply couldn't do’
MotoGP
MotoGP
Dani Pedrosa reflects on ‘Fantastic Five’: ‘In Stoner I saw things I simply couldn't do’
Latest news
Franco Colapinto urges fans to stop the abuse: “You’re not helping me or my future”
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Singapore GP
1 h
Franco Colapinto urges fans to stop the abuse: “You’re not helping me or my future”
Gresini: New MotoGP rules won't increase gap between factory and satellite teams
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Indonesian GP
1 h
Gresini: New MotoGP rules won't increase gap between factory and satellite teams
Tristan McKee joins JR Motorsports in 2027 with future plans for full-time ride
NASCAR O'Reilly
NOAP NASCAR O'Reilly
Phoenix II
1 h
Tristan McKee joins JR Motorsports in 2027 with future plans for full-time ride
Colton Herta eyes potential Indy 500 return and IMSA enduros as 2027 plans remain in flux
FIA F2
F2 FIA F2 1 h
Colton Herta eyes potential Indy 500 return and IMSA enduros as 2027 plans remain in flux
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe