Press releases from the MotoGP teams and Bridgestone ahead of this weekend's race at Phillip Island:
Fresh from victory, the Repsol Honda Team head to Australia for round sixteen
Japan GP winner – Dani Pedrosa – and teammate Marc Marquez are already en route to Phillip Island for the next MotoGP race.
The Phillip Island circuit remains one of the favourites with the World’s top riders. Located next to the Southern Ocean, the often windy circuit is a flowing blend of seven left-handers and five right-handers, with tricky, iconic sections like Lukey Heights thrown into the mix. The 4.448km circuit, located 140km south of Melbourne, hosted its first motorcycle GP in 1989 and has been an indispensable fixture ever since.
Both riders have had mixed results here in the past, Dani celebrating a solitary win here in 2005 (250cc), a 3rd place finish in 2009 (MotoGP) and a 2nd place in 2013 (MotoGP). Marc also only has one win to his name here in 2010 (125cc), and two 3rd place finishes in Moto2 (2011, 2012). Both will be eager to put last year behind them, after the team suffered a double DNF.
Marc Marquez
Championship Standing: 3rd - 197 points
"It wasn’t a great weekend in Japan but it could have been a lot worse. With the wet conditions it was not such a stress on my injured hand, so this is a positive. Now we go to Australia and I really look forward to this weekend because Phillip Island is one of my favourite circuits. I think it will be a better track for us than Motegi so we will work hard from FP1 on Friday to try and find the best setup. Now I will try to rest my hand for a few days as this track is very physical with many hard and fast changes in direction."
Dani Pedrosa
Championship Standing: 5th - 154 points
"It was a great result in Motegi, after a difficult weekend. I am feeling really positive and we have good momentum as we head to Australia for the next race. Phillip Island can be tricky due to the weather conditions so we will work hard and try to get a good qualifying position. It’s difficult to know how the race will play out and we will have to see how our bike works there this year. Anyway we will be fighting hard and hope to be on the podium again!"
Yamaha‘s Title Chase Proceeds To The Second Pacific Race at Phillip Island
After another solid ninth double podium of the season, Movistar Yamaha MotoGP‘s Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo immediately move on to the second flyaway round, the Australian Grand Prix.
With a challenging yet rewarding race in Motegi behind them, the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP team has immediately set course for the scenic Phillip Island circuit where they have the chance to claim the Manufacturer World Championship Title.
Valentino Rossi currently holds an 18-point advantage in the championship standings over his teammate - and only other contender for the MotoGP Rider World Championship Title - Jorge Lorenzo. The Doctor looks forward to battling at the front of the field once again this weekend at a circuit he lists as one of his favourites.
His love for the Phillip Island circuit clearly shows in his résumé. He enjoyed a stunning five-year winning streak starting from 2001, and claimed an additional victory last year, topping a full-Yamaha podium. Rossi also got to pop champagne in 2008 and 2009 when he scored second places and in 2000, 2006, 2007, 2010, and 2013, when he finished third.
After securing his ninth podium of the season in Motegi, Lorenzo is eager to get back aboard his YZR-M1. Though the margin between him and his teammate in the overall standings may have grown last weekend, he has not lost an ounce of his fighting spirit.
Conveniently Phillip Island is also one of his most-beloved circuits and the Spaniard also holds and impressive scorecard there. He claimed three second places in the premier class in 2010, 2012 and 2014, spurted to a supreme victory in 2013 and set the current Circuit Best Lap record of 1'27.899 around the 4.4 km track during qualifying that same year.
Phillip Island has hosted motorcycle races since 1931 even before it became a permanently constructed circuit in 1956. The circuit hosted motorcycle Grand Prix events until an extensive renovation took place in the 70s and early 80s. The Australian circuit made a comeback in 1989 and 1990. It became a regular fixture once more from 1997 onwards and has been a favourite on the MotoGP calendar for both riders and fans ever since, thanks to its fast and fluid corners, exotic wildlife and stunning location right next to the ocean.
VALENTINO ROSSI
Phillip Island is a very particular track. I like it, as does the majority of the rider, but it‘s always difficult to find the right setting and the conditions are often tricky with lots of wind and cold temperatures. We hope for a good weekend like last year and we will try to ride a good race to arrive on the podium, in front of Jorge. I think it‘s best to take the championship race by race, focus on Phillip Island and try to make the most of it.
JORGE LORENZO
After another strange race I lost some value points in Motegi but I‘m still in contention for the championship title. It‘s true 18 points behind Valentino is a difficult margin to cut down but I will try with all my efforts. If I‘m able to win all the races and Vale makes any mistake we can win the championship. Now we are facing another nice race. Phillip Island is a track I like a lot but also Vale enjoys it here so it will be interesting. It‘s a very demanding track for the setting of the bike, also because of the tricky weather conditions, so we need to be prepared for anything.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
TEAM DIRECTOR
After the double podium in Motegi we head straight to the next round at Phillip Island. This is another race we are really looking forward to, especially after last year‘s brilliant full-Yamaha podium. Last weekend we showed that we are in a good shape and Vale and Jorge are both looking forward to another battle in this Sunday‘s race. The track‘s sweeping layout suits the YZR-M1 and the riders really well so we can‘t wait to start working on the balance of the bike in the first free practice session. Being so close to the shore, the Phillip Island circuit can get very windy at times, but as always we will try our very best no matter what conditions we end up facing and we‘re optimistic that we can get good results.
Ducati Team gearing up down under for Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island
Just a few days after the GP of Japan, the Ducati Team has arrived at the Phillip Island circuit in Australia, the venue for round 16 of the MotoGP World Championship, and the second leg in this exhausting series of three end-of-season overseas races on two different continents.
Situated close to the Bass Strait in the state of Victoria, the Phillip Island track runs in a counter-clockwise direction with a series of extremely quick curves that make it one of the fastest on the world championship calendar. Despite the fact that weather conditions in spring in the southern hemisphere are often unpredictable, the event is always a favourite for teams, riders and fans alike.
As in Motegi, the Ducati Team has also notched up four wins at Phillip Island, all at the hands of Casey Stoner.
Andrea Dovizioso has stepped onto the podium three times in the different categories, including one win in 125cc in 2004 and a third place in MotoGP in 2011. Last year he finished the race in fourth. Andrea Iannone’s best result is a third place in 2010 in Moto2, while last year he had to retire.
With three rounds remaining until the end of the 2015 championship, Iannone is currently fourth overall on 172 points, while Dovizioso lies seventh on 150 points.
The weekend schedule at Phillip Island kicks off on Friday morning with the first free practice session at 10.55am local time (01.55 CET), while the 27-lap race is scheduled for Sunday at 4pm (07.00 CET).
Andrea Iannone (Ducati Team #29) – 4th (172 points)
“At Motegi we had a good weekend and were always competitive, but unfortunately on Sunday I had to retire when my GP15 had an engine problem. Pity, because I had every chance of doing a good race and continue my run of positive results, but in any case throughout the season you have to accept a result of this kind. The next few tracks, starting with Phillip Island, should be positive for us. I like this circuit a lot and so I hope to do a good race on Sunday.”
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04) – 7th (150 points)
“Phillip Island is not one of my favourite circuits, but with the GP15 I believe that this year we can be competitive, and so it should be a good weekend for us. It’ll actually be interesting to see how we will go here because last year I didn’t have a good feeling with the bike at all. Throughout the Motegi weekend, we did however improve on our performance and so also here we’ll be working hard to get a good result.”
The Phillip Island Circuit
Phillip Island, which is around 150 km south of Melbourne, is steeped in motor racing tradition, with the first car races having been held there on public roads in the 1920s. The first motorcycle races took place in 1931 and a permanent track was built in 1956. The circuit fell into disrepair during the late 70s and early 80s until it was bought in 1985 and given a major facelift. MotoGP returned in 1989 and 1990 before becoming a regular fixture once more from 1997 onwards. The Phillip Island circuit is blessed with breathtaking scenery and beautiful ocean views and is one of the fastest tracks on the calendar.
TEAM SUZUKI ECSTAR HEADS TO PHILLIP ISLAND
Team Suzuki Press Office – October 14.
The fast and smooth circuit of Phillip Island awaits Team SUZUKI ECSTAR for the second race of the Pacific leg of the 2015 MotoGP™ Championship this weekend.
Both Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales are eager to get back riding as soon as possible, even though both have a different motivation: Espargaro has an improved feeling after the last series of races - although in Japan he couldn’t finalise a positive race result – and has found more-and-more confidence with his GSX-RR. This allowed him to enjoy the previous race weekends and also be competitive in the wet, giving him confidence for the final rush towards the final round in Valencia in Spain.
Viñales instead has encountered some difficulties in finding a proper feeling with his bike in recent races, but last weekend in Japan, despite a crash, he finally found a good way to finalise his machine set-up and get back a positive feeling, being competitive in wet conditions and he is now eager to ride and improve again.
The Phillip Island Circuit is a 4.4 km (2.76 miles) track at the very south of Australia, with breathtaking scenery and beautiful ocean views. It is made up of seven left-hand and five right-hand corners and is one of the fastest, most fluid tracks on the calendar, providing some of the most spectacular racing in the MotoGP™ season. Sunday’s MotoGP™ GP will be raced over 27 laps over a total distance of 120.1 km (74.5 miles)
Aleix Espargaro:
“Even though in Japan the final result didn’t satisfy me I am happy that we found a good set-up and I’m getting my confidence back on my GSX-RR. We have passed through a few hard races in the middle of the season but we kept our concentration and finally found a proper way to improve. This is part of the learning process; we knew this would happen this year. However the most important thing is to get the feeling back and be able to exploit what we have at its best. Moreover we knew that Motegi wouldn’t be easy for us, being a stop-and-go track, and I’m very happy to go to Phillip Island which is almost the complete opposite; fast, smooth and fluid. These are better conditions to exploit the strengths of our machine. It is also good to race right after the last weekend, so we can keep concentration and motivation at their uppermost.”
Maverick Viñales:
“I came away from Japan being aware that even though it was not a positive weekend in terms of the final result it was, in fact, one of improvement. We did a very positive job throughout all the weekend, improving the feeling session-after-session. On Friday I had so many troubles trying to be fast but then on Saturday I could rely on a more effective set-up and finally entered Q2 and finalising a good balance on the bike for the race. If it wasn’t for a little electronic issue we had in the race I think I could have scored a very positive result, despite being aware that Motegi was not suitable for our machine’s characteristics. That’s not the situation for Phillip Island; the circuit is much faster and smoother, which is good for our GSX-RR and also for my riding style. Lately I’m struggling to find good confidence at the beginning of the weekend and it is important to be able to be competitive from Friday. We need to work in order to get back to what we had in middle of the season when we found a good working method that allowed me to be much more confident. I know we can do that, we have already proved that, therefore we will apply ourselves in this direction, keeping calm and being aware of our potential.”
IN AUSTRALIA BAUTISTA AND BRADL SEEK CONFIRMATION OF THE PROGRESS THE APRILIAS HAVE MADE IN THE LAST RACE AT MOTEGI
Phillip Island (Australia), 14 October 2015 - The second stop on the Pacific tour takes MotoGP to the fast sweepers of the exciting Australian track of Phillip Island. This is a track with completely different characteristics than the one at Motegi where the last race was held. Precisely for this reason the challenge that awaits Aprilia Racing Team Gresini is to resume development on the RS-GP which returned some excellent results during the first two days of practice in Japan. Before the rain shuffled the deck on race day Bradl and Bautista had demonstrated an excellent race pace and they brought home the best qualifiers of the season, with the German just barely missing out on Q2 by a few hundredths, starting on the fifth row, and with Alvaro starting on the sixth row.
ROMANO ALBESIANO (Aprilia Racing Manager)
“In Australia we are taking on an exciting track, completely different than the one at Motegi where the last race was held. Here the deceleration and restart situations are decidedly less important than they were in Japan and instead it will be the performance of the RS-GP in the long turns and direction changes that will make all the difference. For us this will be another important test for the development of our project and for the knowledge of the entire team. I would be happy to finally have some stable weather conditions which, unlike what happened in Japan, could provide some continuity for our work and allow us to take all the good work we are able to accomplish in practice into the race.”
FAUSTO GRESINI (Team Manager)
“At Motegi we had a two-sided experience: after the excellent practice sessions and performance in qualifying that turned out to be the best overall of the season, in the race, partially due to the weather conditions, we brought home less than we could have. In Japan, on a track that looked difficult on paper, in any case we were able to see the progress we've made throughout the season. The track at Phillip Island is one of the most exciting on the calendar with its fast sweepers, an ideal setting to continue our season of development!”.
ALVARO BAUTISTA
“Phillip Island is a fantastic track where I have wonderful memories since this is where I won my 125 title with Aprilia. The turns are very fast and it will be a great test bench for our bike. We need to try to work well from the first day to find a base setting quickly. It will be especially important to have a stable bike that can lap well on those fast turns. After Motegi we are strongly motivated because the race didn't go as we would have liked but for the entire weekend performance was good.”
STEFAN BRADL
“In Australia we are taking on a completely different track than Motegi: Phillip Island is a fast track that on paper looks good for the characteristics of the RS-GP so I'm confident for this second round on the non-European tour. In Japan we worked hard to achieve better consistency in terms of race pace, making good progress, and we would like to continue on this path during practice. After which, I hope we have good weather for the race.”
Going to Phillip Island for the second leg of the overseas trip
The exclusive setting of Phillip Island in Australia will host the second of the triple trip overseas. Loris Baz and Toni Elias will race to regain the Open championship lead in MotoGP, while the Italian duo composed of Simone Corsi and Lorenzo Baldassarri will aim for the Top5.
Baz, forced to retire at Motegi, is just two points short from Barbera in the standings at the eve of his favorite Grand Prix and will go to on track to fight for victory. Toni Elias is motivated to do well, he seems to have found the right basic setting to remain in the group and battle with the other Open bikes after only 2 races with Forward.
The Moto2 Italians are getting closer to the fastest guys. Simone Corsi, after finishing very close to the Top5 in Motegi, is confident for the race on the Australian track that is well suited to his riding style. Lorenzo Baldassarri is also looking forward to ride his Kalex to demonstrate his ability to stay with the leaders.
Toni Elias
"The rain in Motegi penalized me and I could not stay with the group in the race. Too bad, I think I found the right basic setting for Yamaha Forward to compete with the other Open. I hope that at Phillip Island temperatures are not too rigid to be able to push hard".
Loris Baz
"I’m going to my absolute favorite circuit and I cannot wait to get on track to forget the difficult weekend at Motegi. I struggled during practice and in the race I was not happy with the front, but I'm sure I can do well at Phillip Island. I want to fight with the other Open and get close to the top of the standings".
Smith and Espargaro prepared for Philip Island fight as they head down under
Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team riders Bradley Smith and Pol Espargaro have jetted straight to Australia full of confidence for the second consecutive fly away race, fresh from their Motegi battle in Japan. Both riders are highly excited about the upcoming weekend at Phillip Island which is one of the most stunning tracks on the calendar with a magnificent ocean backdrop. It was built in 1956 and features seven left turns and five right as well as a straight of 900 metres which come together to create a high speed and fast flowing circuit that always promises exhilarating action on track for riders and fans alike.
Bradley Smith is relishing his return to Australia at the track where he produced his maiden podium finish last year as he fully intends to continue his firm and consistent run in the 2015 MotoGP season this week. The British star completed the Japanese Grand Prix in 7th as he battled at the stop and go Twin Ring Motegi circuit which was plagued with bad weather. This weekend Smith fully intends to make a step up at the 4.4 kilometre Phillip Island circuit and succeed in clinching the leading satellite honours. Meanwhile, Pol Espargaro is counting down the days until he can launch into action on a track that he holds in high regard as he looks to score a notable finish in the 16th round of the 2015 MotoGP World Championship. The 2013 Moto2 World Champion experienced a difficult Japanese Grand Prix where he fell heavily in the final moments of the race, yet he escaped injury. He will now look to bounce back strongly in Australia, at a circuit which holds a positive history for him and where he aims to conclude the 27 lap sprint inside the top six aboard the Yamaha YZR-M1.
Bradley Smith
Championship :6th Points : 152
“I am really excited about heading to Australia as Phillip Island is definitely a track that I have great memories of after my podium finish there last year. However, I can’t promise that I’ll do the same again this weekend, but I’ll try my absolute best and I am looking forward to the challenge. To be honest I am feeling really confident at the moment because my Yamaha has been working very well at Motegi and my pace in the dry was strong. On the other hand, the team did a great job with the setting for the wet conditions and it’s fair to say that we have taken some big steps forward in that direction. This makes me feel more comfortable in case there could be more wet races in the remaining three GP’s in 2015. Regarding Phillip Island, I really enjoy riding there and I am sure a lot of other rides do too. It’s flowing nature certainly suits the style of the Yamaha which was proven by the result last year – an all Yamaha lock out on the podium. Still, we need to take note about the weather because there is always chance of rain with the track being right next to the ocean. Nevertheless, I am primed for the battle and I’ll do my best to get into the top six.”
Pol Espargaro
Championship : 10th Points : 88
“It goes without saying that I am truly looking forward to go to Australia as Phillip Island is an incredible circuit and definitely my favourite track. Still my memories of last year are quite disappointing as I was running in a podium position and so close to scoring my first rostrum in the premier class until luck went against me and I fell not far from the end. Yet, I feel optimistic about making amends this season, which I need to do after the challenging time that we had in Japan. Fortunately I am ok after the crash and, of course, I am more determined than ever to get a strong result to get us back on track. The circuit suits the Yamaha so we need to take advantage of this and try to hit the ground running, and we must make the most of the practice sessions in order to get ready for Sunday. It really is a great place to be and furthermore, I hope to catch some waves as well before we head to the track!"
Hervé Poncharal - Team manager :
“It’s time for one of the Grand Prix’s that everyone looks forward to as Phillip Island is truly breath taking to visit! The circuit has such a deep history and it has a really smooth, flowing layout that always provides the perfect platform for some great racing, plus it must be incredible to ride Lukey heights on a MotoGP bike. We are hoping that both of our guys can battle to be inside the top six in the race after what we saw last year. They did their best at Motegi even though the weather conditions were far from ideal. Brad continued his good form and got 7th, which means he still holds his record of finishing every GP in 2015 no lower than 8th. Moreover, we shouldn't forget that he scored his debut podium in the premier class last year on this track, so we are confident that he can be fighting with some of the factory MotoGP bikes in Sunday’s race. As for Pol, he had a tough time and fell heavily at Motegi, but he was deemed ok after visiting the medical staff, much to our relief. He has a strong record at Phillip Island, so we are sure that he can be right up there with his teammate and fighting for a solid finish. Therefore, both riders are fired up and ready for action, like every GP, so lets see what happens in Australia, where hopefully it will stay dry!”
CRUTCHLOW EXCITED ABOUT AUSTRALIAN GP
Following a positive Japanese race in trickily damp conditions at the weekend, the LCR Honda Team and the rest MotoGP circus travel directly southwards to Phillip Island for the Australian Grand Prix, with Cal Crutchlow in eager anticipation of a good weekend at one of his favourite venues.
The Briton has tasted success before at the fastest circuit on the whole MotoGP calendar, having scored a podium here in 2012, and just missing out again in 2013 with fourth. He was also running second in last year’s event before sliding out on the last lap, albeit with conditions having deteriorated significantly due to severely cold weather.
Thankfully for Crutchlow and the rest of the field the conditions are much better on arrival at the track this year with temperatures reaching 30°C, and the 29 year-old hopes this can continue through the weekend to allow him to get the bike set up to his liking so he can put in an assault for the podium positions.
Cal Crutchlow #35
“I’m really looking forward to this weekend, I like the circuit here at Phillip Island and I think that together with the LCR Honda Team we will work well getting the setting right.”
“Hopefully the weather stays dry for everyone and we can have good conditions for getting the bike set up, because that will allow us all to work hard and get things right.”
“I’ve been on the podium here before so the aim is to be as close to the podium as possible again this weekend.”
HUGE HOME RACE FOR MILLER AT PHILLIP ISLAND
Following a dramatic Japanese race in mixed conditions at the weekend, the MotoGP circus travels directly southwards to Phillip Island for the Australian Grand Prix, where Jack Miller will get his first taste of a home race as a MotoGP rider.
The LCR Honda Team rider is eagerly anticipating the fast and flowing track which he feels should suit the performance of his Honda RC213V-RS. He is already a grand prix winner at the venue, having triumphed here in Moto3 in a hard-fought battle last year.
Despite scorching weather greeting the Aussie on arrival at the track, the Queenslander was quick to point out the unpredictability of the conditions, but that he hoped to put on a show for the local crowds nonetheless.
Jack Miller #43
“I’m really looking forward to the weekend, last year we had a big result here so it really is one of my favourite tracks. So far the weather has been pretty good, but we will have to see how it is tomorrow when we have the free practice sessions.”
“Without a doubt I am really looking forward to riding the MotoGP bike around here, the layout should suit the style of my bike with only a couple of hairpins and lots of corners which are in third, fourth and fifth gears.”
Next stop Phillip Island for 'flyaway' challenge
Tuesday, 13 October 2015 08:29
POWER ELECTRONICS Aspar riders love the layout and atmosphere of the Australian track and hope for top results there
The countdown to the 2015 MotoGP World Championship finale continues this weekend with the sixteenth round of eighteen and the second of three races in as many weekends. Just a couple of days after the chequered flag was waved in Japan the majority of teams and riders are already in Australia, having travelled thousands of miles from the hills of Motegi to the coastal idyll of Phillip Island. The legendary circuit is one of the highlights of the MotoGP calendar, with its fast and flowing nature and stunning location making it a favourite for the riders and fans alike. This year it promises as much drama as ever, with the title fight going all the way to the wire between team-mates Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo; the Spaniard admitting after Sunday's contest at Motegi that he now needs to win all three of the remaining races.
Phillip Island is a race that the POWER ELECTRONICS Aspar riders have had marked on their calendar since the start of the season. Nicky Hayden and Eugene Laverty love the layout and they have both travelled to Australia with their focus set firmly on a strong result. The American is looking to extend a run of two straight points-scoring finishes whilst the Irishman is confident the circuit can suit the characteristics of his Honda. At a circuit where he has celebrated victory on two different brands of World Superbike and in World Supersport, Laverty is determined to add a MotoGP Open win to his tally here.
Nicky Hayden: “The atmosphere at Phillip Island is special and I love fast left-hand corners so I always look forward to this one. It's a track where you need to be committed and you need a bike that you are comfortable on and allows you to attack the corners. You never know what is going to happen with the weather there. It's definitely nicer when it's sunny and nice out but it can be very windy and very cold, which is never easy, and you also have to make sure you keep the heat in the right side of the tyre. I had my second proper podium there - I remember I passed Gibernau halfway around the last lap - and it was obviously a big moment for me because it was my rookie season and a lot of people were questioning me. So I've had some good races there in the past and it would be nice to have one more this weekend.”
Eugene Laverty: “This is a track I know and like, and the character of our bike suits itself more to fluid circuits. Phillip Island is the most fluid track on the calendar, even the two slow corners flow, so I am excited about what we can do this weekend. The only thing I am wary of is the conditions because whenever I have raced there in Superbikes it has been summer and 30 degrees, obviously this is a different time of year. I had a couple of wins in Superbikes but it was more a case of the track suiting the bikes I was on, rather than suiting me as a rider, but I am hopeful it will suit this bike too. Argentina was similar and I was still learning the bike back then but we almost made it into Q2. I'm optimistic, also cautious because you never know what can happen in this championship, but after finishing outside the points at Motegi I am hoping to get back in the fight for the Open victory this weekend and getting back into the points.”
Bridgestone MotoGP™ Preview - Round 16: Phillip Island, Australia
Wednesday, October 14 2015
Bridgestone slick compounds: Front: Extra-soft, Asymmetric & Soft; Rear: Soft, Medium & Hard (Asymmetric)
Bridgestone wet tyre compounds: Soft (Main) & Hard (Alternative)
Australia’s picturesque Phillip Island hosts round sixteen of the 2015 season, with the circuit’s fast, flowing layout and abrasive track surface combining to create one of the most demanding venues for MotoGP tyres.
Measuring approximately 4.4 kilometres in length, the Phillip Island circuit has the highest average speed on the calendar and the section through the left-handed turns 11 and 12 generate the highest tyre temperatures recorded all season. Adding to the challenge, Phillip Island can experience extremely cool weather and with five right-hand corners compared to seven left-hand corners, the circuit has an unbalanced track layout.
To meet the demands of the Phillip Island circuit, Bridgestone’s tyre allocation for the Australian Grand Prix has been developed to provide consistent performance and handling, while withstanding the extreme temperatures and forces the circuit places on tyres. The rear slick tyres Bridgestone develops for Phillip Island are unique and feature a special construction that isn’t used at any other event on the calendar. The asymmetric front slick provided for the Australian Grand Prix – which will be distinguished by a light blue stripe – is also unique to this event and for this year has been revised to offer better heat retention and braking feel compared to the asymmetric front slick provided at Phillip Island last year.
The rear slick options for the Factory Honda and Yamaha riders are the medium and hard compound asymmetric rear slicks, while the Aprilia, Ducati, Suzuki and Open-class riders will get access to the soft and medium compound rear slicks. All asymmetric rear slicks at Phillip Island feature harder rubber on the left shoulder to provide optimum performance through the circuit’s long-radius left hand corners.
The front tyre options for Phillip Island are the extra-soft, asymmetric and soft compound front slicks, the allocation ensuring the riders have a wide range of options to manage the variable southern Australian weather.
The main wet tyre option for the Australian Grand Prix is the soft compound wet tyre, although every rider will also have up to two front and rear wet tyres available in the alternative, hard compound.
Hiroshi Yamada - Manager, Bridgestone Motorsport Department
“Phillip Island is a very fast circuit with many sweeping corners and its seaside location is one of the more spectacular locations we visit in the MotoGP World Championship. Although the circuit’s layout and location make it a favourite for riders and fans, the resulting high forces placed on tyres and variable weather also make it the most demanding circuit for our MotoGP tyres and we relish the technical challenge it offers. Last weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix was an exciting race and with the title still on the line, this weekend promises to be another monumental moment in the championship. Both Jorge and Valentino have had good results in the past at this circuit so it will be incredibly interesting to see which one of them comes out on top this weekend.”
Shinji Aoki - Manager, Bridgestone Motorcycle Tyre Development Department
“Phillip Island is a fast and flowing circuit which places great demands on tyres, with the recent resurfacing making this track even more severe on tyres. The last corner is particularly demanding as it involves prolonged throttle openings at extreme lean angles which combine to create the highest rear tyre temperature experienced during the season. For this year’s Australian Grand Prix we’ve developed a new asymmetric front slick specifically for this circuit that is composed of our extra-soft and soft rubber compounds. This brand new front tyre will improve the braking feel for riders compared to last year’s asymmetric front slick and I am looking forward to see how it performs this weekend.”
