Michelin withdraws the soft rear tire, changing the Grand Prix equation

The soft rear tire will not be permitted for the Japanese Grand Prix. Michelin has revised its allocation following the deterioration seen during the Sprint. At Aprilia, Martín lost chunks of rubber from the center of his tire and says he had to manage the problem from halfway through the race. Bezzecchi also experienced problems on the medium, although they were less severe.

In its statement carried by Crash, Michelin confirms that the medium remains available but will require careful management. The manufacturer recommends the hard tire with its reinforced casing to sustain a strong pace over the distance. This is a recommendation, not a requirement: riders still have a choice between medium and hard.

To give teams more time, warm-up has been extended from 10 to 20 minutes. The hard had not yet been used when the decision was made. Sunday’s preparation must therefore compare a familiar medium that needs careful management with a reinforced construction for which there is less data on the new surface. The Sprint data alone is no longer enough to predict Grand Prix pace.