Michelin says it never believed Aprilia’s early-season dominance was linked to the use of stiffer rear tyres, insisting the Noale factory simply has “something extra” over its MotoGP rivals.
Aprilia opened the new campaign with three grands prix wins and a sprint victory, which placed it comfortably at the top of the standings ahead of the first European race at Jerez later this month.
It was suggested by many, including Ducati’s Marc Marquez, that the RS-GP performs better with Michelin’s harder rear carcass, which the French tyre manufacturer introduced at the Buriram season opener and again in Goiania to deal with high thermal stress.
The theory was partly based on Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi’s standout form during last year’s Indonesia GP, when the same tyre casing was last used.
However, any claim that Aprilia’s performance was driven more by external factors than by the bike itself was largely dispelled at Austin, where Bezzecchi led every lap of the grand prix on Michelin’s standard tyre compounds.
The upcoming rounds at Jerez and Le Mans will provide a more conclusive indicator of the pecking order, but Michelin insists its reinforced tyre constructions do not confer a performance benefit to any manufacturer.
“I always thought it wasn’t that, because we’ve been offering the stiffer carcass for several seasons now, so everyone knows how to interpret it and work on the settings. Even the riders have gotten used to it,” Michelin’s Piero Taramasso told Motorsport.com Italy.
“Right now, Aprilia really has something extra in terms of the bike.”
Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team, Alex Marquez, Gresini Racing, Marc Marquez, Ducati Team
Photo by: David Buono / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
While Aprilia made a significant leap with the RS-GP over the winter, Ducati has largely been stagnant, leaving a visible performance gulf between the two Italian manufacturers at the start of the season.
Ducati has also struggled so far to get the best out of Michelin rubber, with two-time champion Francesco Bagnaia running “completely out of tyre” in the US GP amid heavy degradation.
Taramasso admitted that Ducati’s performance is being compromised by riders overusing the rear tyres, but expects the Borgo Panigale marque to come back stronger in Spain.
«It’s true that they’re pushing a little harder on the rear, and in this situation, when the tyre drops, it also creates vibrations. It’s clear that they still need to find the right balance.
“There’s a gap to Aprilia right now, that’s clear, but I’m confident that Ducati will be able to get back on track, or at least make up some of the gap.
“Marquez isn’t 100% physically yet, and you can tell he’s not riding smoothly. Maybe the break before Jerez will help him recover, and it could also help Ducati find something technically.”
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