MotoGP, Irregular front tyre pressure: only a sanction not disqualification

In MotoGP, violating the tyre pressure rules this season will result in a severe penalty after the race, but not the disqualification that had been feared.

On the MotoGP.com website, the house organ of the world championship which often enjoys giving exclusive news, we can read: "The FIM MotoGP Stewards have also announced new, set penalties (for tyre pressure) for 2024. For infringements in the Sprint it’s an eight-second time penalty, and for the Grand Prix race it’s 16 seconds."

Last season, with the introduction of a real-time tyre pressure monitoring system, for the first pressure infringement there was only a warning, while for the second infringement the penalties increased by 3 seconds, 6 seconds and 9 seconds.

Michelin, however, as Taramasso had anticipated to us in our visit to Clermont Ferrand, confirmed the lowering of the mandatory minimum pressure of the front tyres. From 1.88 to 1.80 bar for the 2024 MotoGP season.

The lowering of the pressure was the French tyre manufacturer's response to complaints from riders, who were worried about front locking and grip problems due to the increase in temperature and pressure when, in the slipstream, they follow the other bikes in the race closely.

Obviously it is a first step, but an important one because Michelin is still working on a new front tyre which perhaps, however, will not be ready even in 2025. The development of the front, in fact, is notoriously slower than the rear because it is the front tyre which allows riders to have the confidence to always enter corners faster.

“Safety is fundamental for Michelin - declared Taramasso at Ladoux - it is true that we have never had problems, but the behaviour of the front tyres in the event of too low pressure values can lead to a blowout, and the tyre in this case does not give any warning."

The responsibility for the 'crisis' of the front tyres is mainly due to the increase in the aerodynamic downforce on today's MotoGP bikes and the shapeshifter which dramatically increase the stress on the tyre.