Bridgestone discuss the challenge of Brno

The Czech Grand Prix was one of the most difficult of the season for riders with the scorching conditions leading to a lack of grip throughout the weekend. When this was combined with a bumpy track surface the challenge was compounded for Bridgestone to find an acceptable solution in Brno.

Masao Azuma, the Japanese manufacturer’s chief engineer, outlined the difficulty facing Bridgestone at a track that sees running throughout the year with a variety of machines ranging from MotoGP bikes to single seater race cars and even truck racing.

“Brno, along with Sepang, is one of the circuits on the MotoGP calendar where we perhaps notice a greater decrease in track conditions each year compared to other circuits,” said Azuma. “This year it seems the grip from the tarmac was a bit lower, and there were more bumps in some corners. We revised our tyre allocation at Brno this year to give the riders options that would deal better with the low grip tarmac and the many changes of direction and elevation at this track.

“Both the medium and hard compound rear slicks for Brno were different to what was offered last year and utilised softer compounds to give riders better cornering performance and drive grip. Also, the hard compound front slick at Brno was different to what was offered last year at this track and provided better cornering performance compared to the previous hard front slick. These new options at Brno made it easier to manage the challenging track conditions, although it took a lot of tyre testing during the practice sessions for each rider to find the tyre combination that worked best for them.”