After conquering the new circuit in Argentina with its aggressive surface, Dunlop riders will be back on familiar territory at Jerez this weekend for the fourth round of the FIM Moto2 and Moto3 World Championships.

The Spanish track is one of the more neutral circuits on the calendar in terms of tyre demands. The 4.4km circuit with eight right and five left turns has a very even flow of energy and, like last year, Dunlop will be nominating the softer options for the first time this year, with the new black Dunlop logo on yellow background indicating which riders have gone ‘soft’.

Both classes have visited Jerez twice in pre-season International Road-Racing Teams Association (IRTA) tests so the teams are well equipped with data to make setting up the bikes an easier process than for most rounds.

 

Moto2

The improved front and rear tyre options which were used at the IRTA tests will be supplied to all Moto2 riders. Riders were quick to recognize the improved feedback from rears giving them confidence to push harder for longer and in many cases riders could achieve record breaking lap times even after 30 laps. The tests were also the proving ground for the new hard front tyre that allowed riders to push just as hard as with the softer version but with increased stability, making the bikes more agile. Last year all the top-six in the race opted for the medium front and soft rear tyres and it was Tito Rabat that came out on top, just as he did last weekend in Argentina.

 

Moto3

The top three riders chose medium all-round again for the Argentinian race with Romano Fenati taking the victory. Moto3 also has a taste of softer options with medium and soft being available for both front and rear.

 

Tyre allocation:

Moto2:
Fronts 120/75R17, 4 x 302 (medium – black Dunlop logo on silver background) and 4 x 102 (hard – yellow Dunlop on black)
Rears, 195/75R17, 5 x 9854 (soft – black Dunlop on yellow) and 4 x 9855 (medium – black Dunlop on silver)

Moto3:
Fronts: 95/75R17, 5 x Medium (black Dunlop on silver) and 3 x Soft (black Dunlop on yellow)
Rears: 115/75R17 , 6 x Medium (black Dunlop on silver)and 3 x Soft (black Dunlop on yellow)

The riders will have three sets of wet tyres with an additional set being permitted if all sessions are declared wet.

Clinton Howe, Operations Manager Motorcycle Grand Prix
“Jerez is one of those circuits where you would just like to get on the bike yourself and ride. With its friendly layout and pleasant climate, it is still one of the favorites to visit. This circuit has always been good for tyre test work and we are fortunate that we get the chance to come here quite often. The circuit itself is quite tyre friendly with the asphalt being well bedded in compared to recent circuits we have just visited.
“I will be interested to see if the riders that preferred certain tyres at the tests will go with the same as their race options. I sometimes find it amusing how some riders will prefer certain tyres in most practice sessions and then change at the last minute because they want to be on the same tyres as the fastest rider. Fortunately for them, they can be confident that Dunlop’s policy is to only ever make available tyres capable of a race distance and not just one tyre for race and one for a quick lap time.
“The tyres here are on the other end of the scale compared to those used at the last three GPs. The Moto2 rears are as soft as we need to go, so rider confidence is very high and it remains to be seen if they can all improve the lap times yet again this year. With the engine power having not been changed since the inception of Moto2, it’s all down to how much corner speed they can carry.”

Source: Dunlop Motorsport