P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Michelin have robustly defended their tyres after the Jorge Martin controversy at the end of the MotoGP season.
Martin, a contender for the title, had a disappointing 10th place finish at the Qatar MotoGP due to grip issues, which he blamed on a faulty tire. However, Michelin denied any problems with the tire compound they provided. Piero Taramasso, Michelin’s motorsport boss, expressed his frustration with the criticism and mentioned that often the complaints are unfounded and absurd. He also highlighted the successes they had in terms of track records and meeting specifications in multiple races. Taramasso acknowledged that several factors contributed to the controversy surrounding Martin’s performance, including the stress of the title fight and new regulations. Michelin conducted thorough analyses and confirmed that there were no manufacturing or quality issues with Martin’s tire. Taramasso emphasized that a tire that doesn’t work properly would show performance issues from the warm-up lap and throughout the race. He also addressed concerns about Michelin’s quality control and invited anyone to visit their manufacturing facilities to see the effort they put into ensuring the tires work well. The introduction of the new tire pressure rule resulted in increased penalties for riders who didn’t comply, as they took risks knowing the consequences. When asked about potential changes for the 2024 season, Taramasso mentioned ongoing discussions with the organizations responsible for regulations and expressed their commitment to always seeking improvement.
