Michelin debunks the anti-Ducati carcass theory: "Ducati has always won

Michelin shuts the door on the anti-Ducati tire theory. Piero Taramasso, head of two wheels for the French company, responded bluntly to the rumors that surfaced after the Austrian GP, claiming the reinforced rear carcass had penalized the Desmosedici to Aprilia’s advantage. He did so at Motegi, on the very weekend when that same solution is back at the riders’ disposal.

Interviewed by Sky Sport MotoGP, the Michelin manager used very direct language, pointing to the results achieved over the years precisely at the Austrian track. “That’s bull****, it’s absolutely not true. We’ve brought this carcass to Spielberg for four seasons in a row and Ducati has always won.”

On the alleged advantage for Aprilia, Taramasso shifted the focus to other factors that would have affected the Red Bull Ring weekend: “In Austria there were other problems: track conditions, brakes... But it’s not that it works better on one bike than another.” A reference that recalls the braking system issue that affected Marc Marquez at Spielberg and which, as Marc Marquez: “Ducati has found the problem. Future? I can’t tell you”, Ducati claims to have identified.

The topic is far from closed, because in Japan the reinforced carcass is again among the options, as we anticipated in Motegi, the hard tire with reinforced carcass returns: Ducati and Marc Marquez back under scrutiny. Motegi has a new asphalt surface, welcomed positively by teams and riders on Friday, and Michelin has set up a specific range. At the front, the solutions are the same as last year, “nothing special.” The changes are at the rear. “We’ve changed everything, opting for harder compounds, even going two steps up. These are compounds resistant to heat, temperature, and wear. Finally, we brought a third rear specification, which would be the same reinforced carcass used in Austria. This choice was dictated by the possibility of a significant increase in temperatures.”

Michelin has paired this carcass with the same softer compounds. “So we’ll see what the situation is and try to gather more data,” Taramasso added.

The denial, however, is not enough to quell the debate. The French site Paddock-GP, echoing the manager’s words, raises a fundamental question: can an identical tire really work the same way on all MotoGP bikes? Each bike has different characteristics in how it loads the tire, and the question remains open.

The stakes are high: Marquez arrives in Japan as the chaser, twelve points behind World Championship leader Jorge Martin with Aprilia. If the reinforced carcass is chosen for the race, the Motegi track will offer the most concrete test of Taramasso’s words.

Source: Paddock-GP