Drama unfolded at Motegi as Michelin was forced into a dramatic eleventh-hour intervention by withdrawing the soft rear tyre ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix main race following severe blistering issues during the Sprint.
Aggressive new asphalt combined with track temperatures hovering around 40°C pushed the soft compound past its absolute limit amid a blistering pace. Title contenders like Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia were among those caught out by severe rubber degradation during Saturday's action.
While the medium compound remains an available choice, the reinforced hard rear has now been labeled as Michelin's primary recommendation for the Grand Prix. This leaves the entire grid facing a massive strategic gamble since no rider has managed to complete a single lap on the hard option this weekend.
Veteran rider Jack Miller warned that heading blindly into Sunday's race on an untested compound could turn the event into a complete lottery. Adding extra spice to the narrative, this specific reinforced hard compound previously drew grip complaints from Ducati during their outing at the Red Bull Ring.
Amid the mounting tyre panic, Marc Marquez navigated the Sprint cleanly without reporting any visible degradation issues on his way to victory. That crucial win now pulls him within just seven points of the championship lead.
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Michelin larang ban soft di MotoGP Motegi akibat chunking dan blistering. Rekomendasi ban hard jadi tantangan besar bagi Marc Marquez dan Ducati.
Michelin melarang penggunaan ban belakang kompon lunak untuk MotoGP Jepang di Motegi menyusul masalah degradasi ekstrem yang dialami para pembalap.
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