After the usual 2022 tyres suffered with blistering on the pre-season check at Mandalika in February, Michelin elected to deliver a stiffer tyre carcass that hadn’t been used since 2018 to higher deal with the acute warmth in Indonesia.
Having topped the February check, Honda was the worst affected by the carcass change as its riders battled with a extreme lack of rear grip.
This culminated in Marc Marquez struggling a violent crash in warm-up on the Sunday of the race, which resulted in a concussion and the return of double imaginative and prescient issues which have at the moment dominated him out of this weekend’s Argentina GP.
Honda hasn’t blamed Michelin for Marquez’s crash, however team boss Alberto Puig did hit back at feedback made by Michelin boss Piero Taramasso – who steered Honda merely didn’t perceive the tyres – in an unique assertion handed to Autosport.
Forward of this weekend’s Argentina race – which has had its Friday sessions cancelled due to freight issues – Alex Marquez says what occurred in Indonesia “can’t occur once more” and feels Michelin’s response to the scenario was solely to avoid wasting face.
“I feel it’s one thing that they should enhance for the longer term, it’s one thing that can’t occur once more,” Marquez, who struggled to 13th in Indonesia, mentioned when requested by Autosport if he had confidence in Michelin proper now.
“To abruptly change a tyre allocation, I imply we had been there [in Indonesia] for 3 days of testing as a result of they [Michelin] requested for 3 days there to attempt the tyres.
“We noticed it was clear the tyres didn’t deal with 27 laps, however for the longer term I feel it will likely be fascinating to not change the casing and all that and placing again a casing that for 3 years was not within the allocation.
“So, if the tyres can’t deal with 27 laps, make the race shorter or make a flag-to-flag that we noticed can be very nice from the previous.
“However to alter the allocation, I feel it’s not likely honest.
“Not as a result of we had quite a lot of issues, as a result of possibly it can occur in one other observe the place for us it will likely be unbelievable, enjoyable and good, and for one more manufacturing unit not.
“So, to be honest, we have now to at all times have the identical ones and attempt to discover one other resolution.
“We had some blisters within the rear, however we additionally had some blisters within the entrance within the check they usually didn’t change the entrance [for the race].
“The reply of Michelin is to simply attempt to have a great picture for them.
“However that is simply enterprise and it’s regular. Additionally Honda desires to have a great picture, however it’s one thing they want additionally to see the issues that typically will occur.
“It’s not at all times the fault of the groups, or we’ve put a incorrect [tyre] strain, or put one thing unusual.
“Additionally, they should see their issues to enhance. If not, it will likely be unattainable.”
Pol Espargaro, Repsol Honda Crew
Photograph by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Manufacturing facility Honda counterpart Pol Espargaro branded Michelin’s tyre carcass change as “unfair” on HRC on the time, whereas on Thursday in Argentina steered it’s not attainable responsible sure events when one thing goes incorrect.
“I feel it’s very simple to know the scenario,” Espargaro mentioned.
“The strongest on the check with the traditional tyres was Honda and Suzuki. And those struggling most [during the GP weekend] it was Honda and Suzuki.
“It’s fairly unhealthy, as a result of when I’ve issues on my bike I complain to Honda, to the press and nothing occurs.
“Honda takes the blame and tries to enhance. And once I wrestle and I’m not ok, Honda complains about me and Honda can struggle me and nothing occurs.
“It’s a part of the job – typically you might be good and typically not, and typically you are taking the nice choices and typically not.
“However in sure components of this job and in sure folks you can not complain.
“It’s not unhealthy to say ‘Okay, possibly we made a mistake, okay it was not good for you, sorry guys’. This may occur, it’s not an issue, and typically it’s tough to even do this.”
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