MotoGP World » Michelin

Nicky Hayden Michelin Advert

admin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:20:50 +0000

We often dive into the depth’s of YouTube to see what MotoGP stars are selling in their spare time, we’ve seen Valentino Rossi selling Nutella, some classic Barry Sheene adverts, and now Nicky Hayden proves that he can roll up his sleeves (literally) and get his hands dirty in the world of TV commercials.

If Ducati doesn’t work out for Nicky, at least he know’s he’s got a future in cleaning houses.

Michelin Man as Black Panther

admin — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:55:55 +0000

Big fat white guy tries to re-invent himself:

The iconic Michelin Man has slightly more time on his hands now that he won’t be part of MotoGP for at least the next three years. Already, he seems to be going through an identity crisis and appears to have re-invented himself as a Black Panther.

Vermeulen blasts bid for single tyre

admin — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:03:55 +0000

In an interview with Australian newspaper ‘The Age’, Chris Vermeulen has come out vocally against the single tyre rule for MotoGP for 2009. Bridgestone have submitted their bid to be the single tyre provider, whilst Michelin opted against submitting a bid in favour of focusing on research and development. Bridgestone’s proposal is under consideration and a decision is expected to be made at the Malaysian Grand Prix on October 18…..although everyone knows what the outcome of that will be.

Vermeulen said:
“I don’t agree with it, I think it’s wrong for grand prix racing to go to a mono-tyre,” Vermeulen said. “We’re prototype racing, we’re there to develop, we’re at the cutting edge of development for tyres, for brakes, for engine performance.

“Everything we do on our bike eventually translates to benefits in road bikes. We work on all sorts of things — fuel consumption, to cut down emissions, for example and eventually it gets through to what people use on the road.

“I think going to a mono-tyre from that side is going to slow development down. Also for the racing — we’re there to compete, manufacturers are there to make a name for themselves, to develop and to beat the other manufacturers. And do I think it’s going to make the racing closer? No, because at the moment every manufacturer has at least one rider on Bridgestone … Competition will basically cease. The way I see it they will develop a tyre at the start of the year. Tyres may change from circuit to circuit slightly, but there’ll be no major development like we have now.”

FULL ARTICLE

Michelin will not bid for 2009 MotoGP tyre contract

admin — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 06:50:13 +0000

Michelin announced that they will not be submitting a bid to be the sole supplier to the MotoGP class for 2009 – full press release:

(Paris – October 4, 2008)-Michelin has decided not to submit a bid to the governing body of the MotoGP World Championship. At the same time, Michelin regrets not being able to contribute to the organizers’ important discussions to improve rider safety and reduce costs.

The spirit of competition has always been central to Michelin. Motor sports at the highest level are useful because competition among several tire manufacturers is a valuable stimulus for developing increasingly high-performance tires that will one day equip customer vehicles. Tires play a key role in a vehicle’s performance and can make a considerable difference. This competition among manufacturers helps to make racing exciting.

The radial tire, which was invented by Michelin, has been improved through racing, and the improvements have since been passed on to consumers. Michelin’s dual compound technology for motorcycle tires was first tested in MotoGP racing and is today integrated into premium products for the brand’s customers. The MotoGP Championship organizers have decided to use a single tire supplier for the coming seasons, which effectively eliminates the competitive environment that has led to so much progress.

The R&D resources allocated for MotoGP racing will be redeployed to support innovation, which is at the heart of Michelin’s customer-focused strategy.

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