In Touch PDF - Dunlop Motorsport

Moto3 tEams and RidERs Moto3 tyRE sciEncE
32 riders from 14 countries form the full time entry list for this year’s
inaugural Moto3 World Championship, replacement for the 125cc
class and supported by Dunlop as exclusive tyre supplier.
20 of the entrants were still teenagers at the opening race in Qatar,
with ages ranging from 16-year-old niccolo Antonelli to 28-year-old
Hector Faubel.
Faubel (Kalex-KTM) is the most successful of four previous grand
prix winners committed to the new class, the Spaniard being an
eight-time winner and title runner-up in 125GP.
Maverick Vinales (FTR-Honda) won four 125cc races in his rookie
2011 campaign, while Sandro Cortese (KTM) is a double 125cc
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winner. Jonas Folger (Ioda Racing) starts Moto3 with a single GP
victory under his belt.
As well as prompting the welcome return of the factory KTM
squad, Moto3 has attracted Gresini Racing, one of the top satellite
teams in MotoGP, while the Avintia and Ioda outfits will also contest all
three grand prix classes in 2012.
Just four different bikes signed-up for the final season of 125cc,
but eleven machines will do battle in Moto3: KTM, Honda,
Kalex-KTM, FTR Honda, Suter Honda, Mahindra, Oral, Ioda, TSR
Honda, FGR Honda and MZ-RE Honda.
For the move to Moto3, Dunlop had to consider a number of
factors. Whereas the previous 125cc class saw two-stoke engines,
four strokes of twice the capacity now rule the roost. The longer
combustion cycle means more engine braking, and the different
riding style putting different loads through the tyres.
nine different motorcycle designs are entered for the 2012
season of Moto3, meaning the needs of which Dunlop must master
within the limited tyre range allowed for each event. A formidable
task, but nothing new to Dunlop, whose tyres took 14 different
types of motorcycle to points - and eight to podiums - in the first
season of Moto2.
While Moto2 uses a single engine supplier, Moto3 has no such
restriction, adding a further level of challenge, and this is
accomplished with a smaller tyre range than in Moto2, with three
different compounds for Moto3 – hard, medium and soft for front
and rear, contrasting with the two front and five rear compounds
in Moto2.
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