Michael Laverty and the rest of the MotoGP CRT class will get the choice of a softer-compound rear slick to make it easier to get heat, and therefore grip, much earlier and make the less-powerful machinery more competitive.
Last season, almost none of the sub-class rider ever chose the harder-option Bridgestone spec-tyre because they couldn't make it work so although the factory has not changed the tyre construction, there will be the softer rubber on the carcass.
"We have undertaken some compound development for this season and will also use our current rubber compounds in different ways. Perhaps the biggest change for this year is that we have utilised our existing extra-soft rubber compound to create a range of soft rear slicks purely for the CRT entries, providing them with a more suitable rear tyre allocation for races," said Bridgestone's Hiroshi Yamada.
"We have also continued development of a new hard rubber compound that will bring this option closer to the medium rubber compound and make the harder option rear slicks a more desirable option among the works machines.
"The construction of all the tyres for the 2013 season will remain the same, only the compounds available to each specification of machine will differ. For this year there will be up to three rear slick options available for each race, with the CRT entries being able to select the softer and medium rear option, while the works bikes will select from the medium and harder options.
“We believe there is no need to develop a specific tyre construction for CRT entries as our feedback from riders on these bikes is that the feel and behaviour of the tyres is excellent. However, we did have some CRT riders request a softer option of rear slick so we will be using our softer rubber compounds to make rear slick options that better suit these less powerful machines.
“This decision is also verified by the data from last year which showed that CRT riders didn’t select the harder rear option for the race very often, so after discussions with Dorna and the FIM it was clear that the most logical solution was to make separate tyre choices available for works and CRT bikes.”
