Brembo Rates Indonesian MotoGP Moderate on Brakes

KUTA, Indonesia — According to the Brembo technicians who work closely with all 22 riders in the MotoGP premium class, this weekend’s Indonesia’s the Mandalika International Street Circuit rates as medium difficulty on the motorcycles’ brakes.

On a scale of 1 to 5, it earned a 3on the Brembo difficulty index.

Last year the race was held in March during a thunderstorm and the temperature of the asphalt was 28°C (82.4°F) so the best lap was 7.7 seconds faster than the pole position time; the Brembo carbon fiber discs were impeccable.

Brembo and Aprilia, a winning combination

The first two editions of the Indonesian GP, in 1996 and 1997, were held in Sentul: Aprilia won the two 125 races, the first with Masaki Tokudome and the second with Valentino Rossi. Both motorcycles had Brembo brake systems even if the calipers were still axial ones because radial calipers were invented — by Brembo — in 1998 and the first motorcycle to use them was the Aprilia 250.

The close links between Aprilia racing bikes and Brembo dates to 1985 when Loris Reggiani rode the AF1 250 powered by a Rotax engine with rotary disc valve. Two years later, the rider from Forlì gave Aprilia its first win in the World Championship. Since then, the number of Aprilia wins in 125, 250 and MotoGP has continued to increase and has reached 300 with one common denominator, Brembo brake components.

Fourteen less than India

On the eight turns on the Mandalika International Street Circuit, the MotoGP riders use their brakes for a total of 27 seconds per lap, 11 seconds less than the Japanese GP and 14 less than the Indian GP. That’s not all – in Indonesia the brakes are used for at least three seconds on three braking points.

From turn three to turn nine, the MotoGP riders use their brakes on turn six for just 1.5 seconds demonstrating the lack of big braking moments in this section. Loads on the brake lever are also in the norm and never exceed 5.5 kg (12.1 pounds). From start to finish, each rider exerts a force on the brake lever of under 700 kilos (1543 pounds).

Deceleration of 1.8 GOf the eight braking moments on the Mandalika International Street Circuit, one is considered demanding on the brakes, one is of medium difficulty, and the remaining six are light.

The braking moment on the first corner is the hardest in the Grand Prix: the MotoGPs come into it at 303 km/h (188 mph) and slow down to 106 km/h (65.8 mph) with a load on the brake lever of 5.5 kg (12.1 pounds). To set up the turn, the riders brake for 4.4 seconds covering a distance of 228 meters (91.8 feet) with 1.8 G deceleration.

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