Assen MotoGP: Is braking 29 seconds per lap not enough?

6/22/2021

The tricks of the Brembo system and the role of Marchesini wheels for the Dutch GP and your bike.

Before the long summer break, MotoGP heads to Assen, which again hosts the three classes after a forced absence in 2020. According to the Brembo technicians who work closely with all the MotoGP World Championship riders, the TT Circuit Assen is not very demanding on the brakes.

On a scale of 1 to 5, it received a difficulty rating of 1. This is the lowest in the 2021 championship, less than the 2 points of Phillip Island and Portimao. Assen has a maximum speed of 310 km/h (193 mph) but the number of fast curves means that the braking systems can cool down with ease. And it is precisely the presence of so many curves that makes it the best test-bed for Marchesini wheels.

Marchesini, the choice for anyone who demands the very best

Marchesini has been part of the Brembo Group since March 2000 and shares the same production plant. Once again, in the 2021 season, Marchesini forged magnesium wheels will appear on almost two-thirds of the bikes competing in MotoGP with 5-spoke and 7-spoke Y design wheels at the front and 7-spoke wheels at the rear.

These wheels are crafted by 3D closed-die multiforging and heat treatment and provide maximum rigidity and minimum inertia. The weight saving provided by Marchesini wheels (which, together with the tires, are the most significant non-suspended rotating mass) boosts the motorcycle's acceleration and handling during direction changes and enhances brake response.

Lightness and performance for road bikes too

Marchesini not only gives professional riders an exhilarating experience but develops solutions that ensure high performance for road motorcycle users, too. With their unique style, they are made using cutting-edge design, structural analysis, and testing methods.

The M7R Genesi wheels have seven spokes made of a magnesium alloy generally used in the aerospace industry with multidirectional forging and dies optimized for final wheel geometry: they are 26 to 41% lighter than standard wheels depending on the motorcycle model.

Find out more about Marchesini wheels.

MotoGP vs Superbike 1-1

Despite its 18 turns, the TT Circuit Assen is very ridable, with several fast corners and only one sharp turn, where speed drops to under 180 km/h (112 mph). Except for Le Mans, the tracks that have already hosted races this year have always had at least one braking section with a deceleration greater than 200 km/h (124 mph), with peaks close to 250 km/h (155 mph).

The ten braking sections of each lap involve a total brake use of 29 seconds, equivalent to 31 percent of the race. The World Superbike Championship, which will be here in a month, has ten braking sections. However, brake usage is just over 26 seconds per lap, even though the load on the production-derived brake lever is almost 38 kg (83.8 lbs) per lap compared to 36.6 kg (80.7 lbs) for MotoGP.

Just over 4 seconds with 1.5 g 

Of the ten braking sections at the TT Circuit Assen, only one is classified as demanding on the brakes, eight are of medium difficulty and the remainder light.

The descending right-hand braking section at the Haarbocht Curve (turn 1) is where the riders and braking systems have to work the hardest and bikes reach 285 km/h (177 mph), and riders brake for 4.3 seconds in which they cover 221 meters (242 yards). To reach 111 km/h (69 mph) and set up the turn, the riders have to apply a 5.3 kg (260-pound) load on the brake pedal and undergo a deceleration of 1.5 G.